109 Waring Road - Syracuse, NY 13224 - (315) 446-5940, fax (315)449-0874
The Reverend Martha Munson, Minister
Sermons
CURRENT SERMONS UNDER RECONSTRUCTION.
Meanwhile, please enjoy samples of our services.
Listed below are past sermons: Minister first and then
services planned and coordinated by Religious Services Committee.
(Now called Worship Service Committee, Sonja Lamicela, Chair, 2006-07)

"Memory's Meanings" November 23, 2003, The Rev. David S. Blanchard
An explorations of the meaning and function of memory in our lives.
"So This is Heaven" November 16, 2003, The Rev. David S. Blanchard
There are so many descriptions and depictions of heaven out there. What's a good UU to do?
"Mirror Mirror On the Wall, Give Me an Extreme Overhaul!" November 2, 2003, The Rev. David S. Blanchard
A little nip here, a little tuck there... the road to perfection???
"How Not to Miss Your Own Funeral" October 5, 2003, The Rev. David S. Blanchard
People devise all sorts of reasons to avoid thinking about their own memorial services. Putting some real thought into how you would like to be remembered is one of the greatest gifts you can give your loved ones.
"Deadly Sins for Times Like These" September 21, 2003, The Rev. David S. Blanchard
The word "sin" is best defined as a state of being which brings about suffering, alienation, and separation. Rev. Blanchard offers a modern-day list of the sins that keep us from being whole.
"Is Spirituality Enough?" September 14, 2003, The Rev. David S. Blanchard
"Spirituality" describes a sensibility, an attitude, a lens even, through which one views and interprets existence. "Religion," on the other hand, stems from linguistic sources for the notion of "binding up" or "binding together."
Driving Lessons October 6, 2002, The Rev. David S. Blanchard
It's amazing the things you can learn while teaching a 16-year-old to drive.
Olympia Brown & Other Great Universalist Women January 10, 1999, The Rev. David S. Blanchard
January 5th is an important day in Universalist history. It was on a January 5th that a little girl was born to a Universalist family, who would grow up to be an important leader in the Universalist Church, and became beloved by all who came to know her and work with her. Her name? Olympia Brown. Her legacy?
" If Only They Were Monsters" May 2, 1999, The Rev. David S. Blanchard
A lot has been said and written about the violent spree at Columbine High School. Rather than being monsters, what we know about human behavior tells us that Harris and Klebold were exhibiting a very elemental human characteristic.
The Eleventh Commandment November 14, 1999, The Rev. David S. Blanchard
From responses from the members and friends of this congregation: Lacking a Moses to bring it forth, what is the single most important spiritual imperative necessary for the well being of Creation as we enter the next Millennium? Here are the top 5.
“Did King Have To Be A Prince?” January 16, 2000, The Rev. David S. Blanchard
It has been pointed out in recent years, by King scholars and King detractors alike, there is evidence that Martin Luther King was no saint. Why does this matter?
Is That Your Final Answer? January 23, 2000, The Rev. David S. Blanchard
Technically, theology is the study of God, but practically, it is the struggle to find those “final answers” that will put life’s deepest, enduring questions and our most disturbing doubts to rest.

Religious Services Committee
Religious Services Committee Page


The Dalia Lama On Compassion Jerry Clausen August 13, 2006
Compassion was placed as a first priority by those who built the mission statement. One of the Dalai Lama's main themes is compassion. Two of his best loved books on the subject are The Compassionate Life and An Open Heart. Since all religions "advocate love, compassion, and forgiveness" we need to be specific. The Dalai Lama states, "In Buddhism compassion is defined as the wish that all beings be free from suffering" - - the wish that all beings be free from suffering.
Rejection Peggy Sperber Flanders, January 30, 2000
When I picked the topic of rejection to talk to you about, it came from my experience of having to send hundreds of rejection letters to writers aspiring to publish their poems in our magazine, The Comstock Review. That definitely put the subject at a distance.
Soul Hunger Susan M. Shaw, March 5, 2000
I’ve often used the phrase “feeds my soul” to describe why I come to church, enjoy planning worship services, and remind myself to live with an openness to spiritual awareness. But even though I’ve said participating “feeds my soul”, I had neglected to think about what kind of soul hunger exists to await the soul food I receive.
The Attitude of Gratitude Peggy Sperber Flanders, November 26, 2000
You used to practice grammar, arithmetic, and algebra. Practice is probably something you think you’re done with when you leave school or give up music lessons. Have you ever thought of practicing the art of gratitude? There is, indeed, an art to gratefulness.
The Practice of Letting Go Peggy Sperber Flanders, October 1, 2000
Chances do slip away - and “letting go” comes when we least expect it. We need to practice the small losses in life in order to deal, anyway near appropriately, with the big ones. Practicing letting go can be as simple as paying attention to why something doesn’t fit your life-style, or your self-image, anymore.
Labor: Chore or Celebration Peggy Sperber Flanders, September 2, 2001
My own feelings [on Labor Day] are complicated by the fact that I “retired” almost 3 years ago from my Administrative Assistant job at Upstate Medical Center. I use the oldest name for the Medical Center, because I worked there, in psychiatry and radiology, for 29 years – most of my working life. However, as many of you know, “retirement” is just another word for “Labor” – only the ways to “keep score” change -- usually financially!
The Resentment Fighter Jerry L. Clausen, M.D., February 3, 2002
Resentment was described by Father Martin, when he came to Lemoyne College, as "anger that is being re--sensed." That is sensed again. Frederick Nietzsche said, "Nothing on earth consumes a man more completely than the passion of resentment."
Pride 2003, Words of Love Kim Reed, the Welcoming Congregation Committee, & the Religious Services Committee, June 22, 2003
Our Annual GBTL Pride Service! This year the service included: a pagan Summer Solstice ritual, some readings including one from Hedwig and The Angry Inch, and a thoughtful reflection from our own Kim Reed.
Forgiveness - the Scientific Slant Jerry L. Clausen, M.D., Summer 2003
Last December I went to Harvard to study forgiveness as a tool of medical healing. I had been using it in my practice of psychiatry for a long time before that. … To forgive is a self loving act.

© 2004 First Unitarian Universalist Society of Syracuse
109 Waring Road
Syracuse, NY 13224
(315) 446-5940, fax (315)449-0874
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