In this third sermon on reimagining grief, I reflect on the theology of Frankenstein.
The Transient and the Permanent
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...
Water Communion 2021
as preached at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, August 22, 2021 This is the second year in a row that our annual ingathering service has taken place under difficult, uncertain, circumstances. Last year, our service took place entirely online. This year, some of us have gathered in-person and others of us are participating via our livestream. This year, like last year, as the...
A Unitarian Universalist Response to Evil
The policy choices that led to the winter storm disaster in Texas are a moral evil. In this sermon, I argue why.
These Things Figuratively
The second source of Unitarian Universalism is the “words and deeds of prophetic women and men.” Throughout Black History month the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston is exploring this source with a series of services on the teachings of prophetic people from Africa or of African descent. In this sermon, I discuss the North African theologian Origen, who taught about universal...
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...
COVID, the Environment and Justice
On Sunday, January 10, 2021, I participated in a panel organized by the Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston. The other participants were Dr. Harish Chandra (Acharya, Arya Samaj Greater Houston), Rabbi Sarah Fort (Assistant Rabbi, Congregation Beth Yeshurun), Stephanie Thomas, PhD (Buddhist Chaplain), and Rev. Karen Tudor (Senior Associate Minister, Unity of Houston). Here are my remarks:...
Ingathering: Water Communion 2020
Like a deer crying for water,
my soul cries for You, O God;
my soul thirsts for God, the living God;
O when will I come to appear before God!
My tears have been my food day and night;
I am ever taunted with, “Where is your God?”