First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on October 27, 2019. This is a child friendly service. We bring photographs of those we would like to claim as our ancestors and teachers.

Assistant Minister Rev. Chris Jimmerson's sermon delivered on October 20, 2019. There is something about connection and sense of belonging that is essential to us as human beings. Any yet, true belonging is more than just fitting in with others. In fact, sometimes it means being so spiritually grounded in both a sense of self-acceptance and at the same time a sense of being a part of something lar...

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on October 13, 2019. With the help of some folks at the church with Judaism in their heritage, we will have a traditional booth in the courtyard that reminds us of the story about how the people were protected on their long journey through the desert. What protects us on our journey?

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on October 6, 2019. A Juicy Slice of Unitarian History: Transcendentalism and the Concord Genius Cluster. We sometimes forget that our forebears in this faith were human. Thoreau, Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Nathaniel Hawthorne. How were they all in relationship to one another?

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on September 29, 2019. It's Celebration Sunday. We hold an apple and talk about how apples developed. Were they developed by humans or did they develop themselves in order to appeal more to humans, insects, birds, and animals so their DNA would be spread far and wide? How smart is this apple?

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on September 22, 2019. It's Celebration Sunday. This is our 65th birthday as a congregation. We kick it off with a celebration of faithful giving, dedicated leadership, and maybe just a bit of cake.

Assistant Minister Rev. Chris Jimmerson's sermon delivered on September 15, 2019. Our religious values are aspirational expressions of our highest expectations for ourselves. Expectations can provide powerful inspiration and help us live out our Unitarian Universalist faith and reach for our best selves. So too though, sometimes the unexpected and letting go of expectations that are not serving us...

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on September 8, 2019. How to Change Minds: Notes from the FBI Hostage Negotiators' Handbook. Continuing last week's glimpse into the satisfactions and challenges of relationships, we'll talk about loving and being loved by people with very different beliefs, sacred tenets, and styles from our own.

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on September 1, 2019. Annual Water Ceremony: We bring water from a place that has fed our souls and spirits over the summer months and mingle these waters together to remind us of our connection to one another. In connections with friends, family, work mates and church members there is both joy and learning. How do we find ease and joy as we cross the rivers t...

Assistant Minister Rev. Chris Jimmerson's sermon delivered on August 25, 2019. This month's Soul Matters is Emergence. We will explore how we might keep ourselves open to unexpected and creative possibilities and the potential for transformation.

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on August 18, 2019. All-Ages Service. Who are we as UU's? Our children in schools need to know who we are. In their classes we say the 7 principles and the classroom covenants they wrote at the very beginning. This is not a non-denominational church. It is a church with strong roots in Central Europe and in New England. Unitarians shaped this country in mostly...

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on August 11, 2019. It's hard to feel belonging, but that is something we are thirsty for. What are some ways to build community here at First UU? How can deeper conversations happen?

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on August 4, 2019. What are some things to know in order to be a good ally to LGBTQ people? What are the answers to some questions about being gay you might have been scared to ask.

Ministerial intern Lee Legault's sermon delivered on July 28, 2019. She asks what wisdom can we glean from the Harry Potter books on how to partner with our youth. The Harry Potter myth offers insight into the role of youth in social justice movements. How has Unitarian Universalism supported the unique charisma of our young people?

Assistant Minister Rev. Chris Jimmerson's sermon delivered on July 21, 2019. In our religious education department, we are experimenting with teaching our children UU values through guided, joyful, playful games and activities. Many of our church groups are also engaging in more opportunities, for fun, fellowship, humor, and connection. We'll take a look at how joy, fun, and connection can enhance...

Assistant Minister Rev. Chris Jimmerson's sermon delivered on July 14, 2019. We live in an economic system that perpetuates itself by creating a culture of scarcity. What if we stopped to appreciate and express gratitude for all that we already have? What if we worked toward a culture of abundance?

Assistant Minister Rev. Chris Jimmerson's sermon delivered on July 7, 2019. We often think of perseverance as being strong, having grit, to keep pushing forward even against difficult obstacles. Perhaps though, perseverance also requires a time for rest and spiritual renewal, being vulnerable enough to acknowledge that we need help sometimes and need others to carry the burden for a bit while we d...

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on June 30, 2019. Poet Adrienne Rich says in her poem Transcendental Etude, "no one ever told us we had to study our lives, make of our lives the study, as if learning natural history or music..." How might we go about studying our own lives?

Ministerial intern Lee Legault's sermon delivered on June 23, 2019. Join ministerial intern, Lee Legault, in reflecting on what we gain when we leave the narrow straits of Egypt and lose our ego identities in the wilderness. Psychologist C.G Jung developed a paradigm for psychological growth called individuation and believed it to be humanity's most important work. From a Jungian perspective, the...

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on June 16, 2019. How do you walk through this world being a blessing? How do you give your blessing to your children? How do you live as a blessing to your friends and your community? How do you increase your blessing power, your soul power?

Assistant Minister Rev. Chris Jimmerson's sermon delivered on June 9, 2019. Even in life's challenging and difficult times, we may still experience beauty; sometimes when it is least expected. And that, in turn, can help us through such times.

Worship service delivered on June 2, 2019. Rev. Meg Barnhouse dedicates our new worship space and facilities and is joined by Mr. Barb Greve. Barb is co-moderator of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on May 26, 2019. We celebrate the ritual of Flower Communion, created by Unitarian minister Norbert Capek, which lifts up the beauty of diversity and inclusion on the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on May 19, 2019. Western psychotherapy has emphasized insight as a way of healing emotional pain. Dr. Shomo Morita, a Japanese doctor, created a way of treating patients' emotional pain that draws wisdom from Buddhism.

Rev. Meg Barnhouse's sermon delivered on May 12, 2019. Olympia Brown is one of the "mothers" of Unitarian Universalism. This morning we'll take a look at some UU history and let it inspire us.