UUCSW Reflections: Recent Episodes
Rev. Laurel Gray
We are the Unitarian Universalist Congregational Society of Westborough (UUCSW), from Westborough, Mass. Reverend Laurel Gray is our minister. Learn more about us at www.uucsw.org.
Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: we have a new minister!; the two-year rule; church is life with training wheels; the most loaded topic in UUism; muscular Christianity; process theology; no Birkenstock erasure; signing off!Referenced in this episode:Omnipotence and Other Theological Mistakes by Charles Hartshorne: https://sunypress.edu/Books/O/Omnipotence-and-other-Theological-MistakesRadical Equations: Math Literacy and Civil Rights by Robert P. Moses and Charles E. Cobb Jr: https://www.abebooks.com/9780807031261/Radical-Equations-Math-Literacy-Civil-0807031267/plpSermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayTheme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | https://soundcloud.com/patchworkerHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
What does the word “God” even mean? So often, when people say they do or don’t believe in God, they’re reacting to one particular definition or image. This morning we’ll explore lots of different definitions of what one might call God.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
In honor of Mother’s Day, this morning we’re focusing on all the ways to be a family. Sometimes we experience a deep sense of belonging in our families of origin, and sometimes we don’t. Come celebrate all the ways we find our people and our way home.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: 3 months’ notice; despair doesn’t have the final say; etymology nerds sound off; operationalizing covenant; the need for collective catharsis; let’s talk about The Thing; encampments on campuses; the potency of knowing where you’re rooted; stories of ruptureSermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayTheme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | https://soundcloud.com/patchworkerHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Today we’ll tell the ancient Passover story and reflect on what it means to seek a new way, away from abuses of power, and towards a more just world. We know that what we do affect each other and transformation is something we can only ever achieve together.Referenced in this sermon:Rabbi Botzum's essay can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kNhiqgFP5NB3CCJaPn9VgArCJ8X5vM_T/view?ref=lifeisasacredtext.comFreedom for All Seder Haggadah: https://www.freedomforallseder.com/haggadah/resourcesMore Seder Sources and Resources from Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg:https://www.lifeisasacredtext.com/socialist-haggadah/Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
The heart of Unitarian Universalism is not a creed, but a covenant, a promise to care. Considering changes to our seven principles with Article II asks us to remember that the promises we make in this congregation are connected to a wider UU web of care.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: gardens!; turquoise vs teal; flourishing is vulnerable; citrus allergies and equity; putting the Easter story in a post-traumatic wisdom frame; the worst sermon Laurel ever heardSermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayTheme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | https://soundcloud.com/patchworkerHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Resurrection can be a sticky theological concept for UUs. Come gather for this festive Easter service as we reflect on what it means to be transformed by love. Come one, come all!Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Spring has sprung – at least according to the calendar! Today Rev. Laurel and members of the Garden Team will share about how outdoor spaces can transform our sense of welcome and foster a sense of new life.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Come celebrate together as we kick off our annual pledge drive! We’ll reflect on plans for next year and how we share resources as part of being in loving community. We’ll reflect on what it means to value equity over equality, and the fact that equity is something we can only achieve together.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Please note that there are mentions of death and violence in this episode. The discussions do not use graphic descriptions.Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: A statement from Laurel about Aaron Bushnell and the public narratives surrounding his death; the Empowerment Controversy; the Capitol CrawlSermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayTheme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | https://soundcloud.com/patchworkerHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
We often think about justice as an abstract ideal, when the reality of justice is deeply entwined with the tangible and practical realities of our bodies. This morning we’ll tell the story of the Capitol Crawl, a massive disability rights protest that resulted in the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
February is Black history month and today’s service will focus on a key part of our own UU history that so often goes untold: the Black Empowerment Controversy. This was a crucial moment in our denomination as we grappled with what it meant to engage in the Civil Rights movement and what to do when our actions fall short of our ideals.Referenced in this sermon:Rev. Dr. Rebekah Savage’s reflection on the Jefferson Ball:https://www.uua.org/worship/words/homily/promise-and-practice-healing-not-done-reflection “The Arc of the Universe is Long: Unitarian Universalists, Anti-Racism, and the Journey from Calgary” by Rev. Leslie Takahashi, Rev. Chip Roush, and Dr. Leon Spencer“Black Pioneers in a White Denomination” by the Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed“Resistance and Transformation: The Empowerment Controversy” by Rev. Colin Bossen and Rev. Julia Hamiltonhttps://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/adults/resistance/workshop12/182676.shtmlWritten by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: what is love?; liberation: it’s a good thing; what makes violence possible; grace is metalSermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayTheme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | https://soundcloud.com/patchworkerHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Our society often lifts romantic love up as the pinnacle of what love looks like, but there are actually all different ways we encounter love in the world. Today we’ll focus on the quieter but stabilizing power of community. This service will also include child dedications, one of the ways we promise to love our young people as they grow.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
For this Martin Luther King Sunday, we’re going to investigate some of the core building blocks that make racism and radicalized violence possible: dehumanization and moral exclusion. We’ll look at how these forces work and how Unitarian Universalism pushes back.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
As we enter this new year, we’ll focus on rooting down into our commitment to an ethic of love.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: Seasonality and slowness; a story doesn’t have to be true to be the truth; patriarchy for $500; recentering attention to the margin to threaten empire; the career path to ministry is paved with glitterSermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayTheme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | https://soundcloud.com/patchworkerHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
The holidays can be a time of lots of excitement and bustling around, but the focus on family and celebration an also bring up grief and overwhelm. This service will make space for some quiet and rest amidst the complexity of the holiday season.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: theological frames for trauma and their power dynamics; redemptive suffering logic in the world; keep it cozy; love yourself as your neighbor; conflict is complexityRedemptive suffering as the logic for imprisonment: https://bulletin.hds.harvard.edu/prison-theology/It’s OK by Wendy O’Leary: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/717893/its-ok-by-wendy-oleary-illustrated-by-sandra-eide/Reparations steps as defined by the Movement for Black Lives, adapted from the UN framework: https://m4bl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/defining-reparations.pdfSermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayTheme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | @patchworkerHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Thanksgiving can be a difficult holiday and bring up all manner of self-criticism, be it around our relationship with family, food, politics, etc. This service will focus on the importance of being kind to ourselvesReferenced in the sermon: self-compassion.orgWritten by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
This is our annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service where we gather together with other religious communities in our town.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is a common refrain in society, but is tied up with some dangerous theological ideas. Today we’ll dive into the problems with redemptive suffering theology and move to a post traumatic growth way of talking about the strength we find in ourselves after difficult experiences.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Cultural practices are fundamental to maintaining a sense of cultural heritage, to feeling connected to one’s culture and ancestry. This is also why there was such a widespread effort in this country to strip indigenous people of those practices. In honor of Indigenous Peoples Day, we’ll reflect on the work of this month’s share the plate organization, Ohketeau.
