The Gospel of Matthew tells us that Jesus once taught his disciples and followers saying, “You have heard that it was said, `You shall love our neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...” This morning we will consider what it might mean to love our enemies.

Deborah Levering and Wendy Bell will be joined by some of the youth of our congregation for a shared exploration of what it means to “come of age” as a Unitarian Universalist in Harvard.

This morning, in honor of Mother’s Day, we will consider Kwan Yin, the Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion and mercy. We will consider the virtue of compassion and the spiritual gift of mercy — what we often call “caring.” And we will reflect on the healing that comes when we feel that our cries for compassion are heard. 

This morning we will take a look at the so-called “Social Gospel” movement of the early 20th century and consider its influence on Unitarian Universalism. We will also consider the terms “social justice”, “social responsibility”, “social action”, and “social outreach”, as we look at the history of our collective “work”, in this congregation.   

The service this morning is presented by the Welcoming Congregation Task Force in response to requests by participants in our workshops. We hope it will nurture your personal reflections on the challenges of being bisexual, gay, lesbian, or transgender in our world today and to increase your understanding of what being a Welcoming Congregation actually means.

On this, the 229th anniversay of Paul Revere’s ride, we will enjoy a spirited rendition of Longfellow’s famous poem and consider what it means to be a patriot in our day. 

Judaism’s most important mitzvoth is the obligation to “welcome the stranger.” As our annual seder dinner approaches, we will consider the spiritual gift of hospitality. 

The title of this morning’s sermon is inspired by the book by Marcus Borg titled Meeting Jesus Again For the first Time. We will consider some tradional and contemporary understandings of Jesus and also the possible significance of Jesus to Unitarian Universalists today.

Music has always provided comfort, inspiration, and strength to those who have battled injustice and oppression. This morning we will consider the role of spirituals in the social justice movements of this country, past and present. And we will sing!

This is our annual Service of the Living Tradition, during which we welcome new members and remember those members who have died over the course of the past year. 

Loving kindness, forgiveness, and compassion for ourselves and others will be the focus of this musical journey. Through song, a short guided meditation, and a simple ritual especially for the children, Jody Kessler encourages us to embrace both the joys and concerns of life with loving acceptance.

As part of our ongoing consideration of the Spiritual Gifts, we will look at the different kinds of prayer, the meaning of prayer, and the role that prayer can play in our lives.

A. A. Milne once said, “The Old Testament is responsible for more atheism, agnosticism, disbelief — call it what you will — than any book ever written; it has emptied more churches than all the counterattractions of cinema, motor bicycle and golf course.” This morning we will consider Atheism. 

As it says on the back cover of William Lee Miller’s ethical biography of this title, “Lincoln was not born with his face on Mount Rushmore; he was an actual human being making choices — moral choices — in a real world.” In a continuation of our ongoing series on the Virtues, we will consider Lincoln, his choices, and his character.

How much of ritual is theatre? Do our services, like theatre and ritual, transcend time, space, and generations? This sermon looks at the contribution theatre has made in the medieval church and is making again in some Christian and Unitarian churches, as well as in business and health institutions. It htan explores the role of ritual in society and the transformative quality that it shares with the theatre. Finally, it considers the lack of effective ritual in Unitarian churches and why that may be.

We will consider two of the so-called “spiritual gifts” — wisdom and knowledge — and how we can apply those gifts for the betterment of our communities and the transformation of the world. This is Vasant Panchami, a Hindu celebration of the goddess of learning.

As the season of caucuses and primaries approaches and as we look back on the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., we will consider the power of the people to transform institutions and change the course of world affairs.

This morning we will consider the work of both the Partner Church Council and Project Harvest Hope, two Unitarian Universalist efforts to bring economic development and democracy to our Unitarian friends and their neighbors in Hungary and Romania.

Join members of the Mision-Centered Ministry Committee for an exploration of Spiritual Gifts.

Of what do you need to let go in order to begin the New Year afresh? This morning we will engage in a ritual of casting off those things that hold us back or weigh us down.

Each year, Buddhists celebrate the time when Prince Gautama took his place under the Bodhi tree, vowing to remain there until he attained supreme enlightenment. This morning we look at the virtues of self-discipline and perseverance.

As the winter holidays approach, with all the accompanying hustle and bustle, how do we keep the season simple, holding on to Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace while letting go of the rest?

Short stories can illuminate the spiritual side of everyday life and raise for us the larger issues in our lives.

William J. Bennett has said, “Loyalty is like courage in that it shows itself most clearly when we are operating under stress.” In this stressful time in world affairs, we will consider the virtues of Loyalty and Courage, and the difficult choices we have to make as we build Character.

This morning we will consider Generosity — liberality in spirit and in giving — as a gift or trait that can be nurtured and tended toward growth. This is Canvass Kick-Off Sunday.

