To deny that life has its share of disappointments, frustrations, losses and setbacks would be unrealistic and ultimately, counterproductive to our personal growth and well-being. Coach Ted Lasso, the folksy protagonist of the hit TV show, doesn’t deny it. Yet, he posts “Believe” signs around the locker room and asks his English football team at … Continue reading Ted Lasso, Maccabees, and the Miracle of Hope
What does it mean to “belong” to a tribe, a community, a family, a congregation? One of the most rewarding aspects of belonging is the sense of having found a home for ourselves and, in turn, being found, supported, and accepted there as we are. In this sermon to celebrate our Eastrose tribe in the … Continue reading You Will Be Found – The Need to Belong and the Power of Tribes
In the words of writer David Brooks, “In a culture devoid of moral education, generations are growing up in a morally inarticulate, self-referential world.” Along with Mr. Brooks, I wonder why so many Americans have gotten so sad and gutted. And a companion question, why has a swath of America gotten so mean? This intermeshed … Continue reading How America Got Mean & Why Kindness Matters
When Thomas Jefferson debated his landmark Statute of Religious Freedom in 1786, could he have foreseen the troubling state of rampant official “Godliness” in our current political system? On this pre-election Sunday, we’ll explore how the President’s religious behavior has taken on new and surreal meaning in a White House rife with endorsed evangelical zeal and … Continue reading An Atheist for President?
In Japan, vintage disconnected telephones are bolted to trees in the forest or reside in makeshift “booths.” The Japanese call these “wind phones” and wander to their locations to communicate with loved ones they have lost. Wind Phones now exist all over the world, including the Portland area. The five stages of grief suggest this … Continue reading Wind Phones in the Forest and the Geography of Grief
Why do ministers preach from a pulpit, wear a robe and stole? Why do we light a chalice in our UU congregations or sing hymns? What is a chapel or a sanctuary? Why do we have a covenant and not a creed? Rev. Robin will share answers to some of these questions her sermon, “Symbol … Continue reading Symbol and Sanctuary
Environmental degradation. Poverty. Addiction. Forced relocation. Voter suppression. Cultural shaming. And now, the Trump administration questioning whether Indigenous people are “American citizens” or whether they are eligible for deportation! To where? All of these factors haunt the land we live and worship on. Especially in light of what is happening on the ground right now … Continue reading What Haunts the Land?
If you could ring a particular NYC answering machine and leave an anonymous apology, what would you apologize for? Why are confession and forgiveness so essential to our well-being and yet, so difficult at times when we are face-to-face? How can we “turn” (teshuva) from apology to healing? We’ll explore these themes within the context … Continue reading Ringing the Apology Line
In “Poser,” her unique memoir, author Claire Dederer discovers who she is (and who she isn’t) as a mother, daughter, friend and partner through twenty-three yoga asanas practiced over a formative decade of her life. She tackles perfectionism, faux authenticity (being a poser, in slang terms) consumerism and competition, self-doubt, and ultimately self-love through Lotus, … Continue reading Poser – Bending into Self Awareness
Each Sunday we recite a unison Benediction, adapted from the Book of Thessalonians. It begins, “Go Out Into the World in Peace” and ends with “Honor All Beings”. In between, we are encouraged to have courage, support the weak and the suffering, resist evil, and hold onto what is good. Each line of the passage … Continue reading Homecoming – Go Out Into the World in Peace: Living Our Benediction
