Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington's Podcast

This week's podcast is a special episode of our Zoom service meetings, this week Rev. Brian Chenowith took a well deserved week off. The reason he was able to do this was because one of our members, Liz Caras, won a service auction item from last year where she got to design and deliver the homily for a service. In her segment, she discusses how her life has been impacted by the pandemic, and...

This week is a historic episode of our podcast, and of our Zoom services, where the subject matter was taken from the oldest possible order of service in our archives. Rev. Brian Chenowith capitalizes on this opportunity to discuss the fashion elements of our tradition at different times, and provokes thought on the historical meaning of our church, and how that has evolved over time.  Support the...

For this Easter Sunday, Rev. Brian Chenowith brings to us a different story of Easter, focusing on our Unitarian historical roots.  Support the show

For this week's Zoom meeting, because our Jewish brothers and sisters will be recognizing Passover this Wednesday, Rev. Brian Chenowith offers a reflection on the Passover season and the similar themes that are bringing pestilence to our own doors and threatening those that we love. But on the other side of this suffering, liberation and freedom await.  Support the show

This is the first episode of the our podcast since we have switched to a Zoom format for our services. Rev. Brian Chenowith reflects on the guiding principles UUs observe, and shows what strength we can draw from them in this trying time. From our Zoom service on 3/22 Support the show

For our Zoom service this week, Rev. Brian Chenowith focused on a particularly difficult topic. One of the lots at our (usually) annual service auction which would have been held last weekend is that you get to request a sermon topic for Brian to present. The topic our winner from last year chose was concerning how to align politics with UU values.  Support the show

This week's service opens with a PSA about the Novel Corona Virus, COVID-19. The reading is "Unfinished Business" by A. Solovy. One of our community ministers, Rev. Diana Hultgren draws on her experience as a chaplain to speak on how people as a whole struggle to cope with the incomplete nature of human existence.   Support the show

Following a reading from J. Harjo, Rev. Brian Chenowith opens our monthly theme of Wisdom with an exploration of Wilderness, and why humans need it.  Support the show

We are very fortunate this week to have Rev. Laura Randall who visits from the UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service Committee) to speak with us about the work that we can do to make a better world, especially in the case of protecting immigrants. The beginning of the podcast is a reading from A. Levins Morales, entitled  V'ahavta.  Support the show

For this week's service, Rev. Esther Hurlburt speaks on resilience through the lens of old people, and on moving into the stages of being old- a stage of life that our society does not treat with enough respect.  Support the show

Following a reading from David Whyte, Rev. Brian Chenowith explores the story of a woman from Finland and her journey through staying faithful to her own values and how she showed resilience.  Support the show

February's monthly theme is Resilience, and today's service focused on the resilience of the natural world. The podcast opens with a popular legend of unknown Native American legend, followed by a reading taken from Wendell Berry's  Peace of Wild Things . Rev. Brian Chenowith's homily this week follows in the themes of these two selections, and speaks on his own experiences in...

To begin this week, we have the all ages time from the service, concerning rain. The reading comes from Rev. Richard Gilbert, entitled "To Savor the World or Save It". This week's homily discusses rituals, and locating solace or wholeness in Integrity, or in those things which bring us joy.  Support the show

This week, on the eve of our celebrations surrounding Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , we begin with a reflection on the origins of We Shall Overcome. Then following a reading from Martin Luther King Jr. , Rev. Brian Chenowith recounts the Civil Rights tragedy of a Unitarian Universalist martyr, Viola Liuzzo. Also featuring Alana Ghent as the singing voice of Viola.  Support the show

Following a reading from A. Lamott, Rev. Brian Chenowith speaks on the importance of Being, in spite of obstacles to the journey or the nature of the journey itself.  Support the show

Following a reading by Mary Oliver, Rev. Brian Chenowith addresses the complicated feelings of reaching a new year, and the struggles of taking chances to grow.  Support the show

Rev. Brian Chenowith is on leave this week to visit with family. Rachel Wade-Harper delivers a homily about the unifying threads of journeys taken in myths and legends, and speaks about taking steps towards a personal heroic journey.  Support the show

After some selected readings from the Gayle Boss book "All Creation Waits", which explores how various animals survive the wintry months- Rev. Brian Chenowith links the lessons we can learn from nature to how we should handle the darkest and coldest times of year.   Support the show

The Blue Christmas service, a service regarding the Christmas and other winter holiday seasons which is mindful that this time of year can be harder on many of us. Support the show

In a short reflection from a carol laden service, Rev. Brian Chenowith reflects on the influence of Unitarian Universalists in the creation and spread of Christmas traditions we celebrate today. Support the show

We had a special guest minister, the Rev. Michael J. S. Carter leading the service today. Here is a short paraphrase of the words that he offered in the insert of our Order of Service: First of all, let me say that we are talking today about  Acceptance and not  Exceptance .  Exceptance is when you exclude something or someone that you don't want (or don't want to face up to).  Acceptanc...

After a poem from M. Oliver, Rev. Brian Chenowith shares a story of self affirmation within Glacier National Park, and speaks about paying attention to our surroundings.  Support the show

Following a reading of some poems from various Harlem Renaissance poets, Rev. Brian Chenowith explores the tumultuous path of Ethelred Brown, a Unitarian who was born in Jamaica in 1875 but would eventually move to America to become an ordained Unitarian Minister in Harlem.   Support the show

Following a reading from Black Elk, Esther describes a personal journey on Native People and the kinds of prejudice and racism they have suffered through at the hands of White people, even Unitarians.  Support the show

The visiting preacher Rev. David Parks draws on his Zen background as a Roushi (Zen Teacher) to give meditation on Still Life with Two Sunflowers by Van Gogh, The Song of the Lark by Jules Breton and the koan story Chien is Separated from Her Soul.  Support the show