UUA President, Bill Sinkford, called last year for UU’s to reclaim a language of reverence. This morning we look at Reverence, which Professor Paul Woodruff calls a “forgotten virtue.” This will be the first in a periodic series on the Virtues.

It has been said that ours is a “theology of perfection.” And yet we know ourselves to be imperfect. This morning we will explore the value of confession as a way of recognizing human imperfection and our corporate and individual limitations. Today is Lailat ul Bara’ah, the Islamic “Night of Forgiveness.”  

The poet Christina Rossetti once wrote, “And other eyes than ours/Were made to look on flowers,” in recognition of the inherent worth of all creatures on the earth. This morning, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi Day, we will consider our relationships with the non-human animals. At two o’clock this afternoon, in conjunction with the morning service, Rev. Wendy will preside at a Blessing of the Animals, outside behind the Fellowhsip Building. All are invited to attend. Animals must be caged or leashed or otherwise under the control of their human companions. 

General Assembly attendees from our church will share their profound and moving experiences of GA. Following the morning worship, Keith Kron, Director of the UUA’s Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender concerns, willb e present to talk about the different components of the Welcoming Congregation Program.

Gandhi once wrote, “If we are to teach real peace in the world, we shall have to begin with the children.” And as peace educator and journalist Colman McCarthy has written, “unless we teach our children peace, someone else will teach them violence.” This morning we will consider our role — all of us! — as Unitarian Universalist religious educators. Today is the United Nations International Day of Peace. 

Calvin Cooledge once said, “It is only when men (sic.) begin to worship that they begin to grow.” Here at the First Congregational Unitarian Church, according to our Mission and Covenent Statement, we “gather to worship” hoping to be “inspired to explore, reflect, and grow...” This morning as we worship together we will explore the different meanings and styles of worship that help us grow together. 

Bring the whole family and join once again with the community as we celebrate the beginning of a new church year! For the Water Communion, please bring a small amount of water from some place or some time this summer that was restorative and healing.

This morning, as we stand on the edge of summer, we will consider the importance of daydreams and the places that shelter them.

Please join us as we affirm — that is, say YES — to children and youth on this special Sunday. We will witness and celebrate the rites of passage of our sixth graders moving from our children’s program to youth group, as well as, our senior high grads moving on, as they become young adults. Much singing, some happy tears, and a joyful, fun service guaranteed!

The Baha’is of Westford will share Devotions with the congregation. There will be singing, prayers, reading the Baha’i Writings, a short introduction to the Baha’i Faith, and an informal talk on spiritual oneness.

Moved by viewing the Academy Award-winning film Bowling For Columbine, members of  the Senior High Youth Group will expore the topic of fear and the media’s role in our perception of it. Please join our incredible youth for their annual service.

The UUA’s Commission on Appraisal is currently looking at the question, “Where is the Unity in our Theological Diversity?” This morning we will consider the theological diversity within our midst and begin to look for our core, our center, that which unites us as Unitarian Universalists.

The title is inspired by the writings of E. B. White, who said, “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” This morning we will consider the tension between the desire to save the world and the impulse to savor it. 

On this day of the traditional celebration of resurrection and rebirth, we will consider the miracle of Easter anew, through the writings of ee cummings, who once wrote,  “We can never be born enough.”

The late Nobel Prize winning physicist, Richard Feynman, was very interested in the relationship of science and religion. He imagined a panel of specialists from both fields, meeting to discuss that relationship and the value of each in modern society. This morning we will imagine ourselves as part of that panel and contribute to the conversation a Unitarian Universalist persepctive.

We will consider the emotional and spiritual challenges and complexities, and the unexpected gifts, of becoming caretakers for our aging parents. 

During the First World War, Unitarian minister Richard Boynton preached a sermon titled, “The Uses of Faith in War Time.” This morning we will look at this and other sermons of its era as we consider our own faith in our own time of war.

This morning we will consider the relationship of name to identity, both for individuals and institutions. What is the meaning of your name? And does it have any bearing on who you are or who you are becoming? We will also consider the name of our church,  “The First Congregational Unitarian Church of Harvard.” How did we get that name, and what does it mean to us today?

“The word love is most often defined as a noun, yet...we would all love better if we used it as a verb,” writes Bell Hooks in her book, All About Love. This morning we will consider the meanings of love, from the sentimental to the sacred. 

“...War spreading, families dying, the world in danger...”  This is a line from Wendell Berry’s short poem, “February 2, 1968.” This morning, as we rise again to face our own troubled world, we will consider Berry’s poem and its potential significance in our lives. 

This morning, in an effort to contextualize our relationship with our own Partner Church, we will explore Hungarian Unitarianism, its historical and modern manifestations, and how it is like and unlike the North American Unitarianism that we know. 

