“We forgive ourselves and each other; we begin again in love.” This line from our gray hymnal (#637) may capture best the spirit of Yom Kippur, which begins on the 4th. In the ancient Hebrew, the root word for sin simply means “to miss the mark.” But that’s not something we admit easily. Our pride … Continue reading We Begin Again in Love

This morning we draw from Richard Gilbert’s class, “Building Your Own Theology.” In a service when congregants and minister interact in a back-and-forth conversation. The topic is ethics. Heinz’s Dilemma: A woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a … Continue reading Being Good for Nothing

We Americans have allowed ourselves to be subtly co-opted in our community life by the coporate model. Our purpose is to model a community that makes our congregations a different place to be than in the secular world. in order to do this, we must live our message in such a manner that we dramatically … Continue reading A Different Place to Be

The purpose of religion is to speak and model a message that offers the power of wholeness and the inspiration of hope. The religious institution is the only institution given this purpose by society. It is the opportunity to provide for society its moral heart, that from which its decisions and behavior spring.

Islam is often equated with terrorism, when the fact is: the essence of this religion rests in the Five Pillars of Faith. This is a good starting point if one wishes to understand an accurate depiction of this major world religion.

Easter in a different key – Love is not necessarily simple in itself or in its consequences. But there is a love grounded in strength and self-respect. People yearn for it. Jesus knew this. He saw that love is possible, is at hand, within the grasp, and then is let go. Without love, we have … Continue reading Strength of our Loving

It is a very old question, this Passover question. How will you serve freedom? Will you use your powers to heal or to harm, to help or to hinder, to bless or to curse? Old questions that go to the heart of what it means to be human.

This is the Sunday we “Kick-Off” our Annual Pledge Drive and will include a special story that will help us all laugh. This sermon title is from a Maryland church member, crafted long ago.

This morning we celebrate Women’s History Month. The first women’s rights convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York. This was the brave beginning of the Women’s Suffrage Movement that would lead us to the 19th Amendment. Today we honor two women who were behind this revolution – Susan B. Anthony (Unitarian) and her friend, … Continue reading It Happened in 1848!