INTRODUCTION In this bleak midwinter season, I get plenty of opportunity to reflect. I look for the silver linings. There’s a big stack of books right here. I could get to those. But I don’t. I don’t get to those books. Or if I do, they get misplaced, buried under a new pile Or half … Continue reading Homily – Dec 27, 2020 – “Warm Imaginings” by Sarah Lown
Rev. Joseph Boyd Giving our heart seems to be the answer to the times that we are living through. The wise among us may do our part, but it is giving our heart, giving ourselves to each other on this day that warms our bones and sustains us. How do we give our heart, and … Continue reading Homily – Dec 24, 2020 – “Christmas Eve Service”
Rev. Joseph Boyd I’ve known many people who have been sick the last couple weeks. Some from Covid-19, some from other illnesses, some potentially life threatening. My mother in Oregon is recovering and doing well now after weeks of dealing with symptoms from Covid 19 – she still hasn’t regained her taste but is on … Continue reading Sermon – Dec 20, 2020 – “Celebration of Winter Solstice 2020”
Rev. Joseph BoydDecember 8th was the worldwide celebration of Bodhi Day, the anniversary of the Buddha’s Enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. This time of year is so special, because often I find there are parallels between different traditions that can help us appreciate our life. Some of you may be familiar with the story of … Continue reading Sermon – Dec 13, 2020 – “Keeping Our Appointment”
Rev. Joseph Boyd I took three deep breaths and took time to be still as Jennifer cut my hair after letting it grow for eight months. This was Jennifer’s second time cutting hair in her entire life. The first time was when she took her sister in the garage away from the babysitter’s supervision and … Continue reading Sermon – Dec 6, 2020 -“The Value of Stillness”
Rev. Joseph Boyd Rumi wrote: “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” This month’s theme is “healing,” so I thought this would be an appropriate statement. The place of healing always starts with the acknowledgement there is a wound. Sometimes this is difficult to acknowledge. It’s hard for an individual; I think … Continue reading Sermon – Nov 15, 2020 – “The 8th Principle”
Rev. Joseph Boyd It seems we are on our way to confirming our next president. Reports have shown that this election has brought the greatest voter turnout in American history, in large part due to the efforts of members and friends at this church, and people throughout the country who have made the vote more … Continue reading Sermon – Nov 8, 2020 – “A Real Democracy”
Rev. Joseph BoydA handsome prince was in the habit of looking at himself in the mirror and admiring himself his beautiful head. One day he picked up the mirror the wrong way, and instead of looking in the mirror, he looked at the back of the mirror and didn’t see his head. He went screaming … Continue reading Sermon – Oct 11, 2020 – “Hearing the Cries of the World”
Rev. Joseph BoydWhat I love about a church like this is we don’t need to pretend to have the answers to all the problems we face. But we do have a perspective, and we do have a series of commitments, that when followed transform the way we see and live our life. It’s not self … Continue reading Sermon – Sept 27, 2020 – Inside Out
I was in Los Angeles a few years ago. I was living on the opposite coast at the time, and yearning to revisit the Pacific Ocean, the ocean I played in as a kid, an ocean that was grand, crashing, wild, next to jagged rocks. I like an ocean that is slightly terrifying, too big … Continue reading Sermon – Sept 20, 2020 – Renewing our Commitments
