UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SARASOTA, 3975 FRUITVILLE ROAD, SARASOTA FL 34232, TEL. 941-371-4974
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Christmas Eve, December 24:
(recording is not available)




Photo by Aditya Romansa

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​

The following video was played as part of the announcement about the Guest at your Table collection:
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People enjoyed the video that accompanied Natalie Helm's third piece, "The Swan." If you mute the swan video and play the music video at the same time, you'll get a sense of what it was like. 
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October 28:
A critique on the history and role of Unitarian Universalism in the United States and the issues now facing our society that we must come to grips with if Unitarian Universalism is to remain relevant and transformative.

Rev. Fred L Hammond currently is serving the Manatee Unitarian Universalist Fellowship as Developmental Minister.

​

Photo used under Creative Commons from Kevin Rheese.

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Rev. Fred L Hammond
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October 21:
I gave a sermon with this title five years ago, when same-sex marriage was still not legal in Florida. Now as we are renewing our commitment to being a welcoming congregation, I want to remind us of the road Unitarian Universalists have traveled over the past fifty years, in our effort to define acceptable human sexual behavior.
Click on the image to hear Roger's sermon.
Click here to hear his reading from a sermon that changed his mind...​
​

Photo by Marilyn Humphries is from the cover of Courting Equality: A Documentary History of America's First Legal Same-Sex Marriages, published by Beacon Press.

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October 14:
What Is SURE? 
Should We Join?

​Sermon by Rev. Roger 
Fritts 
The service will be about SURE (Sarasota United for Responsibility and Equity). I will share my positive experience with a similar organization in Montgomery County, Maryland, (AIM). I will mention that of the five UU congregations in that county only two are active in AIM. This is not something that every UU congregation does. I will introduce the organizer for SURE, Will Newton, ask him a few questions and then invite brief comments and questions from the congregation.

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October 7:
​
Learning about Alcohol Abuse
​Sermon by Rev. Roger Fritts
In August I planned a sermon on the Unitarian roots of the ACLU, which I still will give in the near future. However, watching the news is upsetting. I have found comfort in the wisdom of Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon. Indeed, the whole country could benefit from an Al-Anon meeting. Step four of the 12 steps is "make a searching and  fearless moral inventory of ourselves." Perhaps, (I hope) I can minister to my congregation by doing a little personal inventory of my own. I want to examine what I have learned about alcohol abuse disorder and what I think and feel about it.

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September 30:
​Restore
​Voting Rights

​Sermon by Desmond Meade

Meade is a formerly homeless returning citizen (previously incarcerated) who overcame many obstacles to eventually become the current Executive Director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC), Chair of Floridians for a Fair Democracy, Chair of the Florida Coalition on Black Civic Participation’s Black Men’s Roundtable, and a graduate of Florida International University College of Law. Read more...

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Desmond Meade

​The following video was played before the sermon:
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September 23:
Over the Rainbow
For many years the Welcoming Congregation program has assisted congregations like ours in becoming a safe spiritual home for the LGBTQ community and Interweave has provided an LGBTQ support group.  Now same sex couples can legally marry.  It was a big step forward for the LGBTQ community.  The ability to marry has led to a complacency among many people, including some Unitarian Universalists.  The Supreme Court recently declared that it is permissible to deny service to a same sex marriage under the concept of a personal religious belief.  Our work is not done. Thus, renewing our Welcoming Congregation status affirms our dedication to providing a safe spiritual home for the LGBTQ community.  Hear Ron Brown's presentation...       Hear Edie Kaplan's presentation...     
​ Hear Bill Geller's presentation...      Hear Wilda Meier's presentation...  Hear Fran Gaglianello's presentation...

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September 16:
​The Five Smooth Stones
of Liberal Religion

​Sermon by Rev. Margaret L. Beard
Unitarian theologian, minister and social ethicist James Luther Adams wrote a famous essay by this title toward the end of WW II as a response to attacks against liberal religion.  What is the enduring truth of his message?  Is it useful today?  

