Young UC

Is the story of the resurrection just a ancient "magic trick," or is it something much deeper? In this final instalment of our Lenten theme, "Going All In," we grapple with the weirdness, the skepticism, and the cultural overexposure of Easter to find the heartbeat of the story. Moving beyond the debate of literal vs. metaphorical, we explore the idea that resurrection isn'...

Why do we call this Sunday both "Palm" and "Passion"? In this message, we reflect on how Holy Week embodies God going "all in" for creation. From the exuberant shouts of the Jerusalem crowds to the quiet intimacy of a final meal and the lifegiving terror of the cross, we see a God who refuses to play it safe. Drawing on the poetry of R.S. Thomas and Rumi, we explore w...

For centuries, scientists missed a massive network in the human body—the Interstitium—because they assumed what they saw under the microscope was just "noise." In this sermon, we explore how our own "knowledge" often blinds us to the wonder of God. Reflecting on John 11:1-45 , we look at Martha’s incredible "Yes" in the face of her brother Lazarus's death. Faith i...

What if "Salt of the Earth" isn't about flavoring, but about keeping a fire hot, sealing a covenant, or healing a wound? Drawing on archaeology and ancient history, this sermon explores the diverse roles salt played in the time of Jesus—from earthenware ovens to Roman salaries and sacred sacrifices. We look at the Greek word moranthe , which suggests that "losing our saltiness&q...

When Jesus delivered the Beatitudes, he wasn't listing checkmarks for personal holiness or promising a fluffy reward in the clouds after we die. He was issuing a thesis statement for a new world—the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. In this message, we explore how the Beatitudes stand in direct opposition to the "Kingdom of Empire" that creates winners and losers, wounds the vulnerable, an...

Why did Jesus begin his ministry standing in a cold line at the river Jordan instead of the halls of power or the Temple? This sermon reflects on Matthew 3:13-17 , exploring why the "repentant" crowd was the perfect soil for Christ's movement. We often "dig in" and defend our mistakes because we are terrified that being wrong makes us worthless. But the people at the Jordan...

Why did God choose to dwell in flesh? Drawing inspiration from the Upanishads and the foundational text of John 1:1-18 , this sermon explores the profound purpose of the Incarnation. We find that God's desire is not to overcome distance, but to overcome the illusion of our own isolation—to pull us from "I am" into "We are." The physical world is inseparable from the Divine....

We all anticipate a distant future—a promised land, retirement, or the afterlife. But drawing on the woodcutter's wisdom and the returning exiles of Judah ( Isaiah 35 ), this sermon reminds us that Christian faith is not "God will be with us," but Immanuel : "God IS with us." We are called to stop looking over the horizon for the oasis and recognize the miraculous blooms al...

From a slime mould mapping a rail system to the chaos of the Cambrian Explosion, nature shows us that new life and great solutions emerge from a profusion of experiments. This sermon explores Isaiah 11's prophecy of the "shoot from the stump of Jesse" not as a single sprout, but as a myriad of possibilities emerging after a loss. We are invited to be daring, to send out many threads,...

Advent is a season of hopeful tension, embracing the idea that God's new world is both Already here (seen in moments of grace and peace, like Jerusalem's relief from Assyria) and Not Yet fully realized. Drawing on Isaiah 2:1-5 and Matthew 24:36-44 , this sermon encourages us to live in what Parker Palmer calls the "Tragic Gap" between the real and the ideal. We explore how glimps...

On this Reign of Christ Sunday , we explore the political and spiritual tension surrounding the Messiah. The prophet Jeremiah pronounces "Woe" to the bad shepherds (the corrupt kings of Judah) and promises a "Righteous Branch" ( Jeremiah 23:1-6 ). But the King who arrived defied all expectations: where people expected a Sword , they received a Towel ; where they expected Vengea...

When we look back at the glory of the past or forward to an impossible ideal, it’s easy to feel like we've fallen short, much like the people rebuilding the Temple in Haggai's time. In this sermon, we reflect on this "small temple problem"—our collective failure to achieve lasting peace—as we observe Peace Sunday ahead of Remembrance Day. We explore atonement as not just saying &...

Gazing up at the night sky can make us feel small, but it also compels us to ask life’s biggest questions. In this sermon, we join the prophet Habakkuk on his watchtower, grappling with the injustice, violence, and suffering he witnessed and asking, "Where is God?" This message suggests that true faith is not about rushing to easy promises, but about the stubborn, defiant choice to keep...

This sermon for Anniversary Sunday challenges us to embrace the "gift of failure." We dive into the deep sea's bioluminescence and the Japanese art of Kintsugi (golden repair) to argue that true renewal and the outpouring of God's Spirit (promised in Joel 2 ) often come after we risk breaking. We must stop freezing in fear and take the necessary leaps, knowing that the greatest d...

What do we do when our world is crumbling and false prophets (or even AI) only tell us what we want to hear? Drawing on Jeremiah 29 , this sermon introduces the concept of " Marble Hope "—a tough, resilient hope that asks us to "seek the well-being of where you are," rather than waiting for a future rescue. This message is paired with Deuteronomy 26 , which reminds us that true...

Is Communion just a ritual, or is it the defining feature of discipleship? This sermon moves beyond the bread and cup to explore the radical heart of Jesus’ ministry: a table of welcome and a call to communion with the wounded world . We dive into how Jesus' practice of eating with everyone defined his spiritual project. Salvation, we realize, comes not from checking off boxes, but from buildi...

Jeremiah’s vision of a world "uncreated" and returning to "formless and empty" isn't just an ancient story—it's a reflection of our own anxieties about a world that feels like it's unraveling. In this sermon, we explore how Jeremiah found a way to find a firm footing when everything he knew was crumbling, and we consider how we can do the same. This isn't a serm...

Have you ever felt like your life was getting a little too "set"? In this episode, we explore the ancient image of the potter's clay from Jeremiah 18 and 19 . It's not about making mistakes, but about whether we allow ourselves to be molded and remade or if we become brittle and break. Using personal stories and powerful metaphors, this message is a reminder that we are invited t...

This is the third reflection of three on the Lord’s Prayer. It was recorded on June 23, 2024.

The second of three reflections on the Lord’s Prayer. Recorded on June 16, 2024

The scripture reading for this reflection is Luke 11:1-4. It was preached on June 9, 2024.

The scripture reading for this reflection is 1 Corinthians 15:51-58.

The scripture reading for this passage was 1 Corinthians 13:1-14:1.

The scripture reading for this service is 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

The scripture reading for this reflection is Acts 3:1-10. It was preached on Sunday April 14, 2024.