It seems like so long ago, and hard to believe I had a sixteen-year career in television news and corporate video production. It was never something I had intended or even enjoyed doing, just a way to make ends meet. But, in the process, it taught me a lot of important life lessons, and gave me many valuable skills that are a valuable part of my ministry.

It doesn’t seem this, one of Jesus’ most memorable teachings, has ever been widely followed by those professing his name. In light of the recent election, in which so many voted for a man who demeaned and ridiculed and threatened our Latino, African American, female, Muslim, and disabled neighbors, this seems as true today as ever. This sermon will remind us who ought to be considered our neighbor and what it means to truly be neighborly.

In addition to faith and spirituality, African American churches have historically provided important social services to their members, including housing, loans, food, and healthcare, when they couldn’t obtain them anywhere else. This remains much the case today, and will likely need to remain so for many years. This sermon will go deeper into the history of this vital ministry and discuss how we can help support it now and in the years to come.

Things may feel dire now, and our outlook for the immediate future may be dismal, but we have been here before, and we can and shall meet injustice and adversity as we always have, by continuing to uphold our values and principles in all places at all times. Community Support Gathering Friday, November 11th @ 6:30pm.

During the current political season Bernie Sanders said Israel’s “destruction of Gaza went too, too far,” and it is irresponsible for our nation to give 100 percent support to “people like Netanyahu and ignore the rest of the region.” Sander’s remarks were unprecedented for a potential Presidential candidate to make, especially given than he is himself Jewish. I consider his remarks courageous and he has inspired me to address this important, troubling, polarizing, moral issue myself.

It’s been more than five years since I became minister at UUCS and all I’ve done is talk about what I don’t believe. Maybe it’s about time I mentioned what I do believe in.

No, that’s not a misspelling. It is intended to make the point that Unitarian Universalism, though considered a New Religious Movement these days, is actually rooted in the ancient teachings of Jesus. This sermon will look at how the ideas of Unitarianism and Universalism are among the oldest in the Book.

I don’t talk about it much because it’s kind of weird and hard to explain, but one of my greatest teachers, if not friend, in life has been an old book called the I Ching, an ancient Chinese oracle that precedes Taoism. In this sermon I’ll talk about some of the insights and changes it has brought in my own life, as well as a little about the philosophy behind it. I’ll even include a special message from the I Ching just for you.

It often seems that in the United States it’s considered wrong to criticize our country. But how can we ever heal from our wounds and deal with our shame if we cannot admit our own failings, say we’re sorry, and commit to truly creating a new and better way?