Do you ever find yourself drawing a blank when someone asks you what Unitarian Universalism is? We want to share this wonderful tradition and community with people outside these walls, and yet it can be hard to describe. Today we’ll return to the basics: what’s a Unitarian? What does Universalism mean? How do we talk about it to people who are religion averse?Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: keeping algae out of your blessing water; holy jalapeños; collectivism is about connectedness, not sameness; how does the post-Roe world feel different?; simultaneous cultural fear and relief; greenwashing and greedwashing; individual moral perfectionism is a trap; justice work as playful scheming“My Town is a Salad Bowl” by Tom Chapin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgjzZugJTUsThe Sanctuary Boston: http://thesanctuaryboston.org/Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayTheme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | https://soundcloud.com/patchworkerHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
After the horrific overturning of Roe v. Wade, people all over the country redoubled efforts to protect reproductive rights and bodily autonomy. We started a reproductive rights group at UUCSW, which has evolved to now include issues of sexual health and gender more broadly. Today we’ll reflect on SHAG’s development and the ways that we all work to support queers rights, reproductive rights, and issues of bodily autonomy.Link to YouTube video of Laurel's Prayer for the Queer Kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jasQlem9Sl4Correction: the poster Rev. Laurel mentions came from Portland, ME, not Portsmouth, NH.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first flower communion service. Bring a flower for this celebration of community, diversity, and the blessing of being together! This is our last Sunday of the church year, to be followed by our annual meeting.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: making things is peeking into Oz; maintaining agency and moving beyond despair in climate work; fighting The Man vs planting a garden; HAGS
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Theme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | @patchworker Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
So often, when we think about nature, we see the relationship between nature and humans as adversarial. Today we’ll explore what it means to be part of creation and contribute to a system of mutual flourishing.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Come celebrate with our teens as we mark their transition from childhood to adolescence. This service will be planned and led by our Coming of Age group. Come cheer them on!Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Throughout the pandemic many people took up new crafts and hobbies to help ground them amidst the chaos of the times. The practice of making is something that can be transformative, reminding us of our own capacity to generate and create.Referenced in this sermon:The Senninbari Project: https://makiaizawa.com/portfolio/senninbari/The Revolutionary Power of a Skein of Yarn: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/27/opinion/sunday/knitting-fabric-michelle-obama.htmlWritten by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: Religious Literacy 101; rest as anti-capitalism; drag, Passover, and making space for self-expression; courage is contagious; faith as a commitment to be engaged in the practice of looking for what is meaningfulReferenced in this episode: My Rainbow by DeShanna Neal and Trinity Neal, https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608313/my-rainbow-by-deshanna-and-trinity-neal-illustrated-by-art-twink/Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayTheme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | https://soundcloud.com/patchworkerHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, a season of fasting and observance for Muslims all over the world. Today we’ll reflect on Ramadan and what it means to take time to recalibrate and reorient towards our values.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Easter is one of the most important holidays in the Christian tradition and one that can sometimes feel confusing to UUs. Today we’ll tell that ancient, awe-inspiring story of Jesus’s resurrection and wonder about what it means to find hope in impossible places.Referenced in this sermon:The Magdalene’s Blessing by Jan Richardson: https://sanctuaryofwomen.com/blog/the-magdalenes-blessing/Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray and Amanda HallMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
What does drag have to do with passover? Resistance. Colorful, creative, community resistance.Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray and Amanda HallMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: A liminal season; defining a miracle; committee positions as an antidote to helplessness; ministry is not activism; where do you put your focus when everything feels on fire?Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayTheme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | @patchworkerHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
This is the first official Sunday of spring, after the equinox on the 20th. We’ll reflect on the season and the gentle power of a world returning to bloom.Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray and Amanda HallMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
“Do UUs have saints?” It’s a question one of you posed to me and left me wondering. In celebration of St. Patrick’s day, we’ll have Irish music today and reflect on sainthood. What is it and where do we turn for the inspiration of holiness?Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray and Amanda HallMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
This Sunday we’ll continue our celebration of the joy of being in community and the power of pooling our resources to create something more beautiful than any one could create on their own. We’ll go over the goals for this year’s pledge campaign and the power of mutual flourishing.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: Do the kids use blogs?; grief support tutorials; making sense of the unknown but in a UU way; a sense of belonging is ambient; allostatic load; no drones at the corn festival; a fiber arts sign-offSermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayTheme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | @patchworkerHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
