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sermon archive
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sermon archive
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Tradition, Culture, and Identity: Travels with Transylvanian Unitarians - 8/15/05 (download audio file ~7mb) For those unfamiliar with Unitarian history, there may be uncertainty about whether Transylvania is or was a real place. Since I have now traveled to Transylvania, I assure you that it does exist, although now it is a region in Romania. During my time there with three other members of our congregation this summer, I had the opportunity to have much conversation with Maria Pap, minister of our partner congregation in Kezdivasarhely, as well as seeing and hearing about historical churches and connections with tradition that exist in a land where Unitarianism has existed for over 400 years. In this sermon I will share reflections from our trip. (There will be a forum after the second service on Sept. 23 about our trip as well.)
What Do We Mean By Gender?
Our language and our culture all have many references to and images of the differences between male and female, masculine and feminine. Even when we try to emphasize that girls and women can be athletic and scientific, and that boys and men can be nurturing and show emotion, it usually still makes us more comfortable to know what gender someone "is." From the perspective of someone who has not thought about transgender issues or experiences much previously, Peggy will share reflections from reading the book, Transgender Good News. Putting Our Values Into Action: Reflections from Our College Students (1/23/05) Many of the college students who are part of Unitarian Universalist Student Religious Liberals (UUSRL) will be sharing their reflections during the service on Sunday. One of the students visited our partner congregation in Kezdivashahely, Romania this past fall while studying in Russia, and will say a few words about that experience. This sermon will give one a view of the impact our campus ministry is having on these UU college students, and what a difference they will be making in the world! Taking
Time to Think About Time: How We Measure It, Save It, Make It,
Imagine It (1/2/05) What does it matter how we mark the
passing of time? Are we really celebrating more that we are moving in a
linear fashion into the future? Or are we celebrating another turning of
the year, the way the cycle of the years repeats itself?
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Enough for Eight Days (12/05/04)
I see two significant messages for us: that a small group of people who are
defending their values can make a big difference, even against a powerful foe.
Clenched Hands or Open Hearts: How Do We Use the Energy of Life? (10/14/04) When we are scared, it is much more common to pull in.
To grab onto what we have and try to protect it. But some people, even in
times of fear, are able to live with open hearts and open hands, remaining
generous, acting courageously, doing things based on hope rather than
fear, noticing the things to celebrate, even in difficult times. What makes the difference that allows us to act out of hope rather than fear – even if we feel the fear?
What's the difference between being entertained and being joyful? Can seeking joy and delight be an authentic way of working towards a better world?
In the middle of summer, we will reflect on the hardship of winter and sense of community on the prarie, along with insights from the history of pioneer living on our culture today.
Living in the Balance (8/8/04)
We all feel pulls and tensions in our lives, but it is often hard to find the balance between
Body, Mind, and Spirit Connections: The Role of Our Bodies in Spirituality (2/29/04)
We are used to mostly sitting still during Sunday services, with a little bit of standing up and moving around to greet others. But many religious traditions include or have included body movement and dance in a variety of ways in worship and prayer. We will explore and reflect on ways of involving our bodies more intentionally in spiritual practice.
This sermon is also available in HTML format
Goddess Talk: Feminine Images of the Devine (2/22/04)
I grew up going to church every Sunday, and being steeped in Christian symbolism was just a given part of my life. I don’t remember when I first thought about the
fact that God was always
Reflections on Race and Racism (1/18/04)
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, this sermon will look at where we are today in terms of Dr. King's dream of racial equality and justice in this country. The sermon will be drawn in large part from reflections on the book, "Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?", which is being used by many groups in Ann arbor for the community read project. We will also reflect on how understandings of race affect all of us spiritually and socially today, and what we can do and are doing as part of a community of faith.
Sacred Connections: Reflections from Celtic Spirituality (10/12/03)
I'd like to share some reflections this morning on my own interest in Scottish and Celtic culture and spirituality, and on how some of the themes that come up over and over in Celtic spirituality are particularly appropriate today. The themes I would most like to focus on from Celtic spirituality are; hospitality, sacred connections between all parts of nature, creativity as a part of spirituality, and rituals to make the ordinary sacred.
Riding a Bicycle on a Tightrope: Finding Stability in the Midst of Change (08/17/03)
Our family has enjoyed visiting science museums. Maybe some of you have been to the COSI science museum in Toledo. Jeremiah and Isaac especially
like it because it has lots of hands-on exhibits, so we have gone to explore
several times. One of those times a couple of years ago, we were surprised
when we got inside to see a heavy cable strung across an open area, and someone riding a bicycle across the cable.
There was something attractive about experiencing directly something I could believe in theoretically. I wanted the experience
of flying in midair, with only my feet to power me, and only a bicycle on a
rope to support me. When I rode that bike, I did not have in mind using it as a sermon example!
But whenever I thought about it, it just seemed such a wonderful symbol for
the sense of stepping off into the unknown – of facing change, and having to
Narrative Credo Statement by Peggy Garrigues-Cortelyou (07/13/03)
(Shared with the congregation on Sunday, July 13, 2003.)
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