One lay person’s thoughts on our sanctuary and “sanctuary” in general. 

In 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered an address in which he linked his work with the Civil Rights Movement to his opposition to the Vietnam War. In the address he called for a “shift from a 'thing-oriented’ society to a 'person-oriented’ society.” This morning we will consider Dr. King’s work and words on behalf of non-violence, peace, and justice.

The Senior, Junior and Belfry Choir plus Chimers will perform. 

According to Huston Smith, the two obligations required of any Muslim are Gratitude and Surrender. This morning we will consider these obligations in the context both of Islam and of our lives. 

This morning, following a “Dedication of Older Children”, we will consider our commitment to the youth and young adults within our Unitarian Universalist morvement. 

How do we practice talking about difficult topics, especially when they involve our most deeply held thoughts and values? We will consider some Native American traditions of discussion and decision-making.

We will consider the potential and value of Small Group Ministry in the life of our congregation.

We will consider Buddhist response to suffering.

“Love is the spirit of our church, where we gather to worship and to create a welcoming and nuruturing religious community of all ages...” Our Mission-Covenant statement, adopted in 1997, begins with these words, yet the Mission-Covenant is more than mere words. This morning we consider what can happen in our lives when our Mission is at the center of all we do together.

This morning we will consider the Jewish liturgical practice of Yizkor — remembering the dead with prayers and deeds. The Jewish high holy day of Yom Kippur begins at sundown.

Bring the whole family and join with the community as we celebrate the beginning of a new church year! For the Water Communion, please bring a small amount of water from some place or some time this summer that was restorative and healing.

An open discussion of views of faith and diversity.

We will consider the spiritual journey and the call, “to live more adventurously, to extend ourselves, to seek new horizons.”

Do you believe that what we see in this life is what we get? Have all the God Bless America signs seemed to you to be invoking God to be on our side as much as the terrorists said Allah was on theirs? This morning, Tony Toledo will share his religious journey from Catholic to ignoring religion to proclaming he is an atheist. He is also a member of the North Shore UU Church in Danvers, MA. His goal is to share his views, his reading list and his sense of humor, and his faith in humanity even in these trying times.

We welcome Kay to our church and share in her remarkable personal story — a life changed by, and now lived, as her response to sadness and anger at the injustice of poverty and racism.

Rev. Spiro will explore Unitarian Universalist theologies/philosophies and the joys and problems of managing diversity in community.

We will consider the transforming powers of change and challenge.

Do you believe that what we see in this life is what we get? Have all the God Bless America signs seemed to you to be invoking God to be on our side as much as the terrorists said Allah was on theirs? This morning, Tony Toledo will share his religious journey from Catholic to ignoring religion to proclaming he is an atheist. He is also a member of the North Shore UU Church in Danvers, MA. His goal is to share his views, his reading list and his sense of humor, and his faith in humanity even in these trying times.

We will consider the life and writing of Martin Luther King, Jr., and his expectations for the role of the Church in the World.

We will consider New Year’s Resolutions, Moral Character, and Antarctic Exploration.

We will explore part of our Mission and Covenant statement: to “support and care for one another.”

We will consider, among other things, the meaning of Jihad. Please join us as we recognize our servicemen and women on this Veteran’s Day.

Are you proud to be a Unitarian Universalist? Join us as we look at what it means to be a Unitarian Univesalist in these times.

This Sunday we will look at the religion of Islam. The morning’s sermon will include some consideration of the commonalities between all three “religions of the book” — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Sometimes the gifts we receive are so great that lighting a candle just won’t do. When that happens, the only recourse is to do an entire service! Please join our very own singing seminarian as she says “thank-you” to this congregation for your support and community during her recovery from a bicycle accident this summer. By using Greek and medieval images, as well as Native American traditions, we will examine how to more from being wounded healers to healed healers — people who can minister to themselves and to others.

On this weekend of story telling, we will look again at one of the oldest stories about the apple, the story of Adam and Eve, and re-examine it in light of our faith and our times.

Rosh Hashanah — the Jewish New Year — and Yom Kippur mark a time of restoration and reconciliation in the Jewish liturgical calendar. As we continue together down the path of another new church year, let us consider how we might draw nearer to one another as members of a united faith community.

Frederick May Eliot once wrote, “Only they can teach, who have first beheld.” And one part of our Mission and Covenant is that “we hold ourselves responsible for the religious education of our children and ourseleves.” What does it mean to be part of this community of teachers, of learners, or beholders? The service will include a litany for commissioning our religious education teachers.

Come celebrate the reuniting of the gathered community and participate in a ritual of Water Communion. Plan to bring a small amount of water representing a special time, event, or memory from your summer.