Sermon Archive
Truth Alone is Strong
Truth Alone is Strong © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church October 9, 2022 If you are like me, perhaps you felt your eyebrows raise at the mention of Abraham Lincoln in our reading, ordering the execution of 38 Dakota warriors on the day after Christmas...
The Courage to Search the Heart
The Courage to Search the Heart© Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church October 2, 2022 It was 25 years ago now: one of the earliest school shootings that I remember hearing of, at Heath High School in West Paducah, Kentucky. This was even before the...
To Transcend Ourselves
To Transcend Ourselves Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church September 18, 2022 She was an unsuccessful author, and was drinking more and more, and struggling to stay afloat. On weekends she would sometimes visit a flea market near her...
All of Life Depends on Water
All of Life Depends on Water © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church September 11, 2022 All of life depends on water. This summer has been a challenging one for those of us who garden, and my heart goes out to all those who farm, who rely...
The Sound of Water on Stone
The Sound of Water on Stone © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church August 21, 2022 Last winter, in preparing to set forth on my recent sabbatical, I set a number of goals for myself. This can be risky: I wasn’t confident that I would succeed in achieving most...
Returning to the Well
Returning to the Well Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church August 14, 2022 It’s a steep climb, up the hill known as Dun I on the Isle of Iona in Scotland. To get to the base of the hill, you open a farmer’s gate, cross a pasture dotted...
Blessings from a Small Island
Blessings from a Small Island Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church August 7, 2022 It’s a tiny island, the Isle of Iona. To reach it, off the coast of Scotland, a pilgrim has to take a train, a bus, and two ferries. But pilgrimages are supposed to be...
Being at Home in the World
Being at home in the world. A homily for the Gloucester UU Church. -Karl Frank, July 31, 2022 This title came to me when I read a book, “The disappearance of ritual”. The author is Byung-Chul Han, born in South Korea, now the head of a University in Berlin,...
Looking Up: Reflections on the James Webb Space Telescope
For the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Service of July 24, 2022 Service Leader and Author: Roger Garberg With Associate: Mern Sibley Our Purpose Today Our service today reminds us that we are not isolated beings, but connected, in mystery and miracle, to the...
Sermon 7/3/2022
by Holly Tanguay Instead of speaking about America today I am going to tell you about a great American, Paul Farmer, a physician, writer and teacher who died this last February at the age of 56. In his short life he established first class health care systems serving...
Flower Communion Elements and Reflection
Elements from Flower Communion on June 19, 2022 Lucille LePage “Wisdom Moment” story Almost 100 years ago, in Czechoslovakia, Dr. Norbert Capek and his wife Maja started the Unitarian Church of Czechoslovakia in Prague. There, in 1923, Norbert Capek created the...
Just Peacemaking
Proclaim051522JustPeacemaking – Gloucester Rev. Art McDonald After graduating from college, I served in the US Army Reserve from 1969-1972, receiving an honorable discharge 3 years early, being released from what was a 6-year commitment, to enter seminary. The 3 years...
Upcoming Services
Building a House Called Tomorrow, led by Reverend Janet Parsons with music by Steve Lacey. As we do each year, we'll reflect on why we create a church community, and how we support it. In a world that shifts daily, a church is meant to hold the center for us. How well can we hold it?
Worship is in-person, or at the livestream link below.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIeJfO72kLh-gAtZZT-QOng/live
Recent News
Sunday Jan 18
o Take Back Our Land Again, led by Reverend Janet Parsons We take time each year to honor and remember Dr. Martin Luther King and try to ask ourselves some of the questions he might be asking us today. Music by Robert Noble. Please join us at 10am, in-person or at...
We Fight for Roses, Too!
We Fight for Roses, Too! © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church January 11, 2026 The story began 114 years ago, on January 1, 1912. That day, a new law took effect in Massachusetts that reduced the number of hours in the work week for women, from 56 hours per...
Sunday Jan 11
We Fight for Roses, Too!, led by Reverend Janet Parsons, with Andy Soll, guest organist. As we explore our theme of Resistance this weekend we remember the importance of human dignity: our Unitarian Universalist first Principle. Everyone is welcome! Please join us at...