Podcasts about universalist

This Memorial Day we take our lead from the generations before us as we draw strength and inspiration for the battles we face in our lives. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ  

Join us as we celebrate and bless our youth coming of age and graduating seniors bridging into young adulthood with an exploration of the faith commitments we hold in our hearts. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ  

Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, preaching Worship service given May 4, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Like a cool water for the thirsty, hope fills us, sustains us and grounds us. Like water, hope is difficult to live without, and yet it can't be ordered up or assured. Sometimes we have to wait for its return, sometimes we have to carry hope for each other. Offering and Giving First The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For May 2025, Massachusetts Bail Fund will share half of the plate. Massachusetts Bail Fund (MBF) pays bail to secure freedom from pre-trial incarceration so that those who cannot afford their bail can be in their community to fight their case. Pre-trial freedom allows individuals, families, and communities to stay productive, together, and stable. Massachusetts jails are filled with people awaiting trial simply because they cannot afford bail. Sitting in jail on bail leads to longer incarceration times, lost jobs, lost housing, and devastating disruption to families. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

Author and activist adrienne maree brown believes that all organizing is science fiction. “Trying to create a world that we've never experienced and never seen is a science-fictional activity.” On this morning, we gather to practice some collective imagining. The post Imagine a New World appeared first on First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis.

Tech billionaires' paradoxical political support of TrumpNick Cohen and Quinn Slobodian,@zeithistoriker, the Canadian author and academic, discuss the paradoxical behaviour of American libertarians, particularly tech billionaires, who have been supporting Donald Trump despite his policies contradicting their beliefs in free trade, limited state interference, and unrestricted business operations. Quinn, a professor of international history at Boston University, introduced his book "Hayek's Bastards: The Neoliberal Roots of the Populist Right," which explores the roots of the modern radical right and helps understand why these individuals seem to make little sense.Neoliberalism's Shift From Globalism to AuthoritarianismQuinn discusses the origins of neoliberal thought and libertarianism in the aftermath of the Habsburg Empire's collapse. He highlighted the Universalist project of Friedrich Hayek, Wilhelm Rupka, and Ludwig von Mises to rebuild the world economy. Quinn also explains how the consensus of globalism started to unravel in the 1990s, leading to a shift in libertarian Universalism towards human differences and acceptance of authoritarian partnerships. He uses the figure of Peter Thiel to illustrate this transformation.Silicon Valley's Libertarian escapism and governmentQuinn discusses the convergence of Silicon Valley escapism and libertarianism, highlighting the story of California and its influence on libertarianism. He also touched on the role of the government in supporting the tech industry, particularly in the development of the Internet. Nick agrees with Quinn's points and added that the hippie movement also sought to reduce the power of the state over the individual.Ultra-rich influence on American societyQuinn and Nick discuss the influence of the ultra-rich on American society. Quinn argued that the ultra-rich have abandoned the need to buy legitimacy, which is a warning sign. Nick suggests that the ultra-rich are not as concerned with America as they should be, and that they are more sanguine about Trump's actions. Quinn also mentioned that the ultra-rich are constantly seeking security and are leaning into the dynamics of capitalist competition. Nick concludes that the ultra-rich are willing to use any means to defeat their perceived enemies, including burning down American cultural institutions.Read all about it!Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.Quinn Slobodian is a Canadian author & historian specialising in modern Germany and international history. He is currently Professor of International History at Boston University. His latest book is Hayek's bastards: The Neoliberal roots of the Populist Right. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amy Smith, 2025 Shinn Speaker, preaching Worship service given April 20, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 In this sermon,  Dr. Amy Smith reflects on her experiences in international development and how those experiences have been influenced by the UU principles she grew up with. The Shinn Service honors Barbara Shinn (1912-1976) and her commitment to justice. Barbara served as chair of what was then known as the Social Responsibility Committee. An educator and leader, she had a passion for teaching children with disabilities. She displayed personal courage in the face of a debilitating illness, arthritis of the spine. This years' Shinn Service preacher is Amy Smith. Amy Smith is the Founding Director of MIT D-Lab, an innovative university-based program in international development and a senior lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is also the founder of the International Development Design Summit, co-founder of the MIT IDEAS Global Challenge, co-founder of Rethink Relief conference, and originator of the Creative Capacity Building Methodology. Amy's most recent work has been in Africa with displaced people, often in refugee camps. She works collaboratively with them as they identify problems and collectively create solutions. She grew up as a Unitarian Universalist in the Follen Church in Lexington, MA. Offering and Giving First The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For April 2025, the Giving First recipient is Community InRoads. Community InRoads‘ mission is to partner with and support non-profits serving the Lawrence and Haverhill, Massachusetts area by providing them with pro bono, professional expertise. Their goal is to empower and contribute to the capacity and gifts of the women, men, and youth living, working, and studying in those communities by fostering a sustainable network of effective non-profits dedicated to social justice and economic equality. Community InRoads is dedicated to fostering an effective network of nonprofits so that the men, women and youth in the Lawrence and Haverhill area have access to the resources they need to reach their fullest potential. They provide consulting, training, and board development opportunities at no cost to nonprofit leaders and boards of directors, so that they in turn can better serve community residents. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

