Sam’s Sermons 2004

The Deification of Jesus, December 5, 2004
As the season of Jesus’ birth rolls around again, the question of how a human baby born of a human mother ended up being thought of as co-eternal with God raises some troubling questions for those who believe in one and only one God. The sordid and tortured story of how Trinitarianism came to be the dominant Christian belief will surprise and amaze you.
The Error of Seeking Salvation, November 14, 2004
One of the great evils of human civilization is seeing life as preparation for an afterlife. The question, ‘Are you saved?’ is the wrong question. Next time someone asks you that question, respond with ‘Are you living?”
In Defense of Political Diversity, October 24, 2004
You can be liberally religious and politically conservative. Even though our congregation is heavily populated with Democrats, it is fine to be a Republican. To honor the Republicans in our congregation, this service will focus on how they combine religion and politics and membership in our congregation. You may not change your party affiliation, but hopefully you’ll come away from this service with a greater appreciation for your political rivals. What matter most is your vote November 2.
Taking Refuge, October 10, 2004
This is the second of two sermons which focus separately on the balance between doing and being. Striving to change the world for the better is integral to Unitarian Universalism. Taking refuge honors the opposite inclination, to retreat from action and rest within, accepting whatever the universe can offer for support. The challenge of life is finding the balance between them.
Taking Action, October 3, 2004
This is the first of two sermons which focus separately on the balance between doing and being. Striving to change the world for the better is integral to Unitarian Universalism. Taking refuge honors the opposite inclination, to retreat from action and rest within, accepting whatever the universe can offer for support. The challenge of life is finding the balance between them.
Building and Rebuilding Public Relationships, September 19, 2004
One of the great benefits of involvement in our congregation is the opportunity to expand one’s circle of relationships. Most of these relationships will be of a special class called ‘public relationships.’ The Jewish High Holy Days of Awe are a great time to reflect on the quality of our relationships and how to improve them.  Small Group Ministry can help.
The Last Supper that Wasn’t, April 4, 2004
One of the great benefits of involvement in our congregation is the opportunity to expand one’s circle of relationships. Most of these relationships will be of a special class called ‘public relationships.’ The Jewish High Holy Days of Awe are a great time to reflect on the quality of our relationships and how to improve them.  Small Group Ministry can help. The Last Supper was a Passover Seder. It may have been the last meal Jesus ate, but the Jews have continued to have Passover every year. In that meal, two great religious traditions converged. To understand what Jesus did that night, we need to understand Passover.
The Faith of the Historical Jesus, March 21, 2004
What if we could build a time machine and travel back 2000 years. What if we saw Jesus passing by and we had the opportunity to witness his faith first hand. Would the description of that faith found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John,Thomas, or the letters of the Apostle Paul match what we saw? Or perhaps could a group of scholars analyzing these texts uncover another understanding of the faith of Jesus and come up with a description closer to the truth?.
Right to Live vs. Right to Die, March 14, 2004
Korean advances in human cloning once agian bring up the need for defining the beginning of life. Ethicists like Peter Singer have stepped up with some answers. But the most interesting challenges to these controversial ideas do not come from the research community, nor from conservative Christians, but rather from the disabled community, from activists like Harriet McBryde Johnson.
Sadie Hawkins Sunday February 29, 2004
This service will be a once in a lifetime experience! Many of us may never again experience a Sunday service on February 29th. The day has been celebrated as an anomaly, a time out of time. Adding a day to keep the calendar in order can create its own disorder as well.
Emotions and Morality February 15, 2004
Should justice be dispassionate? What is the appropriate place for emotional intelligence in the courts and public policy? Can our emotions serve as a base for building a good society? What are the dangers?
The Intelligence of Emotions, February 8, 2004
Do emotions have theirdown reason and logic? Throughoutdthe ages, emotions have been ostracized by intellectuals as usurpers of rational thought that cast us into the sea of passion and impulse. Rather than eliminate it from our reasoning process, it needs a central place if we are to find personal meaning.
Hometown Heroes of Racial Reconciliation, January 18, 2004
Martin Luther King Jr. was but one of many who has worked for civil rights and racial reconciliation. Some grew up and lived right here in the Capital Region. We will honor them and their work as we remember the work of Rev. Dr. King.
The Spirituality of Falling, January 11, 2004
Facing debilitating disease and an early death shakes even the best adjusted and psychologically together person. Yet some of the most powerful spiritual growth can happen when we are threatened. Rev. Trumbore will take his inspiration on this topic from Philip Simmon’s Excellent book, Learning to Fall.
Praising Percipiency January 4, 2004
Percipiency means having the power of perceiving, especially perceiving keenly and readily. As we enter the New Year, percipiency is a wonderful quality to work at developing. Buddhism has specific techniques to cultivate percipiency that don’t require you to become a meditation master.