Sermons by Elizabeth Olson

Words Matter

by Elizabeth Olson What words do we use to describe our unique faith community? How do we choose our words of welcome at every service? What new vocabulary shall we learn in order to show each person the respect they deserve? Some of us are reassured by familiar Judeo-Christian language, while others feel uncomfortable when memories of negative religious experiences are triggered. These are the challenges of one loving community following our shared principles together along many paths.

A Crisis of Intimacy

“It’s painful to watch just how disconnected people are,” says a therapist with 20 years experience. “Clients…want to pursue deep social connections, but there’s a lot of confusion and fear in terms of how to get there.” I believe our church community can offer a path forward.

Receiving Generously

by Rev. Erica Baron We usually think about giving generously, but we think less often about what it means to receive generously. Since we crave having our gifts seen, acknowledged, confirmed, it is an act of generosity to each other to receive each other’s gifts. Together, we can create communities that notice gifts and celebrate them and give them ways to be expressed.

Like Tiny Seeds

Like tiny seeds with potent power to push through tough ground and become mighty trees, we hold innate reserves of unimaginable strength. We are resilient.

This I Believe

Our Unitarian Universalist fourth principle calls for a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. While our UU heritage recognizes sources of “truth”, in the end, it is the responsibility of each of us to craft a worldview for ourselves that makes sense to us as an individual…that gives our actions some direction for making meaning in our life. This Sunday, three of our members will be sharing their personal spiritual beliefs and the journeys that lead them there.

Remembrance

Remembrance has to do with our sense of self, our identity as we accumulate and unconsciously revise our autobiographical memories, which are explicit memories. This revision happens in small ways every time we remember something, as the present interacts with the past.

An Inescapable Network of Mutuality

Like family, we may not have chosen to join the network of all life on earth, but we are inextricably bound to it. Whoever believes they will win any one of the many battles being fought with perceived enemies is misguided. Protecting the welfare of all life on earth by living our values and making consequent choices is our chosen path.

“You Hear That, Nana?”

Introduction A recent family reunion provided a welcome opportunity to reflect deeply on the seasons of life and what makes the Circle of Life so precious at every turn.