Sermons of 2023

Epiphany

David Parsons sermon of 01-08-23 on Matthew 2:1-12.

Christian’s sermon of 1-15-23 on Matthew 4:12-23.

Christian’s sermon of 2-12-23 on Matthew 5:21-48.

Transfiguration

Christian’s sermon of 2-19-23 (Transfiguration) on Matthew 17:1-9.

Ash Wednesday

Billy McEntee’s sermon for Ash Wednesday — “Glitter and Ash”

Lent (a sermon series on sabbath and rest)

Liz Edman’s sermon of 2-26-23 on Shabbat

Rabbi Marissa James’s sermon of 3-5-23 (with introduction by Liz Edman)

Jack Holloway’s sermon of 3-12-23 on Isaiah 58.

Burke Gerstenschlager’s sermon of 3-19-23 on Acts 16:11-15.

Elizabeth Nelson’s sermon of 3-27-23 on Matthew 12:1-14.

Holy Week and Easter

(Palm Sunday) Christian’s Sermon of 4-2-23 on Matthew 21:1-13.

(Maundy Thursday) Amelia Schonbek’s sermon of 4-6-23 on John 13:1-17, 31b-35.

(Good Friday) Liz Edman’s sermon of 4-07-23 on Matthew 26:36-27:61.

(Easter) Christian’s sermon of 4-08-23 on Matthew 27:62—28:20.

Eastertide

Bambi Galore’s sermon of 4-16-23 on the ritual of Flower Communion.

Christian’s sermon of 4-23-23 on Matthew 28:16-17.

Christian’s sermon of 4-30-23 on Matthew 28:18 and Daniel 7:14.

Jack Holloway’s sermon of 5-7-23 on Matthew 28:19.

Christian’s sermon of 5-14-23 on Matthew 28:20  and Matthew 1:22-23.

Ascension

Christian’s sermon of 5-21-23 on Luke 24:44-53.

Pentecost

Dialogue sermon of 5-28-23 with Deborah Chi and Christian Scharen on spirit & the arts — Acts 2:1-21.

Trinity Sunday
Christian’s Sermon of 6-4-23 on 2 Corinthians 13:11-13.

Ordinary Time

Elizabeth Nelson’s sermon of 6-11-23 on 1 Corinthian’s 12:1-6.

Melissa Sakow’s sermon of 6-18-23 on 1 Corinthians 12:7-11.

Burke Gerstenschlager’s sermon of 6-25-23 on I Cor. 12:12-20.

Andie Corso’s sermon of 7-2-23 on I Corinthians 12:21-26.

Liz Edman’s sermon of 7-9-23 on 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3.

Asa Swain’s sermon of 7-16-23 on Romans 12:3-8.

Pavi Jaisankar’s Sermon of 7-23-23 on Romans 12:9-21.

Jack Holloway’s sermon of 7-30-23 on Matthew 13:31-33, 33-52 and the book of Enoch. 

Jack Holloway’s Sermon of 8-6-23 on Matthew 17:1-8.

Brad Watson’s sermon of 8-13-23 on Matthew 14: 22-33.

Christian’s sermon of 8-20-23 on Matthew 15:21-28.

Christian’s sermon of 8-27-23 on Matthew 16:13-20.

Fall Season of Challenge

Jack Holloway’s sermon of 9-17-23 on Jeremiah 7:1-11.

Christian’s sermon of 9-24-2023 on Jeremiah 31:1-3, 23-25, 33-34.

Liz Edman’s sermon of 10-1-23 on Jeremiah 38:1-13.

Music for Christmas and Epiphany 2022-2023

Hello Song Leaders! Here is our menu of musical selections for the upcoming season:

GATHERING SONG:

Arise, Shine (shruti box on silver)

CANDLE LIGHTING SONG: The Light of Christ (shruti box on silver)

TABLE ACCLAMATION: Shelton Table Acclamation

OFFERING SONG: Mxadana Alleluia

FINAL HYMN:

January — Star in the East  (American Traditional) Lyrics

February — Be Thou My Vision

Transfiguration 2/27 – God Calls You Good

Music for Advent 2022

Welcome song leaders, voices of the congregation, and all who love to sing! Advent is here and so is our new menu of music for the season.

Gathering song: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”

Candle lighting song: “Honor the Dark” or “Walking Into Darkness”

Table acclamation:  Vasile Advent Table Acclamation

Prayer song: Preference for “Yea, O God” but you can choose from other prayer songs

Offering song: “The Mighty Will Fall“

Final hymn: “People Look East” (November 7-22)

“For the Beauty of the Earth” (November 28-29)

“In the Bleak Midwinter” (December 5 – 12)

“Joy to the World” (December 19)

Thank you for holding your community in song!

