Unfolding Faith: Sermons from Foothills Unitarian

Living Like Weasels

What is the eagle to your weasel? In this episode, we're talking all about the experience of feeling a call to something new - the experience of taking a big leap into a more authentic life even when saying yes to this new thing feels unbearably awkward or scary.1:12 Excerpt from essay by Annie Dillard called "Living Like Weasels"
2:57 Rev. Elaine Aron-Tenbrink's sermon "Living Like Weasels"
20:50 Conversation with Foothills member Sally Harris about her call and experience to create a safe space at our church for non-binary, trans, gender-expansive kids and their families. Sally also answers questions about our Be More Gay campaign and the pronoun pins our church now offers alongside our nametags.

The In-Between Times: Navigating Transition with Rev. Gretchen

Rev. Gretchen Haley explores how to respond to the uncertainty that arises in moments of transition and digs into how focusing on the now and grounding in community can be life-steadying. 

What We Give Our Children

Rev. Gretchen Haley explores the question of legacy, and our role in passing on our faith and values as if our lives, and our children's lives, depend on it. Because they do.Whether we are parents or not, we all have a part in shaping the next generation's future. Whether we mean to or not, we are creating their inheritance. What sort of world do we intend for our children to receive from us? What sort of values and practices and ways of making meaning and finding hope do we want them to cultivate?
 
24:25 Rev. Gretchen's sermon43:55 Revs. Elaine and Gretchen envision an intergenerational community at Foothills Unitarian and discuss the barriers to getting there

Why Church?

Rev. Sean explores radical hospitality and how church feeds the part of all of us that yearns to belong in a community - woven through past and present - that holds our whole selves.
6:07 Rev. Sean's sermon26:08 Guided meditation with Rev. Elaine29:03 Abortion rights response and resourcesRead Rev. Gretchen Haley and Rev. Elaine Aron-Tenbrink's response to the threat on abortion rights.

Be Like Fungi: Earth Seeds and Be More Gay

Rev. Gretchen delivers an Earth Day message inviting us to practice the pause where we can both honor what’s been lost and lean into co-creating a joyful life.
2:31 Rev. Gretchen Haley’s sermon Earth Seeds
20:28 Foothills member Beckie Wagner reflects on her journey out of despair
25:21 Rev. Sean closes our Regeneration series
 
Learn more about Be More Gay at https://foothillsuu.org/bemoregay

Nothing Queerer Than a Resurrection

Amid a cultural moment when queer people are facing cruel and unjust treatment across the U.S., Rev. Sean shares an Easter message of queer Jesus - someone accused by the crowd of perverting a nation (11:11). Revs. Gretchen and Sean discuss why Rev. Sean chose to preach on queer Jesus and how queerness is liberating for all people regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity (0:25 and 33:46).Sermon Transcript

How to move through ambiguous loss

Rev. Elaine Aron-Tenbrink guides us in exploring how we can move through ambiguous loss and pandemic social atrophy by attuning ourselves to what is alive. When we embrace observation and follow the threads of what is alive and beautiful, here and now, we begin to imagine something new to hope for.
1:31 Reflection from Rev. Meg Riley read by Rev. Sean Neil-Barron5:56 Rev. Elaine Aron-Tenbrink's sermon "Aligning with Aliveness"

When optimism is too heavy a burden, try hope

What do we do when we feel so stuck or in despair that moving forward doesn't feel possible? Rev. Sean explores how we can find hope through doing.
5:28 Rev. Sean Neil-Barron's sermon "Hope is a Verb"34:53 Closing song: "Hope with Our Hands"