Sermon Archive
Potluck
Potluck © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church February 23, 2025 There is an old fable that I’m sure just about everyone knows: the story of Stone Soup. In this tale, an old woman suddenly arrives in a poor village. People there lived a pinched existence, and...
Love in Action
Love in Action © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church February 16, 2025 On September 20, 1958, Martin Luther King Jr. was holding a book signing in Manhattan, having just published Stride Toward Freedom, his book about the Montgomery bus boycott. A mentally ill...
Waiting at the Threshold
Waiting at the Threshold © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church February 2, 2025 The ancient legend tells us that St. Brigid of Kildare, in Ireland, was born on a threshold, at dawn, between indoors and outdoors, between night and day. She is celebrated at...
To Take on Tomorrow
To Take on Tomorrow © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church January 19, 2025 In the early 1760’s, a 12-year old African boy from Guinea emerged from a slave ship in Boston speaking not a word of English. He was purchased there on the dock by a man named Timothy...
The Power of Stories
The Power of Stories © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church January 12, 2025 There’s an old story that is found in Stephen Covey’s book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, supposedly about Captain Horatio Hornblower. The story goes that some navy...
Christmas Begins at Midnight
Christmas Begins at Midnight © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church December 24, 2024 This year, I had the great good fortune of witnessing the aurora borealis, the northern lights, right from my front yard. It was a magical moment; truly a bucket list...
Turning Toward the Light
Turning Toward the Light © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church December 22, 2024 It was a clear day yesterday in Newgrange, in Ireland. And so, when people gathered before dawn, as they always do on the Winter Solstice, they were able to witness an age-old...
Ministry of Presence in Turbulent Times
Proclaim120824 Guest minister Rev. Art McDonald Ministry of Presence in Turbulent Times – Gloucester UU Over 50 years ago I entered divinity school at Catholic U. in Washington, DC, to prepare for ministry in the Catholic Church and not long after beginning my studies...
All Is Not Lost
All is Not Lost© Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church November 17, 2024 “Everything is still on fire,”, wrote my colleague, Julian Soto. “I am sorry that everything is still on fire…” they continued. “Once hate catches, the winds of “not my problem” blow and...
Trust That You Are Held
Trust that You Are Held © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church November 10, 2024 Like many of you, I have spent large amounts of time this week feeling struck speechless. I’ve experienced almost a sense of suspended animation, a certain stuckness: that I’m not...
Thinking Too Much and Listening Too Little
Thinking Too Much and Listening Too Little © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church October 13, 2024 How many of you got to see the Northern Lights the other night? I found it as thrilling as it was back in May when I got to see them for the very first time in my...
Pilgrims in a Pilgrim Church
Pilgrims in a Pilgrim Church Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church Reverend Janet Parsons September 29, 2024 Part One: Lonely Voyages Into the Unknown I love to picture the scene in my mind’s eye: a traveler from England whose ship had gone aground, walking along a...
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
Deb Hardy and Friends Benefit Concert – May 2
Deb Hardy and Friends Benefit Concert featuring Brian King and Alyce Underhill Saturday May 2nd, 2pm-4:30pm Tickets $15 at the door, all proceeds benefit the church. For details go to debhardymusic.com
Sunday March 22
You Get Your Hell on Earth, led by Reverend Gail Seavey. Music by Robert Noble. Worship is in-person, or at the livestream link below. Please join us at 10am! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIeJfO72kLh-gAtZZT-QOng/live
Making the World Come Alive
Making the World Come Alive © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church March 15, 2026 Most years I dread the month of March. It’s not really winter, and not quite spring. The clean brightness of the snow recedes and leaves mud and dead leaves and gray...