“Walking into Darkness”

“Walking into Darkness” is a song by Jacob Slichter, with words adapted from the poem “Love is a Stranger” by Sufi mystic and poet Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī as well as line from the song “What a Wonderful World,” (written by Bob Thiele and George Weiss and originally performed by Louis Armstrong).

Here are the lyrics:

Walking into darkness
Water flows from life
Night is a companion
For travelers full of light

High above the travelers
The moon shines cold and bright
Casting all its shadows
Through the sacred night

It is sung over a shruti on the silver setting (C and G) and can be sung in one or two parts that overlap as this recording illustrates.

“Honor the Dark”

“Honor the Dark” is a beautiful song in 4 parts, written and performed by Lea Morris. It’s a wonderful piece for advent and wintertime, featuring loving lyrics which embrace the warmth and power of darkness:

1. Honor the dark, honor the dark

2. Honor the darkness, honor the darkness

3. Honor the dark
As you do the light
Receive the gifts that come to us by day and by night
I choose to honor the dark
Uncertainty and change
Deliver us from fear 
Until only love remains

4. As the butterfly slips free from her dark cocoon
As the evening sky reveals the light of the moon
Sometimes, fear surrounds us
Sometimes, there will be pain
Let the darkness heal you until only love remains 

To hear how the four parts layer on top of each other, listen to this video on Lea’s youtube channel. Community coordinator Debbie Holloway has also created two supplemental recordings:

a teaching track, which offers suggestions on how to teach the song to a group,

and . . .

a short recording of all 4 parts sung separately, one after the other.

Songs for Fall 2022

Greetings Song Leaders and all who love to sing! Here is our list of songs for the fall.

Gathering Song: Till the Moon is No More

Candle-Lighting Song: Journey of a Thousand Miles

Table Acclamation: Shelton Table Acclaimation (thanks Meave!)

Regathering/Offering Song: Amen

Final Hymn: Come Thou Fount

Thank you for holding your community in song!

Music for Pentecost and Pride — June 2022

Greetings song leaders and voices of the congregation!  Here is our menu of songs and hymns for Pentecost and Pride, June 2022.

Gathering Song: “Come, Come, Whoever You Are”

Table Acclamation:  Summer Table Acclamation

Prayer Songs: Build a shelter / Let it Rest

or . . .

Down to the River to Pray

Or any of the St. Lydia’s Prayer Songs

Offering and Announcements song: Zimbabwe Alleluia

Final hymn: Spirit I Have Heard You Calling

“Come, Come, Whoever You Are”

“Come, Come, Whoever You Are” is a beautiful setting of a Rumi poem by Unitarian Universalist pastor and poet Lynn Ungar.  

It can be sung in a round of up to four parts.

Here’s a recording.

And here are the lyrics:

Come, come, whoever you are,
wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving. 
Ours is no caravan of despair.
Come, yet again, come!

Build a Shelter / Let It Rest

Build a Shelter / Let it Rest is a beautiful prayer song with words by Pamela Grenfell Smith and tune by Conie Borchardt.  Pamela writes, “This is a lyric about giving permission to rest from one’s own inner struggle and pain.”

Here’s a recording.  Note that the lyrics can change for new verses.  Thus, “Build a shelter for your sorrow” can become “Build a shelter for your anger” and so forth.

And here’s the sheet music, with a brief description of the song’s origin.

Sermons for Eastertide, Summer, Fall, and Advent

Christian’s sermon of 4-25-22 on Revelation 1:4-8.

Christian’s sermon of 5-1-22 on Revelation 5:6-14.

Jack Holloway’s sermon of May 8, 2022 on Revelation 7:9-17.

Christian’s sermon of 7-25-2022 on Luke 11:1-13.

Christian’s Sermon of 7-31-22 on Luke 12:13-21 (and here’s a visual image that accompanies it).

Christian’s sermon of 8-7-2022 on Luke 12:32-40.

Christian’s Sermon of 8-22-22 on Luke 13:10-17.

Christian’s sermon of 9-4-22 on Luke 14:25-33.

Jack Holloway’s sermon of 9-18-22 on Philemon.

Jacob Slichter’s sermon of 9-26-22 on I Corinthians 1:1-31.

Wolfgang Laudert’s Sermon of 10-16-22 on 1 Corinthians 12.

Christian’s sermon of 10-24-22 on I Corinthians 16:1-24.

Bambi Galore’s sermon of 10-30-22 on I Corinthians 8:1-13.

Amelia Schonbek’s sermon of 11-06-22 on 1 Corinthians 13.

Christian’s sermon of 11-13-22 on Isaiah 11:1-10.

Christian’s sermon of 11-20-22 on Isaiah 35:1-10.

Christian’s Sermon of 12-04-22 on Isaiah 61:1-11.

Christian’s Sermon of 12-11-22 on Isaiah 64:1-9.