Referenced on Sunday
Did you hear something on Sunday that piqued your interest? Find more information below about what our ministry team has been reading, reciting, and reflecting on.
Sunday, October 18, 2026
In her sermon, Rev. Wendy named the 5 Jagged Rocks from Revs. Mike Morran and Nancy Bowen:
- There is a Unity that makes us one
- All souls are worthy
- Courageous Love transforms the world
- Truth continues to be revealed and unfolded to us
- Salvation in this life.
Rev. Wendy also quoted A. Powell Davies & the King Center website:
“To the best of my observation and belief, sin is highly contemporary and we are all up to our necks in it…… Evil in human life is not a fiction. It is a fact” (Davies).
“Dr. King’s Beloved Community is a global vision, in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth. In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger, and homelessness will not be tolerated because international standards of human decency will not allow it. Racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood. Love and trust will triumph over fear and hatred” (King Center website).
Rev. Wendy quoted Dr. King, Margaret Mead, and UUA President Rev. Sofía Betancourt:
“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity” (Dr. King).
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has” (Mead).
“We are in control of what we do with our daily living. If we, each one of us, represent a missing remnant in the fabric of our collective future, then together we can lean into a possibility that we have yet to fully experience in human history: a collective wholeness, an unassailable good… [So] immerse yourself, unapologetically, in what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist in these days. Then go out into the world and live knowing that your faith matters” (Rev. Betancourt).
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Rev. Wendy described and quoted from James Luther Adams’s “5 Smooth Stones”
The reference can be found in “Five Smooth Stones of Religious Liberalism” in Luther’s essay “Guiding Principles for a Free Faith,” which was published in the collection “On Becoming Human Religiously: Selected Essays in Religion and Society.”
In her sermon, Rev. Wendy also shared the story of “David and Goliath” found in 1 Samuel 17.
Sunday, September 27, 2026
In her sermon, Rev. Wendy explored King Solomon’s wisdom to “guard your heart” found in Proverbs 4:23 (NIV and NRSV).
She offered the poem “Why Bother” by Sean Thomas Dougherty, and quoted from Wendell Berry’s essay “The Unsettling of America:”
“To know what we are doing, and to know that what we are doing is destroying our life, and still to go on doing it: can this be called anything but madness?”
She also shared a teaching tale about a ship at sea longer than planned because of many storms.
With supplies nearly exhausted, the cook went to a wealthy merchant whose cargo included food he planned to sell elsewhere. In refusing to help the cook and the rest of the ship he said, “What’s mine is mine. What happens to the rest of you is no concern to me.” The story’s conclusion reminds us that our fate is entwined.
Sunday, September 13, 2026
This Sunday’s Prelude music:
Improvisations on Once To Every Man and Nation, arr. Mark Hayes
This Sunday’s Offeratory music:
Different by Brian Tate
Rev. Wendy offered a couple of quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson & Martha Nussbaum
“God speaketh, not spake” (Emerson).
“Emotions aren’t just mindless urges; they contain thoughts about matters of importance……You can’t really change the heart without telling a story” (Nussbaum, from “Upheaval of thought: The Intelligence of Emotions”) .
Sunday, August 30, 2026
Rev. Wendy shared “When Giving is All We have” by Alberto Alvaro Rios. She also offered several quotes from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s “Braiding Sweetgrass” including these:
- “Action on behalf of life transforms. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.”
- “We are showered every day with gifts, but they are not meant for us to keep. Their life is in their movement, the inhale and the exhale of our shared breath.”
- “Our work and our joy is to pass along the gift and to trust that what we put out into the universe will always come back. All powers have two sides, the power to create and the power to destroy. We must recognize them both, but invest our gifts on the side of creation.”
Sunday, August 9, 2026
During Time for All Ages, Laura read Milo’s Museum by Zetta Elliott.
Our friend, Milo, does not see herself represented in the museum she visits with her class. She decides to do something about it!
Sunday, August 2, 2026
During Time for All Ages, Laura read Mr. Flux by Kyo Maclear.
This is story of an artistic man who moves into a neighborhood that liked things a certain way, all the time. Mr. Flux changed the community for the better!
