Selected Sermons

June 1, 2008 - Hope, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning
There is something about the word "Hope" that is seductively alluring to us. But what rational basis is there for our Hopes? It's a strange word, when you think about it! Isn't it?
Listen to the live recording: Hope, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning
From June 1, 2008. 23:39 min. - 9.47 MB file.

May 25, 2008 - Am I My Brother's Keeper, by Jeff Seabarkrob
Jeff tells us the story of his sibling, his older brother, on his brother's birthday. The contrast between these two lives is told with sorrow and love and compassion, to the church family Jeff now calls home.
Listen to the live recording: Am I My Brother's Keeper, by Jeff Seabarkrob
From May 25, 2008. 38:30 min. - 15.4 MB file.

May 18, 2008 - So-o Sorry: The Art of the Apology, by Susan Hebble
How many times during a day will you say, "Sorry," or "Excuse me," or "Pardon?" Here we examine not only the small bumps in life, but also the requirement that we express remorse for the damage that we do to others.
Listen to the live recording: So-o Sorry, by Susan Hebble
From May 18, 2008. 24:01 min. - 9.62 MB file.

May 4, 2008 - Creative Advance into Novelty? Whitehead, God and Species Becoming Extinct, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning
Surveying the Religious Philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead, we find a God that must be a being who loves to create, who loves diversity, who loves to open up possibilities for the future of the universe.
Listen to the live recording: Creative Advance into Novelty?, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning
From May 4, 2008. 26:56 min. - 10.8 MB file.

April 27, 2008 - Living in the Past, by Steve Wiegenstein
Steve has been researching nineteenth century ways of life as part of his process for writing a book. It is an exercise full of surprises and insights that aren't immediately apparent to those who haven't yet immersed themselves so deeply.
Listen to the live recording: Living in the Past, by Steve Wiegenstein
From April 27, 2008. 24:37 min. - 9.86 MB file.

April 20, 2008 - Trailing Libyan Donkeys, or The Spirituality of the Way Back Out, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning
Quoting the Talmud, we challenge the wisdom of the American Invasion of Iraq. Understanding that we are the Americans who who started it; we lament the unintended consequences of the Invasion and our moral responsibility for all of the lives lost and disrupted by the events put in motion by U.S. - us.
Listen to the live recording: The Spirituality of the Way Back Out, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning
From April 20, 2008. 32:40 min. - 13.1 MB file.

April 6, 2008 - The "News" of Rev. Wright - or How the More Perfect Union Remains a Dream, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning
Rev. Manning shares his thoughts on Barack Obama's "A More Perfect Union" speech and on the way that America's mainstream news media created the controversy over Rev. Wright's remarks.
Listen to the live recording: The "News" of Rev. Wright, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning
From April 6, 2008. 33:49 min. - 13.5 MB file.

March 30, 2008 - America's Most Reviled Minority by Rev. Edward Searle.
Surveys bear it out: atheists are the most hated group in America. Learn about two kinds of atheists. And reflect on the ways that an atheist can be reverent, arguably more reverent than more traditional believers.
Listen to the live recording: America's Most Reviled Minority, by Rev. Edward Searle.
From March 30, 2008. 36:39 min. - 14.7 MB file.

Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008 - A Thought Experiment in Trinitarianism for Unitarians at Easter by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
Christianity in its popular forms may be responsible for our traditional conception of god as a great Being up in the sky, but the doctrine of the Trinity insists we have to think of God as a system of relation. God is the Father and is the Son and is the Father's relation to the Son and the Son's relation to the Father. "God" becomes intrinsically relational and interesting.

March 16, 2008 - Religiosity as Creative Imagination, the good news of Mary of Magdala by Carol Nichols.
Mary Magdeline's gospel was lost for more than a millenia. One of Carol's quests is to learn all that she possibly can about the historical Jesus and the people who surrounded him. Recent discoveries continue to bring more information than the Church of the dark age would allow us to hear.
Listen to the live recording: Religiosity as Creative Imagination, by Carol Nichols.
From March 16, 2008. 34:28 min. - 13.8 MB file.

March 9, 2008 - Emerson and America Today - What does it mean to be Emersonian? by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
Internationally regarded as America's preeminent philosopher; do Ralph Waldo Emerson's writings still have any relevance for our American culture today? The focus here is upon his essays Self-Reliance, Nature, and his Divinity School Address.
Listen to the live recording: Emerson and America Today, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From March 9, 2008. 34:36 min. - 13.9 MB file.

February 24, 2008 - Antigone and the Politics of Mourning, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
What parallels can be found between Antigone's predicament and ours, today. The King forbade Antigone to bury her brother. We are forbidden to view the flag-draped coffins of our fallen brothers and sisters. How can we respond when the State is manipulating the depth of public response towards the actions of the State?
Listen to the live recording: Antigone and the Politics of Mourning, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From February 24, 2008. 34:06 min. - 13.7 MB file.

February 17, 2008 - The Challenge to be Moral in an Immoral Society, by Dr. Gerald McWhorter.
Our sense for Morality should notice that there are both homeless persons and vacant houses; that there are both people who possess great wealth and people who must choose between food and prescribed medications. One simple step toward living morally is to simply befriend one another. Welcome the experiences others share with you. Acknowledge and listen to each other. Encourage others to enjoy being homo-sapiens, living on this planet, during this moment in time.
Listen to the live recording: The Challenge to be Moral in an Immoral Society, by Dr. Gerald McWhorter.
From February 17, 2008. 48:19 min. - 19.4 MB file.

