First Unitarian Society

Sermons (2007-2008)

By

Rev. Kendyl Gibbons


Sermons on tape and as printed booklets are available in the FUS Bookstore

         *Sermon in Spanish/Espanol*



On Becoming a Grown Up, Part One
March 30, 2008

MP3

We understand what it means to come to physical maturity and our culture has at least a few expectations around the meaning of emotional maturity, even though we may not ever achieve them all. Part of the point of religious community is to help us grow into the less obvious qualities of spiritual maturity, for this is what enables us to conduct our lives with dignity, grace, and meaning. What are those qualities, how do we assess them, and what does it look like when we are in the process of acquiring them?

Humanity’s Child
March 16, 2008

MP3

These days, I picture the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem over a path strewn with palm leaves, with the disciples holding a banner proclaiming “Mission Accomplished.” Days later, the prophet of peace died in agony at the hands of corrupt religious and military oppression. Five years ago, our nation launched a war that was meant to end in triumph, and today our young men and women continue to die—and live—in agony. The crucifixion is not a one-time event, but a story that we seem doomed to repeat again and again. On this Palm Sunday, what shall we make of this old image, so often reiterated?

Of Price and Value
March 9, 2008

MP3

It is said that a cynic is one who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing, and we have an instinctive sense that values are diff erent from prices. How is what we most value connected to what we are willing to pay for? How does what we are willing to pay for give shape to our lives and communities? And how can we make our money serve our truest values? Don’t forget to change your clock for Daylight Savings Time, or we’ll miss you this morning!

Somebody Say Something
February 24, 2008

MP3

We welcome to our pulpit this morning the Rev. Al Gallmon, Jr., the senior pastor of the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, a largely African-American congregation on the north side of Minneapolis. Rev. Gallmon is a graduate of Howard Divinity School and was a leader in the corporate world before entering the ministry. He is also a member of the Minneapolis Downtown Senior Clergy and was one of the participants in last year’s Journey in Faith to Israel/Palestine. In addition, he is a leader in the work of social justice activism in the north side community.

The Problem with Love
February 17, 2008

MP3

“Love is not all,” says the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, and she is correct. There is a pious sentimentality which suggests that all we need is love that ends by attributing to one human emotion the capacities formerly vested in the gods. What is it reasonable to expect from love and what else is required for our individual and collective well-being? Please note that this will be our Sweater Sunday, and the thermostat at FUS will be intentionally lowered 5 degrees below our usual. You are encouraged to dress warmly to remain comfortable. This program is part of our Green Sanctuary effort to increase awareness of the need to decrease our carbon dioxide emissions to work against global warming. We encourage you to lower the thermostat at home as well.

The Way of the Sages
February 10, 2008

MP3

Contemporary American humanism has its roots in the heritage of European philosophy, but the Confucian tradition of the east holds many interesting parallels. Some contemporary Confucian scholars are finding connections with western humanist teachings in our increasingly interwoven global culture. It is worth our while to know more about these intellectual cousins on the other side of the world.

Come Sing a Song with Me
Speaking: Steven Protzman, Ministerial Intern and the FUS Choir
February 3, 2008

MP3

Carolyn McDade, author of “Spirit of Life” writes that “it is an act of courage to sing and that when we sing with our hearts, we make our souls whole and our bodies shine”. Drawing on the musical leadership of Barb Brooks and the FUS choir, this service will be a hymn festival to hear and to sing some of the songs of our Unitarian Universalist faith, learn about the diverse religious heritage from which we draw much of our music, and reflect on the power of music to strengthen and inspire us for the journey.

Shared Words
January 27, 2008

Almost 25 years ago, the UUA adopted new language in the preamble to its corporate bylaws, describing the purposes and principles to which the organization is dedicated. Since then, these statements have become familiar among Unitarian Universalists and their congregations throughout the US, and indeed the world. Today, a process is underway to evaluate this language, and determine whether it still offers a compelling description of our religious movement. A structured discussion will follow this assembly. Also this morning we will celebrate the dedication of children and families; please speak to Jan Devor if you are interested in participating.

Starting Off Right
January 6, 2008

MP3

As the calendar shifts to the beginning of a new year, the opportunity arises to prepare ourselves for a fresh start. Are there aspects of the old years that you would wish to leave behind with the time gone? Are there new qualities that you hope to bring into your life? Let’s use the arbitrary markers of the days to our advantage, through reflection on the past, and exploration of the future’s possibilities.