In her sermon, Rev. Wendy quoted Audre Lorde & Howard Thurman, and also referenced the story of Lyena Strelkoff and her one woman show “Caterpillar Soup.”
“Without community, there is no liberation, only the most vulnerable and temporary armistice between an individual and her oppression,” (Audre Lorde).
“There are two questions that [we] must ask [ourselves]. The first is “Where am I going?” and the second is “Who will go with me?” If you ever get these questions in the wrong order, you are in trouble” (Howard Thurman).
Sunday, July 26, 2026
During Time for All Ages, Laura read The Perfect Square by Michael Hall.
We follow the journey of a perfect square as it transforms into many different objects after being cut, torn, ripped, and shattered.
Rev. Wendy mentioned a quote from Fr. Richard Rohr and one from the Bible:
“If you read the great myths of the world and the great religions, they all share that the normal path of transformation is order, disorder, reorder” (Fr. Richard Rohr).
“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind” (Romans 12:2; NRSV).
Sunday, July 19, 2026
During Time for All Ages, Laura read After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) by Dan Santat.
This story reimagines the famous nursery rhyme, in which Humpty Dumpty truly transforms after facing his fear.
Rev. Wendy told a story from the Rev. Cameron Trimble in which the Rabbi at a boy’s bar mitzvah said that his job is to become more of who he is. That story can be found here.
She quoted a David Byrne’s (Talking Heads) song “Once in a Lifetime.” She also quoted Psychologist Daniel Gilbert’s wisdom that “human beings are works in progress that mistakenly think they’re finished.”
Sunday, July 12, 2026
During Time for All Ages, Paula read the book Cheering you on, Charlie Brown! by Charles M. Schulz.
This is a book about community and getting back up with the support of your friends.
Sunday, July 5, 2026
During Time for All Ages, Laura read the book All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold.
This book invites readers into a school where everyone is celebrating and cherished for their differences.
Sunday, June 28, 2026
During Time for All Ages, Laura read the book Most People by Michael Leannah.
This book takes a look around the neighborhood, where most people are doing the most good.
Sunday, June 14, 2026
During Time for All Ages, Laura read the book My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis.
This book is a a loving dedication from a mother to her son, who loves to dress up in pretty outfits.
Sunday, June 7, 2026
During Time for All Ages, Laura read the book Circles all Around Us by Brad Montague.
This book tells us that we are transformed by opening our circle to other people.
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Sunday, April 26, 2026
Rev. Wendy centered us for worship with words from Stephen Hawking:
“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.”
Rev. Wendy’s sermon began with a quote from Albert Einstein:
“A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
In honor of Earth Day, Laura read We Are Water Protectors by Carole Linstrom during Time for All Ages.
Rev. Wendy also referenced the podcast No Small Endeavor, hosted by Lee C. Camp and his interview of Shankar Vendatam (of the Hidden Brain podcast).
In support of curiosity as a tool needed to embody pluralism, we also watched a short clip from the Apple TV show Ted Lasso.
Sunday, April 19, 2026
In her sermon, Rev. Jen referenced the article, “Cornrows, Kwanzaa and Confusion: The Dilemma of Cultural Racism and Misappropriation” by Rev. Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley.
In honor of Earth Day, Laura read We Are Water Protectors by Carole Linstrom during Time for All Ages.
Told from an Indigenous perspective and inspired by the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, a young girl speaks to the importance of water for all living beings.
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Sunday, April 5, 2026
This Sunday’s prelude music:
Rejoice, the Lord is King! (by John Darwall, arr. Dan Forrest) and Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (from Stralsund Gesangbuch, arr. Mark Hayes).
And postlude music:
Resurrection Medley (by Mark Hayes)
In the sermon, Rev. Wendy told a story from the end of Walden by Henry David Thoreau and used the quote “only that day dawns to which we are awake.”
She also quoted from the poem Manifesto by Wendell Berry: “Live joyfully even though you have considered all the facts” and “practice resurrection.”
Rev. Wendy read The Question, a poem by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, to gather everyone at the beginning of the service.
To receive a poem a day from her, use this link.
