Rev. Joseph BoydThe prophet Amos in the first testament demands to “let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever flowing stream.” I’ve been reflecting on all that has brought us to this moment we’re alive in. I’ve been reflecting on the momentum, the thrust forward to usher in a new day when … Continue reading Homily – Sept 13, 2020 – “Forward or Backward”

Rev. Joseph BoydWe are beginning to see that the divide between interior and exterior is not so clear. The dividing line between who we hold ourselves to be and the truths we use to guide our lives that are self-evident seem to be connected to the self-evident truths that we see everywhere when we open … Continue reading Sermon- August 16, 2020 – “The Interior Work”

Rev. Joseph BoydI remember when I first attended seminary hearing a quote from Reinhold Niebuhr that became popular by Cornel West, “that justice is what love looks like in public.” It was years later that I would hear another quote that “tenderness is what love feels like in private.” Part of the reason this moment … Continue reading Sermon – Aug 9, 2020 – “Reconstructing the Self”

Rev. Joseph BoydI’ve been grateful for the bit of rain we had in Youngstown, Ohio. It’s reminded me of my undergraduate days in Portland, Oregon, a place that has now garnered worldwide attention for protesting and the presence and retrieval of federal troops. It has been quite strange to see places I know intimately to … Continue reading Sermon – August 2, 2020 – “The Divide Today”

Rev. Joseph BoydI think before we talk about abolition of any kind, we should talk about what we are seeking. It seems over the last four years we have been hyper focused on what we don’t want, made manifest in various ways by being presented with the opposite or counterpoint of our deepest values and … Continue reading Sermon – Jul 19, 2020 – “The New Abolition”

Rev. Joseph Boyd It seems we are on the edge of something huge and unforeseen. With the combination of various events merging the political, social, and personal into a movement that is becoming part of our normal life, a movement that is taking us toward the great unknown. As we take a breath, which is … Continue reading Sermon – “A Movement, Not a Moment” – July 12, 2020

Rev. Joseph Boyd I thought about the fathers this Juneteenth who celebrated with their children, black, white, brown, and telling their children about the meaning of this holiday in 2020. I think about the fathers who have already had the talk with their black daughters and sons about what to do if the police pull … Continue reading Sermon – Jun 21, 2020 – “Coming of Age”

Rev. Joseph Boyd As Melissa Smith stated beautifully in her chalice lighting, compassion is inseparable from suffering. Compassion is often thought of as a choice or insight to suffer with another person who is also suffering. There are endless opportunities for compassion, because suffering is endless. This may seem at first glance to be a … Continue reading Sermon – Jun 14, 2020 – “A Compassionate Moment”

Rev Joseph Boyd A man walked into a Unitarian Universalist Church, looking for a minister to marry him and his soon to be husband. Up on the wall was a list of all the soldiers from that neighborhood who had died during combat. He walked up to the plaque for those who died during Vietnam. … Continue reading Sermon – May 24, 2020 – “All Created Equal”