Jesus NOT for Dummies      (from April 8, 2007)
December 30, 2007

Jesus is once again in the news, with claims of his tomb, bones included, having been discovered. Easter morning seems an appropriate time to consider how we as skeptics could think about this person; who he might have been historically, how his identity and role evolved in the Christian church as we know it, and some of the many different ways in which his life, death and teachings have been understood over two thousand years. If the last time you thought about Jesus was in Protestant Sunday School, it’s time for an update..

The Postmodern Problem
December 2, 2007

MP3

Christian fundamentalists often cite the philosophical position of Postmodernism as an example of what goes wrong with the world once orthodoxy is abandoned. At the same time, some Humanists claim that Postmodernism attempts to undermine the intellectual validity of our perspective. What is Postmodernism, anyway, and why does it draw fire from both sides of this debate? Is there a kernel of useful truth to be found among the heaps of impenetrable verbiage?

How Not to Plant the Seeds of Violence
November 25, 2007

MP3 Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson Arun recounts that shortly before his death, the world’s great advocate of nonviolence gave the boy a list of the seven “blunders” that he called “passive violence. These mistakes, he claimed, prepare the ground for armed conflict and oppression, and lasting peace can never be achieved until they are confronted and overcome. As humanists seeking to cultivate our personal and collective ethical lives, we might be well served by taking another look at the seeds we hope not to plant. A sermon discussion will follow this assembly.

Failure to Attribute
November 11, 2007

MP3

The pollsters tell us that identified atheists are one of the most unpopular and mistrusted groups in our culture. I want to suggest that this perception is something more complex than mere prejudice or adamant orthodoxy; it lifts up a genuine moral conundrum " of which Michael Vick is only the latest casualty. Developmental psychology and artificial intelligence may help us throw some light on how we might improve our public image.

Wisdom of the Tender Heart
November 4, 2007

MP3

The tradition of Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) calls upon us to confront the reality of death as a constant companion in the course of our everyday lives, and urges us to remain in relationship with the community of the dead whose memories continue to influence us. In a culture that demands constant emotional fortitude and resilience, how can we learn to cherish what loss, grief, and memory have to teach us? The FUS Chorus and Orchestra will enrich our reflections with another superb musical requiem.

Hungers of the Spirit
October 28, 2007

“The whole of nature,” wrote the English author William Ralph Inge, “is a conjugation of the verb to eat, in the active and passive.” Like every other creature on earth, humans take part in a food chain, and our place in that food chain, or web, determines to a considerable extent what kind of creature we are. It has been suggested that a creature that could conceive of eating anything (including, notably, other humans) stands in particular need of ethical rules, manners, and ritual. We are not only what we eat, but how we eat, too. Shelley Schreffler, winner of the 2007 Service Auction sermon topic, has asked me to consider Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and the function of eating as an expression of the human condition. A sermon discussion will take place in the Dietrich Room following this Assembly.

Now is the Time
October 14, 2007

In focus groups, surveys and roundtable discussions over the past several years, thousands of Unitarian Universalists have told the UUA that the most important role of the Association is to “Help us grow!” Some see this as a moment of opportunity, others as a crucial turning point. Almost all agree that now is the time to raise funds and spend them strategically to strengthen our movement. In response, the UUA has launched a five-year comprehensive fundraising campaign to generate $20 million in immediate resources and $30 million in legacy covenants. In the words of W.E.B. DuBois, “It is today that our best work can be done.” Come learn about and celebrate the work of the UUA as a community of congregations, and help our Society generously demonstrate that Humanists still own a significant piece of the action.

What Next?
September 30, 2007

As I begin my tenth year as senior minister at FUS, our most recent five-year plan has run its course, and some of the most obvious issues of finances and our physical plant have been successfully addressed. Where, now, should our energy as a congregation be focused? With help from members of the Strategic Planning Committee, we will look at some of the directions our future together might take. A conversation with the Trustees will follow the Assembly.

Not Past Our Understanding
September 16, 2007

Both inner spiritual peace and international political peace are identified as desirable in almost every religious and philosophical tradition, yet neither individually nor collectively have most people actually achieved them. Is peace really something that in its essence “passes understanding,” and must come as a gift, or is it something we can work for, with reason and history to guide us? What is the role of the human spirit in that quest, especially in a time of war like this? We will celebrate the upcoming United Nations International Day of Peace, and the Monthly Social Justice Collection gathered today will be directed to the PEACE Foundation, http://www.citypeace.org (See Social Action p. 9 for more information.).

Sermons (2006-2007)


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