We know that connection and community are important for human flourishing, but we often overlook the power of weak ties – the people we don’t know well, but are part of the fabric of our lives. Today we’ll talk about the world’s longest-running scientific study of happiness and what it tells us about the importance of those little moments of connection.Referenced in this sermon:"Why your ‘weak-tie’ friendships may mean more than you think" (BBC article): https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200701-why-your-weak-tie-friendships-may-mean-more-than-you-thinkThe Good Life by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz: https://the-good-life-book.com/Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Grief is part of life and yet knowing how to show up when people around us are grieving can be a daunting process. What do you say? What do you not say? Today we’ll reflect on this question and the importance of caring well when those around us are hurting.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: Dave Matthews Band songs on the organ; the UUA's proposed rewrite of the UU principles; embracing change; I want my inherent worth and dignity language back; the ultimacy of love; the hardest sermon to write; ministerial boundaries around chronic illnessSermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayTheme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | @patchworkerHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Tis the season of fad diets and gym memberships galore, an onslaught of messaging that our worth is conditional on our size. Today we’ll reflect on the blessing of taking up space and the difficult truth that inherent worthiness leaves no room for body shaming, even of ourselves.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Before the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King became a civil rights leader, he was a pastor, a man of faith who knew that faith was key to resistance.His legacy asks us to reflect on our own deepest roots, the faith that carries us through the trying times and asks us to envision greater possibilities.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Unitarian Universalism is a living tradition, which means we are always adapting and learning, trying to get clearer about who we are together. Our UUA constitution requires that we periodically reconsider even our seven principles and six sources, and we are currently in the midst of that process. Today we’ll reflect on the suggested changes to our principles and the process for making changes to our core documents. You can read more about this process here: https://www.uua.org/new-england/blog/revision-faithful-practiceWritten by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
The Christmas eve story, the biblical one that we read, it’s actually really messy. Which isn’t just a fun costuming choice by the storytellers, it’s the point of the story.Emanuel means “God with us” so when we sing “O Come, O Come Emanuel” we’re asking the god of the heavens to meet us in the flesh and reality of being human. From a Christian theological perspective, Jesus, that babe born in the manger, wrapped in rags, he is God coming into the world to experience human suffering in order to be with us in our human suffering. Liberation theologians call this accompaniment, this being with in the fullness of human pain. Nothing about that is glossy or sugar coated or filtered. The mess is the point. The intimacy of knowing and loving someone in their hardest moments is the point.And when you look at this story, there is a whole lot of humanity.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
There’s a vulnerability to waiting, to hopes that have not yet been fulfilled, to the possibility in the unknown. Advent is the time leading up to Christmas, celebrated in many Christian denominations as a time of waiting. Amidst the bustle of mid-December, we’ll make space for this quiet wonder.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray discuss: holding in the sky; separation of church and state and our nonprofit status; rules of engagement for justice work; making space for sadness among the holly jolly; affirming the holiness of being queerSermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayTheme music: Antidepresseur by Patchworker | https://soundcloud.com/patchworkerHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Change can be a joyful thing, but there are also times that remind us of how much has changed or been lost. The holidays can bring up feelings of grief and absence, longing for connection amidst broken relationships, or the let down of a gathering gone sour. We’ll make space this Sunday for the sadness and complexity that can get hidden this time of year.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
It is part of our tradition at UUCSW to celebrate All Souls on the first Sunday in November. This is a time for remembering our loved ones who have died, holding grief and memory together as a congregation.*We will not be discussing any particular deaths in detail – this service is appropriate for all ages.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.Topics of discussion: disentangling anger and violence; risk tolerance survey summary (DATA!)Risk scale survey can be viewed at bit.ly/riskscalesSermons written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
This Sunday we’ll lean into the joy of movement with dances from Phyllis Barrett and her dance teacher during service. Dance is often overlooked as a spiritual practice in our tradition and today we’ll reflect on how movement can help us feel more fully, courageously ourselves.Written by: Rev. Laurel GrayMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
There is a good and important impulse to want to work for justice, especially after a tragedy or significant event. The question is how to proceed, how to approach justice work effectively, how to ground ourselves in our relationships and deepest values so that our efforts are not in vain and we are sustained along the long road to a better world. Our reproductive rights group will share reflections and learnings from a series of organizing trainings we attended over the summer, which were led by Side With Love.Resources:Take the survey! bit.ly/riskscalesSouthern Unitarian Universalists in the Civil Rights Era: https://www.uua.org/ga/past/2000/99499.shtmlHow Clergy Set the Standard for Abortion Care: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/05/how-the-clergy-innovated-abortion-services/484517/Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray and Amanda HallMusic by: Kala FarnhamHosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Yom Kippur is one of the most important holidays in the Jewish calendar – it’s a day for making amends, attending to the ways we’ve hurt others, returning to center. This process of truth-telling is often a difficult one. It requires not only the willingness to name harm, but first the courage to acknowledge mistreatment or mistakes and imagine that things could be otherwise.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: What I Did on My Summer Vacation; Side with Love repro justice training; risk tolerance in justice work; focusing on connection; volunteerism and “bandwidth”; solidarity not charity & liberation theology; it hurts to be hopeful; lesbian waterfall pencil drawings
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Belonging is often an experience that is deeply rooted in place, in physical spaces that have offered us welcome or care. As a congregation, we are the shepherds of our church building, the people tasked with making sure it is a place of belonging. We are also Universalists and will reflect today on how Universalism asks us to make space.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
We start the church year with our annual Water Communion.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: grown-up summer camp; the pitfalls of hyper-local governance; updates to the seven UU principles & six sources of wisdom; what world do you want to live in?; determinism vs chaos
References: https://www.8thprincipleuu.org/ https://www.uua.org/beliefs/what-we-believe https://radiolab.org/episodes/radiolab-loops
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
In light of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, we gather to mourn and to grieve, to tend our spirits and gather up our collective courage for the work that lies before us.
