The American character wrestles (very visibly, lately) between the poles of individualism and community. These poles are present, too, in… Read more The Personal and the Plural
Category: Sermons
As a minister for thirty years, I wrote nearly a thousand sermons. These are the most recent. Sermons from August, 2022 on were written for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Studio City. I’m especially proud of the sermons I wrote during my last year (September 2024 through June 2025) when I tried to close my ministry with some final thoughts about fundamental spiritual issues.
Life and Death
As we approach the season of holidays from many traditions that reckon with the afterlife we will look at several… Read more Life and Death
Masks
Lately, we’ve all gotten to learn what it feels like to wear a mask: uncomfortable, constricting, distancing. But even without… Read more Masks
The Existence of a Higher Power
The basis of any spiritual system is the recognition of something greater than yourself: something beyond you that also includes… Read more The Existence of a Higher Power
Hello, Again!
This morning I’ll say, “Hello” for the first time to most of you. But we already know each other in… Read more Hello, Again!
Religious Community, Post-COVID
As a vaccine becomes available, we might go back to normal, or “normal” might be something new. The experience of… Read more Religious Community, Post-COVID
The Truth Hurts, Falsehood Destroys
As we observed over the last year, a post-truth society is a pre-tyranny society. Without truth all liberal systems suffer:… Read more The Truth Hurts, Falsehood Destroys
Democracy on the Ballot
The electoral college, the small state bias in the Senate, gerrymandering, voter suppression, the influence of money, these inequities in… Read more Democracy on the Ballot
Liberal Religion
Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion, not because of our progressive politics but because of our commitment to the ideals… Read more Liberal Religion
Farewell
My final worship with you, at least for a few years. As some of you know, back on March 13,… Read more Farewell