Service

Be Here Now, Together

 

Summary:

This sermon presents a sermon exploring the concepts of mindfulness, community, and engagement with the present moment. It draws inspiration from various spiritual and philosophical works, including Ram Das’s “Be Here Now” and teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. The sermon emphasizes the importance of being present in daily activities and fostering meaningful relationships within families, communities, and the wider world. It encourages listeners to recognize both the beauty and the struggles around them and to actively participate in creating a better world together. The speaker uses personal anecdotes and references current events to illustrate the interconnectedness of individual journeys and collective well-being.

Service

Only as Good as the Shoes on my Feet

Summary:

This sermon explores the speaker’s personal journey of understanding and managing emotions. The speaker reflects on how emotions, like garments or shoes, have defined their self-perception, particularly in relation to their father’s influence and expectations. The narrative recounts experiences with baseball cleats and work boots as metaphors for identity and self-worth. A pivotal moment arrives when the speaker realizes emotions are tools that can be managed rather than defining traits. The key takeaway is embracing emotional awareness and taking ownership of feelings to break free from self-imposed limitations. The speaker emphasizes that our emotions help shape who we are and impact our relationships with others. Ultimately, the message champions self-empowerment and living authentically by navigating emotions consciously.

Service

The Upside Down Church

Summary:

This sermon reflects on a previous sermon about community and encourages the congregation to embrace the church’s potential for conflict as a necessary part of spiritual growth. Using the example of a resort developer’s excessive spending, the speaker contrasts this self-centered ambition with the church’s focus on making a difference in the world and finding deeper meaning. The church is presented as a transformative space, challenging societal values and offering a community where individuals can discover their gifts, practice love, and support each other through difficult times. Forgiveness is emphasized as essential for personal and communal healing, while recognizing the inherent challenges in creating a covenant of mutual support and understanding. The speaker acknowledges the potential for pain and joy as part of a shared spiritual journey and extends an invitation to embrace the “upside down church,” where lives can be transformed through service and connection.

Service

Community

 

Summary:

This sermon explores the multifaceted nature of community, particularly within a Unitarian Universalist context, acknowledging both its supportive and challenging aspects. The discourse emphasizes that communities, like individuals, are imperfect and can cause pain. Personal anecdotes illustrate the speaker’s evolving understanding of community, from initial disillusionment to recognizing its potential for spiritual growth through navigating difficulties. The speaker draws parallels between religious community and marriage, highlighting the inevitability of conflict and the importance of managing one’s reaction to it. The story of Kisa Gotami is used to emphasize the universality of grief and the power of shared experiences in fostering compassion. Ultimately, the message encourages embracing the messiness of community, finding value in every member, and learning from moments of hurt to foster personal and spiritual development.

Service

Who we are, what we do

Summary:

This sermon captures the beginning of a new church year at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Loudoun. The speaker reflects on the church’s identity, drawing inspiration from the Wegman’s company mantra of “who we are, what we do.” The congregation engages in a discussion to define the core values and actions of their community, emphasizing inclusivity and spiritual growth. The sermon connects these values to their covenant, mission, and principles, advocating for a “works theology” where actions reflect beliefs. The speaker encourages the congregation to strive for continuous improvement in loving others and addressing societal challenges. The message concludes with a call to action for the new year, urging the congregation to resolve to embody their values through love, justice, and care for the planet.

Service

Worker’s rights

Summary:

This sermon advocates for wage justice and a more compassionate society. It draws inspiration from biblical stories and personal anecdotes to illustrate the power of faith, love, and collective action. The speaker highlights the plight of low-wage workers and criticizes the economic disparities in affluent communities. They endorse the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s efforts to promote a living wage and workers’ rights. The sermon urges listeners to connect with marginalized individuals, challenge unjust systems, and embody the change they wish to see in the world. Ultimately, it is a call to moral action, urging the community to prioritize human dignity and economic fairness.

Service

Justice

Summary:

This sermon explores the multifaceted nature of justice, drawing from personal anecdotes, philosophical viewpoints, and religious texts. It begins with a meditation, followed by an a cappella song. The speaker reflects on justice as a concept that evolves over time and varies across cultures. He uses examples from his legal career to illustrate the complexities and challenges in achieving justice. The sermon examines both ancient and modern perspectives, questioning the origins of our sense of justice and urging the congregation to cultivate “right relations” within their community. Finally, he notes the scales of justice signify more than the balance of crime and punishment, but signify relations between people.

Service

Hospitality

Summary:

This sermon explores the concept of hospitality, contrasting social hospitality with a deeper, religiously rooted spiritual hospitality. It traces the evolution of hospitality from ancient religious practices emphasizing welcoming strangers to contemporary applications. The speaker argues that true hospitality involves embracing inclusivity and challenging the fear of the unknown. The core message suggests widening our circle of compassion and recognizing our interconnectedness with all beings. The speaker also proposes two different levels of hospitality, both micro and macro, which help individuals understand the different ways hospitality can be applied in one’s daily life. Ultimately, the sermon promotes hospitality as a transformative practice that fosters understanding and challenges personal boundaries to create more harmonious communities.

Service

Faith

Summary:

This sermon explores the multifaceted nature of faith, presenting it not just as belief, but also as action and trust. It examines how faith can manifest in different ways, from institutionalized religion to personal experiences. The speaker shares stories, including one about rebuilding burned churches, to illustrate the power of faith in action and the sense of community it fosters. Contrasting intellectual and emotional approaches to faith, it highlights the importance of both head and heart. Ultimately, the sermon suggests that faith, whether connected to God or not, is a form of trust in a greater dream, inspiring action and sustaining individuals through challenges. It underscores the importance of questioning and doubt as companions to faith, and the transformative potential of embracing a dream of equality, compassion, and justice.

Service

Sin

Summary:

This sermon explores the concept of sin from a Unitarian Universalist perspective, contrasting traditional religious views with a more liberal interpretation. It examines how societal factors influence our perception of sin, moving beyond individual actions to consider underlying states of being. The speaker references Karen Herring’s book, emphasizing the idea that sin is rooted in separation from a higher power or a failure to recognize the inherent worth and dignity in oneself and others. The sermon identifies “hardening of the heart” and “falling from belonging” as primary causes of sin, leading to a loss of empathy and moral compass. Ultimately, it advocates for resisting selfishness, judgment, and negativity to foster connection, belonging, and a more compassionate world. The speaker also highlights the importance of self-awareness, community support, and listening to one’s conscience.