At the heart of this and every Beloved Community is love, always love. But love isn’t just a feeling, it’s a practice—a shared practice of affection and care. In congregational life, it matters how we tell the story of our love. This Sunday we’ll consider some “love stories” and what they have to teach us about the practice of love at church. Music by Rob Redei and the UUCA Choir. Rev. Rob Hardies is a preacher, teacher, and an experienced leader of retreats and pilgrimages. From 2001 to 2020, he was Senior Minister of All Souls Church, Unitarian in Washington, DC, a large, multiracial congregation. During his ministry at All Souls, Rob helped create organizations that advocated for marriage equality and for voting rights. He lives in Washington with his husband and son. 

UU Church of Annapolis Podcast

Rev. Dr. Robert M. Hardies Sermon: Love, Always

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie states that the danger of the single story is "the ability not just to tell the story of another person, but to make it the definitive story of that person." One single story that has been part of American history is that Black lives are expendable. We have seen again and again that this single story is not only dangerous, but deadly. In this service, we will consider the Derek Chauvin trial, and how many worked to counter the single stories that informed this case. We will highlight how we need to continue to counter racist and problematic stories, and re-story our way towards Beloved Community. Music by Joshua Long. 

Rev. Anastassia Sermon: The Danger of the Single Story

Ralph Waldo Emerson recognized that the world is meant to be savored and we are designed to savor it. Why is the act of savoring essential for our spiritual lives? Once we have seen the world and savored its beauty, then we know we are called it save it, both for itself and for ourselves. Let us dedicate ourselves to saving this earth.    

Rev. Anastassia Sermon: Dedicate Ourselves to Save this Earth

Today we examine Naomi Klein's most recent book while also examining "regenerative economies" and how UUCA can adopt and adapt some of its current social justice practices. Music by Rob Redei and the UUCA Choir. 

Rev. John Sermon: On Fire - The Burning Case for a New Green Deal

Rev. John T. Crestwell, Jr., Minister Rev. Anastassia Zinke, Minister The early Jesus followers believed that they would be with Jesus again in an idyllic, earthly community. On this Easter Sunday, we celebrate the paradise that our Earth is meant to be and dedicate ourselves to be evangelists for this earth. Music by Rob Redei and our UUCA Choir.      

Our Earth is the Home of the Beloved Community Sermon

We yearn for freedom but what does ultimate freedom look like? In this service Rev. John will look at integrative spirituality as a framework for your spiritual freedom. 

Rev. John Sermon: Liberation, Accountability, Yin and Yang

Join Rev. John as he examines the value of being authentic while also being accountable to the relationships around you. The message will also address the pros and cons of "Cancel Culture" and why respect is at the heart of the matter. 

Rev. John T Crestwell, Jr. Sermon: Authenticity, Keeping it Real, and Cancel Culture

Mutuality exists when we live in such a way that we extend the same level of respect, care, and compassion for one another. When we "live for one another" as our Sunday covenant states, we extend this mutuality to our choices beyond the one-to-one relationship. For example, when we wear COVID masks or quarantine to keep one another safe, or when we increase access whether by adding ramps or by shifting away from being a mono-culture towards being multicultural. We can live in mutuality by truly getting to know one another. This Sunday, we will recognize the profound loss and impact of COVID over the past year, and also lift up how sustaining being in mutual relationship with one another is. Rev. Anastassia Zinke, preaching. Music by Rob Redei and the UUCA choir. 

Rev. Anastassia Zinke Sermon: Commitment to Mutuality

Have you ever noticed that we don’t have a word for nonviolence in itself? In all our languages, this ancient though often untapped practice, has been referred to linguistically as the opposite of violence. It is more than that. Let us consider what nonviolence is, not merely as a political strategy, but more as a personal and spiritual practice. How can nonviolence disrupt patterns of harm, and help move us into the spiritual wholeness and right relationship. Rev. Anastassia Zinke preaching. Music by Joshua Long, UUCA Ensemble & UUCA Choir. 

Rev. Anastassia Zinke Sermon: Commitment to Non-Violence

Emergent Strategy means that we practice biomimicry. That is, we do what nature does in our religious, social, and political associations. How can this way of life transform our planet and our Beloved Community? Rev. John and Rev. Anastassia will share the pulpit. Music by Josh Long. 

Rev. John T Crestwell, Jr. Sermon: Emergent Strategy

In a popular Unitarian Universalist hymn (also found in many other hymn collections), one verse speaks about the promise of a better tomorrow (Beloved Community) shaped by the "flame of freedom in [our] souls and the light of science in [our] eyes." Beloved Community, freedom, and science. This trio has meaning that vibrates in our way of faith and in our nation - all three were publicly named at President Biden's inauguration. Let's hold these up in the light for greater clarity. Music by Rob Redei and the UUCA Choir. 

Staying in the Struggle

What does Beloved Community actually mean to you? What does it look like and feel like? In this message, Rev. John will take us on a journey toward our own realization of what BC is, means, and requires. Don't let the title fool you. This sermon is about my personal spiritual journey as a Unitarian Universalist minister and why I'm now more nature-based and Zen about my faith and message for humanity. 

Eschatalogical Exegesis

The best way to teach our children is to be and to show: how we behave and how we engage with the world are much better predictors of how our children will do than all the books we’ve read about parenting could teach us. Rev. Anastassia preaching. Music by Joshua Long. 

Wholehearted Parenting

Rev. Anastassia Zinke Sermon: Wholehearted Parenting

Brené Brown holds that we disengage for two reasons: to protect ourselves and because we feel that the people who are supposed to be leading us are not living up to the social contract. In this age of polarization and violence upon our democracy, when our public leaders, neighbors, and family members have disappointed us, how can we courageously step into the gap between reality and our aspirational values? Rev. Anastassia preaching. Music by Rob Redei and the UUCA Choir. 

Courageously Engaging the Gap

Sermons from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis www.uuca-md.org

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UU Church of Annapolis Podcast

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