The guest speaker was Rabbi Sally Finestone of Congregation Har Shalom.

Rev. Gretchen preaches on mysticism. Quote referenced in sermon:

"Standing on the bare ground, — my head bathed by the blithe air, and uplifted into infinite space, — all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eye-ball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature

"We think, each of us, that we're much more rational than we are. And we think that we make our decisions because we have good reasons to make them. Even when it's the other way around. We believe in the reasons, because we've already made the decision." - Daniel Kahneman

“I don’t trust books. They’re all fact, no heart. And that’s exactly what’s pulling our country apart today. Because face it, folks, we are a divided nation. Not between Democrats or Republicans, or conservatives and liberals, or tops and bottoms. No, we are divided by those who think with their head, and those who know with their heart.” - Stephen Colbert

"We can meet our match with a poodle or with a raging guard dog, but the interesting question is -- what happens next?" Pema Chodron

The mental health resource list referenced in the sermon can be reached by clicking the link.

“Becoming the best versions of ourselves often requires that we stay. Stay when things get hard. Stay when we get bored. Stay when we experience periods of unhappiness. Stay when the excitement wears off. Stay when we don’t like those we’re in community with. Stay when we fail or are betrayed. Stay when we know who we can become if we have courage to be faithful in the undramatic.” Chris L. Heuertz

"The moment we cease to hold each other, the moment we break faith with one another, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out.” - James Baldwin

Two homilies from the Curveballs service.

Gretchen's prepared homily from the Plan B service.