We close our theme year together and reflect on the warmth of our community as we turn to face new challenges, led by the light of our faith. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ

In this sermon, acclaimed poet, activist, and historian Aurora Levins Morales shares how she practices hope in an age of despair. “We were made for these times,” she reminds us, quoting Clarissa Pinkola Estés. As corporate greed escalates and injustice deepens, Aurora draws on her Puerto Rican Jewish ancestry, liberation theology, and the global struggles of oppressed peoples to offer her vision: Another world is not only possible, it is necessary. Aurora Levins Morales is a Puerto Rican author, artist, activist, and historian. Her writing and activism persistently imagine a world in which the personal is understood as political and vice versa, the complexities of identity and heritage are explored rather than erased, and structures of oppression (racism, classism, sexism, imperialism, colonialism, capitalism, etc.) are recognized as interlocking, such that they must be simultaneously challenged to be dismantled. Her contributions have been critical to third wave feminism and its evolution, Puerto Rican and Latinx feminism, disability justice, radical Judaism, climate change activism, and grassroots organizing.

Join us for a special worship service at First Unitarian Church of Dallas, where we are honored to welcome writer, artist, historian, and activist Aurora Levins Morales as our guest minister. Aurora Levins Morales is a Puerto Rican author, artist, activist, and historian. Her writing and activism persistently imagine a world in which the personal is understood as political and vice versa, the complexities of identity and heritage are explored rather than erased, and structures of oppression (racism, classism, sexism, imperialism, colonialism, capitalism, etc.) are recognized as interlocking, such that they must be simultaneously challenged to be dismantled. Her contributions have been critical to third wave feminism and its evolution, Puerto Rican and Latinx feminism, disability justice, radical Judaism, climate change activism, and grassroots organizing. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ

Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, preaching Worship service given April 20, 2025 Reading from "Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front" by Wendell Berry, read by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan and Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister Prayer by Rev. Tricia Brennan https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Come and celebrate in this complex time! On Easter Sunday Lead Minister Rev. Marta Flanagan will preach, the First Parish Choir will offer seasonal music, along with the Boston University Brass Quintet. During worship children pre-K to grade 6 will enjoy easter egg hunts and then return to the sanctuary for a sharing of matzah and grape juice with the entire congregation. As in the past, communion will be offered during our Easter service. First Parish has no creedal tests for involvement. Our communion is an open table. All are welcome. We each bring our own interpretations of the sharing of bread and wine. Our blessings will be translations of the Hebrew spoken every Friday Shabbat in Jewish homes. In keeping with Passover, the elements of our communion will be matzah and grape juice. Offering and Giving First The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For April 2025, the Giving First recipient is Community InRoads. Community InRoads‘ mission is to partner with and support non-profits serving the Lawrence and Haverhill, Massachusetts area by providing them with pro bono, professional expertise. Their goal is to empower and contribute to the capacity and gifts of the women, men, and youth living, working, and studying in those communities by fostering a sustainable network of effective non-profits dedicated to social justice and economic equality. Community InRoads is dedicated to fostering an effective network of nonprofits so that the men, women and youth in the Lawrence and Haverhill area have access to the resources they need to reach their fullest potential. They provide consulting, training, and board development opportunities at no cost to nonprofit leaders and boards of directors, so that they in turn can better serve community residents. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

Urban Hannon, Taylor Patrick O'Neill, and Matthew Dugandzic answer your questions about moral manuals, eucharistic adoration, and hell.To submit your questions about whatever for a future episode, email us at thequodlibets@gmail.com.Be sure to follow the Sacra Doctrina Project on Facebook and Twitter as well.

Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, preaching Worship service given April 13, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 We will sing that familiar hymn this Sunday, as over twenty new members are welcomed into First Parish. Rev. Tricia Brennan will reflect on what it means to join a faith community: how one joins a particular congregation with a history and a future, how one joins a particular faith tradition, Unitarian Universalism at this moment in time. What it means to be open to being changed, all of us. Offering and Giving First The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For April 2025, the Giving First recipient is Community InRoads. Community InRoads‘ mission is to partner with and support non-profits serving the Lawrence and Haverhill, Massachusetts area by providing them with pro bono, professional expertise. Their goal is to empower and contribute to the capacity and gifts of the women, men, and youth living, working, and studying in those communities by fostering a sustainable network of effective non-profits dedicated to social justice and economic equality. Community InRoads is dedicated to fostering an effective network of nonprofits so that the men, women and youth in the Lawrence and Haverhill area have access to the resources they need to reach their fullest potential. They provide consulting, training, and board development opportunities at no cost to nonprofit leaders and boards of directors, so that they in turn can better serve community residents. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

Let's get real about how our joy can change the world, even as it co-exists with our pain, brokenness and curmudgeon-ness. How we can commit to inciting joy and making it more robust? Our theme for April is Living Love through the Practice of Joy The post What Joy Can Do appeared first on First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis.

A celebration of love, hope, and renewal! Invite your friends, family, and neighbors to join us for worship and our annual Egg Scramble. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ

How do we enter a new way and travel a new path? We start this holy week with ways we can prepare for what we will face together. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ

Presented by the First Parish Youth Group Worship service given April 6, 2025 Prayer by Conard Anderson, Youth Worship Coordinator Senior Reflections by Alice Hunter, Anton Rie, Lucas Fernandez & Samantha Rauh Litany by Conard Anderson, Lettie Carswell, Onyx Hopwood, Alice Hunter, & Sean Maher https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Each year, the First Parish Youth Group leads a special worship service. Come join the youth in their exploration of balance. Witness our youth reflect on their time at First Parish and consider the next stages of their journeys. Thank you to our Youth Group Advisors: Paul Franzosa, Andy Kobayashi, Bill Licea-Kane, Emily Randall, and Cathy Slesnick. You are all an integral part of the space. Offering and Giving First The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For April 2025, the Giving First recipient is Community InRoads. Community InRoads‘ mission is to partner with and support non-profits serving the Lawrence and Haverhill, Massachusetts area by providing them with pro bono, professional expertise. Their goal is to empower and contribute to the capacity and gifts of the women, men, and youth living, working, and studying in those communities by fostering a sustainable network of effective non-profits dedicated to social justice and economic equality. Community InRoads is dedicated to fostering an effective network of nonprofits so that the men, women and youth in the Lawrence and Haverhill area have access to the resources they need to reach their fullest potential. They provide consulting, training, and board development opportunities at no cost to nonprofit leaders and boards of directors, so that they in turn can better serve community residents. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

Some might question if there is any joy to be found in these times. How do we live holding the dual realities of despair and joy? How are these two things connected? As Shirley Ceasar’s song says, “This joy that I have, the world didn’t give it to me…the world can’t take it away. The post FUS Podcast: Joy in These Times appeared first on First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis.

Ebonié Smith-Cooper, Meadville Lombard Seminarian, preaching Worship service given March 30, 2025 Prayer by Loren Gomez, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 According to Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, Love is the call [in] our lives. Ebonié Smith-Cooper, Meadville Lombard Seminarian and First Parish member, asks how can we pursue love for one another in times of distress? Ebonié Smith-Cooper (she/they) is an aspiring minister who is currently attending Meadville Lombard Theological School. In Ebonie's free time she enjoys coaching in-town sports, listening to podcasts, and playing card games with their family. For March 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Resilient Sisterhood Project. Cambridge-based Resilient Sisterhood Project's mission is to educate and empower women of African descent regarding common, yet rarely discussed, diseases of the reproductive system that disproportionately affect them. They approach these diseases and associated issues through a cultural and social justice lens since they understand that poor knowledge of reproductive health is primarily related to health, racial, and socioeconomic disparities. RSP brings an expansive definition to and understanding of the word “women” to include transgender women, cisgender women, gender queer, and gender non-conforming people who have a female reproductive system. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

Trust is built at the speed of relationship, so it takes two (or more) to build trust! The ability to trust is a muscle of the heart that is exercised through the practice of covenant. It’s not always easy, and it doesn’t necessarily come naturally, but we can do it! The post What does Trust Require of Us appeared first on First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis.

Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, preaching Worship service given March 23, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 On Sunday, March 23, our Lead Minister, Rev. Marta Flanagan, will consider what doing hard things can involve and call from us. The Time for All Ages will involve a telling of the story of Jonah. Note that our Lead Minister is retiring in June and this will be her third to last sermon. She preaches again on Easter Sunday, April 20 and on May 18 immediately before our annual congregational meeting. Offering and Giving First For March 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Resilient Sisterhood Project. Cambridge-based Resilient Sisterhood Project's mission is to educate and empower women of African descent regarding common, yet rarely discussed, diseases of the reproductive system that disproportionately affect them. They approach these diseases and associated issues through a cultural and social justice lens since they understand that poor knowledge of reproductive health is primarily related to health, racial, and socioeconomic disparities. RSP brings an expansive definition to and understanding of the word “women” to include transgender women, cisgender women, gender queer, and gender non-conforming people who have a female reproductive system. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

Worship service given March 16, 2025 Prayer by Mary Breen, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 In a world that often rewards the loudest voices, what does it mean to embrace being little—to be soft-spoken, to move gently, to love quietly? True strength is not always found in grand gestures but in the quiet persistence of kindness, in the humility of service, in the grace of listening. Music Sunday selections —Haydn's “Little Organ Mass, Missa brevis sancti Joannis de Deo” and Pederson's “Choose Love”—remind us that small acts are actually transformative. In being little, we find the space to be fully present and to engage with each other without anxiety, pretension, or fear. Music pieces featured in this video, in order of appearance: "I Choose Love," Kyle Pederson, performed by the First Parish Choir Musical Reflection Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo ("Little Organ Mass"), Franz Joseph Haydn I.    Kyrie II.    Gloria III.    Credo IV.    Sanctus  V.    Benedictus VI.    Agnus Dei The First Parish Choir, featuring: Mark Dirksen, organ Erin Matthews, soprano Sabine Gross, violin An Chi Lin, violin Jenna Wang, cello   Offering and Giving First For March 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Resilient Sisterhood Project. Cambridge-based Resilient Sisterhood Project's mission is to educate and empower women of African descent regarding common, yet rarely discussed, diseases of the reproductive system that disproportionately affect them. They approach these diseases and associated issues through a cultural and social justice lens since they understand that poor knowledge of reproductive health is primarily related to health, racial, and socioeconomic disparities. RSP brings an expansive definition to and understanding of the word “women” to include transgender women, cisgender women, gender queer, and gender non-conforming people who have a female reproductive system. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education, preaching Worship service given March 9, 2025 Time for All Ages performed by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, and Sanjay Newton, First Parish Member Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Traditions, says the late poet John O'Donohue, are the memory of a community. Yet, ‘we've always done it this way,' can sometimes be grounding, and sometimes constricting. Join Rev. Stevie Carmody, as he dons his religious studies glasses, to explore how tradition forms and transforms communities, including First Parish Arlington. Offering and Giving First For March 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Resilient Sisterhood Project. Cambridge-based Resilient Sisterhood Project's mission is to educate and empower women of African descent regarding common, yet rarely discussed, diseases of the reproductive system that disproportionately affect them. They approach these diseases and associated issues through a cultural and social justice lens since they understand that poor knowledge of reproductive health is primarily related to health, racial, and socioeconomic disparities. RSP brings an expansive definition to and understanding of the word “women” to include transgender women, cisgender women, gender queer, and gender non-conforming people who have a female reproductive system. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

Science writer Ed Yong refers to the ways in which our screen-focused, fear-based society is impacting our scope of concern. He says we are currently being “crunched ever inward” and that it behooves us to get out and connect with others. Being in community is a beautiful way to uncrunch ourselves and stretch! The post Trusting Community appeared first on First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis.

