In the tale of the origins of Buddhism, the young Buddha discovered what he understood to be suffering inherent to life: sickness, old age, and death.  The faith emerged as an acknowledgement of this imminent suffering and offers a way to heal. Buddhism is structured around the Four Noble Truths: One, we suffer; two, there is an origin to suffering; three, suffering…

This week, we ask, “How can we find our center by addressing fundamental life problems?” We will draw wisdom from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who addressed inherent problems of injustice. We will also draw wisdom from the monotheistic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – and how they addressed problems of exile, sin, and pride, respectively. As we join to celebrate the anniversary of our church, we reflect on how we, together, find our shared center through common problems, and how we craft meaning as a sacred collective.

This month, we transition from celebrating the awe and wonder around us to instead focus on cultivating and engaging with that wonder within; we focus on finding our center. The greatest wisdom we can garner often does not come from our surroundings, but from our core.  This Sunday, we reflect on wise teachings of various faith traditions.  As we learn from our…

Christmas Eve sermon

In the time of the winter solstice, we celebrate a pause that results in the return of sunlight. We honor an awakening from rest, ushering in a new season of energy following a time of rest and introspection.  During Hanukkah, we celebrate the candle flame that kept faith alive.  Throughout this period of the shifting of daytime and of the Festival of…