Unitarian Universalist Church of Jacksonville

There comes a time in everyone’s life when something has to change. Who we are; what we think we are all about; and what we think we are doing comes under examination. Lee Anne will explore the tell-tale signs that you are growing spiritually, and might need to rethink your identity, try something different, live into a changing reality, or just get a bigger shell! (Note: We didn’t capture the beginning of the sermon, so we apologize for the abrupt […]

Recently, one of our national leaders was lambasted when she quoted a line from a poem during a crisis moment for the country. And yet, poetry is EXACTLY what we need during our times of need. The poetic use of words, oratory, and voice can claim our souls like no other when we are floundering, emotionally and spiritually, as individuals or as a country.

Rev. Linda Hart Green inspires to cultivate a grounding and authentic hope in difficult times by sharing stories of others.

Rev. Lee Anne explores recognizing and understanding our blessings.

Rev. Lee Anne Washington explores the actual good news that Jesus was on about (contrary to the modern Easter story).

Rev. Lee Anne Washington makes the Biblical case for women’s reproductive rights.

Rev. Lee Anne Washington celebrates International Women’s Day through a fresh engagement with the Bible’s book of Proverbs.

Rev. Lee Anne Washington discusses cultivating beloved community by embodying two rules (1) love your congregation and (2) show up for colleagues.

Donna Janesky reviews 2021.

Rev. Lee Anne advises us on how to attend to the most important relationship we have–the one we have with ourselves.

Rev. Lee Anne speaks on our gifts as a religious community to embrace those that are different and new, offering a true place of belonging.

Today, we look at the practices of Kindness and Civility; sadly all too often absent from our daily lives. In what ways have kindness and civility eroded from our society over the years–and more importantly, how can we embrace our better selves and carry those tenets forward into the world?

“May you live in interesting times” isn’t actually a curse–instead, it holds the potential for great things. Listen as Rev. Lee Anne shares ways to Embrace Possibility in all the things that life brings to us–as individuals, and as members of a beloved community.

Rev. Lee Anne Washington speaks on cultivating a gratitude practice for World Gratitude Day.

Our new minister Rev. Lee Anne Washington introduces herself to us in the context of her calling to pursue Justice. During this service, shares some of her professional and religious journey with us.

Peggie Weeks tells the story of her journey serving within her field of engineering, exemplifying our congregational affirmation, “service is our prayer.”

Eric Bannan explores reclaiming the sacred in our daily lives through ritual and spiritual practice.

In this sermon Darlene Larsen is using our UUCJ affirmations to learn more about our religion.

Part two of our 2021 series on Living our UU Principles. This week we hear from Blanche Williams on our first principle: The inherent worth and dignity of every person. With a background in literature, music, and information sciences, Blanche Williams earned a doctorate in psychology from the liberally-minded George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. She has worked as a clinical psychologist in various settings across several states and now serves patients, families, and treatment providers at Baptist MD Anderson […]

Teri Mitchell, Nancy Murrey-Settle, and Munsell McPhillips explore the values, virtues, and covenants of Unitarian Universalism.

Listen to Blanche Williams, Penny Reid, and Jeff Funkderburk as they talk about fatherhood.

Cee Cee Severin explores racism through the lens of her personal journey.

Pandemic isolation has had a deep impact on mental health and community dynamics. How can we show up with authenticity—virtually and in person—as we continue to exercise caution due to COVID-19? Rev. Erin Walter reflects on spiritual resources for mental health and our calling to community care, drawing inspiration from music, Mr. Rogers, and more.

Linda Hart Green muses on how our stories help us make sense of the world and of ourselves.

