The UU Church-Rockford, IL

How to be a Less Obnoxious Activist
Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson
Have you referred to people who disagree with you as stupid? Have you ever been tempted to think of yourself as morally or intellectually superior to other, "less enlightened" people? Have you ever, even in a moment of weakness, thought the world would be better if you were in charge? If you've never done any of those things, or don't know anyone who does, then this service probably isn't for you. But you should come anyway. Because we all have something to learn.  

What is Love? 4. Agape
Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson
Our last sermon in this series on love will explore the love we have for the holy, the mysterious, and the true. Call it the Universe, the Spirit, Creativity, or God, there is a kind of love we have for that which moves and shapes us.

Eros
Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson
Eros is that desire, that longing, and that joy in the body -- yourself and another. Throughout history, some have tried to squash and control Eros. What would it mean to celebrate the natural beauty of mutual connection?
 

 

 Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson
2/4/18 "What is Love? Philia."
The ancient greeks understood Philia — the love that is expressed as friendship — as central to the good life.  Yet we live in isolated times, when friendship is often hard to find, let alone nurture.  A celebration and an invitation into a life of friendship.

Jael didn’t fit nearly into one social category, yet she brought down a tyrant with a hammer and a bowl of milk. What unlikely tools for justice might be hiding in the closet of your complex identity? Let’s explore together how the fullness of who you are might be exactly what your community and world need in this very moment.

Mandie McGlynn is a liberal theologian, itinerant preacher, and ministerial candidate. She attends Chicago Theological Seminary, and lives on the north side of Chicago with her two partners and three children. In the past two years she’s fallen in love with Biblical narrative, Tarot, and God. She’s still not sure exactly where she stands on the whole Jesus question.

What is hope? If it is, as Emily Dickinson wrote, a fragile yet resilient songbird, how do we train ourselves to hear the music, even in the storm? What can we do to cultivate a hope strong enough for the world we live in?

Thankfulness as Faithfulness
Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson
Why am I preaching on gratitude after Thanksgiving? Because we so often rush from being grateful to being consumers. Instead of rushing ahead, let’s ask: How can we hold onto that sense of dependency and awe, and the ethic of service, which gratitude might engender? What does thankfulness have to do with faithfulness, and our faith in particular?

Deep Listening 
October 22, 2017 10 a.m.
Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson

When in conversations with another person, do we listen for the depth of understanding, or just long enough to compose our response? What would it mean to have a habit of listening for meaning, and what are the appropriate limits to such a practice? 

Be Our Guest

Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson

 

We’ll reflect together on what it means to be a guest. In our world of excessive self-reliance and individualism, how can we cultivate the habit of accepting what is offered with awareness? And, likewise, how can we be “a perfect stranger” and not a colonizing invader into other people’s lives and cultures?