Past Sermons 
Date added
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The Life You Can Save new!
- Jul-27-2010
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delivered on 25 July, 2010
This month, Rev. Erika invited the congregation to read and discuss Paul Singer's book The Life You Can Save, a plea to end abject poverty worldwide. Is this really possible? What would be required of each of us to do so? In her sermon, Erika explores what "poverty" really is, shares a recent internal financial struggle, and invites you to share in one small way that we can each make a difference in the world.
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Thirsty for Justice
- Jul-08-2010
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delivered on 4 July, 2010
In April, Arizona’s governor signed SB1070 into law. In May, Rev. Erika joined thousands of protesters in Phoenix to rally against SB1070 – and Arizona’s other oppressive new laws… yet 7 other states are considering similar legislation. What would “justice” look like in our country’s conflict over immigration? How do our religious values inform this thirst for justice?
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Not Just a Piece of Paper
- Jul-08-2010
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delivered on 20 June, 2010
In mid-June, closing arguments begin in Perry vs. Schwarzengger (otherwise known as “the Prop 8 trial”). This trial has raised questions about the history and meaning of marriage, and invites all people of faith to develop religious language around marriage equality. In her sermon, Rev. Erika shares her thoughts -- and a personal confession -- about how and why marriage equality is a religious issue for UU’s.
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Which Came First - The Nurse or the Unitarian Universalist?
- Jul-01-2010
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delivered on June 27, 2010
In this sermon, Annie will share her personal journey as a Registered Nurse of 35 years, explaining how the values of nursing that she holds most sacred are closely aligned with the values of the UU faith.
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Margaret Fuller
- May-24-2010
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delivered on 23 May, 2010
No fancy title to this sermon -- just a straightforward exploration of Margaret Fuller's life, and the paradoxes and contradictions that her life contained. This sermon was delivered on the bicentennial of Fuller's birth.
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Mother's Day: Callings
- May-14-2010
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delivered on 9 May 2010
In this sermon, Rev. Erika Hewitt reflects on the calling to motherhood (and parenthood), exploring the tension inherent in mothering.
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A Religion of Imagination
- May-05-2010
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delivered on 25 April, 2010
In this sermon, Rev. Erika explores the fundamental role of "imagination" in Unitarian Universalism. How does our religious imagination inform us, and why is it a moral imperative? What are the risks of failing to imagine as vividly as we might?
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Secret-Keeping
- Apr-14-2010
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delivered on 14 March, 2010
Are secrets always bad? When does confidentiality turn into secret-keeping? Whose secrets do we keep, and why? In this sermon, Rev. Erika considers the power of keeping -- and spilling -- secrets.
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The Impossible and the Laughable
- Apr-05-2010
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delivered on Easter Sunday: 4 April 2010
Thomas Merton wrote, “…there is a point when religion becomes laughable. Then you decide that you are nevertheless religious.” In this Easter sermon, Rev. Erika invites you to celebrate the impossible and the laughable. What would it mean to decide that you are “nevertheless religious” as a Unitarian Universalist?
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All These Joys, All These Sorrows
- Mar-13-2010
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delivered on 7 March, 2010
What’s the purpose of worship? Why do we share this hour together? Moreover, how does our candle-lighting serve our individual needs, as well as our larger, shared purpose? In this sermon, Rev. Erika invites the congregation to remember our shared purpose, as well as the tender hearts that we bring to our beloved community.
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(UU) Myth-Busting
- Jan-20-2010
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delivered on 6 December, 2009
Without knowing it, we UUs create and – if we’re not mindful – perpetuate certain myths. From “you can believe anything you want” to “we prize individualism,” Rev. Erika uses this sermon counter some of these myths with (what UU leader Michael Durall calls) Helpful Heresies.
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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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Would You Harbor Me?
- Dec-22-2009
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delivered on 20 December 2009
Would you harbor me? Would I harbor you? These questions (from a Sweet Honey in the Rock song) are the springboard for Erika's reflection that our UU inclusivity is a gift that ought to be extended thoughtfully, not reflexively. Is there a limit to our welcoming? If so, where do those limits lie?