After our third church year of navigating the complexity of pandemic life, this Sunday we’ll celebrate all that we’ve learned and the all the ways we’ve grown together. We’ll celebrate the blessing of this community and all those who have done so much to foster its flourishing.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: Social justice is creative; self-soothing tips; being human is to take a truly wild amount of long pauses, especially when discussing Memorial Day and one's opposition to the military-industrial complex
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
On this Memorial Day Sunday, we’ll reflect on the deep commitment that is so integral to military service, the idea that no man is left behind, and the grief of lives lost in so tight a web. War and the human spirit are eternally complicated things, and today we’ll make space for the pain and pride and complexity of this holiday.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Referenced in this note:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2018/02/05/race-not-abortion-was-founding-issue-religious-right/A5rnmClvuAU7EaThaNLAnK/story.html
sidewithlove.org
It takes courage to live creatively, however that takes shape for you. Today we’ll reflect on what it means to live a beautiful life, to nurture our own capacity to create, and live with a sense of purpose. We’ll feature original music by Kala Farnham, our Music Director, and stories about creative living.
Works referenced in this sermon: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert: https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/big-magic/
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: Laurel had COVID :( but she’s back!! :) ; congregationalism and hierarchy; are you willing to be powerful?; the passion tax; Ye Olden Times ministerial compensation; psychological scarcity effects; are you willing to believe that more is possible?
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
On this Easter Sunday, we’ll tell the age old story of new life entering into impossible places. So often, and understandably, Easter is synonymous with spring and further meaning gets lost in the bunnies and candy grass. This Sunday, we’ll wonder what the story means when we don’t equate it with springtime. New life and new possibilities, after all, are not limited by season.
CORRECTION: The Ukrainian Orthodox Church celebrates Orthodox Easter, which is Sunday, April 24th. This is a week after we celebrate Easter.
Resources: What Torture's Taught Me by Rev. William F. Schulz: https://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/adults/movesus/workshop9/282806.shtml
Where Resurrection Begins: https://paintedprayerbook.com/2019/04/21/easter-sunday-where-resurrection-begins/
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
This Sunday marks the kick off for our annual pledge campaign, a season for gathering our collective resources to fund the vision of this community. As we’ve seen so clearly these last two years, we are better together than we are on our own. We’ll reflect on how ministry is an act of partnership.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
There’s no such thing as conversion in Unitarian Universalism – a theology of wholeness means you don’t need to change to belong and no manner of belonging is held above another. On this Members & Friends Sunday, we’ll recognize our new members and renew our covenant to care for each other. We’ll take time to share stories of moments when this community renewed your faith.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: Cartesian dualism for days; I think therefore I am vs I am that I am; can you smell in Heaven?; arbitrary organizing principles; penguins can't be gay!!; the source of ministerial authority in UUism
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
After nearly two years, this will be our first service back in our sanctuary since the pandemic began in March of 2020. We’ll reflect on this moment and make space for the emotional complexity that comes with returning after so long. This service will be available both in person and on Zoom; masks are required in person.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
So often the conversation about queer sexuality is limited to negation: “we don’t hate gay people.” While it’s true that many UU congregations, including our own, have been deemed “Welcoming Congregations,” meaning we support LGBTQ people, we don’t often talk about the theology of this. And yet we know that extraordinary harm has been done to the queer community in the name of religion, so this Sunday, we’ll explore a biblical argument for celebrating diverse sexualities.
Works referenced in this sermon: "Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver: http://www.phys.unm.edu/~tw/fas/yits/archive/oliver_wildgeese.html
Making Love Just: Sexual Ethics for Perplexing Times by Marvin M. Ellison: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Love-Just-Sexual-Perplexing/dp/0800698843
Shameless: A Sexual Reformation by Nadia Bolz-Weber: https://nadiabolzweber.com/shameless/
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: 90s hairstyles; fear is metabolized in community; the Empowerment Controversy and the UUA's early racial failures; consent-based labor practices; guaranteed income as a harm reduction bridge; 2 truths and a lie
Resources on the Empowerment Controversy: http://www.uusic.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2016/03/The-Black-Empowerment-Controversy-2.28.2016.pdf
https://www.uuworld.org/articles/empowerment-tragedy
https://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/adults/btwwda/workshop15/handout3
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Living through a global pandemic has created rapid and seemingly constant change in our daily lives. This Sunday we’ll reflect together about the ways that this dramatic unfolding has called us all into a great reimagining of how to build a more loving and just society, how to root more fully in our deepest values and believe in the impossible becoming possible.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
On this Martin Luther King weekend, we reflect on the legacies of leaders like MLK and others whose lives invite us to live with intention. Rev. Laurel and Amanda Hall, who create our monthly “Reflections” podcast, co-lead this service.
