http://www.uufg.org/podcasts/garmonsermons.xml Sermons from the pulpit of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville en-us Copyright 2011 by Rev. Meredith Garmon and The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville Sermons of Rev. Meredith Garmon, PhD, senior minister, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville, Florida Rev. Meredith Garmon "Liberal" comes from the same root as "liberty"--thus liberal religion is religion that is free. Being open-minded, it is free of dogmatism; being democratic in its polity, it is free of authoritarian hierarchy. Liberal religion does not imply liberal politics: people may find a home in liberal religion whether their politics are left, right, or center. Liberal religion holds that revelation is never sealed; truth is never complete. Our understanding is, and should be, continually evolving. No assertion can ever be permanently exempt from revision. Religious understanding, like empirical knowledge, is a self-adjusting enterprise that can put any claim in jeopardy (though not all at once). We do not stand upon a foundation of certainty, but swim within a rising tide of growing knowledge. The way that we make spiritual and religious sense of our world, our selves, and our lives shifts and grows as all our understandings shift and grow. Liberal religion insists that our relations rest on mutual, free consent, and seeks always the most informed possible consent. Liberal religion affirms that religion must be lived, must find embodiment in the actions of our lives. Accordingly, we have a moral obligation to work for the establishment of just, loving, and peaceful community. Establishing such community will not be easy. Liberal religion seeks to be clear-eyed about the very real capacity of humans to inflict enduring harm on themselves and others, yet it is ultimately optimistic about the possibility of confronting and transforming the many forms of evil and oppression. Liberal religion is not belief-centric. What we believe is that your religion isn't about what you believe. Your religion is about three things. (1) it's about the ethics and values by which you live; (2) it's about the faith community you choose to be a part of, and the shared rituals that affirm community connectedness; (3) it's about experiences of transcendence, connectedness, and oneness. The job of the faith community is to bring these three different functions together in such a way that each one reinforces the other two. Because liberal religion is not belief-centric, it celebrates and embraces diversity of belief and viewpoint. Heeding the words of 16th-century liberal theologian Francis David, "we need not think alike to love alike," liberal religion does rely on shared doctrine as the basis of community. The basis of community is love and justice, regardless of what individual beliefs may be. Thus we are a people of covenant rather than creed. Our covenant is to walk together in the ways of affection and respect: accepting one another just as we are, yet also encouraging one another to spiritual growth; affirming and promoting a free and responsible search for truth and meaning; upholding the inherent worth and dignity of every person; respecting the interdependent web of existence of which we are all a part; advancing the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. The living tradition in which liberal religion is rooted includes: (1) Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life; (2) Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love; (3) Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life; (4) Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves; (5) Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit; (6) Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature. UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermons, Garmon, Garman, UUFG Cam Pierce uuoffice@uufg.org No Rev. Meredith Garmon From the beginnings of theology, the problem of evil has been a thorny issue. From the standpoint of evolutionary psychology, there are some perfectly logical reasons for the existence of sociopaths. 00010_20070520 Sun, 20 May 2007 16:00:00 GMT 17:42 Rev. Meredith Garmon Is happiness really necessary? Granted, we can't be very kind or productive if we're miserable, but won't "just OK" suffice? Who needs more than a middling level of happiness? Oh, and, um, just in case, how do we get those higher levels of joy anyway? 00020_20080413 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 16:00:00 GMT 26:40 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG Rev. Meredith Garmon There are creative theological options for thinking about ways "God" can be a meaningful and helpful concept for us. The 20th-century saw the emergence of "Process Theology" which characterized the divine as a dynamic, unfolding process. 