USGUU Sermon Podcast

Why is it so challenging to acknowledge and honor our deep connections to all living creatures?  Over 155 years ago Charles Darwin wrote, “The structure of every organic being is related, in the most essential yet often hidden manner, to that of all other organic beings.”  Engaging in beloved community with pelicans and pine trees, calla lilies and cougars creates spiritual richness.  This mindfulness also opens us to do our best as stewards of Mother Earth.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Building Beloved community is not simply a rational matter.  In his book “The Social Animal” David Brooks write that people “are like spiritual Grand Central stations.  We are junctions where millions of sensations, emotions and signals interpenetrate every second.”  How do we create spaces for our spiritual energy and souls to dance with more creativity and love?  In order to realize our potential we now know we need a new revolution in consciousness.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

We are celebrating Beloved Community in our lives. For this special annual intergenerational worship service, bring water to share from special places of your summer – including your home – to share with love. In the ritual we charge one another to boldly love each other, the wider world, and ourselves.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

A core value of our church is, “We relish life in a diverse urban community where everyone is welcome as they are and encouraged to stay and discover their best selves and unique calling in the human family.” How do you discover and live out your authentic self? How do you balance that with playing any roles such as keeping a professional presence at work, or not over exposing yourself when things are too raw?

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Balance is the spiritual theme of August. How do you balance quality and quantity of alone time, time with one other person and groups? Everybody has different needs and wants, which often change with the context and development of our lives.

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Nelson Mandela had many commendable qualities, not least was the courage to maintain his principles despite 27 years in prison. But his most admirable quality was his ability to forgive. Instead of retribution, he chose forgiveness. And in doing so, South Africa changed from the brutality of apartheid to the freedom of democracy, without a civil war. How can we learn from Mandela’s example, that forgiveness is strength, not weakness? And that forgiveness heals the forgiver as well as the forgiven.

Sam Gugino  has been a chef, restaurant critic, wine columnist, and author of four cookbooks. He recently retired as contributing editor and columnist for Wine Spectator magazine. He has been a member of the Unitarian Society of Germantown since 2002, where has served in a number of capacities including membership chair, stewardship chair, and two terms as president of the Board of Trustees. He lives in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia with his wife, Mary Lee Keane.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Forgiveness is a struggle for many. Yet, all people consider it a virtue. In quite a few cases the aggrieved is “right” in their sense of having been wronged or mistreated. Is it enough to end there? As a people of faith are we capable of knowing when a relationship is has more value than the wrong? Let’s answer this questions together this Sunday.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

In our often transient 21^st century world, what does sacred space look like, within and beyond our congregations?    

Rev. Rebecca Froom serves as the Minister at United First Parish Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Quincy, MA.  Rebecca lives with her husband Alec and 10 other housemates in the Lucy Stone Cooperative, an intentional living community in Boston, MA grounded in Unitarian Universalist values and principles. Rebecca grew up in Mt. Airy and is a member of USG.  

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

This spring the world lost one of our greatest authors: Gabriel Garcia Marquez.  A King of magical realism, Marquez mixed individual and community dreams, desires and myths along with questions, and answers.  How can our religious faith benefit from such explorations?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

On this holiday weekend celebrating our nation’s 238th year of independence from the Crown of England we will consider the heritage of political and religious freedom that guides our faith tradition from past to present. With that freedom comes the responsibility to share our message to our communities and in the wider world. Let’s explore how we go about doing this work together.

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS