January 6, 2002. "The Courage to Create." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. Someone has said, "Art is what makes life bearable." Life seems chaotic, without pattern or meaning. Creativity lends form and meaning, whether it's building a bookcase, projecting a vision for an organization, or writing a poem. Creativity is a life-giving process, even amidst our most difficult days.  

January 13, 2002. "Living in the Gaps." Rev. Thomas Disrud. What do we do in that space where we have left one life but haven't quite gotten to the next one? Living in that in-between place calls us to have faith and to hold fast to our vision of the future.

January 20, 2002. "The Circle of Compassion." Rev. Thomas Disrud. Compassion for ourselves and for others is something we strive for, but don't always come to find. In fact it can be very difficult to cultivate. But in these times, we need it perhaps more than we ever have before.

February 3, 2002. "Another Way of Being: Lessons from Bali." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. My time in Bali during my sabbatical taught me that there are radically different ways to organize a society. As I experienced the Balinese culture, I observed that above all, people seemed to value family, spiritual life and beauty.  What can we learn from the Balinese?

February 10, 2002. "The Suffering of the World." Rev. Thomas Disrud. "We have now joined the suffering of the world," Dorothy Stafford said after Sept. 11. If all of life is suffering, as some would say, what does this mean and how do we live with it? Some thoughts on what is one of the central questions for us as a religious community.

February 24, 2002. "The Words Left Unspoken." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. Have there been times when you wish you would have spoken, and you did not? How do we avoid those times of regret and find the words that seem to elude us?

March 3, 2002. "Reflections on Evil." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. The word "evil" has been thrown around rather loosely since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. Is there a force for evil operating in the world? Or are reprehensible deeds caused by human choices? Or by the cultural and social imperatives?

March 17, 2002. "Want to Be a Change Agent? Here's How!" Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. Our societal problems often seem overwhelming, but I believe that we really can change the world. In this sermon I will explore positive ways to make a positive change.

March 31, 2002. "A Faith for Grown-Ups." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. We all grow up with the religion--or lack of it--of our parents. How do we take the good from that childhood faith and leave what is not helpful, thereby moving to an authentic faith of our own?

April 7, 2002. "The Compost of Living." Rev. Thomas Disrud. In our living, we produce waste. Not just the literal kind, of course, but emotional waste as well. What do we do with that, and how is it that the composting of life's garbage can turn into something rich and life-giving?

April 14, 2002. "Young Adults: Alone and Searching." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. This Sunday I will explore the challenges that young adults have these days. That time after college but before these young people settle into a career or find a permanent partner can be difficult, indeed. What can we do to help? Joining me will be three young adults who will share with you how they experience their lives.

April 21, 2002. "Discovering Roots: Affirming Connections." Barbara Coeyman, Intern Minister. The history of Unitarianism and Universalism--and of this congregation--is filled with dedicated and visionary women and men who can inspire our work today. Join me in exploring some of our history as it connects with our present and inspires our future as a liberal religion.

April 28, 2002. "Taming the Beast Within." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. Anger is a difficult emotion to deal with well. In my own life I'm trying to find a way to make anger constructive, and this Sunday I will share my current thinking with you.

May 5, 2002. "Paths to Forgiveness." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. Forgiveness and reconciliation--is there a difference? How do we forgive others when the hurt has gone so deep? How do we forgive ourselves?

May 19, 2002. "Who Are We and Where Are We Going?" Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell.

May 26, 2002. "Remembering Everyday Spiritual Practice." Barbara Coeyman, Intern Minister. What nourishes your spirituality? Do you maintain regular spiritual practice? Would you like to explore new practices? On this Memorial Day weekend, let us remember what sustains us spiritually.

June 2, 2002. "Lessons from Spiderman." Rev. Thomas Disrud. Most of us are not called to be superheroes in life, but we are often called to do things that we may not feel ready or able to do. Spiderman may have some things to teach us.

June 9, 2002. "The Glass Is Already Broken." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. I am drawn to the Buddhist concept of attachment, which the Buddhists say is the source of our human pain. Can we retain our passion and involvement in the world and yet be "detatched"? I believe we can.

June 16, 2002. "American Myths About Happiness." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. The mythos of a society largely determines the dreams and destinies of its people. Which ones in American society play us false, and which ones are dreams of substance and value?

June 23, 2002. "Getting to the Heart of Vulnerability." Barbara Coeyman, Intern Minister. Vulnerability is part of being human, yet we tend to hide it from ourselves and from others. Being vulnerable feels risky, but admitting our vulnerabilities opens us to great potential for personal and spiritual growth.