00030_20080608 Sun, 8 Jun 2008 16:00:00 GMT 26:18 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, process theology Rev. Meredith Garmon There are creative theological options for thinking about ways "God" can be a meaningful and helpful concept for us. The 20th-century saw the emergence of "Process Theology" which characterized the divine as a dynamic, unfolding process. 00040_20080622 Sun, 22 Jun 2008 16:00:00 GMT 24:19 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, process theology Rev. Meredith Garmon A popular game show assumes that everyone who isn't already a millionaire wants to be one. My questions is: Who wants to *stop* wanting to be a millionaire? Who's ready for a simpler, less consumptive way of living? 00050_20081123 Sun, 23 Nov 2008 16:00:00 GMT 23:20 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, simplicity Rev. Meredith Garmon Sometimes it seems that those humanist teachings about reason and science leave us suspicious of "Spirituality." There are some good reasons for that suspicion. Yet "the S word" can be understood so that it can be reclaimed -- and there are good reasons for doing so. 00060_20090308 Sun, 8 Mar 2009 16:00:00 GMT 25:14 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, humanism Rev. Meredith Garmon Our Declaration of Independence identifies "pursuit of happiness" as an inalienable right, along with life and liberty. But maybe we'd actually be happier if we gave the whole thing up. And maybe our pursuit of it is inhibiting our realization of world community of peace, liberty, and justice. Can we move on past pursuits of happiness and make peace with the perfection of the way things actually are, including ourselves? 00070_20090426 Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:00:00 GMT 20:01 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, happiness Rev. Meredith Garmon Nature built us with some powerful impulses toward morality--and some powerful impulses toward immorality. Understanding these forces can help us make our peace with both our angels and our demons. 00080_20090809 Sun, 9 Aug 2009 16:00:00 GMT 25:31 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG Rev. Meredith Garmon Whether it's by genes or training, some brains have more than other brains of a certain bundle of traits that seem to correlate together: proneness to self-forgetfulness, to feeling united with the world around us, to creativity, and to "mystical" experiences. There are some advantages to having these traits--and also some disadvantages. 00090_20090927 Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:00:00 GMT 30:23 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG Rev. Meredith Garmon This year's winner of the auction to name a sermon topic has asked for a sermon on the Hebrew Scripture's story of Ruth. Is it an uplifting story of empowerment, or is it another tale of patriarchal oppression? It's both. And that tells us some things about the conditions we all face in our (somewhat) free and responsible searches for truth and meaning. 00100_20091018 Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:00:00 GMT 24:23 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, Ruth Rev. Meredith Garmon Love is all around us, says the popular song. Actually, it is. 00101_20100103 Sun, 3 Jan 2010 16:00:00 GMT 23:21 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, love Rev. Meredith Garmon On this Martin Luther King day weekend, we look at what we might say about the nature of evil, and what light can be shed on the social evil that is racism. 00110_20100117 Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:00:00 GMT 26:47 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, racism, evil Rev. Meredith Garmon Does the celebration of cultural and ethnic difference obscure our yawning economic divide? Does our enthusiastic affirmation of differences mask our neglect of a difference that matters most -- the one between rich and poor? What do we make of the charge that diversity fails to offer a premise for social justice? 00119_20100321 Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:00:00 GMT 21:25 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, diversity, difference, divide Rev. Meredith Garmon Forty years after the first Earth day, we continue to explore the ways that environmental stewardship and spiritual awakening are mutually reinforcing. 00120_20100425 Sun, 25 Apr 2010 16:00:00 GMT 24:52 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, environmentalism, stewardship Rev. Meredith Garmon What are the stages of faith, and how can our community coach us in each stage? And what does this have to do with the classic Western movie? It's all about the religious journey, there, pilgrim! 