A sermon on our calling as humans and the wisdom of our UU tradition to change our patterns and practices for good.

Most of the time, I see contradictions, paradoxes, absurdity; pieces of truth that divide us and keep us in conflict with ourselves and each other. But every once in a while, briefly, I feel that we might be on the verge of taking it all in and putting it all together into a larger truth we're hoping and living for.

Unitarian Universalism calls itself a living tradition. This means it is a tradition open to change and new revelation. What does it mean to be part of a living tradition as we enter a season so dominated by religious holidays and capital T - Tradition?

Unitarian Universalism, like other long-standing faiths, finds itself in the position of examining its own inherited traditions and modifying them to remain relevant for our present time. However, there are other long-standing cultures which had their customs and traditions erased through the violence of colonization. What does it look like to re-create lost traditions that can restore cultural identity and pride, while also contributing to justice movements in the world?

Tradition can sometimes feel like a prison - rote practice disconnected from present meaning. The histories and stories from which tradition arise may not hold any value for us today, or worse, they may do harm. What are the traditions that are worth holding on to? What is the value of tradition in our lives?

We will explore this platitude of gratitude that puts moral emphasis on giving. In the role of receiving, there is also great power in the concept of gratitude. How we chose to show gratitude plays a major role in creating and sustaining an overall culture of generosity and compassion.

Gratitude seems simple and straightforward, but really learning to live a life of gratitude and to be as a religious community, a people of gratitude, means learning to shift many of the lessons we have been taught in our lives. We may need to embrace gratitude with a beginner's mind to embody it more fully in our lives and culture.

Andy Burnette is the Senior Minister at the Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Chandler, AZ. He is preaching at UUCP as part of a Phoenix area pulpit swap among the greater Phoenix area UU Ministers.

This all ages service invites us to remember our loved ones who have died through a ritual of remembrance, sharing our gratitude for the love shared. Dia de Los Muertos is a wise reminder that we need not be afraid of death, but find ways to remember our loved ones as we celebrate the gift of life.

Freedom is a foundational value in the United States, a well-worn word in politics, and an ideal we seek to create. But how has our rhetoric of freedom undermined its power for our collective understanding. What do we mean when we talk about freedom and liberty in the U.S.?