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Rev. Margaret L. Beard
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September 9:
What Do the High Holy Days Mean to Me?
​Sermon by Rabbi Judah Hungerman
How do the approaching High Holy Days call us to think about how we are living? Our Unitarian Universalist faith draws on "Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves." These are recognized as among the six sources of our "living tradition" of wisdom and spirituality which Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote. With that in mind, we invited Rabbi Judah of Beth Messiah to speak.

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Rabbi Judah Hungerman
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September 2:
The sermon will be based on a children’s book “Unhurry Harry”  by Eve Merriam and the writings of the Vietnamese Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh (pictured here). He writes Buddhist meditation has two aspects: looking deeply, and stopping. We tend to stress the importance of looking deeply because it can bring us insight. But the practice of stopping is fundamental. If we cannot stop, we cannot have
Insight.  

Photo used under Creative Commons from Geoff Livingston

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August 26:
With the departure of Justice Kennedy, Roe v. Wade may be overturned. Public opinion on abortion has been relatively stable since Roe was decided. A total abortion ban has consistently garnered roughly 20 percent in the Gallup Poll since 1976. From one quarter to one third of Americans favors legal abortion under all circumstances (29 percent says that now). The middle 50 percent to 60 percent says it should be legal “under certain circumstances.” Sunday, I will share my own perspective. 

 Allison's story is available by clicking here. Roger's sermon is available by clicking on the picture.       Photos used under Creative Commons from www.cemillerphotography.com, Elvert Barrnes

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August 19:
What movies, if any, have shaped your morality, your ethics?  "Casablanca” -- sacrifice of individual happiness for the greater good?  “To Kill a Mockingbird”-- fighting for justice against a mob? “Schindler’s List” (pictured here)  -- Risking death to save over 1,000 
Jews from death in concentration camps?  “It’s a Wonderful Life” -- An honest, sincere, depressed man learns he is important to the average, common people around him. I will share the movies that have played a role in shaping my life. 

Audio is not available for this sermon.

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August 12:
We make sense of the world by the stories we tell ourselves. This is particularly so when it comes to the issues of Immigration and the separation of children from their parents. The sermon will be a mixture of statistics and stories. 

Video test: We are testing a system of creating video recordings of the sermons for posting to this page. Here is our first result. While the quality is not what we would like, it still gives a good sense of what the sermon was. First, the meditation reading, then the sermon. High quality audio is available by clicking on the picture above. 
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August 5:
Much of our public discourse presumes that economic indicators like employment and income overwhelmingly determine our happiness.   If that were the case, we should be feeling pretty great and living in harmony right about now.   But while there's good evidence about what actually contributes to human flourishing,  not much of it is reflected in our  public policy or our reality.  What would it mean to build a society that nourishes wellbeing?

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Rev. Brock Leach
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July 29:
Everyone is either in a storm, about to be in a storm or coming out of a storm. Sometimes hopelessness sets in when the skies are dark and grey,  when our world and our lives are not full of sunshine and rainbows. It can be frightening and gut wrenching to witness lightning strike and destroy. When things are falling apart, how do we survive the storm? Is it possible to harness the power of the storm and use it for good? 
​

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Rev. Katie Culbert
The service included the reading of 
"Psalm 23 for This Moment"
and the following music video:
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July 22:
The art of the story teller is to invite the listener into a shared experience, to make them feel something. A good story can offer new perspectives on everyday experiences or it can open up visions of how we might recreate the world.

Now completing his fourth year serving the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greater Naples, the Reverend Tony Fisher was ordained into the Unitarian Universalist ministry in 2014 after a successful 35-year career in educational publishing. 