00130_20100516 Sun, 16 May 2010 16:00:00 GMT 23:01 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, community Rev. Meredith Garmon The Humanist movement emerged among Unitarians in the 1920s and 30s and has evolved with the passing decades. It's still a vital part of who we are today. 00139_20100613 Sun, 13 Jun 2010 16:00:00 GMT 25:51 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, humanism Rev. Meredith Garmon The writers of the Beat Generation (Kerouac, Burroughs, Ginsburg, Ferlinghetti, Snyder, et al.) struggled to push aside the mind-claw of the predominant culture and create the space in which they could find an authentic voice and discover their true self. We need the Beats--now as much as ever. They still guide us on our journeys of the spirits. 00140_20100725 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT 18:54 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, beat generation, Kerouac, Beats Rev. Meredith Garmon Economies and ecologies are both in trouble. With a major shift to new sources of wealth and different ways of living, life can be richer and more economically secure -- and also more sustainable. 00146_20100822 Sun, 22 Aug 2010 16:00:00 GMT 21:56 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, plenitude, sustainability Rev. Meredith Garmon Some wisdom for today from the ancient Chinese religion, Daoism, and its beloved central text, the Dao De Jing. 00147_20100829 Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:00:00 GMT 23:41 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, Dao, Daoism Rev. Meredith Garmon Water Communion celebration: As we bring together the waters of our separate beings and our diverse experiences and join them in our community, we reflect also on the words of the prophet Amos: "Let peace flow down like waters . . ." 00148_20100912 Sun, 12 Sep 2010 16:00:00 GMT 20:45 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, peace, water, communion Rev. Meredith Garmon Unitarian Universalists are a people of faith, seeking to nurture our spirits and help heal our world. For building peace in our world, here are 10 practical steps and the critical principles that support them. 00149_20100919 Sun, 19 Sep 2010 16:00:00 GMT 21:10 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, peace, justice Rev. Meredith Garmon Recent neurological findings show how Mindsight--the mind's capacity to step back and analyze its own processes--rewires the brain to accept our place in the order of things, and thereby take on the mindful traits of serenity, courage and wisdom. 00150_20101003 Sun, 3 Oct 2010 16:00:00 GMT 25:23 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, brain, mindsight Rev. Meredith Garmon Our ancestors' brains, flooded with adrenaline and cortisol, had a neurological propensity for high arousal that helped us survive constant life-threatening situations. This propensity is effective but creates the illusions that we are separate, and that permanence is possible in an ever-changing world. Thus the very traits that helped us survive also contribute to chronic illness, depression, and anxiety. 00160_20101010 Sun, 10 Oct 2010 16:00:00 GMT 23:49 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, brain Rev. Meredith Garmon Gratitude contributes to emotional equanimity and pleasure, richer personal relationships and greater health. People who regularly practice grateful thinking can increase their "set-point" for happiness by as much as 25 percent -- and become more fun to be around. Today we'll celebrate Association Sunday and especially express our gratitude for our denomination. 00161_20101107 Sun, 7 Nov 2010 16:00:00 GMT 22:20 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, gratitude, thanks, UUA Rev. Meredith Garmon Gratitude is a choice. If we fail to chose it, by default we choose ingratitude. And once allowed into the heart, ingratitude does not come by itself but with a lot of other seedy companions that only succeed in stealing joy. 00162_20101121 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 16:00:00 GMT 23:55 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, gratitude, Thanksgiving Rev. Meredith Garmon How serious are we really ready to be about living simply, living sustainably, and living in a close-knit beloved community? We give our lip service to those ideals, but few of us are ready to be as serious about them as the Amish. Why not? What does the Amish challenge teach us about ourselves--and how to better meet that challenge? 