This summer’s theme is The Dinner Guest Series. Each service leader will choose a person/persons that they’d like to have dinner with and then base a sermon around the teachings of their life. This Sunday’s ‘dinner guest’ is bell hooks. Led by Michelle Saville.
Summary:
This sermon explores the life and philosophy of author and activist bell hooks, focusing on her transformative definition of love as an active choice rather than a passive feeling. By viewing love as a verb and an ethical framework, the sermon argues that individuals can foster social justice, accountability, and spiritual growth. The speaker connects these ideas to Unitarian Universalist values, suggesting that placing a “love ethic” at the center of life allows for meaningful resistance against societal division and injustice. The sermon further emphasizes that practicing love requires vulnerability and courage, manifested through both community service and self-care. Ultimately, the sermon serves as a call to action, encouraging listeners to treat every interaction as an opportunity to embody love in a messy world.