Our speaker is Terrence Freeman, newly appointed CEO of READ USA. UUCJ has done a special collection to sponsor a READ USA book fair for the students of Arlington Heights Elementary School for the past 5 years. The book fairs allow each student to choose three new books for summer reading. The book fairs will be conducted in person or virtually this year depending on how the students are attending school. UUCJ is the only faith-based organization that has sponsored […]

May 1 is International Worker’s Day throughout much of the world. It was first celebrated in Paris in 1889 to demand justice for the world’s laborers and to commemorate the killing of workers by police at the Haymarket labor strike demonstration in Chicago in 1886. As a starting point to honor the world’s laborers I’m going to present Jesus’ parable “Laborers in the Vineyard” which has fascinated me since I first heard it in Sunday School. – Rev. Paul

Each year as I prepare an Easter sermon I have in mind the words of Rev Dr. Frederick May Eliot, president of the American Unitarian Association from 1937 until his death in 1958. “When I go to church on Easter I expect to be reminded of the elemental truth that in this universe of ours with all its hesitancies and timidities and tragedy, the tides of life are flowing fresh, manifold, and free. I expect to find myself swept into […]

For several years these words were the lead-in for ABC’s Wide World of Sports, but they have application to our entire national life. On this Super Bowl Sunday Rev. Paul Johnson looks at the positive and negative features of our national mania for competition.

Perhaps the most outstanding and challenging aspect of MLK’s legacy is his courage. What does it say about this important virtue in general and how does it apply to us?

I’ve long been impressed with this simple statement which came to Ann Herbert in a Sausalito restaurant in the early 1980’s. She wrote it on her placemat and shared it with a fellow sitting nearby who in turn shared it with others. It spread throughout the land. A book was written. Oprah did a program on it. A foundation was started. It’s due for a revival. – Rev. Paul

Pinchos Kurinsky talks about the art of deep listening and our need to be heard.

Our UU principle calling us to encourage each other in our spiritual growth draws on the tradition of “self- culture” and “salvation by character” established by such forebears as Margaret Fuller, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and James Freeman Clarke. Rev. Paul Johnson develops his personal, contemporary take on this worthy tradition.

Chaim Potok begins his insightful novel In the Beginning with the words “All beginnings are Hard.” Indeed, they are. Rev. Paul Johnson deals with some of these hardships but also points out the keen anticipation, even exhilaration, of the beginnings in our lives.

Rev. John Young on being Unitarian Universalist, from the ideals that draw us to the faith to the challenges within many UU congregations.

Jennifer Wolfe teaches us the benefits of gratitude and how to develop our gratitude practice.

Jerome Fosaaen on Rev. Charles McGehee.

Sharon Scholl gives us some (perhaps unwelcome) advice on how to our beloved community should move into the future.

Linda Hart Green assures us that during this time of health, economic, and racial pandemics, we can forge a better world in its wake.

Karen-Smith Scott delivers a powerful anti-racism primer.

Brian Lapinski speaks on the ways in which racism impacts the ways in which oppressed people are subject to increased environmental hazards.

Rev. Marti Keller explores the complex relationship and connection between our flag and those who take a knee for human rights, particularly within the Black Lives Movement.

Rev. Marti Keller discusses the pitfalls of excessive optimism, and gives us permission to be the occasional pessimist (or realistic optimist).

 © Rev. Marti Keller I woke this morning to the usual American holiday mash up of the hallowed and the commercialized, especially poignant this year. The entire front page of the New York Times was devoted to listing 1,000 of the 100,000 people in this country who have died so far in the pandemic- their names, their ages, where they lived, and something from their obituaries. Memorializing them this weekend when the usual ways of remembering our military dead have […]

More than a century ago, the Unitarian minister Theodore Parker evoked the image of the moral arc of the universe bending toward justice. How does that powerful image inform our justice work today? Listen to Rev. Linda Hart Green speak on “bending the arc.”

Rev. Marti Keller’s minister’s message for March 22, 2020.

The story of Emma Lazarus, who wrote this inscription for the statue of liberty — and was a pioneering advocate for immigrants and refugees — in recognition of women’s history month and her intersectional work.

Rev. Marti Keller and Jess Hunt discuss Mirriam-Websters 2019 word of the year: “they”

Rev. Marti Keller discusses how love fits in to our Unitarian Universalist faith and its relationship to justice

Rev. Roberta Finkelstein talks about the recent visioning workshop and our effort to create an anchoring and flexible vision for our beloved community.

Members of UUCJ’s Transition Team — Lois Hoeft and David Seiken — speak on our congregational resilience in the face of great change and difficulty.