This sermon podcast begins with a reflection offered by worship associate Sara Ford.

In the Christian calendar, Advent is a time of waiting and preparation for the coming of the Christ child. The story from first century Palestine tells us that with the birth of Jesus comes hope, love, the undoing of the status quo: a new reign of peace on earth. In times of fear and uncertainty, where is hope to be found in these ancient stories? In our own stories?

“My Soul Magnifies the Lord,” Mary tells the Angel Gabriel in the gospel of Luke. The song she sings next is a vision of a world that might be, one where the mighty are thrown down, the hungry are fed, and the beloved community arrives. What lessons do her words hold for us, 2000 years later? ​

How do we build hope from the gifts and wounds we carry with us, while also navigating the fear of change?​

On this Thanksgiving weekend, we consider the traditions from around the world and at our own tables of offering words of gratitude. How do these rituals provide opportunities for deepening and growing in our spiritual and personal relationships. What is grace? How can we give and receive it in our lives and the larger world?

Vaclav Havel, the Czech statesman and literary figure, wrote that hope “…is an orientation of the spirit, an orientation of the heart; it transcends the world that is immediately experienced, and is anchored somewhere beyond its horizons.” How do we anchor ourselves to hope, even when it exists beyond our vision, on the other side of the horizon?

This sermon podcast begins with a reflection by worship associate Anna Newton.

What can we say, in the aftermath of an election? How have the church’s commitments changed, or have they? How do we balance the uncertainty of this moment with the certainty of faith?

“Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?”  “A republic, if you can keep it.”  Benjamin’s Franklin’s words at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in September 1787 have obvious relevance in 2024. The first Unitarians and Universalists in the United States came from the first generation after the American Revolution, and from that first generation, our tradition has been actively involved in the democratic process. How does that legacy speak to us today?

We have heard it said, the only constant is change, and that there is no growth, no growing forward without letting something go and embracing change. Sometimes a door must close in order for a window to open, but how do we navigate this kind of loss, these decisions about what and when to let go in order to be open to new possibilities? Anatole France wrote, “All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves. We must die to one life before we can enter another.” But, this doesn’t mean we throw everything out the window and start from scratch over and over! So, what can we hold onto that is solid and true, what can we trust as a constant in our lives when the ground shifts and change happens? 

This sermon podcast begins with a reflection by worship associate Betsy Hearn.

Dan Hotchkiss writes, “Congregations create sanctuaries where people can nurture and inspire each other — with results no one can predict. The stability of a religious institution is a necessary precondition to the instability religious transformation brings.” How do we balance the tradition and change in our lives together? How do we embrace the future we imagine while holding onto the traditions that define us?

Join us for Celebration Sunday, as we gather to celebrate Unity Church and commit to a joyful year together. Unitarian Universalist congregations depend on the support of their members for everything from religious education and kitchen volunteers to legacy giving and ongoing financial support. How do we root our gifts to the church in our spiritual practices?