Past Sermons 
Date added
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"Callings"
- Feb-06-2007
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7 January, 2007:
This service on "callings" was created and led by Live Oak members Sally Klinkon and Sara Norquay.
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"Dear President-Elect Obama..."
- Nov-11-2008
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delivered five days after the election of Barack Obama:
In this open letter to President-Elect Obama, Rev. Erika reflects on the bittersweet nature of election day in California. Is "anything" really possible in the United States, when racial milestones are reached, but the civil rights of the GLBT community are stripped?
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"Faith in a Seed"
- Oct-08-2007
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Delivered on 7 October, 2007
Perhaps it’s a stereotype that all Unitarian Universalists love nature…but you could also say that reverence for the natural world is in our religious DNA. The Transcendentalists viewed nature as “the face and essence of God.” In this, Part 2 of her series on Transcendentalism, Erika will tell a Tale of Two Trees, and will explore the writings of Henry David Thoreau (and others) to reveal their unique legacy: belief of the Divine presence in the natural world.
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"Fierce Ambivalence"
- Jan-31-2008
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delivered on 27 January, 2008
Change can be frightening, especially when it requires us to learn new habits and ways of relating. What are some of the changes that Live Oak is encountering on our way from being a "pastoral" congregation to a "program" one? And what does that mean? Read this sermon to learn more about how Live Oak is changing, and why you might be feeling fiercely ambivalent about those changes.
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"Got Faith?"
- Sep-09-2007
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delivered on 26 August, 2007 by Live Oak's community minister, the Reverend Teena Grant
What does "faith" mean for Unitarian Universalists? Is it possible to have faith without dogma? In this sermon, Rev. Teena Grant draws from different faith traditions, as well as personal experience, to offer reflections about faith.
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"Healthy Struggle"
- Jan-18-2010
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delivered on 10 January, 2010
Is "healthy struggle" an oxymoron? Not at all! In this sermon, Rev. Erika explores the questions that underlie our struggles, pointing to the growth they signal.
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"Healthy, Holy Sexuality"
- May-21-2007
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Delivered on 20 May, 2007
All persons are sexual, regardless of age and life circumstances, and sexuality is a good part of the human experience. Our society doesn't often reflect these values, though. This sermon explores how our Unitarian Universalist theology encourages healthy, holy sexuality.
Please note: this sermon refers to an interview produced by Youth Radio (and which aired on NPR's Morning Edition) that served as the "reading" for this sermon. You can listen to the interview by clicking here.. If your computer doesn't support audio files, you can read a transcript of the piece by clicking here instead.
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"Inward and Downward"
- Dec-12-2008
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delivered on 7 December, 2008
In this sermon, Rev. Erika explores spiritual practice as a vehicle for the inner journey, which (in the words of Parker Palmer) carries us inward and downward. Where do we get stuck in trying to cultivate a spiritual practice...and why is that "stuck-ness" good news?
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"L'amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle -- the Naming Aspect of Prayer"
- Oct-03-2006
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Preached on 1 Oct., 2006
The world’s religions have innumerable ways to address the Holy, or to name the ways that mystery unfolds in our lives and in the world. This ageless practice of Naming prayer suggests that prayer is relational. Who or what our relationship is with has everything to do with how we name.
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"Lessons in Redemption from a Purple Plastic Bracelet"
- Apr-09-2007
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Delivered on 8 April (Easter Sunday) 2007
In the Christian tradition, Easter is the joyful culmination of the Lenten season – a long period of waiting, mindfulness, and preparation. In this sermon, Rev. Erika explains how she “used” a purple bracelet during Lent, and how redemption arises from our small, careful, imperfect human steps.
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"Listening Each Other into the Questions"
- Mar-25-2009
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delivered on 22 March 2009 by Live Oak member Kristen Rohm
Why are you here? What brings you hope? Do you believe in God? There are many different beliefs and religious “languages” at Live Oak. We don't necessarily seek answers… but how can we talk about these big questions? In this sermon, Live Oak leader Kristen Rohm presents her reflections, written during the Summer Sermon Seminar.
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"Living Lightly in Lean Times"
- Mar-25-2009
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delivered on 15 March, 2009
As financial pressures rise all around us, fear can block certain choices from our awareness. What would it mean to view and ground those choices in our Unitarian Universalist spirituality?
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"Love Boldly" -- a sermon by Jan Ross, DRE
- Jul-15-2009
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delivered on 12 July, 2009
What does "loving boldly" mean to us as individuals and as part of Live Oak as it grows to a mid-sized congregation? What will help us make this transformation while keeping our genuine Live Oak warmth? In this sermon, Jan shares personal stories while offering a gentle challenge -- and concrete suggestions -- for "helping each other love in the world."
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"Love Without Injury" by Live Oak member Patrick Kearns
- Oct-25-2009
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delivered on 18 October, 2009
In this sermon, Patrick reflects on his faith journey as a GLBT spirit inspired by Universalist traditions. Looking at the work of Universalist forebear Hosea Ballou, Patrick explores his own return to a childhood faith in universal love (with the help of Live Oak!) -- nine years after coming out as a GLBT teenager in a religiously conservative family.
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"Setting the Welcome Table"
- Mar-25-2009
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delivered on 8 March, 2009
As a congregation, we set the Welcome Table of hospitality and belonging, inviting others to join us, each time we engage in shared ministry. In this sermon, Rev. Erika explains why she believes that being together in worship at Live Oak on Sunday morning is The Most Important Hour of the Week, and what that has to do with welcoming others.
