Sermon by Rev. Diana Smith
November 22, 2020
In this Thanksgiving service, Rev. Diana Smith reflects on how we can find hope, healing, and gratitude in this time of pandemic and reckoning with white supremacy.
Sermon by Rev. Diana Smith
November 22, 2020
In this Thanksgiving service, Rev. Diana Smith reflects on how we can find hope, healing, and gratitude in this time of pandemic and reckoning with white supremacy.
June 28, 2020 sermon. How do we get through traumatic issues that scar us? Trying to make sense of them can create new levels of scars. Confronting them can also lead us to discoveries of self struggle and survival. Julia Lohrman Audlehelm, a UUS member since 1977, shares her story of childhood sexual assault and growing beyond the scars.
Aug. 2, 2020 sermon. Guest speaker Christopher Peters, a surgeon and former political candidate, discusses some of the negative aspects of campaigning, and especially his positive experiences serving as the state coordinator for Braver Angels. Braver Angels is a national volunteer organization dedicated to reducing political polarization, fostering civil discourse, and helping all Americans find common ground in the political sphere.
July 5, 2020 sermon. UUS member Hilary Higgens shares a perspective created from her observation of cows on her family’s farm in northwest Iowa in the 1960s. A retired nurse and educator, Hilary invites us to use levity and trust to explore our paths and see where we wish to continue and where we wish to choose a new path.
Dec. 13, 2020 sermon. Rev. Diana Smith reflects on how our sense of hurry and desire for quick results helps perpetuate systems that are oppressive, non-inclusive, and anti-democratic. Practicing stillness can help us better align ourselves with the larger goals of justice we seek.
Jan. 10, 2021 reflection. UUS member Mary McCann describes the racial justice efforts that have led to “A Better Way Forward,” a movement to bring curricular, policy, and community-level changes in the Clear Creek Amana School District.
As we prepare to celebrate Martin Luther King Day in a time of racial and political tension, Rev. Diana Smith reflects on the ways each of us might grow by engaging in the struggle for justice.