Sermon Archive
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...
Don’t Say Straight
Reflection: Don’t Say Straight, for Gay Pride Sunday, 06-05-22, Charles Nazarian About a month ago a controversial statute was passed in Florida and signed by Governor Desantis that has been widely called the “Don’t Say Gay” law in the media. It criminalizes and...
What Is Peace?
REFLECTION: WHAT IS PEACE? Charles Nazarian, GUUC Service on 05-15-22 In our Call to Worship you and Lucille recited the Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. They are among the most profound messages to humanity from the great Teacher. Each one expresses...
Upcoming Services
Gloucester UU joins Rockport and Essex for worship this Sunday at First Univ of Essex, or on Zoom.Sunday August 23rd 10 am Stronger Together with Rev. Tess BaumbergerJoin us for a service about how we can be stronger by working together, using the symbols of spinning threads and weaving tapestries. The service will include a simple ritual, poetry, and meditations on the power of collaboration.To join us via Zoom please visit uuessex.org and click on the Zoom link. If you’re coming in person, there is some street parking or you can use the municipal lot. Coming from Gloucester you would go past the church and take your first left onto Martin Street, then go left again on Shepherd Street. Please know the central spots in the lot are reserved for boat and trailer parking during the summer. If you go up the stairs at the end of the lot, you can cross the parking lot and make your way to the church.
Recent News
To Learn from the Land
To Learn from the Land © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church April 26, 2026 In Northern India, in the state of Meghalaya, which means “the abode of the clouds”, there is a mountainous region known as the Khasi Hills. Many Unitarian Universalists...
Sunday April 26
To Learn from the Land, led by Reverend Janet Parsons. We'll honor Earth Day by seeing ourselves as truly part of nature, not separate from it. Music provided by Andrew Glennon. Worship is in-person, or at the livestream link below....
Building A House Called Tomorrow
Building a House Called Tomorrow © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church April 19, 2026 When you think about it, a church really is a remarkable thing. To open the service I chose words of a colleague, the Reverend Leslie Takahashi, that set forth...