Back when I was flying a great deal, people would often ask me where I lived, and I would frequently answer with the name of the airline I flew on the most. Now, when I hear of airplane crashes and disasters, it kind of hits me personally. I think it does anybody who has been a frequent flyer. Whether you're a flyer or not, though, there are images of certain airline tragedies that kind of forever imprint on your memory. One of those for me was the ValuJet crash in the everglades. It's been a number of years now, but the entire plane and all its passengers just vanished in the swamp. But to one man, there's another image related to that crash. According to one news report, he used his I.D. to help his friend purchase his ticket for that flight. That friend didn't have sufficient I.D. with him at the time. And the man who bought the ticket watched his friend and all those other passengers boarding. The man who bought the ticket simply said, "I cannot forget their faces." And then he was quoted as saying, "If only there had been some signs of what was going to happen. If only I had known to warn them." I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Getting Passengers Off the Fatal Flight." Now, if anyone had a warning of what would have happened to that fatal flight, you know they would have done everything possible to keep the passengers from going. But seldom do we have such a warning. When it comes to when the people around us will go into eternity, we have all the signs, all the warning we need. God tells us in 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, "Those who do not obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord." Without the Savior, no one we know is going to be able to get to heaven. That means hell. Now, our word for today from the Word of God, Proverbs 24:11 - "Rescue those being led away to death. Hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, 'But we knew nothing about this,' does not He who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not He who guards your life know it? Will He not repay each person according to what he has done?" See, if you know people on a flight that leads to death, your responsibility is obvious. Rescue them! But if you look around at most of Jesus' followers today, we're not in a rescue mode. There's little sense of the life-or-death urgency about introducing those around us to Jesus. We need to ask, "Do we really believe the people we know will be lost forever if they don't know Christ? Do we really believe they're spiritually dying?" Someone suggested to me recently, they called Christians practical Universalists. Now, in theological circles, a Universalist basically is someone who believes that everyone will eventually make it with Christ or not. Practical Universalists probably don't believe that, they believe, as the Bible teaches, that people must have the Savior to go to heaven; they just don't act like it. They act like the people who think that folks are going to make it without Jesus. Yet the Bible says, "There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Without the man who died to pay for our sins, we'll have to pay for them. What about the people you live with, you live close to, the people you work with, you go to school with? You see some of those faces? The Bible clearly teaches that sin has an eternal death penalty and that Jesus and only Jesus died to pay that death penalty. And that we will pay that death penalty for our sins if we don't accept the payment Jesus made because of His love for us. The people around you are on a flight that ends in eternal death and you and I have the information that can save them. Pretty clear, our responsibility, huh? "Rescue those who are being led away to death." Begin to pray daily by name with life-or-death passion for the people around you. Ask God for the words and the opportunity to tell them about your Jesus. You know what God's Word says, and He's the final word. You know where the Christ-less flight is headed. You can see their faces. Be the one who gets them off that fatal flight and onto the one that will take them to eternal life.

When things feel precarious and unpredictable, it’s crucial to know what there is that is trustworthy and dependable. What is it that reliably supports us and holds us up? The post In _____ We Trust? appeared first on First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis.

Some tell us “You are what you worship.” We talk about what worship means and all it offers us as members of this community. This sermon is part of our Spiritual Practices to Light the Way series – Supported by the strong foundation of our living Unitarian Universalist faith and our vibrant church community, we are each called to deepen our spiritual lives so that we can have a positive and meaningful impact on the world around us. In this series, we'll explore the five spiritual practices that light the path forward as we work toward a more just and peaceful world.  First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ  

What change do you want to see around you? How we serve our communities says a lot about who we are and what we value. This sermon is part of our Spiritual Practices to Light the Way series – Supported by the strong foundation of our living Unitarian Universalist faith and our vibrant church community, we are each called to deepen our spiritual lives so that we can have a positive and meaningful impact on the world around us. In this series, we'll explore the five spiritual practices that light the path forward as we work toward a more just and peaceful world.  First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ

This sermon is part of our Spiritual Practices to Light the Way series – Supported by the strong foundation of our living Unitarian Universalist faith and our vibrant church community, we are each called to deepen our spiritual lives so that we can have a positive and meaningful impact on the world around us. In this series, we'll explore the five spiritual practices that light the path forward as we work toward a more just and peaceful world.  First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ

