Past Sermons Date added
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"The Only Possible Answer at Any Given Moment" -- The Listening Aspect of Prayer
- Oct-15-2006
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Preached on 15 Oct., 2006
How do we access the “voice still and small, deep inside all”? Religious traditions that practice Listening prayer teach us that God, or the voice of Wisdom, speaks to us continually. We can hear that quiet voice as soon as we choose to quiet the noise in our minds.
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"With All Your Heart, Your Soul, Your Strength"
- Sep-11-2006
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Preached 4 June, 2006
It’s the Auction Sermon! Live Oak member Fred Gamble won his choice of sermon topic and posed this question to Rev. Erika: “Jesus, when asked what the most important commandment was, said: ‘To love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength…’ Can this most important Christian commandment be appreciated by someone who is neither a theist or deist?”
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"When You Pray, Move Your Feet" -- the Loving Aspect of Prayer
- Oct-30-2006
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Preached on 22 October, 2006
This sermon, the last in a series of four, explores Loving Prayer, in which we become fully engaged with the world around us.
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"Happiness"
- Sep-11-2006
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Preached on 30 July, 2006 What’s the secret to being happy? Well, what’s “happiness”? How have humans changed their understanding of happiness over time? Come explore what it means to pursue and enjoy happiness.
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"We All Spill Soup" -- The Knowing Aspect of Prayer
- Oct-15-2006
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Preached on 8 October, 2006
We human beings all make mistakes. When we can name those mistakes and say “I’m sorry,” we’re also saying something about what we aspire to and what kind of relationships we want to have. Knowing prayer has to do with seeing ourselves – with all of our strengths and growing edges – honestly and lovingly.
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"Loneliness"
- Dec-18-2006
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Preached on 17 December, 2006
It's the "happiest time of the year"? Don't believe the hype! The holidays can be difficult, especially for those suffering from depression, grieving a loss, or living in loneliness. What are the different forms that loneliness takes? How can we care for ourselves in the midst of loneliness?
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"Can You Say Shibboleth?"
- Sep-18-2006
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Preached on 17 Sept., 2006
Who are we, as Unitarian Universalists? More importantly, who do we expect our guests and newcomers to be? In this sermon, we’ll explore the expectations (however unconscious) that we have for those who would belong to our community, and how they might prevent us from being “radically” welcoming.
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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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"We Will Walk on Our Own Feet, We Will Work with Our Own Hands, We Will Speak with Our Own Minds"
- Sep-30-2007
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Delivered on 30 September, 2007
These words, spoken by Ralph Waldo Emerson, reflect the watershed moment in 1837 when Transcendentalism became a major cultural movement in our country. Who was Emerson, and why did he make such an enormous impact on his world (and on ours)? In this first of a four-part series, Erika explores the Transcendentalist roots of Unitarian Universalism, weaving the lives of our religious ancestors into who we are today.
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When Pop Culture Becomes Theology (Part I)
- Aug-03-2007
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Delivered on 29 July, 2007
In this two-part sermon series, we look at the so-called “theology” that arises from popular culture. What’s the difference between bona fide theology and the philosophy offered by new-age movements and through the media?
In this sermon, Rev. Erika Hewitt examines the axioms "It's all good," "God never gives you more than you can handle," and "Everything happens for a reason." She provides her perspective on these messages, explaining why some of these messages strike her as more harmful than healing, and suggests how Unitarian Universalism fills in some of those gaps.
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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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"You Gotta Know When to Fold 'Em"
- Jun-06-2007
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delivered on 3 June, 2007
We continually invest ourselves in projects, relationships, and new resolutions. When, if ever, is there merit in “giving up”? What if our good intentions and energy don’t get us anywhere? Let’s put a UU spin on the classic gamblers’ discernment: knowing when to hold ‘em, when to fold ‘em, and when to walk away.
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"Planting Sequoias"
- Nov-13-2006
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Preached on 12 November, 2006
This post-election sermon draws from poet Wendell Berry and philosopher Ken Wilber to explore why we're drawn to shape the world into a more just and loving place. In particular, it considers a stirring and startling interpretation of "evolution," particularly with regard to human consciousness.
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When Pop Culture Becomes Theology (Part II)
- Aug-06-2007
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Delivered on 5 August, 2007
In this conclusion of a two-part sermon series, we look at the so-called “theology” that arises from popular culture. What’s the difference between bona fide theology and the philosophy offered by new-age movements and through the media?
In this sermon, Rev. Erika Hewitt examines the maxim "God helps those who help themselves" and the law of attraction (of "The Secret"). She provides her perspective on these messages, explaining why some of these messages strike her as more harmful than healing, and suggests how Unitarian Universalism fills in some of those gaps. -
"No Such Thing as a Free Turkey"
- Dec-04-2006
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Preached on 3 December, 2006
Whether it's your time, money, or a present under the tree, there are different attitudes of giving; each one reveals a particular relationship between giver and recipient. This sermon, a Tale of Two Meats, uses cultural anthropology as a starting point to explore the spirit behind giving, and what "no strings attached" generosity might look like.
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What I Learned from the Megachurch
- Aug-21-2007
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Delivered on 19 August, 2007
Revisiting her anthropology roots, Rev. Erika has studied up on the "megachurch" phenomenon and recently visited Saddleback Church, the largest church (of any faith) in California. What are they doing right? What can we learn from megachurches? (Noooooo, she doesn't want to turn Live Oak into one!) In this sermon, Erika describes her worship experience at Saddleback Church, how megachurches serve their members best, and how our Unitarian Universalist congregations can learn from them.
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Reflections on "The Honeymoon"
- Feb-19-2007
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Delivered on 18 February, 2007
Our Unitarian Universalist faith is a tradition of vow-making and vow-keeping at many levels of relationship. One such covenant is formed when a congregation calls a settled minister. After 1½ years of being in covenant together, how has the relationship between Rev. Erika and you, Live Oak’s members and friends, changed? How has it deepened? What’s ahead? -
"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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"Be Evangelists, but Please Be Articulate"
- Sep-11-2006
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Preached on 11 June, 2006
What does it mean to speak articulately about ourselves as Unitarian Universalists? What is our “good news”? In this multi-media sermon, Rev. Erika explores what it means to be both “evangelists” and “institutionalists,” as well as how not to talk about our UU faith. This sermon was preached on the occasion of our Bridging Ceremony to recognize six youth who graduated from high school.
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"Where Do You Hold Your Pain?"
- Sep-11-2006
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Preached on 20 August, 2006
Some would say that pain is a messenger from within. What brings healing to our bodies? What’s the relationship between physical pain and our emotions?
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"By This (Metaphor) We Live"
- Feb-06-2007
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4 February, 2007:
Metaphors shape the way we speak about, interact with, and shape the world around us. What metaphors do we use (perhaps unconsciously) for our beloved Live Oak Congregation? Come hear a range of images that represent our community, and their implications for who we are and who we are becoming as a congregation.
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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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"Fear of Unfolding"
- Sep-11-2006
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Preached on 27 August, 2006
Many of us live our lives in a quiet quest for unconditional love and acceptance. What do you fear most about living as who you are? What is necessary to risk blooming? This sermon explores all these questions and how our Unitarian Universalist tradition responds to them, both theologically and practially. It also explains how the initiation of Covenant Groups at Live Oak might respond to our human instinct for growth and intimacy.
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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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"Where Religion Begins and Ends"
- Mar-14-2007
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Delivered on 11 March, 2007
How did "religion" begin? What are the universal questions at the center of most religions? How has our Unitarian Universalist tradtion responded to these questions? To what "end" do the answers point, and what are we called to reach toward, as UUs?