00163_20101219 Sun, 19 Dec 2010 16:00:00 GMT 23:22 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, amish, community, commune Rev. Meredith Garmon The injustices of the world do not arise because people believe differently. They arise because we humans don't always accept others who are different from us. In the U.S., immigrants particularly bear the brunt of exclusivist reactivity. Most Unitarian Universalists recognize that we need to move away from blame and toward inclusivity--but we need some guidance in how to effectively do that. 00164_20110116 Sun, 16 Jan 2011 16:00:00 GMT 24:06 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, immigration, inclusivity Rev. Meredith Garmon In what ways are the world's religions "basically the same"? And how are they different? In this world of so much conflict between people of different faiths, how can we build peace? 00167_20110130 Sun, 30 Jan 2011 16:00:00 GMT 20:04 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, religion, faith, spirituality Rev. Meredith Garmon How did we evolve to identify certain kinds of sound as music -- and to love to hear and make an endless variety of such sounds? How did this capacity shape who we became and are? 00168_20110206 Sun, 6 Feb 2011 16:00:00 GMT 23:34 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, music, spirituality Rev. Meredith Garmon Stop the noise, hear the beauty, be present to the moment, connect to the ecstasy. Need I say more? 00169_20110220 Sun, 20 Feb 2011 16:00:00 GMT 21:46 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, music, spirituality Rev. Meredith Garmon As a people of faith and reason, we seek an understanding of our world that is both spiritually satisfying and scientifically legitimate. When we take the "big picture," we need a story that nurtures our spirits and, at least, is not contradicted by science. Astronomy and physics can themselves be a spiritual path of awakening to beauty, gratitude, humility, awe, and wonder. 00170_20110306 Sun, 6 Mar 2011 16:00:00 GMT 20:43 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, science and religion Rev. Meredith Garmon In the past decade there has been substantial new work in economics and politics on how such things as earnings, health, the economy, the political system, affect happiness--and how happiness affects those economic and political measures. Further, new research on wellbeing has deep implications for governments. 00180_20110327 Sun, 27 Mar 2011 16:00:00 GMT 22:50 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, happiness, government Rev. Meredith Garmon Often misattributed to St. Francis (he never said it): "Preach the gospel always; use words when necessary." Our lives constantly preach to the world--with and without words--but maybe your, like my, deeds and words don't always preach what is, for you, "gospel." Similarly, we render gifts of who we are always--and use money when necessary. Our choices about money both reflect who we are and shape who we are. 00190_20110403 Sun, 3 Apr 2011 16:00:00 GMT 24:20 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, giving money Rev. Meredith Garmon Passover, the Jewish celebration of liberation from the bondage in Egypt, begins at sundown on April 19. Celebrants of this festival eat unleavened bread because, as legend has it, when Pharaoh freed the Israelites, they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for the bread to rise. Freedom's call is the most urgent business we could have. 00200_20110417 Sun, 17 Apr 2011 16:00:00 GMT 21:48 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, Passover Rev. Meredith Garmon Three things: (1) responsible stewardship of the earth, (2) working for social justice, (3) healing our hearts and moving into the fullness of our humanity and our joy. Each of these is a cause that produces the other two; each is an effect caused by the other two. Breaking into these virtuous (as opposed to vicious) cycles requires resistance to some of the dominant cultural messages. 00210_20110522 Sun, 8 May 2011 16:00:00 GMT 11:41 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, resistance Rev. Meredith Garmon I mused long and read much on what makes us human, what separates us from the other animals. More recently, I have realized that this is not the important or the valuable question I took it to be. The much more worthwhile question for truly understanding ourselves is not how we are different from other animals, but how we are the same. 00220_20110529 Sun, 29 May 2011 16:00:00 GMT 24:31 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG Rev. Meredith Garmon The place of children is...among us. It's not that children are our future: they are our present--valuable for what they are now, not just for what they may become--teaching us even as they learn from us. It takes a village to raise children, and it also takes children to raise (even though it might sometimes feel like "raze") a village. Unitarian Universalist approaches to children and religious education have always defined a central part of who we are. 00230_20110605 Sun, 5 Jun 2011 16:00:00 GMT 23:02 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, children, religious education Rev. Meredith Garmon Why do we have a hard time being the person we want to be? How can we recognize and surmount the obstacles? 