Works referenced in this sermon: On Dr. Collymore: https://uuspiritualexploration.edublogs.org/blog/
MLK's 1966 Atlantic article: https://www.thenation.com/article/economy/last-steep-ascent/
"Pilgrimage to Nonviolence" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: https://www.christiancentury.org/article/pilgrimage-nonviolence
"1966 Ware Lecture: Don't Sleep Through the Revolution" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: https://www.uua.org/ga/past/1966/ware
On why MLK wasn't a UU: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/why-martin-luther-king-jr.-wasnt-uu
Part 1 written by: Amanda Hall Part 2 written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
As we begin this new year, we’ll reflect today on how we tap into our deepest core values. Beyond new resolutions and plans, they are the things that guide us in living meaningful lives.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Content warning: Mentions of suicide
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: Bon Voyage to Elisa!; responsible and bounded approaches to discussing painful realities; consent vs. the politeness factor; distinguishing hope from optimism; meaning-making is a skill; our actions matter in ways we don't get to control; reflecting on 2021; commit to the bit; this is a sports podcast now
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Our Christmas Eve service will be on Zoom this year featuring classic lessons and carols. Come in your Santa hats, your coziest pajamas, your holiday best – whatever feels most festive to you! Bring a candle for singing Silent Night and invite your loved ones near and far for this Christmas Eve service.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
On this final day of Hanukkah, we’ll revisit that age old tale of a tiny bottle of oil that sustained the flames through eight long nights, a miracle of the impossible becoming possible. Through this frame, we’ll talk about suicidality and the miracle of surviving extraordinary suffering. Often religion speaks of suicide as sin and today we will underscore our UU rejection of that idea.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: Welcome to our new RE director!; what we teach kids about our complicated history; scientism and institutional entitlement to truth; holiday plans at UUCSW
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
For many people, Thanksgiving is a holiday that inspires feelings of warmth, good food, and family. And it’s also a day that is steeped in intergenerational trauma, tenuous family dynamics, and the genocide of indigenous people. Today we’ll make space for the gratitude, the history, and the sheer complexity of Thanksgiving in the United States.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
As is our custom at UUCSW, we hold an All Souls service on the first Sunday in November. We will take time to remember those who are gone from this world but not from our hearts. This includes dear friends and family, members of our wider community, and all those who have died during the pandemic. We know that collective grieving and remembering is a powerful balm to the loneliness of loss.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: hard Zoom choices; end-of-life ministry in hospitals; Iris Marion Young on justice and deliberative democracy; Happy Birthday Betty!; three deep breaths
Inclusion and Democracy by Iris Marion Young: https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/0198297556.001.0001/acprof-9780198297550
Sign My Name to Freedom: A Memoir of a Pioneering Life by Betty Reid Soskin: https://bookshop.org/books/sign-my-name-to-freedom-a-memoir-of-a-pioneering-life-9781401954239/9781401954239
Podcast episode with Betty Reid Soskin: https://thisislovepodcast.com/episode-37-what-gets-told/
NYT profile of Betty Reid Soskin: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/20/us/betty-reid-soskin-100.html
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
As leaders of the congregation, our task is to exemplify being more together than we are on our own, committed to the same goals as we fill different roles. Following our fall board retreat, this service will be about how we lead together to foster a community of mutual care and flourishing.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
As Unitarian Universalists, we are people of a covenant. But what does that mean? It’s an important but confusing idea, one that sounds nice and is difficult to practice. This service will use the UUA’s recent commission on appraisal report titled “Unlocking the Power of Covenant” to help us do just that.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: accessing the well of flexibility; collective catharsis; what counts as religion?; individualism vs. differentiation; intentional community and kinship structures; reset your passwords
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
In the Jewish tradition, the High Holidays mark the beginning of a new year, first with celebrating and sweetness, and then with reflection and release. Though Yom Kippur has already passed, we’ll make space today for clearing out the old and inviting in a new year. We will do a blessing of the bags and backpacks today, so feel free to have yours ready.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
As is our custom, we’ll begin our church year with our Water Communion ritual. Instead of gathering waters from many places into one, we’re going to focus on all that water symbolizes and how, ultimately, it is all connected. Please have a cup of water and an empty bowl with you for this Zoom service.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
"Amidst all of this heartbreak and concern, the chaos and ambiguity, how do we prepare to journey into a fall that almost certainly does not look the way we hoped?"
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
It is our custom as Unitarian Universalists to do Flower Communion on the last Sunday of the church year. This is a ritual that celebrates the diversity of human experience and the beauty of holding that multitude in community. As it is the last Sunday of the church year, we will also be honoring our high school graduates and those who are retiring from church leadership roles.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: anti-authoritarianism for petulance or justice; a sacred stripper pole in Hell; on anthropomorphism; creative resistance as resilience; Pride was a riot; no pretty wins; HAGS
Additional reading: UUA Facebook post re: Lil Nas X: https://www.facebook.com/TheUUA/posts/10159250433508749 Article on the origins of the chalice: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/wartime-origins-the-flaming-chalice Article on the work of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/marsha-p-johnson-sylvia-rivera.htm Ujima project: https://www.ujimaboston.com/
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
On this Memorial Day weekend, we’ll continue our theme of storytelling and focus on stories of resilience in hard times. We will both take time to honor those who have served in the military and remember the story of how our chalice came to be, a symbol of hope born of struggle.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
NOTE: This episode contains a message from Laurel regarding Palestine and Israel, which plays before the sermon.
Continuing with the month’s theme of storytelling, this service will focus on serendipity and awe. We’ll have time for “views from the pews” so think about moments in your own life when you have experienced moments of serendipity and awe – maybe it was a chance encounter that lightened your spirit, or a moment of wonder at the beauty of the natural world.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
So often in life, things don’t go as we had planned. This can be a source of disappointment, but this Sunday we’re going to tell stories of when things went perfectly wrong. In lieu of a formal sermon, this service will include short stories on the theme from within our congregation.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: We’re back at it; the most UU sermon ever; resilience in community; a Sarah Jessica Parker fever dream; spiritual development and moral injury; the space between the intensity of resistance and the resurrection of hope; triggering vs. secondary trauma; the auction!