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Rev. Tony Fisher
PictureCharles Lee
July 15:
​Optimism, the Indispensable Asset
Sermon by Charles Lee

Lee considers himself to be an optimistic person and hopes that everyone is. 
​
Lee has an undergraduate degree in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Health Administration from UNC Chapel Hill.   He was the first Executive Director for the National Kidney Foundation of North Carolina. He became the Southeast Regional Director for NKF and finished his career as the National Affiliate Development Director serving 52 affiliates in 50 states. While with the NKF he was president of the Professional Staff Association.

The sermon included clips from this video:
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July 8:
​Building an Intentional Community

Sermon by Brian Berry and Nancy Janus
We spent nearly four months living with 570 college students, 27 professors, 27 staff and 15 lifelong learners traveling around the world last fall. Despite the wonder of visiting nine European, African and Asian countries, we both agree that the intentional community that was built on the ship was the most meaningful part of the voyage. Our sermon will explore what elements go into the creation of such a community and what it gave to us.

The sermon ended with the following video, produced by the students:
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July 1:
Bill Payton describes himself as an ordinary guy.  Those of you that know Bill also know that he is anything but ordinary. He says he has lived an ordinary life including the military service, college, a career, raising a family and retirement.  Now Bill wonders if there should have been something more.  In his mid-70’s, he wonders what he can do that makes a difference. Join us as we welcome Bill back to our pulpit.


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Bill Payton
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June 24: 
A Taste of GA: 
General Assembly Live
We had a unique opportunity this year to join thousands of Unitarian Universalists at General Assembly (GA) live on Sunday morning. Their Worship Service took place from 10 am to 11:30 our time, coinciding with our regular worship time. Since this rarely happens, we took advantage of it this year to give you a taste of GA. This Sunday morning service was the largest gathering of UU's anywhere. It featured a sermon by Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, President of the UUA. She shared the pulpit with her colleague, Rev. Natalie Fenimore. Music was provided by a 180-member choir and professional musicians, performing selections by artists as varied as Dolly Parton, Adolphus Hailstork, MILCK and Jason Shelton.    Click on the image to watch the Sunday morning worship service. ​Click here for a list of more events from GA 2018.

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June 17:
​Why Care about Diversity?

Sermon by Jody McBrien, Ph.D.
The sermon will indicate ways in which many residents in the US remain opposed to multiculturalism, followed by ways in which residents who open themselves to diversity both benefit personally and help new and/or diverse residents feel welcome in the US. I will review the 8-week series on diversity held at our church in February-March 2018 to consider ways in which our own congregation considered how they engage with diversity issues such as age, race, LGBTQ, religion, special needs, and immigration. 

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Jody McBrien, Ph D
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May 20:
With a reference to the "The Emperor's New Clothes" and the March 24 protests.

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Presentation by our Youth Group

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May 14:
A sermon about religious language--about the meaning of words like God and spirituality.

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May 6: ​An "Ordinary" Hero
Sermon by Rabbi Harold Caminker

I'm talking about what one German (Nazi) businessman did during the Holocaust to save "his" Jewish workers from being taken by the Nazis and put on the death trains heading to Auschwitz. Similar to Oskar Schindler and Raoul Wallenberg. The question for us today is: "What would I have done? Would I have taken the risk to act heroically -- saving innocent lives -- or would I have remained a silent bystander in the face of evil?"

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April 29
Sermon by ​Roger Fritts:

​I like the humor of religion. I know there are serious matters to consider --  angels, miracles, trinities, resurrections — to name only a few. But a good laugh is a saving grace. Pictured here is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which I've attended. It is the single biggest celebration of arts and culture on the planet, with 3,269 shows, of which 1,294 are comedy shows, ranging from stand-up routines to scripted plays. All this laughter encouraged me to explore the relationship between laughter and religion.

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Video clip shown:
Click on the picture to go to the Service of the Living Tradition at the 2017 General Assembly. We showed the first 5 1/2  minutes of the sermon (1:20:41 to 1:26:14). The complete text of the service is shown below the video on that page.

