In Praise of the Dappled Things © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church September 15, 2019 Our poet knew no fame during his lifetime. Nor did he seek any. A Jesuit priest, Gerard Manley Hopkins lived a conflicted life; never sure of how to reconcile his religious vocation with his poetic nature. The story goes … Continued
Sermon Feb. 19, 2017
Healing Our Wholeness, Healing the World Reverend Janet Parsons October 2, 2016 Once upon a time, back at the very beginning of time, the Ein Sof, or the Ground of Being, or God, filled the entire universe with its presence. And when the Ein Sof decided to create the world, in order to make room … Continued
A Sermon Given at the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church April 24, 2016 By Rev. Janet Parsons I once had the good fortune to be present when someone was struck by a creative spirit, and had the chance to watch what happened. The someone was my husband. We were participating in a prayer group at our … Continued
The ancient story has been handed down across time and distance, across languages and cultures. It climaxes unexpectedly: when three grieving women, returning to a tomb to dress the body of their murdered teacher, encounter a mysterious stranger. The body is nowhere to be found. [download id=”284″]
A couple of weeks ago, the President of Iran visited Rome. Since he was planning to visit the Capitoline Museum, it was decided, by someone – the news reports were a little vague — to cover up statues of classical nudes so as to not offend him. Wooden boxes were constructed to place around some … Continued
Question. My great friend Dr. Mike Sperber always asks huge questions. “So where did we come from?” he calmly asks as we speed down Rt. 128 – he’s taking me to a doctor’s appointment. Do you have a friend like that? It stirred thoughts that had been forming in my mind for some time. And … Continued
One Monday morning some years ago, I was with a group of people from my home church, preparing to leave our sleeping quarters in New Orleans to head out to work on a flooded home. “Don’t make lunch,” we were told. “Some friends of the owners are planning to bring you lunch.” We were surprised … Continued
We are a nation in a time of great division – of starkly different visions. When I see news reports of all the conflict we are experiencing these days, I am struck by a sense that America is living in a place of deep fear. [download id=”264″]
When I was first setting out along my path into the ministry, I came upon an essay written by a UU minister, whose name I cannot recall, who was reflecting on the art and craft of preaching. She said something that has stayed with me for years now: that ultimately preaching is an opportunity for … Continued