The world we live in wants our attention all the time. We touch on ways to experience a retreat from the familiar and what this practice can yield in a life. This sermon is part of our Spiritual Practices to Light the Way series – Supported by the strong foundation of our living Unitarian Universalist faith and our vibrant church community, we are each called to deepen our spiritual lives so that we can have a positive and meaningful impact on the world around us. In this series, we'll explore the five spiritual practices that light the path forward as we work toward a more just and peaceful world.  First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ

Adventure awaits those who seek it…but planning is important. The ancient discipline of pilgrimage has ever more to teach us in a world that seems smaller every day. This sermon is part of our Spiritual Practices to Light the Way series – Supported by the strong foundation of our living Unitarian Universalist faith and our vibrant church community, we are each called to deepen our spiritual lives so that we can have a positive and meaningful impact on the world around us. In this series, we'll explore the five spiritual practices that light the path forward as we work toward a more just and peaceful world.  First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ

Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, preaching Worship service given March 2, 2025 Prayer by David Whitford, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Joy is an intrinsic element of spiritual life that can exist side by side with all that hurts, discourages and troubles us. Joy can seem elusive and still shows up unexpectedly. The times we are in call for all the joy we can muster. Offering and Giving First For March 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Resilient Sisterhood Project. Cambridge-based Resilient Sisterhood Project's mission is to educate and empower women of African descent regarding common, yet rarely discussed, diseases of the reproductive system that disproportionately affect them. They approach these diseases and associated issues through a cultural and social justice lens since they understand that poor knowledge of reproductive health is primarily related to health, racial, and socioeconomic disparities. RSP brings an expansive definition to and understanding of the word “women” to include transgender women, cisgender women, gender queer, and gender non-conforming people who have a female reproductive system. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

Holding us now – to hope, to courage, to clarity and to each other – is the radical love at the very center of Unitarian Universalism. It shows up as wonder (and grief) for our achingly beautiful world; it shows up as relentless respect and care for one another, resplendent in all our vulnerability and… Read More »A Different Kind of Bravery The post A Different Kind of Bravery appeared first on First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis.

We explore the roots of Mardi Gras and hold close the place that brings those traditions to so many, even still, New Orleans. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ  

Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, preaching Worship service given February 23, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 This Sunday kicks off our annual Stewardship campaign. In her sermon Rev. Marta Flanagan will reflect on getting through in these times. The First Parish Choir along with the First Parish Bell Choir will provide music sustaining to the spirit with guest conductor Michael Bradley. If you would like to prepare for worship with a bit of music, click here for the Seekers singing an upbeat version of “We Shall Not Be Moved:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBMdHBRpVDY. Offering and Giving First For February 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Arlington Youth Counseling Center (AYCC). AYCC is a state-licensed, community-based mental health center serving Arlington youth (ages 3-21) and their families. AYCC is the leading provider of outpatient and school-based child and adolescent mental health services in Arlington, offering individual, group, and family counseling, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management. Central to its mission, AYCC is committed to ensuring that all community youth and families have access to comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and high-quality mental health care, regardless of their ability to pay. In the past fiscal year, 22% of our clients had public insurance or received grant funding to help cover the costs of care. In addition to mental health services, AYCC oversees First Step- a support group for victims and survivors of domestic violence. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

There is internal tension in living our shared values. Can we live into pluralism while holding firm to equity and justice? When is belonging more important than individuality? And how do we get along with each other when our values differ? The post Can our Differing Values Co-exist? appeared first on First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis.

Join us for a much loved and meaningful tradition –  Youth Sunday! Our YRUU teens lead the service, sharing their musical gifts and reflections on the theme of “Becoming.” First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ