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April 22
I have made several walking trips in the Grand Canyon. The canyon is a giant open cemetery of life, containing the fossils stacked in layers of algae, worms, reptiles and mammals. It invites me to reflect on my relationship to the earth. ​

Click on the picture to hear and/or download.​.​

Read about upcoming services...

April 15: "The Sound of Spirit"
This service was a special celebration of music, featuring our choir; Don Bryn, piano; Robert Lischetti, tenor;  Jan Dorsett, piano; John Steinspring, bassoon; Hermann Berndt, cello; and Fred Sirasky, clarinet. Music performed included Verdi's Va Pensiero: Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves, You Raise Me Up, Bring Him Home from Les Miserables, April Showers by Silvers and instrumental numbers by Tirindelli, Mozart, Schubert and Scriabin. Hymns included Bring, O Morn, Thy Music, to the tune of the classic Holy, Holy, Holy, and My Life Flows On in Endless Song, otherwise known as How Can I keep From Singing?

(Copyright restrictions and lack of high fidelity recording facilities preclude us from posting recordings of the music.)

April 8:
April 8
Click on the picture to hear and/or download.​.

Charter for Compassion video at right is viewable and dowloadable. 

April 1:
April 1 
Click on the picture to hear and/or download.

The video to the right is the song we sang during the sermon. (0:53 to 1:38) The song was used in the closing scene of The Life of Bryan, as he hung on the cross with numerous other convicts.

March 25 - ​
March 25 
(Click on the picture to hear and/or download.)

One of the tensions in liberal religion is that between individuality and community. How do we build a responsible religious community on the basis of a radical respect for individuality? Is the individual supreme? Is the community supreme? Or is there a way to balance the conflicting authorities? 

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Photo used under Creative Commons from VaughnSaball

March 18:
March 18
Click on the picture to hear and/or download.

(Click on the links below to hear or download the sermons or to see the video clips)

March 11 - "Climate Changes"
Dr. Terry Root

Terry began her sermon with the following video:

March 4 - "Women, Men and Communication"
​Rev. Roger Fritts (read by Paul Lewis)
February 25 - "Can Money Make Us Happy?"
​Rev. Roger Fritts
February 18 - "Grief and Action after School Shooting in Parkland"
​Rev. Roger Fritts

February 11 - ​"Against the Stream: The Search for Meaning Beyond Reason" with poetry by Wendell Berry and excerpts from the Heart Sutra read by Paul Lewis
Lea Hall, PhD
Leonhard Cohen's "Anthem" was our closing hymn, led by Mindy Simmons and Ed Kinder:

January 28 - ​"No Time for a Casual Faith"
​Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association
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"Where to Find Unitarian Universalist Ministers"
​(Click on the picture to play the video played during the service.)

January 21 - ​"Harnessing This Moment, Together"
​Rachel Freed, UU Service Committee
January 14 - ​"The Ministry of Rev. Lewis McGee"
​Rev. Roger Fritts
January 7 - ​"Welcome! It's Good to Have You with Us!"
​Rev. Roger Fritts