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: Mini celebrations; radical hospitality; relationality and power dynamics in giving; the solidarity economy; a gritty, honest hope; “where do you see yourself in five years” but make it revolutionary
Resources:
The effects of COVID-19 vaccine patents: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00863-w, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/21/world/vaccine-patents-us-eu.html
Solidarity economy resources: https://chordatacapital.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/chordata-zine.pdf, https://neweconomy.net/solidarity-economy/ Ujima project: https://www.ujimaboston.com/ https://seedcommons.org/
Art piece Amanda mentions, message from the future: https://theintercept.com/2020/10/01/naomi-klein-message-from-future-covid/
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
This Sunday we’ll be revisiting the story of Exodus that is remembered during Passover, albeit a week after Passover has ended. The retelling of the story each year during the Seder meal is a reminder of the importance of telling stories of our resilience. After a year that has contained so much heartbreak, we’ll reflect on the importance of remembering our capacity to make it through hard times.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
This year, Passover, Easter, and Ramadan fall in biblical sequence, one after another, which rarely happens. For so many people of so many traditions, this moment is one of reflection and remembering, a collective recentering. On this Easter Sunday, we’ll remember the Christian story of Easter and reflect on what it means to turn to the past in order to move forward anew.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
In what has been a week filled with violence of so many kinds, we’re going to focus this Sunday on our commitment to hope. As Unitarian Universalists, we are part of the liberal religious tradition, which so often eludes definition. Dean Lewis Fisher of one of the early Universalist theological schools, was once asked where Universalists stand and he famously responded, “The only true answer, is that we do not stand at all; we move.” So let us reflect on the hope that drives our capacity to move, to shift, to work together, and to commit to the task of justice making.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: Remember the Bernie mitten meme?; how boundaries strengthen relationships; what counts as “political”?; legal vs. community boundaries; Laurel and Amanda dream out loud
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
This Sunday marks a year since we’ve gathered in our physical sanctuary for services because of the ongoing pandemic. Just as we have learned that a congregation is a community, not a place, the “free pulpit” that we UUs so value is not something physical. So what is it? Where did it come from? How does freedom operate within a covenantal community? What commitment are we making to ourselves and our community when we step into that free pulpit?
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
As we think about beloved community this month, we’ll turn our gaze to the past. Stories about who “we” are and who mattered in history shape our understanding of our country and community. But who’s missing? What would radical hospitality mean for the way we tell history?
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
The last year has been quite the storm, in all manner of ways. And we’re still here, still gathering in community, still caring for each other, still doing what we always do. That is something to celebrate!
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
On this Martin Luther King Sunday, we’ll consider what it means to dream, to imagine a new world, and how to do the work of justice making. We’ll talk about the action-reflection model of justice work, which encourages us to be imaginative and adaptive, learning as we move through the world.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Laurel addresses the events of January 6.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Come celebrate Christmas Eve with UUCSW! This will be a classic lessons and carols service – we’ll tell the age-old tale of the little baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and the wise men who followed the guiding light of a star. In this strange season of spending Christmas physically separate in order to keep each other safe, I’ll reflect on the power of friends in the Christmas story and our own lives.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: Amanda can't stop relating things back to social policy; someone's always paying; the personal as pastoral; be gentle with your little human self; Bud Armstrong is my favorite astronaut
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
"When did you remember that you have always been enough?"
Stillness is so often elusive in life – especially during the holidays. But it can also be something we so want to run from, something we try to escape when we’re deep in the valley of life’s struggles. This Sunday, I’ll tell you the story of how I learned the transformative power of stillness and came to know deep in my being that our worth is inherent and unconditional.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
"This is not a simple moment. And there is space in this place for all the complexity."
We typically have our UUCSW All Souls service at the beginning of November, but this year we’re celebrating it in the space between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The holidays are a time when so many of us feel the absence of loved ones gone from this world. This year, as we enter the holiday season amidst a pandemic, we will also make space for recalling all the people with whom we wish we could celebrate in person.
Works referenced in this sermon:
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: Trumpism as a defense mechanism; transcendence is part of our lineage; when you're being defensive, you aren't listening; the role of consent in connection and deep listening
Referenced in this episode: Ear Hustle podcast: https://www.earhustlesq.com/
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
"The lie that says some people matter more than others is predicated on everyone agreeing that their worth is conditional."
This is a reflection on my experience serving as a chaplain on a heart transplant unit – caring for people who had literally received new hearts – and the biblical story about having our heart of stone replaced with a heart of flesh. This is a story about transformation and love for the world, amidst all the things that plant seeds of cynicism.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
"It’s hard to listen when we don’t want to know, or to be known."
So much of life is spent with people talking past each other. Being listened to deeply is a rare experience, but a profound gift. Let us, as a community, consider how we listen and what gets in the way of true connection.
Works referenced in this sermon: "Say Yes" by Andrea Gibson "A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life" by Parker Palmer
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's themes.
Topics of discussion: #SmallActsBigPrinciples; amplify/undermine; joy as an act of resistance; data has an opinion; eugenics, abortion, and the first time we had to bleep something on this podcast; how to measure the health of a society; the work only you can do; apocalypse means revelation
Referenced in this episode: Amanda's comments on white supremacy’s complicity in the development of modern statistics were informed by White Logic, White Methods: Racism and Methodology by Tukufu Zuberi and Eduardo Bonilla-Silva.
Laurel's comments on the history of abortion shielding segregationism are informed by the books Untamed by Glennon Doyle and Shameless by Nadia Bolz Weber.
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Our spiritual heritage is one deeply tied to an experience of awe in nature. As we seek to nurture our spirits as a community, we’ll focus today on our Unitarian roots and how they call us to notice and open ourselves to moments of transcendence.
Works referenced in this sermon: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
As we continue to live more of our lives from home and weather pandemic life, this service will be about finding renewal at home. In our effort to support our kids and families as we rethink Religious Education, we’re now offering a guide called “Soulful Home” that helps us build rituals of renewal at home. Today we’ll dive into this practice of seeking renewal at home together.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
"What are the sources that fill your well, that bring water when your soul feels thirsty? And what of our collective community - what does it mean to be a people of renewal together?"
This is our ingathering service, a day for celebrating our being together in community and the start of a new church year. It is our custom to start with a Water Communion service, blending waters from places we hold dear to create a well of holy water. In that spirit, this service will be about the streams that renew us in hard times and fill our wells with love, hope, and peace.
Works referenced in this sermon: "Blessing of the Well" from Circle of Grace by Jan Richardson "On Claiming our Time for Renewal" by Rev. Gretchen Haley
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's sermon and the UUA General Assembly.
