Rev. Joseph Boyd I learned an important lesson about the resilience and durability of seeds. I was speaking with Bob James, one of the local farmers who participates in our weekly farmer’s market outside the church. He told me that his blueberries are quite popular and regularly sell out. He said the only downside of … Continue reading Sermon – Jul 15, 2018 – “Seeds of Dissent”
Rev. Joseph Boyd Some of you may know I’ve recently returned from a pilgrimage. I visited Transylvania where I spoke with current day ministers as well as saw some of the earliest sites of our faith tradition. This pilgrimage included seeing churches where Unitarianism was first preached, and the site where on our first martyrs … Continue reading Sermon – Jul 8, 2018 – “Faith in Uncertainty”
Rev. Joseph Boyd The Father is often associated with time, closely related to the Grim Reaper. Father Time holds a scythe in one hand and an hourglass in the other. The message is clear – time is passing swiftly and death is coming near. In light of this image I think the message of our … Continue reading Sermon – Jun 17, 2018 – “The Art of Growing Up”
Rev. Joseph Boyd There are many people dying for the lack of love, and in the strangest places. James Baldwin, one of our greatest American writers knew what it was like to feel like a stranger in a strange land, in the strange land of Harlem, the strange land of America, the strange land that … Continue reading Sermon – Jun 10, 2018 – “More Than Ourselves”
This is a beautiful time of year. It’s a time where the blessings in our life have a chance to become more obvious. We get a chance to see what has been right in front of us for many seasons perhaps, but unnoticed, less obvious. This morning it is obvious. We have beautiful flowers, beautiful … Continue reading Sermon – Jun 3, 2018 – From You I Receive
Rev. Joseph Boyd We all have a belly button. If we had to list some of things we have in common, the two at the top of the list is that we breathe oxygen and that we all have a mother. We don’t all have the same mother, or the same kind of mother, but … Continue reading Sermon – May 13, 2018 – “Honoring Our Mothers”
Rev. Joseph Boyd How do we prepare ourselves for co-creation? It’s mind boggling to think of all the elements that have led to us breathing, being alive together, having the problems that we have. The problems we have are not completely of our own making. We participate in them, but a problem only exists in … Continue reading Sermon – May 6, 2018 – “Co-Creating the Day”
Rev. Joseph Boyd Our faith attracts searchers. We tend to attract people who are more than willing to go on an expedition to discover true meaning, people who are willing to question, people who do not take the standard answers given for granted. In short, we are a people of direct experience. For it to … Continue reading Sermon – Apr 15, 2018 – “Blue Boat Home”
Rev. Joseph Boyd There is one nagging question that keeps peeking its head out in the midst of all our efforts. It doesn’t matter whether we’re doing justice work, or whether we’re sitting alone at home in an easy chair reading a book or doing a crossword puzzle. It nags at us quietly, sometimes obnoxiously … Continue reading Sermon – Apr 8, 2018 – “Enough is Enough”
Rev. Joseph Boyd Resurrection is scary especially if we’re not prepared for it. In Mark’s version, nobody is prepared for it, not even Jesus. His only spoken line toward the end is “My god, my god, why have you forsaken me?” Hardly the words of someone with complete faith in new life. We witness Spring … Continue reading Sermon – Apr 1, 2018 – “Easter Homily”