Rev. Wendy also referenced stories from Father Gregory Boyle during her sermon.
One story was from his book Tattoos on the Heart.
Sunday, March 22, 2026
Rev. Wendy centered us for worship with words from Rabindranath Tagore:
I slept and dreamt
that life was joy.
I awoke and saw
that life was duty.
I worked — and behold,
duty was joy.
Trans journalist and activist Imara Jones was mentioned, along with her podcast “Translash.”
During her sermon, Rev. Wendy referred to an interview of Terry Tempest Williams, conducted by Krista Tippett.
You can listen to the interview on Tippett’s podcast or read the transcript by clicking the button below.
Rev. Wendy also quoted both Jack Gilbert & Dr. Howard Thurman during her sermon:
“We must have the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless furnace of this world.” – Jack Gilbert, from his poem A Brief for the Defense
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Dr. Howard Thurman
Sunday, March 15, 2026
During Time for All Ages, Laura talked about disability rights activist, Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, who climbed up the Capitol steps on her arms to promote the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The book about Jennifer is called All the Way to the Top, written by Annette Bay Pimentel, illustrated by Nabi H Ali, and including a foreword from Jennifer herself!
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Our TFAA book this Sunday invited people to Say Something in many different ways, ensuring their voices are heard.
The book is Say Something!, written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Sunday, March 1, 2026
In her sermon, “The Small Things in the Great Things,” Rev. Wendy:
spoke about Octavia Butler and referenced two of her books: “Parable of the Sower” and “Parable of the Talents”;
shared a story from an article that Octavia Butler wrote for Essence Magazine in 2000, portions of which can be found here.
quoted from an interview of Matthew Fox regarding his book “The Reinvention of Work.”
NOTE: Rev. Wendy mistakenly said Matthew Fox had been an Episcopal Priest. He was not. He was a Catholic Priest and was excommunicated for his support of women and departure from church doctrine.
quoted from Ross Gay’s book “Inciting Joy”
During Time for All Ages, Laura read a book about Desmond, a mouse who lived in a beautiful meadow, who had an elephant fall asleep on his tail. The book speaks to “being neutral” to an unjust situation.
The book is Desmond Gets Free, written by Matt Meyer and illustrated by Khim Fam.
Sunday, February 22, 2026
In our Youth-led service, the high school youth group read a story about a young girl who creates a museum for her neighborhood that represents the people in it.
The book is called Milo’s Museum, written by Zetta Elliot and illustrated by Purple Wong.
Sunday, February 15, 2026
During this Sunday service, Laura spoke of the history of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper and referenced the following quote:
“We are all bound up together in one great bundle of humanity, and society cannot trample on the weakest and feeblest of its members without receiving the curse in its own soul.”
Sunday, February 8, 2026
In her sermon, Rev. Wendy:
Quoted from Michelle Obama’s book, The Light We Carry,
told the story of the Esther from the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament),
and shared a story from Naomi Shahib Nye, contained in her prose poem Gate A4.
During Time for All Ages, Paula read a story about belonging.
The book is All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman.
Sunday, February 1, 2026
In her sermon, Rev. Wendy offered a few quotes:
“We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community. Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.” – Caesar Chavez
“When the margins become the center our whole moral calculus changes.” – Dr. Jemar Tisby
“The most common way people give up their power is by believing they don’t have any.” – Alice Walker
Rev. Wendy also mentioned the work of Canadian trans activist, author, and professor, Kai Cheng Thom, referencing her keynote address at a conference and her book, I Hope We Choose Love.
Rev. Wendy also shared a prayer by Dr. Brian Baker found in A Black Rock Book of Prayer:
“The world now is too dangerous and too beautiful for anything but love.
May your eyes be so blessed you see God in everyone.
Your ears, so you hear the cry of the poor.
May your hands be so blessed
that everything you touch is a sacrament.
Your lips, so you speak nothing but the truth with love.
May your feet be so blessed you run
to those who need you.
And may your heart be so opened,
so set on fire, that your love,
your love, changes everything.”
During Time for All Ages, Laura shared a story about Equality vs. Equity.
The book is Oliver Octopus and the Unwinnable Game by Ben Okon.