Sermon Archive
Second Sunday of Advent – Peace
This Sunday our congregation will be joining our friends at the UU Society of Rockport for their service. Their service begins at 10:30 a.m. Join Zoom Meetinghttps://zoom.us/j/91158913840? pwd=MGlCNUJyM2xDWVVtMUZ1R3U3K3dsQT09
What Grounds Us? – Nov 29
What Grounds Us? November 29, 2020 Rev. Janet Parsons, Charles Nazarian, Lucille LePage Rev. Janet It’s hard, during this year like none other in our lifetimes, to hold on to what centers us. I am reminded frequently of the well-known line in William Butler...
Gratitude Anyway – Thanksgiving sermon from 2015
Dear friends, Since I did not preach this past Sunday for our joint service of seven UU congregations, I wanted to share an old Thanksgiving sermon from 2015. I’ve been thinking about it a long lately, as it feels especially relevant during these times. I hope you...
Light from the Broken Pieces – Nov 15
Light from the Broken Pieces Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church November 15, 2020 In the aftermath of this most difficult presidential election, I have thought a great deal about what is happening here in the United States. We are so divided, and like so...
The Soul of the Nation – Nov 8
The Soul of the Nation Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church November 8, 2020 In the end, I would say that it was worth the wait, this week, as the anticipated blue wave proved to be more of a blue trickle. Yesterday afternoon, as word spread that Joe Biden and...
Side by Side: Holding Grief and Hope – Nov 1
Side by Side: Holding Grief and Hope Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church November 1, 2020 Tomorrow is the Feast of All Souls, that day each year when people remember and mourn the deaths of loved ones everywhere. We typically commemorate All Souls, at least...
CLUES – Oct 25
CLUES Oct 25, 2020 Newt Fink Now we are here to think about giving. Giving has always been central to worship: we naturally give to what or whom we regard as worthy of our attention, our following and our faithfulness. We give to and for what matters to us. ...
In Another’s Shoes – Oct 18
In Another’s Shoes Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church October 18, 2020 Let’s begin this morning by digging into our memories. Some of us may have to think hard, to dig deeply. Others of us may have a fresh memory right on the surface. ...
We Begin Again in Love – Sep 27
Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church September 27, 2020 Louis Newman refers to himself as having been a model child. We all know some of those – perhaps we were one of them. The child who seems naturally well-behaved, who doesn’t get into...
Whole, Broken, and Then Whole Again – Sep 20
Whole, Broken, and Then Whole Again © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church September 20, 2020 First Reflection: Born and Reborn Again The lyrics of one of the songs in our turquoise hymnal keep going through my mind these days: “Return...
Blessing of the Animals – Aug 30
Reverend Janet Parsons August 30, 2020 Reflection I’ve had some odd encounters with animals in the past few months, but the oddest of all was while camping a couple of weeks ago. We were sitting at the...
On Racial Justice Part 2 – August 23
On Racial Justice, Pt. 2 WE HAVE THE POWER TO BEGIN THE WORLD OVER AGAIN By Carol Bousquet, August 23, 2020 I believe we are finally at THE day of reckoning. Finally we have conditions and consciousness to change the course of history in the ways our African American,...
Upcoming Services
A New Song for America, led by Reverend Janet Parsons with music by Steve Lacey. Our theme for September is Beginnings. What might a new beginning look like for the United States?
Worship is in-person or at the livestream link below. Please join us at 10am. Everyone is welcome!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIeJfO72kLh-gAtZZT-QOng/live
WEATHER CONCERNS
We are watching the predicted storm closely but it's too soon to decide whether Sunday's service will need to be cancelled or moved onto Zoom. We will send out a Constant Contact update either Saturday evening or first thing Sunday morning: watch your inboxes! If the service moves onto Zoom, the link will be included in that email.
Above all, please decide always to do what is safest for yourself!
Recent News
Dying is the Opposite of Leaving
Dying is the Opposite of Leaving © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church Easter Sunday April 5, 2026 Today is a day of stories. We enter into this day, that we call Easter Sunday, thinking we know the story. But there are many stories, many layers, many...
Sunday April 5
Dying is the Opposite of Leaving, led by Reverend Janet Parsons, with Andrew Soll, organist, and the church choir. Join us for Easter Sunday, as we celebrate that Love has the last word. Everyone is welcome! At our church, community is more important than belief. So...
To Speak Out Against Kings
To Speak Out Against Kings © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church March 29, 2026 By 1980, El Salvador was overrun with paramilitary groups: death squads, who roamed the country assassinating people in the name of “traditional values”, and “law and...