00240_20110612 Sun, 12 Jun 2011 16:00:00 GMT 23:01 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, goodness Rev. Meredith Garmon Honoring the role of male elders in faith formation--in our families and in our denominational history. 00250_20110619 Sun, 19 Jun 2011 16:00:00 GMT 24:51 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, fatherhood Rev. Meredith Garmon The divide goes by various names: reason and passion, head and heart, cognitive and affective, thinking and feeling. Yes, reason is passion's slave--yet a very useful slave it can be, if the aspects of the divided self work together. 00260_20110710 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 16:00:00 GMT 25:53 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, reason, self Rev. Meredith Garmon Religion evolved because it helped people survive. Our social world is very different now, yet continues to be determined in large part by the faith instinct that emerged over 50,000 years ago. 00270_20110717 Sun, 17 Jul 2011 16:00:00 GMT 23:42 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, faith Rev. Meredith Garmon Our second annual mid-summer celebration of the Beat Generation. Jack Kerouac's novel, On the Road, written in an intense burst in 1951and published in 1957, continues to offer us insights for all of us who are On the Road for freedom and spiritual deepening. 00280_20110731 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:00:00 GMT 28:35 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, Beats, Kerouac, On the Road Rev. Meredith Garmon It's hard for us today to imagine how, a century or two ago, people who were, in so many ways, sensible, reasonable, kind, and good, could have supported slavery. Or opposed women's right to vote. It's hard to forgive our ancestors for such blatant moral failings. There are tell-tale signs that a moral shift in a society is pending--and this gives us some clues about what our moral failings are for which our great-greatgrandchildren will have a hard time forgiving us. 00290_20110731 Sun, 7 Aug 2011 16:00:00 GMT 22:37 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, future Rev. Meredith Garmon Facebook, Twitter, text messaging, email, oh my! Self is shaped and defined by the ways we present ourselves--in response to how others present themselves. How are the electronic channels for presenting ourselves reshaping us? And what uses and presentations facilitate our well-being? 00300_20110828 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 16:00:00 GMT 24:32 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, Facebook, Twitter Rev. Meredith Garmon We mark a beginning of sorts, the starting up of those things that wait until after Labor Day. We do so forgiving ourselves and others for failing to be all that we might wish. We begin again--in love. 00310_20110911 Sun, 11 Sep 2011 16:00:00 GMT 14:23 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, ingathering, love, beginning Rev. Meredith Garmon Actually, you can't. You have to try. Forgiveness is a grace: it may be free, but it ain't cheap. To "succeed" at it takes intentional commitment to a process. 00320_20110918 Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:00:00 GMT 23:21 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, forgive, forgiveness Rev. Meredith Garmon Unitarian Universalists think of themselves as the quintessential "liberal religion." Any large religion has its conservative as well as its liberal versions: there is Liberal Christianity, Liberal Islam, Liberal Hinduism, Liberal Judaism, Liberal Buddhism. Religious liberalism on any of these paths might or might not correspond with political liberalism. So what is it that makes a religion "liberal"? 00330_20111002 Sun, 2 Oct 2011 16:00:00 GMT 25:56 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, liberal, religion Rev. Meredith Garmon That's "The-A-logy," rather than "The-O-logy." Thealogy explores the female divine, and the convergence of ecological, feminist, and process spirituality and thought. The insights of thealogy are helpful as we consider and develop the centrality of eco-spirituality to Unitarian Universalism. 