as preached at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, September 26, 2021 It is good to be back in the pulpit. I have missed you. I have not been gone from First Houston these past weeks. But I have been absent from Sunday morning worship. And worship, this thing the congregation does together–whether online or in-person–sits at the core of the life we share. The title of...
Welcome and Explanation of the Service of Lamentation for the 20th Anniversary of 9-11
as presented at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, September 11, 2021 Welcome to this service marking the twentieth anniversary of the attacks on September 11th. I am the Rev. Dr. Colin Bossen, and along with the Rev. D. Scott Cooper, and on behalf of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, I thank you for your presence and participation on this solemn occasion. Today...
Let It Be a Dance
as preached at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, August 15, 2021 It is good to be with you this morning. It is good to create this community together through word and song. I know this rose will open.I know my fear will burn away.I know my soul will unfurl its wings. I appreciate the confidence, the faith, that our hymn projects. It is a nice reflection of classical Unitarian...
Gather the Spirit
We gather the spirit of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston for the first in-person service since the start of the pandemic.
Contemplation & Sound: Unitarian Universalist Tradition Celebrating Pride at the Rothko Chapel
The script from the service that Mark Vogel and I led at the Rothko Chapel on June 2, 2021.
Growing Generosity; Rooted in Faith
The sermon to launch the 2021-2022 stewardship campaign.
Sermon: The Resurrection of the Living
as preached for the January 24, 2021 online service of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston Something rather momentous occurred since I was last with you. The United States has a new President and a new Vice President. A man with almost five decades of experience in government is now the country’s chief executive. A woman is now in the nation’s second highest office. The new cabinet...
1876, 1968, and Today: The Need for a Radical King
In this sermon, I reflect on how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. combined the prophetic with the pastoral in his effort to dismantle white supremacy. He taught that our efforts towards a more spiritual life for ourselves and more just society for all can only be pursued together.
The Waters of Time
And as we traverse the water of time, whether the waters be smooth or rocky, we must each answer the questions: What is worth saving? What must be let go?