Rev. Wendy Page, Affiliate Minister, preaching Worship service given February 16, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Working as a Hospice Chaplain, Rev. Wendy Page has had the privilege of accompanying patients and their families on their journey toward death. They have shared their hopes and comforts, their beliefs and their fears and have opened their lives to her. Wendy asks, "What can we learn from their vulnerability and their life journeys?" The Reverend Wendy Page is an Affiliate Minister of First Parish Arlington. She has been a member of First Parish since 1999 and First Parish supported her on her journey into ministry. She is a graduate of Andover Newton Theological School and was ordained in the First Parish Sanctuary in 2017.  She has served as a Hospice Chaplain and a hospital chaplain. Previous to her ministry, Wendy was a Software Engineer and Manager. She is an avid cyclist and has participated for 25 years in the annual Pan Mass Challenge fundraiser for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She also is a quilter, a gardener and loves to sing. *Note: This service was not filmed in the Meetinghouse and was only offered live online via Zoom due to inclement weather. Offering and Giving First For February 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Arlington Youth Counseling Center (AYCC). AYCC is a state-licensed, community-based mental health center serving Arlington youth (ages 3-21) and their families. AYCC is the leading provider of outpatient and school-based child and adolescent mental health services in Arlington, offering individual, group, and family counseling, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management. Central to its mission, AYCC is committed to ensuring that all community youth and families have access to comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and high-quality mental health care, regardless of their ability to pay. In the past fiscal year, 22% of our clients had public insurance or received grant funding to help cover the costs of care. In addition to mental health services, AYCC oversees First Step- a support group for victims and survivors of domestic violence. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

Love's in need of love today. We gather to feel love's power and discern what it calls us to do in hard times. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://sstSSSSwww.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ

Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, leading Worship service given February 9, 2025 Prayer by Bill Licea-Kane, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 On the Sunday before Valentine's Day, Marta will consider how to practice love in our time and at this chapter in our lives. *Note: This service was not filmed in the Meetinghouse and was only offered live online via Zoom due to inclement weather. Offering and Giving First For February 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Arlington Youth Counseling Center (AYCC). AYCC is a state-licensed, community-based mental health center serving Arlington youth (ages 3-21) and their families. AYCC is the leading provider of outpatient and school-based child and adolescent mental health services in Arlington, offering individual, group, and family counseling, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management. Central to its mission, AYCC is committed to ensuring that all community youth and families have access to comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and high-quality mental health care, regardless of their ability to pay. In the past fiscal year, 22% of our clients had public insurance or received grant funding to help cover the costs of care. In addition to mental health services, AYCC oversees First Step- a support group for victims and survivors of domestic violence. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

What is faith in such times as these? Caught in the spin cycle of tortured truths, and the siren call of influencers, where do we put our trust? How do we ground our faith? This Sunday we explore faith, stripped down and essential. About Rev. Ruth MacKenzie Rev. Ruth served First Universalist Church of Minneapolis for ten years as Minister of Worship and Pastoral Care, and received Minister Emerita designation upon her retirement in 2020. Having served as Minister in Residence at First Unitarian of Dallas in 2021/2022, Ruth is happy to return in February to this congregation that she holds dear during Rev. Daniel's sabbatical. Ruth has continued her ministry as Adjunct Minister at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Rochester MN, adjunct professor of worship at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and volunteers as a chaplain at Lino Lake prison of Minnesota. Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Ruth moved to Minnesota to pursue a singing career. She toured the country and began to write her own plays and music in her late thirties with much success, produced by major theaters of the Twin CitIies. In her late forties, Ruth answered an insistent calling of a deeper spiritual life and ministry. She attended seminary and embarked on a new professional journey of discovery about how the arts and creativity can enliven the life of worship, and the life of the spirit, while bringing our imaginations and resolve to the work of racial justice, and healing this broken and beautiful world. It is with much joy and anticipation that Ruth joins our community of faith.

First Unitarian Church of Dallas is pleased to welcome guest preacher Rev. Ruth MacKenzie. Stepping into Risk and Landing in Trust We often want to know the answers before we are tested. We want to know the ending before the story has even begun. Yet that is not the way of life, nor the way of faith. Risk and trust are entwined in an intricate webbing we navigate everyday. In the days ahead, how will we risk trust and trust risk? About Rev. Ruth MacKenzie Rev. Ruth served First Universalist Church of Minneapolis for ten years as Minister of Worship and Pastoral Care, and received Minister Emerita designation upon her retirement in 2020. Having served as Minister in Residence at First Unitarian of Dallas in 2021/2022, Ruth is happy to return in February to this congregation that she holds dear during Rev. Daniel's sabbatical. Ruth has continued her ministry as Adjunct Minister at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Rochester MN, adjunct professor of worship at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and volunteers as a chaplain at Lino Lake prison of Minnesota. Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Ruth moved to Minnesota to pursue a singing career. She toured the country and began to write her own plays and music in her late thirties with much success, produced by major theaters of the Twin CitIies. In her late forties, Ruth answered an insistent calling of a deeper spiritual life and ministry. She attended seminary and embarked on a new professional journey of discovery about how the arts and creativity can enliven the life of worship, and the life of the spirit, while bringing our imaginations and resolve to the work of racial justice, and healing this broken and beautiful world. It is with much joy and anticipation that Ruth joins our community of faith.