00340_20111023 Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:00:00 GMT 23:14 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, thealogy, eco-spirituality, ecospirituality Rev. Meredith Garmon What scares you? Anxiety, fear, and uncertainty touch all of us. Instead of reaching for our favorite palliative, which gives temporary relief at best -- can we feel and observe our discomforts, become more fully present in our lives, and learn how to be truly here now? Only thus can we experience the deep joy of being alive. 00350_20111030 Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:00:00 GMT 17:57 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, fear, anxiety, uncertainty, presence Rev. Meredith Garmon The rap on UUs is that we are a denomination of dabblers and dilettantes, that our interests and knowledge are broad, but we suffer from the impression that we understand the taste of the food just from reading the cookbook, or that we gain strong muscles just by hearing a lecture on weightlifting. How do we actually "taste" for ourselves our own true nature? What exercises will develop the muscles for nurturing our spirits, healing ourselves, and healing our world? 00360_20111106 Sun, 6 Nov 2011 16:00:00 GMT 26:49 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, heal, nurture, healing, nurturing Rev. Meredith Garmon Have you met you? Allow you to introduce yourself to you. Fifteen minutes a day of journaling is like spiritual Wonder Bread ("Builds strong spirits in 12 Ways"). Through this important spiritual practice, we begin to know ourselves. Self-awareness is the foundation of equanimity, peace, and joy in life. 00370_20111120 Sun, 20 Nov 2011 16:00:00 GMT 21:30 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, journal, journaling, self-awareness Rev. Meredith Garmon "God" is a difficult topic among Unitarian Universalists. Some of us resist any use of the word or concept. For others of us, God is a central part of our understanding and our life. Is this an ontological disagreement (involving competing claims about the nature of reality and what reality does and does not include)? Is it a semantic disagreement (involving competing claims about what words do and don't mean)? Or is it neither of these so much as a matter of identity and group loyalty? 00380_20111204 Sun, 4 Dec 2011 16:00:00 GMT 22:08 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, God, ontology, semantics Rev. Meredith Garmon God is traditionally conceived of as a noun. In the 20th century, a school called "process theology" suggested thinking of God as a verb. God as an adjective might also be a helpful perspective. God in pronoun form raises issues of theological sexism and appropriately acknowledging the feminine divine. Is there a preposition proposition? A conjunction function? 00390_20111218 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 16:00:00 GMT 22:24 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, God, theology, divinity, semantics Rev. Meredith Garmon What we celebrate in celebrating Christmas: reflections by Rev. Garmon and Renee Zenaida. 00400_20111225 Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:00:00 GMT 19:37 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, Christmas Rev. Meredith Garmon Unitarian Universalists adopted a Statement of Conscience on Ethical Eating at our last General Assembly. It's a study in our 3rd principle: accepting each other where we are in our eating choices, yet at the same time encouragement to choose with greater ethical awareness. Rev. Garmon is joined by Rev. LoraKim Joyner. Read the Statement of Conscience at www.uua.org/statements/statements/185320.shtml. 00410_20120108 Sun, 8 Jan 2012 16:00:00 GMT 28:31 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, eating Rev. Meredith Garmon Anti-immigrant sentiment has been growing in the US. Let us wonder together what became of our nation's vaunted Judeo-Christian heritage ("You shall not oppress a resident alien; you know the heart of an alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt" - Exodus 23:9) -- and what became of our secular heritage of liberty ("Send me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free?" -Emma Lazaurs, plaque on the Statue of Liberty). 00420_20120122 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:00:00 GMT 21:28 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, immigration Rev. Meredith Garmon Spiritual grounding: don't leave home without it. Examples from the lives of great social activists illustrate the spiritual connection. The energy for justice work so often comes from anger -- but justice must be grounded in compassion and love. 00430_20120129 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:00:00 GMT 19:07 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, activism, compassion, justice Rev. Meredith Garmon If we are hostile and suspicious toward anyone who appears to be different, if our instinct is to bolt our doors and protect the ones we love, we are in need of a remedy for this hatred, fear, and suspicion. That remedy is hospitality -- and it is both comforting and challenging. 