Sermon delivered at the First Unitarian Society of Madison by Lay Minister Jim O'Brien, August 20th, 2017.

Given the decline in traditional church attendance and membership, and even professions of belief in a higher power, where and how do people find support and renewal for the life of the spirit. Former priest and Communications professor Jim O’Brien will examine some surprising sources of spiritual insight and uplift from among the growing ranks of the unchurched and even the unbelieving. Join us for a second summer service in which clergy, past and present, reflect upon this curious dichotomy. (See Jim Jaeger’s reflections of July 23.)

Sermon by author and educator Nancy Vedder-Shults at the first Unitarian Society of Madison on July 30th, 2107.

Until recently, people considered nothing more secular than science, and nothing more occult or sacred than divination. That’s beginning to change. Modern technology is finally proving what seers and sages have always known: a particular frame of mind favors new ideas, a frame of mind facilitated by divination. Nancy Vedder-Shults will illustrate her talk with a number of ancient, indigenous, and contemporary oracular techniques from her new book "The World is Your Oracle: Divinatory Practices for Tapping Your Inner Wisdom and Getting the Answers You Need."

Sermon by affiliated community minister Jim Jaeger at the first Unitarian Society on July 23rd, 2017.

Many recent surveys of religious preferences have shown that the fastest growing groups are those who identify as “none” or “spiritual not religious.” What exactly does this mean, especially for the vitality of our religious communities? What is the difference, if any, between being “religious” and “spiritual?” And, how might Unitarian Universalism reach this new pool of seekers? Rev. Jim Jaeger, a long time member of this FUS religious community, will explore these questions.

Activist, engineer, and public speaker Sam Mihara shares his experiences living in the Heart Mountain Japanese-American internment camp near Cody, Wyoming, for three years during World War Two. This presentation was given at the First Unitarian Society of Madison on July 11th, 2017. An introduction is provided by Doug Nelson, Vice-Chairman of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation.

Sermon by Wisconsin State Representative Chris Taylor at the First Unitarian Society of Madison on July 16th, 2017.

The activities we are witnessing emanating from our nation’s capitol, with a president who doesn’t recognize basic ethics, legal boundaries, or the authority of the two other, co-equal branches of government, is eerily familiar to Wisconsin over the last several years. Rep. Taylor will outline how we got here and provide a refreshing outlook on how we endure and rebuild during these challenging times.

Sermon by the Rev. Michael Schuler at the First Unitarian Society of Madison, July 2nd, 2017.

The title for these reflections is drawn from the explanation Majority Leader Mitch McConnell gave for shutting down Elizabeth Warren as she tried to quote from Coretta Scott King on the Senate floor. These two words have since become something of a rallying call among feminists, but as a personality trait persistence – or perseverance, if you like – has been the subject of a fair amount of commentary of late. Many see it as critical to getting what we want out of life.