UU Church of Annapolis Podcast

The three major gods in Hinduism have something to teach about faith, hope, and love. If we embrace their guidance, we will get the essence and purpose of what life really is.

What does the word "faith" conjure up in your mind? Strong will? Believing in what you can't see? A person with shallow or deep belief? Is it a particular way of believing? Have you a faith to lose? Oh, all the questions about faith! And yet the word is thrown around by everyone (including your ministers!). Join us this morning as we take a deep breath and jump into the pool of "faith".

I loved watching the cartoon  The Jetsons ,  about the everyday antics of a space-aged family in the future. They had flying cars, a robot housekeeper, videophones, and all kinds of electronic conveniences. Let's explore where we are and where we are going as a species. Are we headed toward a  Jetsons  or a  Star Trek  existence centuries from now? My findings may shock and/or excite you!

One thing that draws many people to our faith is the acceptance of many different beliefs held under one umbrella. Sometimes it doesn't feel that way when we struggle with the idea of dominant theology. Is there enough room under the umbrella? Is there enough for everyone?

Come learn more about the person who uttered these words: "Maybe I can live that long, too". Unknown to most during the Civil Rights era, her actions gave direction to a movement that would eventually bring thousands to Selma - not just once, but several times - and change the course of US history, a history still being written today.

What is going on? Is this a police problem, or the problem of people who resist authority? Is it both, or is there more going on? Where do we go from here? Rev. John will give his thoughts on the protests, anger and apathy seen in American streets, courtrooms, and police precincts over the last few months.

Remember in school, those classes with a lecture portion and a lab portion? If church is where we create the Beloved Community, we need a practical skills lab! Let's explore that idea together.

There is a Nigerian proverb that reads, "It takes a village to raise a child". Today we will celebrate and contemplate the Kwanzaa celebration of child-rearing as a community effort.

On the darkest day of the year, we contemplate where the light is in our lives, with the help of four candle-friends (UU Chalice, Christmas, Kwanzaanu Kinara, and Hanukkah Menorah) and Grandmother Yule. This service will be lots of fun for ALL ages--song, ritual, and fire!

The people who produced the traditional, biblical Christmas narrative were part of a culture wishing for and expecting a religious revelation - an epiphany of some sort that would fill them with hope, set their world right, and make everything OK. Since then the narrative has been edited so that now the holiday story is much broader and expansive (and deeper?). Whether you like it or not, agree wi...

Hope isn't a weenie emotion! It's an active process, and it requires skills to do well. Let's become a hopeful community!

We will examine Peter Block's book and discuss the difficulties and dynamics of building a beloved community. Fergurson, Mayor Barry, race, and class will be looked examined.

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, a day set aside for family, food, and gratitude, let's consider the stories we have inherited about this holiday, the "discovery" of America, and the ongoing destruction and denigration of Native peoples. What's a UU to do?

Maybe a better title would be: "Whose Are You?". Someone once said (or someone should have said): "By their communities ye shall know them". What communities have your allegiance?

The idea of building community is not limited to external processes and changes. What is the internal work of community?

In honor of el Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) we will contemplate the purpose of community -- to gather together to cherish our moments in life and to honor each other in death. Please bring a photo or memento to place on our Ofrenda (offering altar) to remember loved ones who have died.

    Gregory Boyle is a Jesuit priest and founder of Homeboy Industries. His book and this sermon about the power of social entreprenuerialism will inspire you and show you what contemporary spirituality can become when the heart is open.        

If we just paid attention to news reports and the stories told by friends and peers, we might conclude that the spirit of generosity has fallen on hard times - that there is, in fact, a dismal future for generosity. Let's explore together if this is true and what generosity means.

Patricia Owen, Intern Minister   What happens when we go too far with generosity? Is that even possible? How do we temper our instincts to fix everything that is broken in our world? In this sermon UUCA's new intern minister shares her story and how she has learned the lesson of being generous and welcoming.  

Why do we exercise generosity? Is it only so that we "shall receive"? Receive what? What is the meaning of generosity? How can we be generous in our lives? Let's explore this month's theme, together.

On this Sunday between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we'll reflect on one of the many themes of the High Holy Days: Suffering. Using the ancient Book of Job as a lens, let's try to get a grip on this overwhelming and powerful reality that ties all humans together regardless of who or where they are.

September 21 is the day of my birth. I think a reflective sermon is appropriate on my special day. So, I plan to share a few of the life lessons I've learned since joining this congregation five years ago. You will find some of the lessons to be funny while others may raise concerns. In either case, I think there is a take away that you can apply in your personal life today.

As we gather to start the regular church year, it's a beginning of sorts. Beginnings are important, so this Sunday I will reflect with you about our beginnings - as humans, as Unitarian Universalists, and as a community of faith called UUCA.

This year, the Assemblies of God (AG) celebrated their centennial. "The AG grew out of the famous Pentecostal revival that began on Los Angeles's Azusa Street in 1906. In 1914, local congregations met in Hot Springs, Arkansas, to form the denomination. Mem­ber­ship reached only 50,000 by the 1920s, but then it proceeded to grow rapidly. The Assem­­blies of God in the United States reached 1 millio...

As Ferris Bueller once said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while you could miss it." But when it's time to stop and take a look at our lives, how do we do it? Through what lenses do we see ourselves, and how do we assess what we're looking at?