Sam’s Sermons 2003

Passing on the Gift December 14, 2003
December is the time of year to have your joy in giving challenged through commercial exploitation. Every year we need to reconnect with the value of giving that shakes the merchant off our backs. This service will be an exploration of different traditions of giving that may stimulate some new ways to celebrate the season.
Ultimacy and Intimacy December 7, 2003
The respected 20th Century Unitarian Universalist Theologian James Luther Adams said what people want out of their religion is Ultimacy and Intimacy. Yet these are two of the most difficult areas for us to find shared answers. How do Unitarian Universalists define these terms and how do we practice them?
Emerson at 200 November 16, 2003
This year we have been celebrating the 200th birthday of Ralph Waldo Emerson. We take great pride as a religious movement in Emerson’s training and service as a Unitarian minister. Is Emerson’s thinking still relevant to Unitarian Universalism today? Does he still have message that will inspire our membership?
A Theology of Relinquishment November 2, 2003
Whether through our family, our connections, our jobs, or our racial or cultural background, we have access to social, economic and political power others do not. If we want to commit to building an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural world, we need an inspirational religious story to guide us, a story about sharing and relinquishing power that may be a little different than the traditional stories found in the Bible.
Idealism as Mental Opium October 19, 2003
This phrase captured my attention while reading an article written by Christopher Calder describing one particularly delusional approach to Buddhism. This xpression jarred me at first, as a coveter of powerful ideas. We Unitarian Universalists love ideas and constantly search for better ones. So can finding and attaching to some good ones be bad?
In Search of Soul October 12, 2003
Joe Batal, who co-led my Startup Weekend with his wife, Ann, used this expression to describe an enduring preoccupation of Unitarian Universalists. Soul is a difficult word for some of us, including your minister. Let us wrestle with it together.
Peace Through Understanding October 5, 2003
The situation in the Middle East is a very difficult one that continues to deteriorate. IImagining some way to resolve those conflicts is a surefire way to start a raging headache. And yet the possibility of world peace hinges on progress here. Rabbi Michael Lerner shared some sensible ideas with us at General Assembly that deserve wider consideration.
On Seeking a Language of Reverence September 21, 2003
One important theme discussed at UUA General Assembly this past June by our President, Bill Sinkford, was his feeling that we needed to better define a common language of reverence. This motivated my sermon last spring on prayer. So who will do the defining? Do we have one?
Casting Our Values in Stone September 14, 2003
Inspired by architects Scott Knox and Terry Way, our Architectural Committee has been refining our plans by looking at how the design will reflect our values and vision. Can the plan and the vision be united in a guiding sentence, phrase or image? Come and hear how.
Patience & Humility for Liberals, March 2,2003
Celebrating the individual and pushing for change can seem at odds with the value of patience and humility. Yet the success of liberalism in our individualistic society has also highlighted its weaknesses. A balance can be struck between these values that complements rather than contradicts.
Mystery and Mysticism February 16, 2003
The inspiration for this sermon comes from a conversation with Bob Blank who suggested the title. As a Religious Humanist, he doesn’t believe in the supernatural. As someone who was transformed by mystical experience, Rev. Trumbore takes a different approach to the supernatural. Can mystery and mysticism find common ground?
Make Love Not War February 9, 2003
War isn’t just something nations declare against each other. Low-grade conflict happens in many intimate relationships. How can we expect nations to make peace when we cannot make peace with our partner? Thankfully, there are effective strategies to make love last and build healthy relationships. Let’s make more love and less war.