Topics of discussion: widening the circle of concern; what we are or what we aren't?; selective and imperfect inclusivity; freedom to vs. freedom from
Referenced in this episode: Widening the Circle of Concern: Report of the UUA Commission on Institutional Change June 2020: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/cic/widening
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall Produced by: Bruce Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's sermons and answer questions from the congregation.
Topics of discussion: freedom of the pulpit; what work is this doing?; shame:performance::guilt:learning; allyship pitfalls and paradoxes; grieving in public
Referenced in this episode:
WeCantBreathe UUA Vigil recording: https://youtu.be/5HeVBM4tGk4?t=593
Black Lives of UU: https://www.blacklivesuu.com/ https://www.facebook.com/BlackLivesUU/ https://twitter.com/BlackLivesUU
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
"We can trust ourselves to grow, to adapt, and to change. And we can trust each other to meet us in the place of flowering, the place of hope, the place of courage."
Incredibly, this is our last service of the church year. We’ll be doing flower communion, as is the custom of so many UUs this time of year. While we continue to gather online, we’ll celebrate this uniquely UU ritual. Don’t forget to bring your flower!
Works referenced in this sermon: "A Power Governments Cannot Suppress," by Howard Zinn, from "Walking Toward Morning," edited by Annie Chagnot and Emi Ikkanda: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/558465/how-lovely-the-ruins-by-edited-by-annie-chagnot-and-emi-ikkanda/
"Take Courage Friends," by Wayne B. Arnason: https://www.uua.org/worship/words/closing/183796.shtml
More information about Flower Communion can be found here: https://www.uua.org/worship/holidays/flower-ceremony
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
“Racism is so deeply woven in the fabric of our society that we won’t escape it in our lifetime, but we can seek to continually move farther along the continuum of awareness and action.”
This episode contains 1) a letter from Reverend Laurel to the congregation; 2) a reading from the book “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo; and 3) the sermon “People of a Covenant,” which was originally written for the MLK Jr. 2020 service that was cancelled due to snow. It has been revised to reflect recent events.
Works referenced in this sermon:
“White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo: https://robindiangelo.com/publications/
“Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/220290/between-the-world-and-me-by-ta-nehisi-coates/
More information about the proposed 8th Principle of Unitarian Universalism: https://www.8thprincipleuu.org/background
More information about the Black Lives of UU organization: https://www.blacklivesuu.com/about-bluu
The works of UU theologian James Luther Adams: https://www.uua.org/offices/people/james-luther-adams
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
When we planned this year’s calendar, today was set to be the bridging ceremony for all of our teens graduating from high school. One of the great losses during Covid is all the celebrations that have been cancelled or postponed, celebrations that are meant to mark significant transitions in people’s lives. Today we’ll do what we can to celebrate our teens.
Works referenced in this sermon: "Blessing for Bridging Youth" by Julia Hamilton: https://www.uua.org/worship/words/ritual/blessing-bridging-youth
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's sermons and answer questions from the congregation.
Topics of discussion: what day is it?; consent culture in situations of tenderness & power; debunking redemptive suffering ("what doesn't kill you makes you stronger")
Works referenced in this episode: "On Coronavirus Lockdown? Look for Meaning, Not Happiness" by Emily Esfahani Smith: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/07/opinion/coronavirus-mental-health.html
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
"[In moments of ritual] we gather together to hold the fullness of each other’s becoming, to say we recognize you, and we gather in celebration of your being as you are."
It’s not uncommon for people to ask if UUs do baptisms. Like all religions, we as Unitarian Universalists have rituals that mark the changes in our lives, which are specific to our theology, principles, and history. Today we’ll talk about why it matters to mark these transitions as a community and what these rituals mean.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
"When things are too big and too scary and too hard, all you have to do is the next right thing."
In the midst of the overwhelm and thinking about big problems, it can be hard to know how to move forward. Today we’ll focus on the power of just doing the next right thing.
Works referenced in this sermon: "Desert Spring," from "Walking Toward Morning" by Rev. Victoria Safford: https://www.uuabookstore.org/Walking-Toward-Morning-P16809.aspx
"Frozen II" on Disney+: https://www.disneyplus.com/movies/frozen-ii/28vdy71kJrjb
Words from Sonya Renee Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fc3ejAlvd/?hl=en
"Clearing" by Martha Postlethwaite: https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/18466576.Martha_Postlethwaite
March's Reflections episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/q-a-march-2020-wisdom/id1489379281?i=1000471207773
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Hosted and Edited by: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
"Resurrection wouldn't be a miracle if it was easy. It isn't easy. It's hard to imagine, harder still to believe, to hold hope in the aching cavity of an exhausted heart. [...] But the Easter story asks us to gather our supplies and meet the dawn - to see that sun rising and believe that the tomb isn't the end of the story."
In our service today we’ll think about the wisdom of the Easter story – what it can tells us about hope amidst the struggle and finding our way after the unthinkable happens.
Works referenced in this sermon: "Did the Sun Come Up This Morning," from "Walking Toward Morning" by Rev. Victoria Safford: https://www.uuabookstore.org/Walking-Toward-Morning-P16809.aspx
Mark 16, The Resurrection: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16&version=NLT
Words from Rev. Megan Lloyd Joiner: http://www.revmeganlloydjoiner.org/
"Rising to Life," from "A Temporary State of Grace" by David Blanchard: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3165981-a-temporary-state-of-grace
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's sermons and answer questions from the congregation. This month's theme is "wisdom."
Topics of discussion: cultural pressure to override the wisdom of the body; health and the cumulative trauma of oppression; interdependence, vulnerability, and control; a collective remembering
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
"In praying, we bridge the gap between ourselves and something else."