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2017 Sermons

Dec 31 "Not the Future We Ordered: Staying Sane in Crazy Times" Rev. Michael Dowd Video: Nature Is Speaking / Words for Contemplation / Sermon video
Dec 17 "The Birth of Jesus" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
Dec 10 "The Nicest Gifts You Ever Received" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading / Sermon
Dec 3 "What Is Holy?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
Nov 26 "Am I a Symbol?" Rev. Levente Lázár and Rev. Erika Demeter Sermon
Nov 19 "Do We Welcome People Who Do Not Believe in God?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
Nov 12 "From Luther to Unitarianism" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
Nov 5 "A Conversation with Martin Luther" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
Oct 29 "Women and Witch Hunts" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
Oct 22 "Partnering for a New Tomorrow" Rev. Dr. Tracy Sprowls Sermon
Oct 15 "Are Groups Smarter Than Individuals?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
Oct 8 "Got Joy!" Rev. Jennifer Dant Sermon
Oct 1 "Are Groups Smarter Than Individuals?" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading / Sermon
Sept 24 "Tidewell - It's More Than You Think" Lisa Wright, Tidewell liaison & care giver Sermon
Sept 17 "The Faith of a Religious Liberal" Rev. Roger Fritts Children's Story / Sermon
Sept 10 Services cancelled due to Hurricane Irma    
Sept 3 "Harvey and Universalism" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading / Sermon
Aug 20 "Liberal Religion and Empowerment" Rev. Brock Leach Sermon
Aug 13 "Welcoming the Stranger" Jody McBrien Sermon
Aug 6 "Can't Afford to Continue" Rev. Khleber Miller Van Zandt V
July 30 "Keep It Simple" Preston Boyd
July 23 "A Community of Risk" Rev. Patricia Owen
July 16 "Meditations of a 'Quaker-tarian'" Kathleen Konicek-Moran
July 9 "Reflections on Hinduism" John Brackett
July 2 "Holding Truths and Declarations" Rev. Margaret Beard
June 25 "Poison or Antidote?" Rev. Bill Morgan
June 18 "Honour Thy Father" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
June 11 "The Joy of Solitude" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
June 4 "How to Grow Young - Exploring the Wisdom of Ashley Montagu" Mary Lou Keller
May 28 "Why Do Religious People Live Longer?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
May 21 "Religious Education Sunday" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
May 14 "A Universalist Hymn Sing in Honor of Women" Rev. Roger Fritts
May 7 "Confessions of a White Liberal Minister" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon / Reading
April 30 "Music service with piano dedication" Rev. Roger Fritts
April 23 "The Power of Forgiveness" Rev. Katie Culbert
April 16 "What Is Religion?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
April 9 "Are There Just Wars?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
April 2 "The Biggest of All Questions" Rev. Michael McGee
March 26 "Supporting Communities Under Siege" Rev. Roger Fritts Video / Sermon / Video
March 19 "Was Charlie Brown a Humanist?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
March 12 "Jesus Loved Healthcare" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
March 5 "My Favorite Poet" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
February 26 "A Cure for Social Isolation" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
February 19 "Life's Lessons and Their Tuition" Nancy Janus
February 12 "Mating Rules" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
February 5 "The Future of Liberal Religion" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
January 29 "Different, Not Broken" Olivia Babis
January 22 "Narcissism and Leadership" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
January 15 "A Model for Ministry" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
January 8  "Prophetic Religion" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
January 1  "New Year's Traditions" Bill Payton

 

