Once upon a time, most folks used the offering plate to fulfill their pledges of financial support. Nowadays lots of folks click on their church websites or set up automatic transfers from their checking accounts. Some still write a monthly check, paying their "church bill" along with all the...

Once there was a little girl who worried about a very big problem—world hunger. She read in the newspaper about children all over the world who did not have enough to eat. She wanted to do something about it, but she was only a little girl and this was a giant problem. What could she possibly do...

Unitarian Universalism is a grand vision of a world filled with peace and justice, love and joy. That vision is embodied in a few large congregations, numerous mid-sized congregations, and many, many small congregations....

Spirit of Life, God of Love, who are we to know how you moved over the waters when all was new? We were not there when you parted them and formed dry land. We didn't hear you cry with joy when earth gave birth to life, or when love began to grow in the human heart....

We ask blessings on this, our church home. May this building be a tool to continue the good work of our helping hands, our loving hearts, and open minds. May this home be safe harbor for all who sail upon the sea of Life, and a beacon of hope to those on rough waters....

What we try to express as Unitarian Universalists, are these truths: Each of us is unique. Each of us has gifts we were given at birth – we were born with these gifts; they are wired within us. Each of us has the responsibility to apply these talents to the world. Each of us must navigate how to...

Long ago the chalice of communion wine was set apart for priests alone. We would have all share in the bounty of the earth: wind and milk, bread and meat, that none may go hungry. Long ago those who spoke their minds freely were put to death by fire. We would use fire to warm all bodies and light...

An Austrian millionaire was in the news this month for giving away all of his fortune. Why? "For a long time I believed that more wealth and luxury automatically meant more happiness," he said....

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a commissioning is "the act of granting certain powers or authority to carry out a particular task or duty." In many churches there is a common misconception that the leaders of the church run things—that the Board or the Council of Chairs has all...

Sitting on the ground, with the huge universe of sky and space all around, may we let our eyes be open to the miracle of life in every person whom we see. May our hearts and minds not be numb or unaware or unconcerned. The vibrancy of life is all around. The power of love and nurture is ours to...

Last spring, I got a message from the universe. Now I don’t get too many messages from the universe; sometimes I don’t even get my phone messages. But this message was very loud, and it came at four in the morning in the form of a tremendous thud from my closet. This particular message was one...

We say in our church that the offering is a sacrament of the free church. What we mean by that is that we believe it is a blessing to be able to govern and support our religious community ourselves—to make possible by our generosity everything we dream of and do to live out our shared values.

Today we have the opportunity to contribute to a special offering for the Unitarians in Eastern Europe [whose stories you have just learned]. One Transylvanian Unitarian minister, speaking about his congregation's recently revived connection between eastern Unitarians and western Unitarian...

This congregation is a theologically diverse religious community with membership open to all who are in accordance with our principles, mission and vision. We are a Welcoming Congregation to people of all sexual orientations, and we unconditionally welcome any and all of you to our community of...

I hope you all had the opportunity to meet someone new this morning, and I certainly hope to meet all our first-time guests this morning after the service....

Every week in our church we take up an offering. It's good to remind ourselves from time to time that the offering is symbolic as well as practical. We know that it is through pledges that we build our budget and fund our yearly programs and ministries of worship and religious education, pay our...