sermon: Freedom of Conscience

sermon: Freedom of Conscience
Last Sunday evening, I had the privilege of sitting down with a group of teenagers from the Unitarian Universalist congregation in Newburyport, Massachusetts to answer questions about our religious tradition. They, like many other UU teens, are beginning a year-long journey exploring different religions—starting with their own UU tradition. My…

sermon: Togetherness

sermon: Togetherness
A Homily for Water Communion Sunday  Today we come together at the start of a new church year. After the different place and pace of Summer Worship, there is something special about this Sunday of ingathering. The ritual of Water Communion, which we will celebrate shortly, highlights an essential element…

Institutional Belonging

Institutional Belonging
After a month of commuting to Boston for my new job, this week I began exploring beyond my Back Bay office. Visiting the Boston Athenæum to inquire about membership was high on my list. Walking a block down Marlborough Street, I crossed over to the Boston Garden. Continuing on through…

sermon: Seeds of Enslavement

sermon: Seeds of Enslavement
A Charter Day Sermon The Rev. Dr. Stephanie May September 10, 2023 First Church in Boston We are here today celebrating Charter Day because on September 7, 1630, Puritan leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Company recorded their decision that “Trimountaine shall be called Boston,” thereby giving the land the English…