Sermon Archive
Power Without Love…Love Without Power
Power Without Love…Love Without Power © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church January 14, 2024 It wasn’t until the election of 2016 that I fully came to understand the depth of the derision and dislike that conservative sectors of our country, actually,...
To Lead with Love
To Lead with Love © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church January 7, 2024 We speak often about love. Love is, perhaps, the greatest force we know, perhaps the greatest mystery, ‘the only magic’ it was called in our reading earlier. So we think about it,...
The Risk of Birth
The Risk of Birth Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church Christmas Eve, 2023 In 1973, the poet Madeleine L’Engle wrote these words: “This is no time for a child to be born, With the earth betrayed by war & hate And a comet slashing the sky to warn That...
Saying “Yes” to Mystery
Saying “Yes” to Mystery © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church December 3, 2023 The other day the Washington Post reported that a lobsterman in Maine had pulled up a two-colored lobster. The lobsterman, named Jacob Knowles, was fascinated by his discovery and...
Completing the Gift
Completing the Gift © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church November 19, 2023 The poet Mary Oliver gave us this poem, called The Gift: Be still, my soul, and steadfast.Earth and heaven both are still watchingthough time is draining from the clockand your...
The Generosity of Attention
The Generosity of Attention © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church November 12, 2023 One of my fondest memories of relief trips to the Gulf Coast was the day in Pearlington, Mississippi, when we had two lunches. Both of which involved fried catfish. We...
Relinquishing Privilege
Relinquishing Privilege © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church November 5, 2023 I wasn’t sure that Darren Walker still had a job. After I finished reading his opinion piece in the New York Times, portions of which Pat just read, I looked him up on line to see...
The Thinning of the Veil
The Thinning of the Veil © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church October 29, 2023 In the fifth Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry and his friends find themselves dueling with wizards from the dark side, called the Death Eaters....
Midnight Rumblings on Mahogany
Midnight Rumblings on Mahogany © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church October 15, 2023 Unitarian and Universalist historians have always been a little bit squeamish about discussing the phenomenon of Spiritualism that swept the country in the 19th century....
A Little Beyond: Transcendentalism
A Little Beyond: Transcendentalism © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church October 1, 2023 The movement called Transcendentalism, began to emerge in the 1830’s, during a time of intellectual ferment, in a new nation full of new ideas, founded in revolution. It...
At-one-ment
At-one-ment © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church September 24, 2023 You have to really admire the Ziz; the giant mythical bird in the story I told a few minutes ago. He had a good heart and a good soul; he meant well and didn’t want to hurt anyone. And yet,...
Offering Belonging
Offering Belonging © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church September 17, 2023 A bit of a kerfuffle erupted at the Unitarian Universalist Association this past week. In its effort to welcome everyone into a new church year, the Communications staff at the UUA...
Upcoming Services
Worship this Sunday is led by Reverend Janet Parsons, with guest organist Robert Noble.
Our service is in-person, or at the livestream link below. Everyone is welcome! Join us at 10am.
Link to livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIeJfO72kLh-gAtZZT-QOng/live
Recent News
Rising Up in Joy
Rising Up in Joy Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church April 20, 2025 “Life happens, keeps happening… One day, it happens; you take a breath, and it doesn’t hurt to breathe. You start to see people again, really see them. Hope rises. Community rises. You rise....
Easter Sunday, April 20
Worship this Easter Sunday is led by Reverend Janet Parsons, with music by Beverly Soll, pianist. Our service is in-person, or at the livestream link below. Everyone is welcome! Join us at 10am....
Of Empire and Liberation
Of Empire and Liberation © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church April 13, 2025 This is the time of year when life begins to return, and the Spirit is moving. In two of the world’s important religious traditions, Judaism and Christianity, ancient stories are...