00440_20120205 Sun, 5 Feb 2012 16:00:00 GMT 24:29 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, radical, hospitality, love Rev. Meredith Garmon Rev. LoraKim Joyner guest preaches. The Beatles sang "All You Need Is Love" back in the sixties. Why on earth would anyone say such a thing? 00450_20120212 Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:00:00 GMT 15:24 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, Beetles, love Rev. Meredith Garmon Jesus suggested that we love our enemies. But is it our enemies or we ourselves that is transformed by the power of love? 00460_20120219 Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:00:00 GMT 21:01 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, love, transformation Rev. Meredith Garmon I just love being a Unitarian Universalist. It's so much fun that, if Unitarian Universalism didn't exist, I'd invent it. Wouldn't you? And like other loved ones in our lives, we need to take the time to celebrate their company -- and to tell them we love them. 00470_20120304 Sun, 4 Mar 2012 16:00:00 GMT 21:57 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, love, celebration, celebrate Rev. Meredith Garmon Where do evil and virtue come from -- and why? What shall we do about them? 00480_20120325 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 16:00:00 GMT 23:43 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, evil, virtue Rev. Meredith Garmon The pagan and the Christian metaphors for springtime and resurrection need to be approached playfully and poetically. This stuff isn't rocket science. It's our lives. 00490_20120408 Sun, 8 Apr 2012 16:00:00 GMT 24:02 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, Easter, rebirth Rev. Meredith Garmon In 2008, Ecuador became the first country with a constitution to recognize that nature has rights: to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate. How does it shift and grow our spirits to imagine ecosystems as bearers of rights? 00500_20120415 Sun, 15 Apr 2012 16:00:00 GMT 24:53 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, Equador, nature, rights Rev. Meredith Garmon The rising inequalities in the US and in the world harm our spirits -- and they do so whether we understand inequality as a social justice issue or not. 00510_20120429 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:00:00 GMT 25:53 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, inequality, spirits Rev. Meredith Garmon At UUFG, we celebrate our theological diversity, and we work at improving our ethnic and class diversity. How are we doing at creating a welcoming climate for neurodiversity? How well do we understand autismspectrum disorders, OCD, ADHD, bipolar disorders, etc? 00520_20120506 Sun, 6 May 2012 16:00:00 GMT 26:04 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, neurodiversity, autism, autismspectrum, OCD, ADHD, bi-polar Rev. Meredith Garmon For Memorial Day, we remember the people who have fought wars. Let's also remember clearly why they did -- what the attractions of war have always been. And let's also remember the people who stood against those wars. 00530_20120527 Sun, 27 May 2012 16:00:00 GMT 16:50 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, war, peace, remembering Rev. Meredith Garmon What is a useful and functional statement of mission for a religiously liberal congregation? For what is it useful and functional? And how do we get one? 00540_20120603 Sun, 3 Jun 2012 16:00:00 GMT 26:27 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, mission Rev. Meredith Garmon Yes, indeed, it is possible to be in favor of equanimity and compassion even if, by chance, you suspect the word "God" has no referent. It's possible to be in favor of religion even if it isn't belief centric, and in favor of faith without suspending reason and science. 00550_20120610 Sun, 10 Jun 2012 16:00:00 GMT 24:18 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, altheist, atheism, spirituality Rev. Meredith Garmon How to be a "good enough" father -- to yourself. 00560_20120617 Sun, 17 Jun 2012 16:00:00 GMT 21:40 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, fathering, fathers Rev. Meredith Garmon In this election year, what can't you buy? 00570_20120715 Sun, 15 Jul 2012 16:00:00 GMT 24:18 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG Rev. Meredith Garmon A short meditation on beat theology, inspired by Gary Snyder. 00570_20120722 Sun, 22 Jul 2012 16:00:00 GMT 4:10 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, beats, beatnik Rev. Meredith Garmon How ironic! A monologue on dialog. 