June 30, 2002. "The Necessity of Despair." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. We all come to those places in our lives when we feel there is no answer to a dilemma or to a wound or loss. But it is just those times that can be a prelude to our most creative and joyous times. As Wendell Berry wrote, "It is the impeded stream that sings."

July 28, 2002. "The Ethical Life, Part I." Rev. Thomas Disrud. At a time when it seems as if ethics are scarce--particularly in the worlds of politics and business--how do we articulate our own sense of ethics? It may not always be easy, but it sure is important.

August 4, 2002. "The Ethical Life, Part II: Principles Into Action." Rev. Thomas Disrud. We live by principles, some chosen, some we may not even think about. But as we put those principles into action, the choices are not always easy, and we are asked to make difficult decisions.

August 25, 2002. “Living with Eyes Wide Open.” Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. It is easy to get on this train called life and roll on through to the end with agendas other than your own. But passivity brings death to the spirit. This sermon is about waking up.

September 1, 2002. “Across the Class Divide.” Kate Lore, Social Justice Director. Struggles for jobs and economic justice have often been divided from social goals such as peace or environmental protection. How do we create a society where both the process and product of work serve life-sustaining goals? This special Labor Day service addresses work, class, and the power we can harness when we work in coalition.

September 8, 2002. “Words We Live By.” Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. This is our Homecoming Sunday, and a service in which joy will abound. I’ll be talking about words or phrases that keep us whole, keep us on the path.

September 15, 2002. "Here, Take It, It's Yours." Rev. Thomas Disrud. What do we do with this life we have been given, with all its ups and downs? With the passage of time, there is a way that it all seems to move forward into something new.

September 22, 2002. "Making Sense of Life's Transitions." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. We know intellectually that the only constant in this life is change, but change still has a way of unnerving us and throwing us off track, especially when we didn't choose the change. How can we get through the fear and stay balanced through life's transitions?

October 6, 2002. "The Limits of Tolerance." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. Unitarian Universalists are known for their tolerance. But can tolerance be taken too far? What does a liberal church do when it confronts evils that should not be tolerated? When it confronts intolerance of minorities? When an individual begins to harm the peace and welfare of the community?

October 13, 2002. "Too Much of a Good Thing." Brent Was, Intern Minister. Being part of a community takes love, patience and commitment, and no small amount of sacrifice. What challenges do we as Unitarian Universalists face in creating our church communities?

October 20, 2002. "What Do Women Want?" Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. This is the first of a duo of sermons treating gender relationships. Are men and women really so different? Well, yes and no. What do women find satisfying both in their larger lives and in their intimate relationships?

October 27, 2002. "What Do Men Want?" Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. This is the second of my duo of sermons about gender. Though I'm not male, I will try to be a good listener as I interview men in preparation for this sermon. Personally, I think there is a male energy that is different from female energy, and I think both are in all of us, and I think both are invaluable for keeping the world in balance.

November 3, 2002. "All That We Leave Behind." Rev. Thomas Disrud. Do you ever think about what your legacy will be or about what will happen to your most precious belongings? It is important to reflect on such issues, and to let your final wishes be known.

November 10, 2002. "By Grace Alone." Brent Was, Intern Minister. Grace is that state where love, beauty, God and ourselves gently meet. We all struggle with grace, but we are never alone.

November 24, 2002. "Moving from Charity to Justice." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. Churches are generally more comfortable with feeding hungry people than with finding out why so many people are hungry and working to change the social/economic status quo. How do we move from the ease of charitable giving to the more radical and more truly healing position of justice-seeking and sharing of power?

December 1, 2002. "Wanting to Be Surprised." Rev. Thomas Disrud. When we think about change, we want it to come on our terms. As we are able to see and appreciate where we are, we can see things in a different way. If we are standing on solid ground, we might find ourselves open to all kinds of surprises.

December 8, 2002. "When the Heart Is Full of Light." Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell. We move toward the light—our language, our common expressions, move us there. There is the Christian tradition of  the light of the star; the Jewish faith light the menorah; the celebration of light in the Hindu religion is called Divali; Kwanzaa is a celebration of African culture and community in which the seven candles of kinara are lit; Winter Solstice is celebrated by many who are more earth-centered in their religious life. The human heart turns from darkness towards light.

December 22, 2002. "Great Gifts for Under $10." Rev. Thomas Disrud. Perhaps what we give is not as important as how we give. Do we give of ourselves in such a way that we are able to see what is precious in another? And do we also accept that we are precious in receiving a gift? In our giving, are we giving out of a place of abundance and gratitude?

December 29, 2002. "What Nourishes Us." Brent Was, Intern Minister. We are nourished by our companions, our loves, and the sights and sounds and feelings that we take in each moment we are alive. We do not live by bread alone, but also by love and compassion and care and companionship.