Unfolding Faith: Sermons from Foothills Unitarian

In this 15-minute mini-episode, Rev. Gretchen guides us in a meditation and journaling exercise to notice the things that receive our attention, discern our values, and explore the intersection of the two. What matters most to you? Join us in the tiny shift of noticing the things that matter most so you can then more readily center them in your lives.

In this season that is so busy for many, we invite you to a mini-episode of Tiny Shifts where Rev. Sean offers a guided meditation to help us practice moving our bodies through the cycle of emotions and stress.  Enjoy the meditation with a visual guide.

In this compelling episode, Rev. Sean fearlessly navigates the divisive discourse surrounding America's identity. Join us as we unpack the prevalent notion of America as a Christian nation and explore the divergent worldviews between Christian Nationalism and progressive theology. Rev. Sean doesn't stop at analysis; he challenges listeners to envision a more inclusive, equitable society and asks a...

Caught in the whirlwind of life's demands, many of us acknowledge the ominous rise of fascism but struggle to carve out the means and time to actively resist it. In this episode, Gretchen presents five actionable strategies for rebelling against the grip of fascism. Join us this week in the tiny shift of noticing where the cult of individualism in society is holding you back, preventing you from c...

Join Reverend Sean and Reverend Gretchen as they delve into how churches and other relationship-centered communities can resist fascism. Explore how faith communities can serve as crucial bastions of organizing resistance and examine why and how some churches have significantly countered oppressive ideologies throughout history while others have been complicit.   This discussion challenges listene...

Welcome to the first episode of the TinyShifts Podcast!   Tiny Shifts is your sanctuary for discovering the small but mighty steps that lead to a more courageous, joyous, and loving world. In every episode, we explore a challenge of modern living and a Tiny Shift we can make in response.  This episode explores the rise of fascism, Christian Nationalism, and polarization in the United States, and h...

Across numerous cultures, late October and early November mark an intentional time of remembering our ancestors and loved ones who have died. This week's podcast comes from our annual service of remembrance. Guests Joyce and Michael Trujillo share their own experiences of grief and loss, and we explore thegrief connections that remain to our loved ones who have died.

Rev. Gretchen Haley leads us in exploring the first time we say important words throughout our lives.

Rev. Sean explores how Courageous Love requires us to take Courageous Risks. The fear of failure often stems from the misconception that failure equates to being a bad human being. By challenging this notion and reframing failure, Rev. Sean will help us gain tools for leading a life of unleashing Courageous Love.

Brené Brown describes a common experience of "first" as TFTs, or Terrible First Times, because first times are usually not at all what we were expecting. Especially when we spent a lot of time looking forward to the first time! First times can make us feel insecure, incompetent, and out-of-sorts. We start to doubt ourselves globally. When really, it's just a TFT! This episode, we kick off a new se...

One of the loudest conversations in our culture today is about the telling of history. Whose voices are included? What perspectives matter? Who is left out? And who decides? The storytellers dramatically shape the story, after all. Join Rev. Sean as he leads us in examining belonging, equality, and the call for repair.

If we assume that democracy and pluralism are fundamental to our society, then we must also assume that anything anti-democratic or anti-diversity is a threat to our society. It is the fundamental paradox of tolerance that is playing out across our nation, not to mention in our families and in our friendship circles.   In this episode, we explore the limits to our acceptance, the necessary account...

A 10-minute meditation to stay present in the face of discomfort. Led by Rev. Gretchen Haley. Adapted from Recovery Dharma.

Join us for an enlightening conversation featuring Reverend Sean-Neil-Barron, Beckie Wagner, and Dr. Scott Denning. In this episode, we explore the profound empowerment that Earth-based spirituality offers. Learn how connecting with the Earth and the universe around us can ignite our sense of agency in shaping our lives. By remembering and centering our relationship with nature, we can reconnect w...

Rev. Gretchen breaks down the concept of the Holy Spirit and its relevance in Unitarian Universalist theology.

Why do bad things happen? And where is God in the suffering? In this week's Deeper pod, Rev. Gretchen explores theodicy and the gift of awe and a mysterious God. 

Revs. Gretchen and Sean answer your questions about God and Ultimate Meaning.

Through open conversation, Revs. Sean and Gretchen introduce process theology which explores God as evolving and unfolding.

We delve into the heart of queer theology, exploring how the metaphor and experiences of trans and nonbinary people provide profound insights into understanding the Divine's very nature.

We explore the universal presence of the concept of God across human civilizations and why the category of God is crucial for living a full life, even for humanists and atheists.

Get people talking about the biggest challenges we face, and eventually, the conversation turns to mental health. So why does one of our community's leading neuropsychologists and family therapists believe this is exactly the wrong place to focus our conversation, instead advocating that we turn our attention to belonging?   In this episode of The Foothills Deeper Pod, we welcome Dr. Janina Fariña...

Rev. Gretchen Haley explores the practices and pitfalls of Intercultural Belonging together.

In this episode, Rev. Sean confesses a teenage indiscretion and the lessons it taught him about what it means to belong, to have true relationships, and to be forgivable. He also teaches us five questions to help us build meaningful relationships. Your feedback matters to us! Take The Foothills Deeper Pod survey at https://foothillsuu.org/podcastsurvey

This episode kicks off a new series called Sit By Me: Belonging is an inside job all about how true belonging starts from within.    Learn more about our Sit By Me series at https://foothillsuu.org/sitbyme

This special 20-minute episode features an interview with Foothills Unitarian member and creative Steve Sedam all about embracing play and creativity and how inspiration finds us.   View Steve's Flower Ceremony illustration: https://youtu.be/Mz8ad_9vbhQ