2016 Sermons

December 25 "Singing at Christmas" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
December 18 "Joseph's Christmas" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
December 11 "Stone Circles" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
December 4 "The Inherent Worth and Dignity of Every Person" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
November 27 "Lies We Believe" Jody McBrien
November 20 "An Interpretation of the Lord's Prayer" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
November 13 "The American Soul" Rev. Roger Fritts <Sermon / Printable copy
November 6 "Love or Fear" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
October 30 "All Saints Day: A Time for Heroes and Heroines" Rev. Katie Culbert
October 23 "Church and State" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
October 16 "Character for President" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
October 9 "My Favorite Philosopher" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
October 2 "Countering Islamophobia: Understanding our Muslim Brothers and Sisters" Imam Azhar Subedar
September 25 "In Quietness and in Confidence Shall Be Your Strength" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
September 18 "The Sharps' War" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon / Video
September 11 "Grief Over the Years" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
September 4 "Religious Ethics and Political Campaigns" Rev. Roger Fritts <Sermon
August 28 "What Do I Believe?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
August 21 "Jazz Sunday" Pine View HS Jazz Quartet  
August 14 "A Personal Theory of Change" Rev. Brock Leach
August 7 "Art Confronts a Frightened People" Rev. Bill Morgan
July 31 "What Do Evangelicals Have That We Don’t?" Rev. Dr. Maureen Killoran
July 24 "Don't Worry; Be Happy" Rev. Dorothy Okray
July 17 "Cobbling Together as Best We Can" Rev. Margaret L. Beard Please contact Rev. Beard for the audios.
July 10 "On the Events of the Past Week" Rev. Brock Leach
July 10 "Moccasins, Walking in Another's Footsteps" Cork Hassell
July 10 "Honesty Works for Me...Most of the Time" Bill Payton
July 3 "Listening with the Ear of the Heart" Ed Loomis
June 26 "Freedom! Spiritual, Social and Personal" Mindy Simmons
June 19 "Can We End Gun Violence?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
June 12 "A Reflection on a Walk" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
June 5 "The Summer Vacation as a Religious Experience" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
May 29 "Faith and Feminism" Rev. Katie Culbert
May 22 "Eating Tortilla Chips with Cesar Chavez and Coretta Scott King" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon Part 1 / Video (begin at 5:33) / Sermon Part 2
May 15 "Who Then Am I?" Susan Cook-Hallock
May 8 "Women We Admire" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon Part 1 / Video (begin at 23:43) / Sermon Part 2
May 1 "Spirituality and the Beatles" Rev. Elaine Silver
Apr 24 "It's Not About You" Rev. Katie Culbert
Apr 17 "Is the Human Race Evolving to a Higher Consciousness?" Rev. Roger Fritts TED Talk by Kurzweil / Sermon
Apr 10 "You want justice, don't you? There isn't any. There is only love." Rev. Roger Fritts Reading / Sermon or access printable copy
Apr 3 "Climateers - A Report from the Field - How to Be a Good Person on Earth in Light of Climate Change" Lea Hall, Diane Cirksena and friends Video: Grandmother Oak / Music Video: The Shadows by Sandel
Mar 27 "Honk If You Love Jesus, an Easter Sermon" Rev. Roger Fritts sermon
Mar 20 "The Dublin Unitarians" Rev. Roger Fritts reading and centering in words of J Flegg / sermon or access a printable copy
Mar 13 "The Candidates’ Religions" Rev. Roger Fritts reading from "Civil Religion in America" / sermon or access a printable copy
Mar 6 "From Ash Wednesday to Easter" Rev. Roger Fritts story / sermon or access a printable copy
Feb 28  "Welcome to Sarasota, Fellow Baby Boomers" Rev. Roger Fritts sermon or access a printable copy
Feb 21  "Creating Change Through Humanism" Mr. Roy Speckhardt
Feb 14  "Love, a German American Perspective" Rev. Roger Fritts sermon or access a printable copy
Feb 7  "From Unitarian to Anglican: T.S. Eliot" Rev. Roger Fritts sermon or access a printable copy
Jan 31  "What Would You Do If You Won the Lottery?" Rev. Roger Fritts sermon or access a printable copy
Jan 24  "Separation Anxiety: God and Government in 2016" Rev. Barry Lynn sermon
Jan 17  "Black Lives Matter, Police Lives Matter" Rev. Roger Fritts sermon or access a printable copy
Jan 10  "The Unitarian Presidents" Rev. Roger Fritts sermon or access a printable copy
Jan 3 "Finding a Happy Life" Rev. Roger Fritts sermon or access a printable copy

 

