Unfolding Faith: Sermons from Foothills Unitarian

Earth Magic: Awe and the Ecological Self

Today, we’re diving into the spiritual gifts of awe — that sacred pause that draws us out of ourselves and into the vastness of everything. We’ll remember together that awe isn’t a luxury, but a core human experience that offers us healing, connection, and guides us towards right action.  In these times when despair and disconnection encroach, practicing awe is more essential than ever.
Rev. Elaine Aron-Tenbrink // April 27, 2025

Earth Magic: Unfinished

This Easter Sunday, we began our new series Earth Magic, rooted in the messy, relentless wisdom of the living world. Rev. Sean began with the Easter story — not the sanitized one, but the version that ends in silence, in fear, in the ache of what’s still unresolved. Because if you’ve looked around lately, you know: we are living in the middle of unfinished stories. The story of justice. The story of democracy. The story of who gets to belong — and who still doesn’t.
Rev. Sean Neil-Barron // April 20, 2025

Made For This: Stand By Me

When caregiving feels invisible, impossible, and isolating, the truth is still this: you were made to care and be cared for. You are part of a sacred human story—one of mutual belonging and deep connection—and your love, your presence, your compassion, are not only enough; they are holy.
Rev. Elaine Aron-Tenbrink // April 13, 2025

Made For This: Already Home

Home isn't built with bricks, borders or bureaucracy -- it's built with truth, and too often that truth threatens the systems built on silence and fear. You were made for more than quiet compliance; you were made to live fully, love boldly, and name who already belongs. You have something powerful to offer: the audacity to tell the truth in a world that profits from forgetting it.
Rev. Sean Neil-Barron // April 6, 2025

Made For This: After Certainty: Practicing Moral Imagination in Times Like These

How do we plan for and shape the future using only our limited knowledge of the present?
How do we resist the temptation to think that there is one singular strategy or person who can right the ship of our society in these complex times?
Join Rev. Elaine Aron-Tenbrink for a special conversation with social ethicist and lifelong activist Dr. Sharon Welch, in exploring a way forward that calls us into telling stories of our mistakes, experimenting with diverse solutions to complex problems, and embracing unpredictable and unforeseen consequences as the norm.
Rev. Elaine Aron-Tenbrink // March 31, 2025

Made For This: Love's Plan (For You)

Jonah's story isn't just about a runaway prophet - it's about the relentless call of love, the uncomfortable grace that refuses to be contained, and the transformation that happens when we finally face what we've been avoiding. You were made for something more than comfort, more than certainty, more than the walls you've built to keep love at bay. You have something valuable to offer - a voice that shakes the foundations, a truth that refuses to be silenced, and a calling that won't let you go.
Rev. Sean Neil-Barron // March 23, 2025

Made For This: Hidden in Plain Sight

Esther didn’t choose power, but when the moment came, she had to decide: would she risk everything for a greater good? We confront privilege, sacrifice, and the call to step forward—not for ourselves, but for the liberation of others.
Rev. Elaine Aron-Tenbrink // March 16, 2025

Made For This: Deep Democracy

The world is full of voices telling you what time it is - who's in charge, what matters, and where you stand - but how do you know who's holding the clock? You weren't made to simply follow someone else's timing; you were made to discern the moment for yourself, alongside others. This message invites you to see beyond your own perspective, embrace the wisdom of community, and step into the shared work of shaping the world - because democracy isn't about getting your way, it's about finding the way together.
Rev. Sean Neil-Barron // March 9, 2025