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The Skeptic and His Sand Dollar
- Dec-10-2009
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delivered on 29 November 2009 by Live Oak member Drew Carter
What does an academic scientist and mathematician find inside a religious community? In this sermon, Drew describes how he embraces spirituality while still honoring his rational, analytical mind. Is there really a contradiction between a cynical intellect and a seeking spirit? And what does Drew have on his altar, besides a sand dollar?
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The Body as Sacred Text
- Nov-20-2009
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delivered on 15 November, 2009
What does it mean to regard our bodies as good gifts, and why is that a spiritual act? In this sermon, Erika considers the fact of our human bodies – with all of their frailties and flaws – as a map for the divine.
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UU Principes Learned in a Time of War
- Nov-20-2009
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delivered on 8 November 2009 by Live Oak member Wilson Hubbell
Sometimes we learn our UU Principles by dramatic experience long before we become practicing Unitarian Universalists. Wilson came to understand compassion, (in)justice, the right of conscience, acceptance of one another and the inherent dignity of every person during 18 months in wartime Vietnam. In this sermon, Wilson shares his wartime experiences and the personal journey that followed.
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"Who Do You Say I Am?"
- Oct-26-2009
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delivered on 25 October, 2009
This sermon illustrates how visual images of Jesus have evolved, particularly in the last century. What does it mean, and who does it serve, to portray Jesus as laughing, as Black, a "homeboy," a clown, a man seduced by women?
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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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Reformers Are We (Who Do They Say I Am, Part 2)
- Oct-13-2009
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delivered on 11 October, 2009
By vote of the congregation, this sermon examines the Radical Reformation: the point at which, over four centuries ago, our "anti-trinitarian" ancestors purposely veered from traditional Christianity. Their new movement wasn't so much about recognizing Jesus as man (not divine) as it was about imbuing religious faith with freedom, reason, and tolerance.
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Who Do They Say I Am? (Part 1 of a 3-part series)
- Oct-06-2009
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delivered on 4 October, 2009
Who was Jesus, and were there any strands of Unitarianism in early Christianity? These centuries after Jesus' death reflected a unique but diverse set of understandings about who Jesus was – and who he wasn’t. In this first part of a 3-sermon series about Jesus (yes, Jesus), Erika traces our Unitarian roots from Jesus himself to the first Christians, to our first “anti-Trinitarian" ancestor, Arius.
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Living the Questions, Loving the Questions
- Oct-06-2009
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delivered on 27 September, 2009
It was your turn to direct Erika’s sermon. What were your burning questions – about "salvation," mysticism, and more – that you wanted to hear your minister’s take on? Here we explore the questions together.
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Once the Ship Leaves Harbor
- Sep-22-2009
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delivered on 20 September, 2009
Our congregation is in the middle of tremendous growth and transition. The journey underway, we can't turn around and go back. How do we bravely and faithfully travel the seas ahead? It's become a tradition for Rev. Erika to focus her post-Water Communion sermon on the congregation's current growing edges. In this sermon, she offers 6 observations that might be included in a "Live Oak travel brochure" for the coming year. Taken together, these observations form a charge for every member of our community.
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Hard Times
- Sep-03-2009
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delivered on 30 August, 2009
Times are tough for many people – whether it’s you or someone close to you, the effects of these hard financial times are acute. What was the "old story" guiding our country's economy? As it recovers, what "new story" do we wish to create?
This sermon also explores the congregation's financial health, and its relationship with Live Oak's story: the current year will require from each of us a new level of commitment and creativity. What does that have to do with our congregation's story?
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Lamentations
- Aug-17-2009
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delivered on 16 August,2009
Most of us have cause to voice lamentations -- to the cosmos, to God, to each other. In this sermon, Rev. Erika explores a handful of questions hidden within our lamentations, and where those questions point to grace and healing.
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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."
