Joe Mohr presents “The Gentle, Forceful Good,” noting, Too often, goodness is mistaken for niceness. In our political life, the Democratic Party has often chosen passivity, playing by the rules, even as opponents exploit every loophole and erode the rules themselves. What does it mean, then, to practice a gentle but forceful good that resists … Continue reading The Gentle, Forceful Good
Joe Mohr presents thoughts on “Resistance Like a Rock.” Resistance, he notes, “is not always loud or forceful. Sometimes, it looks like a rock — grounded, unmoving, immovable in the face of injustice. This Sunday we’ll remember the 1958 Dockum Drug Store sit-in in Wichita, Kansas — an overlooked spark of the Civil Rights Movement … Continue reading Resistance Like a Rock
Joe Mohr presents thoughts on “The Longest Night,” when in the midst of holiday lights and Christmas cheer, many among us carry grief, longing, or a sense of not quite belonging. For this service, he notes, “we gather to honor the dark, to make space for sorrow, and to remind ourselves that hope is not … Continue reading The Longest Night
Joe Mohr will present “My Ancestors’ Wildest Dream.” He notes that we carry within us “the labors, sacrifices, and hopes of generations who came before” and invites us to reflect on “the sacred gift of being here now, and how gratitude becomes a bridge between their unfinished work and our unfolding future.” Corey Swertfager provides … Continue reading My Ancestors’ Wildest Dream
Joe Mohr will present “The Giver Should Be Thankful,” recalling a Zen koan reflecting the true gift of gratitude: it belongs not to the receiver, but to the giver. “What happens when we flip our assumptions about giving and thanks? In an age when generosity is too often tangled with ego, recognition, and power, this … Continue reading The Giver Should Be Thankful
Joe Mohr presents “The Harvest of Justice,” noting, “What we plant and how we plant it shapes what we — and generations after us — will harvest. Issues of agricultural justice ask us to look closely at sustainability, food security, and the dignity of farm workers. As people of faith, we are called to imagine … Continue reading The Harvest of Justice
Joe Mohr presents “Nothing Grows by Accident,” positing that “Compassion rarely blossoms by chance — it must be planted, watered, tended. This Sunday we’ll reflect on what it means to intentionally cultivate compassion in our lives, our communities, and our wider world. Drawing on Buddhist wisdom and everyday practices, we’ll explore how compassion becomes not … Continue reading Nothing Grows by Accident
Joe Mohr presents “Sustaining our Shared Harvest,” noting that at this time of uncertainty, when our congregation “has invested energy and care into our community, from social justice initiatives to civic engagement, our work is a sacred planting. Each call made or act sustained adds to the harvest we hope to gather — for ourselves, … Continue reading Sustaining our Shared Harvest
Joe Mohr presents “Everything I Learned About Belonging, I Learned (from my child) in Kindergarten.” In this, his child’s first year in kindergarten, “What struck me most was watching my child face the fear of stepping into a new space and figuring out how to belong. Children model a simple truth: belonging begins with showing … Continue reading Everything I Learned About Belonging, I Learned (from my child) in Kindergarten
Joe Mohr presents “History Has its Eyes on You,” noting, “there are times when history feels far away, and times when it’s pressing close. In the face of escalating injustice and fear, it’s easy to feel small or powerless. But the choices we make now —the compassion we show, the risks we take, the people … Continue reading History Has its Eyes on You
Joe Mohr presents “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Authoritarianism.” He advises, “Don’t panic. Bring a towel. And maybe a few stories of those who’ve survived systems of oppression with their humor, dignity, and soul intact. What does it take to live through authoritarian times without losing ourselves? He’ll draw on the real lives of historical resistors, … Continue reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Authoritarianism
Joe Mohr presents “How to Stay Sane When the World Goes Mad.” When the noise of the world becomes deafening, how do we keep our peace? This week, we explore practices of inner stillness rooted in Stoic philosophy and Buddhist wisdom — tools to help us remain clear-minded and whole when everything around us feels … Continue reading How to Stay Sane When the World Goes Mad
Joe Mohr presents “The Good Guy Glitch,” asking, “What happens when the hero narrative no longer fits? For generations, America has cast itself as the protagonist of the global story — brave, free, just. But more and more, it feels like the mirror is cracking, revealing long-silenced truths about colonization, racism, empire, and myth.” With … Continue reading The Good Guy Glitch
Joe Mohr presents “Post Modern Dilemma,” a sermon exploring the paradox of freedom in today’s world. Mohr asks, “Are we truly freer than before, or are we simply caught in the false choices created by consumerism? Together, we’ll examine how these illusions of freedom shape our lives and how Buddhism’s teachings on mindfulness and simplicity … Continue reading Post Modern Dilemma
Joe Mohr presents “Our Unitarian Universalist Legacy,” a sermon reflecting on the free pulpit and the free pew as cornerstones of our faith. Mohr will explore “how these principles, rooted in the emerging spirit of American religious freedom, continue to guide our commitment to inclusion and the shared search for truth. Together, we’ll honor our … Continue reading Our Unitarian Universalist Legacy