Abstract: Since the discovery of the new world by Christian European explorers during the age of discovery, the increasingly global community of the modern age has confronted Christian theologians with difficult soteriological questions. These questions have caused many Christian adherents to abandon conceptions of a uniquely Christian salvation in favor of theological positions of religious […] The post Perspectives on the Soteriological Problem of Evil: Nuancing the “Universalist” Theologies of Henri de Lubac and Joseph Smith first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

The flaming chalice of Unitarian Universalism is a symbol of the warmth of community. We will explore our experiences of religious community and how this connection deepens our spiritual lives. This sermon is part of our Kindle the Spirit series – A new year calls us to ignite our spiritual lives in impactful ways, bringing the rich history and core principles of our faith into our daily lives. We begin by burning away that which no longer serves us, then we find meaning and motivation in the symbolism of the chalice. Together we'll ignite the light of truth, build a fire of commitment, and bask in the warmth of a community that fuels us to act with integrity as spiritual people. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://sstSSSSwww.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ

The flaming chalice of Unitarian Universalism is a symbol of the fire of commitment. On this Sunday when we remember the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. we reflect on what kindles our fire of commitment and calls us to act for justice. This sermon is part of our Kindle the Spirit series – A new year calls us to ignite our spiritual lives in impactful ways, bringing the rich history and core principles of our faith into our daily lives. We begin by burning away that which no longer serves us, then we find meaning and motivation in the symbolism of the chalice. Together we'll ignite the light of truth, build a fire of commitment, and bask in the warmth of a community that fuels us to act with integrity as spiritual people. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://sstSSSSwww.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/ Œ

The flaming chalice of Unitarian Universalism is a symbol of the light of truth. Let's explore how the light of truth guides our faith and our actions.  This sermon is part of our Kindle the Spirit series – A new year calls us to ignite our spiritual lives in impactful ways, bringing the rich history and core principles of our faith into our daily lives. We begin by burning away that which no longer serves us, then we find meaning and motivation in the symbolism of the chalice. Together we'll ignite the light of truth, build a fire of commitment, and bask in the warmth of a community that fuels us to act with integrity as spiritual people. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://sstSSSSwww.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/

Claim to be a Buddhist, Muslim, Sikh, Tao, Earth Worship, Universalist, Wiccan (witch), Zoroastrian or anything else, but don't say you are a Jew or Christian because there is a great possibility you will be persecuted. This is very prophetic and we will analyze this on today's open-line edition of the Endtime Show! --------------- 📱: It's never been easier to understand. Stream Only Source Network and access exclusive content: https://watch.osn.tv/browse 📚: Check out Jerusalem Prophecy College Online for less than $60 per course: https://jerusalemprophecycollege.com 🏧: America's Christian Credit Union: Make the switch from the BIG banks: https://www.endtime.com/switch ☕️: First Cup Coffee: Use code ENDTIME to get 10% off: https://www.firstcup.com 🥤: Ready Pantry: https://www.readypantry.com/endtime ⭐️ Birtch Gold: https://www.birchgold.com/endtime Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We gather for our annual Service of Renewal, in which we burn away and let go of that which no longer serves us and set intentions for the year to come.  This sermon is part of our Kindle the Spirit series – A new year calls us to ignite our spiritual lives in impactful ways, bringing the rich history and core principles of our faith into our daily lives. We begin by burning away that which no longer serves us, then we find meaning and motivation in the symbolism of the chalice. Together we'll ignite the light of truth, build a fire of commitment, and bask in the warmth of a community that fuels us to act with integrity as spiritual people. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://sstSSSSwww.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/

Rev. Dr. Daniel Kanter preaches his last sermon before he takes part one of his sabbatical. The roots of the sermon ask what kind of compassion is possible in this time. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://sstSSSSwww.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/

This is not the easiest time of year for many of us. Come and share in this special service when we explore the power of naming and feeling the blues at this time of year. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://sstSSSSwww.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/

Rev. Beth Dana delivers a Christmas homily during our annual Pageant. First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do.   We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/   New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/