Category Archives: Sermons

The church looked like an octagonal barn, the wood siding weathered grey in the weak March sunlight.  Nestled in the wetlands near Lake Michigan, with native prairie for a front yard, that small, round building sheltered the gathered congregation as … Continue reading →

As I read the words I wrote over a decade ago, I think this essay perhaps says less about the nature of society, and more about what it felt like to be a teenager.  Has the high school experience changed … Continue reading →

Though I would never have admitted it at the time, when I was growing up I found myself jealous of my Christian friends.  Peeking in from the perspective of an outsider, I saw that they had their mythical creation stories … Continue reading →

In this sermon, we explore the idea of what it means to be human–and how that relates to the dream of building a new church in Wayzata, Minnesota.  From ancient ruins in Turkey to the physiology of the human brain, … Continue reading →

In the twisting streets of San Cristobal de las Casas, the mercado assailed my senses—vendors calling out in a multitude of languages, hawking their wares; the sweet stench of decaying fruit mixing with exotic spices; bushels of beans, of rice, … Continue reading →

The shooter was a disgruntled trucker who had lost his job and his marriage, and he blamed liberal theology for ruining his life.  He fed his mind with books whose titles read: “Liberalism is a Mental Disorder,” and “Winning the … Continue reading →

As I am preparing tomorrow’s service for Groveland Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, I have found a wide variety of music and readings that I would like to include. (Granted, I may not be able to fit all of them into one … Continue reading →

Advent. As a lifelong Unitarian Universalist, I didn’t learn what Advent was until last December, during my first year in seminary.  A formerly-Lutheran-turned-Episcopalian colleague of mine mentioned that it was her favorite holiday, and she shared some of her rituals—the … Continue reading →

Part 1. When I look back on what I like to call my “justice summer,” in many ways it feels like a dream, or a fantastic tale that happened to someone else.  I read my own blog entries, illustrated by … Continue reading →

Something I am learning about writing sermons is that, in order to preach authentically, I must write about where I am.  It does me no good to know where I want to go if I don’t start from where I am. So I need to … Continue reading →