Conejo Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Audio Sermons

The Path of Mussar

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:05:57 GMT

by Rabbi Ted Riter - published with permission

On this Sunday morning our speaker will be sharing his insights about how we can turn curses into blessings and find holiness within others. Hopefully we can then evolve past tolerance to acceptance. Even if . . . . Rabbi Riter serves Temple Adat Elohim in Thousand Oaks, and we welcome him as our guest speaker while Rev. Betty is attending our UUA General Assembly.

Supporting All Our Families

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:15:22 GMT

by The Rev. Dr. Betty Stapleford

On this Mother’s Day, we will be exploring the meaning of “family” and the ways we can actively work to make families more secure. In particular, we will be looking at the methods our government has been using to separate undocumented women and men from their children. Our special guests on this Sunday will be the husband and children of the young woman who is living in sanctuary at the United Church of Christ in Simi Valley. Theirs is certainly a compelling story.

The Hard Lessons of Passover

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:30:43 GMT

by The Rev. Dr. Betty Stapleford

We may talk about Passover as though it were only about the liberation of the Jews from bondage. But there were many difficult trials before freedom was achieved. On this Sunday, we will look at the ways this holiday can have meaning for us today as we face our own hardships and pain. What are the lessons we can learn from the determination of these brave people in our historical past?

Three Cauldrons for the Warrior

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:24:34 GMT

by Rev. Todd Covert
published with permission

A tale from Irish mythology tells of the tempering of the “battle frenzy” of a warrior returning for combat as a way to examine the need to re-integrate the veteran into society. In particular, this tale -- and related lore centered on inner “cauldrons” within the human body and psyche -- offers a case for the need for spiritual healing and balance and how ritual activities, both communal and personal, might support that.

Jesus' True Message

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:33:05 GMT

by The Rev. Dr. Betty Stapleford

We hear a lot from some people about what Jesus would have people do with regard to abortion, sexual orientation, and religious beliefs - to name a few. But what did he really want us to understand about human behavior and how we should live? Using the biblical scholarship of Dr. Bart Ehrman from his book Misquoting Jesus, we will explore some of the ideas that were truly there and discover our connection to them. Soulstice will be playing.

Why Religion?

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 01:00:53 GMT

by The Rev. Dr. Betty Stapleford

Religion has gotten a bad name in the history of our world for many valid reasons. Arguably, it has been the cause of many, if not most, major wars; and there are still wars being fought in the name of religion today. It has also been used to justify such negative things as slavery, subjugation of women, and family violence, to name only a few. So what is the value, if any, of religion? This Sunday we will explore ideas by Huston Smith, Rebecca Parker, and Rita Nakashima Brock to provide some answers to that question.

Finding Spiritual Peace

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:59:35 GMT

by The Rev. Dr. Betty Stapleford

In these days of economic, social, and political turmoil, it is hard to find a sense of comfort and balance. But on this Sunday, we will explore some ways to gain spiritual peace. Come prepared for a time of introspection and healing as a part of our religious community.

From Fundamentalism to Freedom

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 02:56:43 GMT

by Marc Adams, published with permission

Marc was the son of a Pennsylvania fundamentalist Baptist minister As a gay youth, he endured physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse. He attended Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University where he was employed in the student recruiting/university relations department for 3 1/2 years. His book, The Preacher’s Son, follows him through his self-acceptance of being gay to his coming out with his family to his journey to become a Unitarian Universalist. Marc’s talk will focus on his life story told in his books and the HeartStrong organization.

A Good Life

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:13:12 GMT

by Rev. Ricky Hoyt, published with permission

At the end of life, or in the midst of it when we have other reasons to be self-reflective, how do we judge our successful achievement of the spiritual task of living? If we knew what would help us reach a happy end, we could start working on it now. Rev. Ricky graduated from the Claremont School of Theology along with Rev. Betty, and she will be preaching in Santa Clarita as a pulpit exchange with him this morning.

Sacrifice

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 05:19:23 GMT

by Mike Talvola, CVUUF lay minister

We know that our ancestors around the world held sacrifice as essential in their religions. What did they intend to accomplish by their sacrifices, and what did they really do? While many spiritual practices today include offerings that are the modern day successor to ancient sacrifice, those are not the only direct legacy we have. The Book of James built a bridge from ancient to modern in suggesting that “faith without works is dead” and we UU’s embrace that concept as we put our faith into action.