With the theme of pluralism as our guide, join Rev. Dr. Celeste Lebak as she invites us into a powerful act of re-membering, reconnecting to what has been torn apart. According to Kim Krans, Apocolypsis is a particularly painful time, one that unfolds when two disparate dynamics occur simultaneously, pulling the psyche in seemingly opposite directions. How do we … Continue reading “Re-Membering 2025”
This moment in humanity feels dark and overwhelming. The message on Sunday will focus on lament, covenant, and how reaching out into the dark can bring about hope and change. Direct link to service.
Its that time of the year, when tradition and media reminds us to be grateful. For our families, our homes, our jobs, our friends, But for some of us Gratitude is a struggle. Especially for the marginalized communities facing attack. Yet in truth, for most of us even the Gratitude we often can find comes … Continue reading “Struggle and Gratitude”
On Sunday, November 3, we will reflect on the power of memory to shape our lives and guide us forward. How do we honor the wisdom of those who came before us? What role does memory play in helping us face the challenges of today with courage and hope? Drawing inspiration from figures like Norbert Čapek, … Continue reading “Seeds of Memory, Acts of Hope”
The Jewish commandment to repair the world is often played out in acts of lovingkindness. It began as a striving for personal betterment and starts and ends with repairing the world within. Direct Link to Service. Rabbi Abby Jacobson was born on a cattle ranch in central Florida, outside the small town of Davenport. At … Continue reading “Jewish Perspectives on Repairing the World”
It matters not how fast we move or how much we struggle with the oars as long as the ship is pointed in the right direction and the right folks are in the boat with us. Direct Link to Service.
Not the monarch kind of King, bare with me…. We are in a struggle for saving Democracy from its possible post-modern growing pains. David Brooks writes in the Opinion Section of the New York Times, “The task… is to build a new cultural consensus that is democratic but also morally coherent. My guess, and it … Continue reading “We Need a New King”
The last several years of pandemic and social polarization have exposed frayed places and holes in the fabric of church-business-as-usual. This is true across congregations and faith traditions. Though shared ministry existed before these times, it has emerged as a powerful antidote to congregational and denominational splintering. However, our cultural norms (Western and UU) and … Continue reading “When Hope is Hard to Find, We Take Care of Us: Shared Ministry as Mutual Aid”
For my final sermon here at First Unitarian, I’d like to share some thoughts about change and how we deal with it. I’ll concentrate on change in the church, especially the changing religious landscape in the United States, and corresponding changes within Unitarian Universalism. Will we meet these changes with hope and creativity? Or will … Continue reading “New Occasions Teach New Duties: Navigating Change”
When we think of “courage,” we may automatically associate it with outward acts -heroic rescues or spectacular feats of physical prowess. But what if courage is also found in quiet, daily acts of resolve? We may be braver than we think! Direct Link to Service here.