2015 Sermons

Dec 27  "Woman Spirit Rising for Justice" Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan Sermon
Dec 24 "Letting Go of the Details" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon
Dec 20  "A Unitarian Christmas" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Dec 13 "How We Treat Our Children" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Dec 6 "What Is Worship Like in this Congregation?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Nov 29 "We Don't All Have to be Gryffindor" Tracie Barrett-Welser Sermon
Nov 22 "What Are Unitarian Universalist Views on Prayer?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Nov 15 "What Are Unitarian Universalist Views on Spirituality?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Nov 1 "What Are Unitarian Universalist Views on God?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Oct 25 "Grace" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Oct 18 "Spiritual Repurposing" Rev. Sara Zimmerman Sermon audio unavailable
Oct 11 "Are Unitarian Universalists Christians?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Oct 4 "What Makes Us Different from Other Religions?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Sep 27 "Cash and Contradiction" Rev. Khleber M. Van Zandt Sermon
Sep 20 "Here Comes the Pope!" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Sep 13 "What Is Religion?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Sep 6 "Security Deposit - Reflections on 9/11" Preston Boyd Sermon
Aug 30 "Seeking God - the Truth about God" Rev. Dorothy Okray Sermon
Aug 23 "A Shift from Thinking to Awareness" Stephen Gillum Sermon
Aug 16 "What's in a Sermon?" Bill Payton Sermon
Aug 9 "Wait AND See" Rev. William Morgan Words for Contemplation / Sermon
Aug 2 "Making Peace with Women's Bodies" Katie Culbert Sermon Part 1 / Video / Sermon Part 2
July 26 "A Spiritual Response to Fast-Paced Change" Dr. Jody McBrien Sermon
July 19 "The Future of Religion: What the Nones and the Nuns Have to Teach Us" Rev. Brock Leach Opening & Centering / Reading / Sermon
July 12 "Superstition in Early America" Bill Schustik Sermon in Music
July 5 "Oh Wow Oh Wow Oh Wow" Rev. Dr. Sara E. Zimmerman Sermon
Jun 28 "Happiness and Flow" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Jun 21 "What Is the African Methodist Episcopal Church?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Jun 14 "Positive Psychology and Happiness" Rev. Roger Fritts Printable copy
Jun 7 "Chemistry and Happiness" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
May 31 "The Pursuit of Happiness" Rev. Roger Fritts Centering / Sermon or access printable copy
May 24 "Karma Is a Funny Thing" Earle Canfield Words for Contemplation / Sermon / Closing Words
May 17 "Giving Thanks to Our Teachers" Regina Bucher Sermon
May 10 "I Like You Just the Way You Are" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
May 3 "The Wedding, What Is the Minister Thinking?" Rev. Roger Fritts and Katie Culbert Reading1 / Reading2 / Reading3 / Sermon or access printable copy
Apr 26 "Risky Business" Katie Culbert Reading / Sermon
Apr 19 "The Best Hope for the Future" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Apr 12 "Does AA's Third Step Exclude Agnostics and Atheists?" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy
Apr 5 "The Kingdom of God is Within You" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Mar 29 "Riding to Jerusalem for Passover" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy
Mar 22 "How Big Is God?" Rev. Michael McGee Sermon or access printable copy
Mar 15 "Hiding in the Tumbleweeds" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy
Mar 8 "An Imperfect Hero" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon Part1 / Video: A Call from Selma, by A.B.Grace / Sermon Part2 or access printable copy
Mar 1 "Music As a Spiritual Experience" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon Part1 / Sermon Part2
Feb 22 "Those Things We Hold Sacred" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy
Feb 15 "The Power of Refusal" Patricia Owen Reading / Contemplation / Centering / Sermon
Feb 8 "Our Main Crop Is the Forest That We Will Not Live to Harvest" Rev. Roger Fritts and Rev. Brock Leach Sermon or access printable copy
Feb 1 "Are Sexual Taboos Useful?" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy
Jan 25 "Black Lives Matter: Ways to Be an Ally" Katie Culbert Reading / Sermon Part 1 / Video / Sermon Part 2
Jan 18 "Selma" Rev. Roger Fritts Prelude Video / Sermon / Video or access printable copy
Jan 11 "Sandburg's Universalism"             Rev. Roger Fritts Poem / Reading / Sermon or access printable copy
Jan 4 "Using the Time We Have" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy

 

