Podcasts of Sermons from Foothills Unitarian Church. Rev. Gretchen Haley, Senior Minister & Rev. Sean Neil-Barron, Assistant Minister
Rev. Elaine honors the start of Passover and draws on the story of the ancient Israelites' escape from enslavement to explore how imagining what may seem impossible can lead to real liberation. She shares how this moment - as we begin emerging from the pandemic - is the time to imagine a new beginning in which we can move toward collective liberation and planetary healing.
Rev. Elaine explores how imagination asks us to loosen our grip on the illusion of control, step into the unknown and, how, in turn, imagination lays the ground for transformation and liberation because it helps us be co-creators of our future.
The ancient Persian story of the Simburgh, a benevolent, mythical flying creature. Adapted and narrated by Rev. Elaine Aron-Tenbrink. Originally told in the 12th century by Farid Ud-Din Attar and retold by Jorge Luis Borges (BORE-hayse) in “The Book of Imaginary Things.”
Music: "Flight of a Young Bird" by Jared C. Balogh As distributed on the Free Music Archive Creative Commons License for non-commercial use Full License available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/legalcode
Rev. Sean explores repairing relationships in the context of healing, accountability, shame, and transformative justice. We've all messed up and harmed someone, so what do we do after? What do repair, reconciliation, and accountability look like in the aftermath of a mistake? How do we move through shame toward accountability and healing? And what does it mean when the 'we' that has messed up is a society?
Rev. Sean reflects on receiving the vaccine and explores acknowledging ambiguity and celebrating along the way.
Rev. Gretchen offers a meditation and poses reflection questions for the anniversary of the pandemic.
Rev. Gretchen explores the adaptive process and shares lessons in creativity and survival.
Rev. Sean offers a prayer for integrating courageous love and Beloved Community into our daily lives.
Rev. Sean reads "There Is No Easier Way" by Elizabeth Nguyen.
Rev. Gretchen preaches about how Tough Love Saves Us All as we work for liberation and to dismantle racism. She explains Beloved Community and guides us in exploring how courageous love requires us to act with a systemic and collective lens.
Rev. Elaine shares a cautionary tale of ditching boundaries involving an exhausting, melty, ticking popsicle time-bomb!
Rev. Sean discusses boundaries as how we live in the messy middle between dependence and independence. He explores how boundaries are a practice to give structure to how we relate to one another and how boundaries are an act of compassion.
