The following sermon was shared at the July 9, 2017 worship service at Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Human beings. We’re capable of great good and capable of great evil. In so many ways, we are amazing: inventors, problem-solvers, compassionate, and generous. In so many ways, we are absolutely flawed: destroyers, fear-mongers, …
This is the letter I shared with my congregation when I returned from sabbatical in November 2016. Beloved community, The first two months of sabbatical, I found myself processing a lot of grief. I have been present to quite a bit of suffering and death in my first few years …
The following sermon was shared at the July 3, 2016 worship service at Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation. In October 2007, I was living in San Diego (where I was born and raised), and I had been attending First Church, the big UU church in Hillcrest, for three years. I came home …
This is the letter I shared with my congregation in June 2016 before taking a four month sabbatical: Beloved community, Since my sabbatical was announced earlier this year, I have been asked dozens of times—by people within our congregation and outside it as well—“What are your plans?” It is only …
Beloved community, As part of my recent time off for vacation, I participated in a five-day silent retreat at Mary and Joseph Retreat Center in Rancho Palos Verdes. Except for one hour each day with my spiritual director, I was silent from 7 p.m. Sunday evening until Friday morning (I …
Stop talking. Find a quiet place. Quiet your body. Slow your thoughts. Listen. The following excerpt is from a sermon shared at the December 9, 2012 worship service at Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation. There are many components to finding silence, yes? First is to stop talking yourself. I want to …
Christmas is one of the most complicated holidays of the year for me. When I was a young, I liked all the trappings of my family’s traditional celebration. This included a gathering of 20 or more people, an extravagant meal, an excess of desserts, and many, many presents. As a …
Twenty-eight-year-old Margot (played by Michelle Williams) has been married to husband Lou (played by Seth Rogan) for five years. Their relationship is long past the intense and exciting getting-to-know-you stage. That initial electricity has softened into the intimacy of familiarity, where all kinds of behavior—speaking in baby talk, using the …
As part of my commitment to self-care, I’m trying to have more fun. It sounds easy enough on the face of it, but almost immediately the questions arise, what is fun? Is reading a book fun? Or is it just relaxing? Is all relaxation fun? Is all fun relaxing? I …
Peter and I went to some trouble to see “Young Adult” this weekend (it was playing at only one local theatre), and we’re both glad we did. If you’re tired of trite, predictable movies, then this one’s for you. Rotten Tomatoes summarizes neatly: “Charlize Theron plays Mavis Gary, a writer …