2014 Sermons

Dec 28 "The Charter for Compassion" Karen Armstrong A TED Talk Video
Dec 21 "Who Is Santa?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Dec 14 "Our Partner Church in Transylvania" Cathy Cordes, John Dale, Bill Payton, Mary Fran Raynault, Eileen Higgins and Rev. Jennifer Emrich Reflections
Dec 7 "The Sacred Tree" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy
Nov 30 "Thanksgiving" Rev. Scott Alexander Sermon read by Rick Sandler
Nov 23 "A Henry David Thoreau Thanksgiving" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Nov 16 "A Conversation with Margaret Fuller" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Nov 9 "Pacifists and Military Chaplains" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Nov 2 "The Founder of American Uniarianism" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Oct 26 "The Edge of Paradise" Dr. Lea Hall Sermon, including some Audios from Conservation International Films
Oct 19 "Staying Together: Long-Term Relationships" Rev. Roger Fritts access printable copy
Oct 12 "Are Partners Like Orca Whales?" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy
Oct 5 "Forgiving Our Ex-Partner" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Sep 28 "Should We Abolish Marriage?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Sep 21 "Love Reaches Out" Katie Culbert Sermon audio not available
Sep 14 "Worship and Image Making" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon
Sep 7 "Advice for New Parents" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy
Aug 31 "Digging for Roots" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Aug 24 "West Side Jazz" Don Bryn Quartet, commentary by Rick Sandler A CD of the entire service may be requested from the church office.
Aug 17 "Is Food a Religious Issue?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Aug 10 "Living and Aging in a Messy World. Let's Dance!" Rev. Bill Morgan Reading/ Sermon
Aug 3 "Meditation" Stephen Gillum Reading/ Sermon
Jul 27 "Java and Judaism" Rabbi Harold Caminker Sermon
Jul 20 "Not Afraid, Not Alone" Preston Boyd Sermon
Jul 13 "What Is the Church Doing?" Rev. John Walker Sermon
Jul 6 "The Promise of America" Bill Schustik Tom Paine's thought in song
Jun 29 "Scotland and the American Declaration of Independence" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy
Jun 22 "Flower Communion" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy
Jun15 "Honor Thy Father" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Jun 8 "Shattering the Glas Darkly (Using Brain Science to Keep Us Humble)" Rev. Don Beaudreault Sermon
Jun 1 "What Gives My Life Meaning?" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy
May 25 "A Life's Work" Rev. Brock Leach Reading 1/ Reading 2/ Sermon
May 18 "Unitarian Universalist Humanism" Katie Culbert Sermon
May 11 "Mother's Day: What Is a Good-Enough Mother?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
May 4 "May the Fourth Be with You" John Irvin Sermon
Apr 27 "Have the Climate Change Deniers Won?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Apr 20 "Who Do People Say I Am?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Apr 13 "Religious Pilgrimage - A Way to Spiritual Renewal?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Apr 06 "Noah: A Unitarian Universalist Perspective" Katie Culbert Sermon
Mar 30 "Nonviolence in Everyday Life" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Mar 16 "Imagination and the Irish" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Mar 09 "The Religious Impulse" Revs. Axel and Elaine Gehrmann Sermon Part I / Sermon Part II
Mar 02 "Watching the Government Watch Us--Should We Be Afraid?" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy
Feb 23 "The Power of a Nudge" Katie Culbert Sermon
Feb 16 "What Do Physicists Say About God?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Feb 9 "What Do Neurologists Say About God?" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Feb 2 "What Do Geneticists Say About God?" Rev. Roger Fritts Reading/ Sermon or access printable copy
Jan 26 "The Adventure of Forgiveness" Rev. Michael McGee Sermon
Jan 19 "The Hunger for Diversity" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
Jan 12 "Sold on Soul -- Duke Ellington" Rev. Roger Fritts and Dorothy Watson Sermon
Jan 5 "20 Years of Singing the Living Tradition" Rev. Roger Fritts Sermon or access printable copy
If you would like to read or print some of Rev. Roger Fritts's sermons from 2011-2013, please click here.

If a sermon doesn't have an audio link, please request the link from the church office.
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