Today we’ll ponder what it means to pray, particularly when so many of us are atheists or humanists, or have differing understandings of God. And perhaps more so, because we often want to pray in moments of deepest despair – but why and to whom are we praying?
Works referenced in this sermon: "The Word That Is a Prayer" by Ellery Akers: https://elleryakers.com/poetry/word-prayer.php
“Help, Thanks, Wow” by Anne Lamott: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/313149/help-thanks-wow-by-anne-lamott/
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
"Kindness says, 'I will be a friend to you as you are. I will meet you in the truth. I will witness your pain and not look away. I will celebrate your joy with gladness. I will stand up for you when you need me to.' "
Works referenced in this sermon: "Kindness" by Naomi Shihab Nye: https://poets.org/poem/kindness
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
Works referenced in this episode: "When This Is Over" by Laura Kelly Fanucci: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9zCs-xl3x2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
"Pandemic" by Lynn Ungar: http://www.lynnungar.com/poems/pandemic/
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
"Neither trees nor people are creatures meant for solitude. Thriving and flourishing and resilience are products of community."
Native traditions have long taught that the natural world is alive with its own wisdom, but scientists rejected this idea. Recently, however, science has begun to agree, citing evidence that trees can in fact communicate and cooperate. In this service, we’ll focus on the wisdom to be found in the lives of trees.
Works referenced in this sermon: “Wash Your Hands” by Dori Midnight: https://dorimidnight.com/uncategorized/wash-your-hands/
"Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Kimmerer: https://birchbarkbooks.com/all-online-titles/braiding-sweetgrass
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
"Our bodies know what we need, if only we might listen. So too, do they remember what we’ve been through."
For the month of March we’ll be thinking about different types of wisdom, beginning with the wisdom of our bodies. We’ll look at what it means to know something in our bodies and focus on connecting with that wisdom.
Works referenced in this sermon: “Facing Feelings in Faith Communities” by William Kondrath: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781566994347/Facing-Feelings-in-Faith-Communities
“The Body Keeps the Score” Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/313183/the-body-keeps-the-score-by-bessel-van-der-kolk-md/
Genesis 32:22-32, Jacob wrestles with an angel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_wrestling_with_the_angel
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray (and a special guest!) reflect on this month's sermons and answer questions from the congregation. This month's theme is "resilience."
Topics of discussion: integrating into a new community; power decentralization and the minister's role in UU organizations; a sweet historical technicality; meaningful sharing of abundance
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
"If you continually give, you will continually have. Hallelujah!"
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
"We’re all doing our best to practice being human, to show up with our whole wild hearts, to stay present when it’s hard - and the beautiful thing is that in this place we do all of it together."
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on recent sermons and answer questions from the congregation. These months' themes are "awe" and "integrity."
Topics of discussion: Making room for many faith traditions; conflicting narratives from different sources of wisdom; the universal appeal of turning over a new leaf; forgiveness without coercion
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
This is our first service in the new year, so we’ll reflect on those things we’re letting go of, as well as the hopes we hold for the coming year.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
UUCSW celebrates Christmas Eve.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
Hanukkah is often portrayed as a sort of “Jewish Christmas” because it falls in December, but it has a very different origin. In this sermon we’ll explore the importance and history of Hanukkah as a distinctly Jewish holiday.
Book Reference: Jews, God, and History, by Max Dimont: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0451529405/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_lcikEb2FCFMPC
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's sermons and answer questions from the congregation. This month's theme is "attention."
Topics of discussion: UUism and the afterlife; grief and denial; building safety to process painful emotions; resiliency through gratitude; befriending defense mechanisms
Six Sources of Wisdom: https://www.uua.org/beliefs/what-we-believe/sources
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
Advent is the season leading up to Christmas, which we UUs don’t often celebrate. It’s an important and exciting time in the Christian calendar, and today we’ll explore what wisdom it offers for Christians and non-Christians alike.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
As the leaves fall, and we rest in the place between All Souls and Thanksgiving, we’ll focus on what it means to give space for change and grief, while maintaining a sense of gratitude.
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
Amanda and Rev. Gray reflect on this month's sermons and answer questions from the congregation. This month's theme is "belonging," both to ourselves and to each other.
Sermons written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
This sermon brings back the old UUCSW Samhain tradition of recognizing our loved ones who have departed from this world.
Movie Reference - Coco: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2380307/
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
In this sermon we’ll reflect on what it means to belong to each other, to be in relationship as a community. As a congregation, we are a community who shows up for the joys and sorrows of each other’s lives, a community that helps us aspire to our own goodness and can be resilient amidst conflict and struggle.
The seven UU principles: https://www.uua.org/beliefs/what-we-believe/principles
The six sources: https://www.uua.org/beliefs/what-we-believe/sources
"Braving, the Anatomy of Trust" by Brene Brown PDF: http://creativebynature.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/BRAVING.pdf
"Belonging to Each Other" is an excerpt from the poem "Say Yes" by Andrea Gibson: https://vimeo.com/31307875
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
Reflecting on Brene Brown’s book “Braving the Wilderness,” we’ll consider what it means to belong to ourselves, and the ways that our relationship with ourselves informs how we build community.
Book reference: https://www.amazon.com/Braving-Wilderness-Quest-Belonging-Courage/dp/0812995848
The story of Peter Norman: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=526780161082364
Music by Kala Farnham
We often think of the beginning as the first step in the process of transition, but perhaps it’s the last. In this sermon we’ll reflect on the stages we go through as we move towards a new beginning. Rev. Gray will share about her call to ministry as a process of transition.
Book reference: "Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes" by William Bridges: https://www.amazon.com/dp/073820904X/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_uVbmybX0GR2T0
Written by: Rev. Laurel Gray Music by: Kala Farnham Host: Amanda Hall Produced and Directed by: Bruce Hall