00580_20120812 Sun, 12 Aug 2012 16:00:00 GMT 22:44 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, dialog Rev. Meredith Garmon We help our kids grow, and they help us. We'll celebrate our kids and our religious education as we install our new Director of Religious Education. 00590_20120819 Sun, 19 Aug 2012 16:00:00 GMT 22:36 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, growing, children Rev. Meredith Garmon Why do we want what we want? Where do desires come from, and what can we do when wanting is making us miserable? 00600_20120826 Sun, 26 Aug 2012 16:00:00 GMT 23:41 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, desire Rev. Meredith Garmon Celebrating Labor Day, and looking at spiritual meanings of our work. 00610_20120902 Sun, 2 Sep 2012 16:00:00 GMT 19:26 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, labor, spirituality Rev. Meredith Garmon Who we love is a subject of hate. There is fear that acceptance of same-sex marriage and of LGBT folk would mean "anything goes," that we have become disconnected from any moral constraints whatsoever. Not in the least! The prospect of a society of LGBT acceptance offers possibilities for clearer, more wholesome, more effective sexual ethics for us all. 00620_20120923 Sun, 23 Sep 2012 16:00:00 GMT 25:17 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, sex, ethics, healing Rev. Meredith Garmon A sermon on the third principle of Unitarian Universalism: Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregation. 00630_20121007 Sun, 7 Oct 2012 16:00:00 GMT 24:44 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, growth, acceptance Rev. Meredith Garmon Inspired by a novel by Michael Muhammad Knight, "Taqwacore" is an punk music movement that wrestles with the culture and interpretation of Islam. We explore this movement as we celebrate our fourth UU principle, "to promote a free and responsible search for truth and meaning." 00640_20121021 Sun, 21 Oct 2012 16:00:00 GMT 22:49 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, taqwacore, taquacore, Islam, truth Rev. Meredith Garmon In his book, "A Mindful Nation," Representative Tim Ryan discusses how the simple practice of mindfulness could help our nation. How can we apply these lessons to our own Congregation? 00650_20121111 Sun, 11 Nov 2012 16:00:00 GMT 25:52 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, sermon, UUFG, mindfulness Rev. Meredith Garmon A new look at the ancient tradition of "the festival of lights" on the last day of Hanukkah, 2012. 00660_20121216 Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:00:00 GMT 19:37 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, Hanukkah,UUFG Rev. Meredith Garmon How do we make love real? 00670_20121230 Sun, 23 Dec 2012 16:00:00 GMT 23:30 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, Christmas, flesh, word, UUFG Rev. Meredith Garmon A meditation on one of the seven deadly sins. 00680_20130106 Sun, 6 Jan 2013 16:00:00 GMT 22:08 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, gluttony, sin, UUFG Rev. Meredith Garmon A meditation on change and growth. 00690_20130113 Sun, 13 Jan 2013 16:00:00 GMT 22:36 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, UUFG Rev. Meredith Garmon Creating connections by helping each other to listen to our deepest selves, open to life's gifts, and serve needs greater than our own. 00700_20130310 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 16:00:00 GMT 22:02 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, UUFG, listening Rev. Meredith Garmon As we celebrate our annual Flower Communion, here is a meditation on sloth. Consider the "lillies in the field" as we examine our own tendencies to connect and disconnect with others. 00710_20130324 Sun, 24 Mar 2013 16:00:00 GMT 19:52 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, UUFG, sloth, enneagram, disconnection Rev. Meredith Garmon On Easter Day, let us consider the necessary, enlivening, and redemptive power of love. 00720_20130331 Sun, 31 Mar 2013 16:00:00 GMT 22:18 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, UUFG, Jesus, zombies, reason Rev. Meredith Garmon This month we begin our annual stewardship campaign. Against that backdrop, here some thoughts on greed, as we continue our investigation of the seven deadly sins. 00730_20130414 Sun, 14 Apr 2013 16:00:00 GMT 21:18 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, UUFG, greed, grace Rev. Meredith Garmon The emotion of anger or wrath often provokes aggression, but it also can provide a useful practice ground as we seek to apply our faith to the important work of connection. 00740_20130519 Sun, 19 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT 22:21 UU, Unitarian, Universalist, Universalism, UUFG, wrath, anger, connection