Past Sermons Date added
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Why Straight People Need to Hear Another Gay Pride Sermon
- Jun-22-2008
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delivered on 22 June, 2008
June is a month for weddings and Gay Pride celebrations. Live Oak has already made a commitment to celebrating and including individuals who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender. Isn't that enough? Not quite.
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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. -
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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When Did You Stop Singing?
- Sep-04-2005
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What's Age Got to Do with It?
- Apr-18-2007
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Presented on 15 April, 2007 (lay speakers)
What’s the worst part, and what’s the best, about being young? What’s wonderful, and not-so-wonderful, about being middle-aged? And about being old? This service features reflections from a youth, an adult, and a self-described “old person.”
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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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Venturing into the Impossible
- Aug-29-2008
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delivered on 24 August, 2008
Do you believe in telepathy, out-of-body experiences, and other "paranormal" phenomena? What if science provided evidence for these things? On the heels of last week's sermon about atheism, Erika describes how science is "venturing into the impossible" by examining phenomena that were once simply issues of faith.
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Thoughts on Generosity from a Former Waitresss
- Dec-11-2007
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Delivered on 9 December, 2007
When she was 21 years old, Rev. Erika Hewitt spent fifteen months waiting tables. Supporting herself on tips gave Erika an interesting lens for viewing generosity, power, greed, and gratitude. Come learn what this has to do with our religious community.
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The Things We Do for Fear
- Feb-17-2008
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delivered on 17 February, 2007
We're reminded (especially around Valentine's Day) that love moves us to do the unthinkable... but so does fear. In this service, Erika examines the hidden ways that fear works, using her recent travels to Mali as a lens for suggesting what happens when fear guides us, and what it takes to step out from under its control.
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The New Atheism
- Aug-22-2008
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delivered on 17 August, 2008
Bookstores these days are filled with books about atheism, most of which offer a different take on the secular humanist movement of the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. What's unique about the so-called "new atheists" and their ideas? In this sermon, Erika suggests that the new atheism doesn't create much room for Unitarian Universalists...but should!
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The Eyes of Our Eyes Are Opened
- Mar-24-2008
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delivered on Easter Sunday, 23 March 2008
What meaning does Easter – a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus – have for Unitarian Universalists? "Resurrection" can also be an awakening, an opening of our eyes. In this sermon, Erika begins with a Biblical account of the post-resurrection Jesus and then traces the theme of resurrection through the work of three poets: e.e. cummings, Miller Williams, and Mark Nepo.
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The Deportees
- Mar-24-2008
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delivered on 16 March, 2008
Our nation’s immigration policies affect the families in our community in real and devastating ways. How does our UU theology respond to our treatment of immigrants?
In this sermon, Erika explains why she believes that our immigration laws -- and especially their enforcement -- are in need of reform.
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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? -
Podcast Testnew!
- Sep-05-2008
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Hospitality: Not Just a Cup of Coffee
- Nov-19-2007
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Delivered on 18 November, 2007
What's the purpose of coffee hour? Why do we offer hospitality to our guests? What is "radical" hospitality? In this service, Erika explores the challenges of hospitality, in our daily lives and in our own Live Oak community, describing what those gestures of care communicate to others.
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Hearing and Being Heard
- Jun-03-2008
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delivered on 1 June, 2008
We heard you! During our "love will guide us" stewardship season this spring, every person was invited to share feedback about and suggestions for our congregation. What did you have to say about our worship, our Religious Exploration, our membership, stewardship, and shared ministry programs? In this sermon, Erika reflects on, and responds to, much of your feedback.
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Finding Balance
- Dec-03-2007
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delivered on 2 December, 2007
In the harried pace of our culture, it can be challenging to find a comfortable rhythm between work, rest, and family. What would “balance” look in our lives, and how do we find it? In this sermon, Erika offers suggestions for the balancing act of life. -
Experiments with Utopia
- Oct-15-2007
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Delivered on 14 October, 2007
As Part 3 of this series, Erika explores the Transcendentalists’ zest for creating utopian societies, and the (mostly) dismal fate that met their efforts. Erika will explains, however, that amid the many beliefs driving their experiments, the Transcendentalists had progressive attitudes on slavery and women’s rights. What relevance does the Transcendentalists' vision have for us today?
Please note: because the fourth "sermon" in this Transcendentalism series was a visit from Mrs. Lydian Emerson, it will not be posted on this website.
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Carving Your Life
- May-20-2008
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delivered on 18 May, 2008 by guest minister Rev. Laura Mancuso
When you want to improve your life, do you naturally gravitate toward adding something, rather than taking something away? Sometimes we need less, even when we want more. In this sermon, Laura Mancuso (once a layleader at Live Oak) shares her insights about carving one's life -- both literally and figuratively -- in her first sermon at Live Oak as an ordained interfaith minister.
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Appetites, Part 1: "Food, American Style"
- Jul-15-2008
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delivered on 13 July, 2008
In the first of a 3-part Appetites series, Erika applies the Unitarian Universalist concept of "right relationship" to how and what we eat.
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Appetites, Part 3: "Designer Water, Dying Lands"
- Jul-29-2008
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delivered on 27 July, 2008
Water is becoming a precious and ever-more scarce commodity, even as our stores’ shelves fill with “designer” water from around the world. As we reflect on the fragility of our interdependent web’s water supply, we’ll weave in a Unitarian Universalist perspective.
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Appetites, Part 2: "How Much Stuff Is Enough?"
- Jul-21-2008
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delivered on 20 July, 2008
Economic experts tell us that the United States is “overstored,” and many of us believe that our homes are filled with too much stuff. How does the our appetite for consumption intersect with our spirituality?
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An Unknown Number of Days
- Apr-19-2008
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delivered on 13 April, 2008
Life is on loan to each of us for a short time. How do we confront, or accept, our own mortality? What will our death mean, and how will it affect our families and loved ones? Rev. Erika prepared this sermon in conjunction with the special end-of-life planning workshops offered at Live Oak on April 19th.
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A Journey toward Wholeness
- Feb-20-2008
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presented on 6 January, 2008 by Sally Klinkon and Sara Norquay
This "symbolic journey" reflects on the qualities and life patterns that lead and inspire us toward greater wholeness. This service, created by lay leaders Sally Klinkon and Sara Norquay, has become a cherished Live Oak tradition.
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A Bridge Across Generations
- Apr-20-2008
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delivered on 20 April, 2008
"Age is an issue of mind over matter," said Mark Twain. "If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." But many of us do mind growing older (although, as kids will tell you, some of them can't wait to grow up!). What are the gifts of young adulthood, of middle age, and old age? In this sermon, Rev. Erika shares the thoughts reported by people of all ages, and endeavors to create a bridge of understanding across the generations.
