Sermons for the Journey Podcast

In this playful and powerful Pride Month service, we draw questions from the jar and reflect on the art of drag: its history, beauty, defiance, and joy. As drag faces renewed attacks, we lift it up as a vibrant, liberating form of self-expression and a sacred act of resistance and celebration. This Sunday’s service featured a Q&A with Guest Minister & Drag Queen Miss Deija Vaton. Due to the extemp...

As we mark one of Unitarian Universalism’s special ceremonies, what is the message of the flowers? Join us in this celebration of diversity, abundance, and freedom! Homily from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Jun. 7, 2026. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister, UU Congregation of Grand Traverse (UUCGT), Traverse City, Michigan. Get full access to Sermons for the Journey at revalexjensen.subst...

Horror and religion have more in common than you’d think. Both explore our deepest fears of death, the unknown, and what lurks beneath the surface of ordinary life. We explore what frightens us, what it awakens, and what our faith has to say. Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., May 31, 2026. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister, UU Congregation of Grand Traverse (UUCGT), Traverse Cit...

Our bodies are not separate from our spirits. Honest, compassionate sexuality education is important justice work in our world today. Our UU commitment to Our Whole Lives (OWL) is a countercultural and sacred act. What does it mean to inhabit our whole lives with honesty, dignity, and grace? Homily from UUCGT's Service on Sun., May 17, 2026. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister, UU Co...

Enlightenment rarely arrives as a blinding flash. More often it comes as a quiet shift, a door swinging on its hinge. This morning, we share the moments that broke us open. What has awakened in you? Homily from UUCGT's Service on Sun., May 10, 2026. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister, UU Congregation of Grand Traverse (UUCGT), Traverse City, Michigan. Get full access to Sermons for...

Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community was never meant to stop at the church door. It is a vision for the world itself: just, interconnected, and whole. What does it mean to weave ourselves into the life of Oakwood–Vaughan, our city, and our wider human family? What might love ask of us when we step outside these doors? Sermon from FirstU's Service on Sun., Apr. 26, 2026. Preached by the Rev....

Ministry begins in the simplest places: a cup of coffee, a conversation, someone who meets you exactly where you are. What might we build together if we made that our daily practice? Sermon from FirstU's Service on Sun., Apr. 19, 2026. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Settled Ministry Candidate, First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto (FirstU), Canada. Get full access to Sermons for the Journey a...

Inspired by the concept of “Holy Envy,” we reflect on what we admire in other faiths and what they awaken in our own hearts. As we enter the wilderness, what holds us close? Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Apr. 12, 2026. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse (UUCGT), Traverse City, Michigan. Get full access to Sermons fo...

On this Easter morning, we reflect on the shared wisdom of Jesus and the Buddha: two great spiritual teachers who showed the way of compassion, peace, and liberation. Through story, silence, and a contemplative communion, we honor the deep truths that connect these sacred traditions. Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Apr. 5, 2026. Shared by Rev. Alex & Kozan McLean, Unitarian Universalist Congr...

This sermon was originally preached during my first year of ministry. What is our theological inheritance as Unitarian Universalists? As we head toward Easter Sunday, we’ll explore past ideas and heresies in our religious past around the divinity of Jesus. What does this history say to who we are now? Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Apr. 17, 2022. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Mini...

As the Spring Equinox arrives, we celebrate rebirth, renewal, and the fertility of imagination and Earth. What is blossoming in your spirit this season? Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Mar. 22, 2026. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse (UUCGT), Traverse City, Michigan. Get full access to Sermons for the Journey at reva...

This sermon was originally preached during my first year of ministry. In the spirit of stewardship, how might we draw our circles wider still? Join us as we explore stewardship as an intentional practice to live our values and widen our welcome to others. Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Feb. 27, 2022. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation...

This sermon was originally preached during my first year of ministry. In alignment with our congregation-wide read of Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, what are the costs of caste? How might we work to make our segmented society more equitable? Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Feb. 20, 2022. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse...

This Soul Matters month of Paying Attention, join us this Sunday in playing our second installment in a worship-wide game of Dungeons and Dragons! What will the dice have in store for us? Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Mar. 1, 2026. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse (UUCGT), Traverse City, Michigan. Get full access...

When the world weighs heavy, how do we care for our spirits and one another? Members of our community share stories and practices of resilience, rest, and sacred self-care. Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Feb. 22, 2026. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse (UUCGT), Traverse City, Michigan. Get full access to Sermons for...

This sermon was originally preached during my first year of ministry. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we are lifting up “Soul Friends” or Anam Cara from the writings of John O’Donohue and all of our connections to each other beyond solely romantic love. Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Feb. 13, 2022. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of G...

As we recognize Scout Sunday, we lift up the lesser-known stories of Black leaders and youth who shaped Scouting in the United States, expanding its vision of leadership and justice. Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Feb. 8, 2026. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse (UUCGT), Traverse City, Michigan. Get full access to Se...

At Imbolc (also known as Saint Brigid’s Day), we celebrate the first signs of spring and the quiet emergence of new life. We honor the flame of inspiration and the courage to kindle light in the darkness. Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Feb. 1, 2026. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse (UUCGT), Traverse City, Michigan....

This sermon was originally preached during my first year of ministry. This Sunday, we’ll explore the importance of spiritual practices and what cultivating deep spiritual practices has to offer, even if we ourselves are less spiritually-minded or practiced! Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Jan. 30, 2022. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregati...

This sermon was originally preached during my first year of ministry. Join us for this service honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As we explore Dr. King’s vision of creating Beloved Community, we’ll delve into the proposed 8th Principle of Unitarian Universalism and its roots within our faith. Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Jan. 16, 2022. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior M...

This sermon was originally preached during my first year of ministry. At times, our intended outcomes can sometimes be different from the actual impacts we have. How do we approach intentionality and living intentionally in the midst of this risk? Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Jan. 23, 2022. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Gran...

This sermon was originally preached during my first year of ministry. Many people experience a “Great Divide” in our present political situation, country, and world. How do we dialogue across such difference? Are we divided now more than ever? Sermon from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Jan. 9, 2022. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Tra...

What’s the meaning of life? What is prayer, really? What about your favorite color? Ask Rev. Alex a question on your mind and heart in this service of earnest questions and honest answers! Questions from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Dec. 28, 2025. Shared by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse (UUCGT), Traverse City, Michigan. Get full acce...

What is the message and spirit of Christmas? Come as we tell the familiar story once again and revel in the joy of this season. Message from UUCGT's Service on Wed., Dec. 24, 2025. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse (UUCGT), Traverse City, Michigan. Get full access to Sermons for the Journey at revalexjensen.substack.com/s...

A Solstice message on surviving the darkest season, resisting despair, and rediscovering our shared power to warm the world through community, care, and love. Message from UUCGT's Service on Sun., Dec. 21, 2025. Preached by the Rev. Alex Jensen, Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse (UUCGT), Traverse City, Michigan. Get full access to Sermons for the Journey...