February 10, 2008 - Abraham Lincoln's Religion Reconsidered, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
Historians have offerred much speculation about the religious views of Abraham Lincoln. Here, a Philosopher surveys the evidence and comes to his own conclusions.
Listen to the live recording: Abraham Lincoln's Religion Reconsidered, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From February 10, 2008. 40:22 min. - 16.2 MB file.

February 3, 2008 - Some Assembly Required, by Doug Muder.
We sometimes think that if we stated the UU principles exactly right, then everybody would understand what we are all about. But no, they wouldn't. Because someone who walks in the door thinking the wrong metaphor, someone who tries to stuff us into the wrong box; they will always ask the wrong questions. And after they've asked the wrong questions, even the best answers can't help.

January 27, 2008 - Understanding Darfur, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
A broad and comprehensive survey of the history, the politics, the religious values and the racism of the crimes against humanity that are being perpetrated in the region of the Sudan called Darfur.
Listen to the live recording: Understanding Darfur, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From January 27, 2008. 46:26 min. - 18.6 MB file.

January 20, 2008 - Martin Luther King on the Holocaust, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
Recently returned from a seminar at the Holocaust Museum, and marking the coming holiday, Rob surveyed the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for references to the Holocaust.
Listen to the live recording: Martin Luther King on the Holocaust, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From January 20, 2008. 29:13 min. - 11.7 MB file.

January 13, 2008 - R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Michael Flanagan.
Idealism is often uncomfortable alongside pragmatism. Is it possible that pragmitically, idealistic Democracy could produce high quality solutions to political questions? Perhaps it depends upon the characteristics of the systems used to ask the questions.
Listen to the live recording: R-E-S-P-E-C-T, by Michael Flanagan.
From January 13, 2008. 37:23 min. - 15.0 MB file.

January 6, 2008 - Politics, Violence, and the Dignity of Life, by Liz Alonzo.
Liz shares her views as a life-long Catholic; exploring the divide between political parties and candidates over the "Hot Button" issues of Abortion, The War, and Gay Marriage.
Listen to the live recording: Politics, Violence and the Dignity of Life, by Liz Alonzo.
From January 6, 2008. 19:57 min. - 7.99 MB file.

December 16, 2007 - Weeping by the Rivers of Babylon -- Again by Rev. Dr. Hemchand Gossai. Dr. Gossai, the Director of Religious Studies at Georgia Southern University re-draws the parallel between the 6th century bce plight of the Israeli's who found themselves captive in the Imperial City of Babylon.

December 23, 2007 - Quest for a Radical Peace by Rev. Dr. Hemchand Gossai. The prophecy of Isiah speaks to us this morning. Is there a more relevant time when these ancient words challenge our modern conventions? "They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nations shall not lift up sword against nation, and neither shall they learn war any more."

December 9, 2007 - Living the Peace of Advent with Thich Nhat Hahn, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
When we speak of peace, our first thought is of peace in the world. We look for an absence of violence and conflict, warfare and crime. But there is a more immediate level of peace, the peace within. The Buddhist tradition offers us detailed techniques for developing inner peace. And the Vietnamese Buddhist writer, Tich Nhat Hahn describes them with a beautiful simplicity.
Listen to the live recording: Living the Peace of Advent with Thich Nhat Hahn, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From December 9, 2007. 31:59 min. - 12.8 MB file.

December 2, 2007 - Living the Peace of Advent with Catholic Mystic Thomas Merton, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
American Christianity, even American Catholicism, has lost much of the contemplative meaning of Advent. From the writings Thomas Merton, a secluded, Trappist Monk, we glean his understanding of what it is about current events that is worthy of contemplation, and what is not.
Listen to the live recording: Living the Peace of Advent with Catholic Mystic Thomas Merton, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From December 2, 2007. 28:14 min. - 11.3 MB file.

November 25, 2007 - Let Us Be Thankful by Melissa Holden. Thanksgiving has an important history that is related to the settlement of America. But Thanksgiving also has a history within the memory of each of us who has celebrated a Thanksgiving Dinner. Melissa helps us with our memories and with our thanks.

November 18, 2007 - Paper or Plastic? Reflections on the Difficulty of Life, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
Rob moves us towards the enjoyment of our place in the sun. Using the Latin term, ipseity, we can find an understanding of our selves lying outside of the province of sin and guilt and aescetic ideals. We hear Nietzsche saying, ". . . that the sick should not make the healthy sick, should surely be our supreme concern on earth."
Listen to the live recording: Paper or Plastic? Reflections on the Difficulty of Life, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From November 18, 2007. 28:14 min. - 11.3 MB file.

November 4, 2007 - Postmodernism, Unitarianism, and the Return of God, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
Unitarian thought grew out of the Enlightenment, the age of the Modern. As intellectuals have grown past the age of the Modern into the Postmodern, Unitarian thought too, has evolved into something fresh and new.
Listen to the live recording: Postmodernism, Unitarianism, and the Return of God, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From November 4, 2007. 26:56 min. - 10.8 MB file.

October 28, 2007 - The Pathology of Alienation, by Rev. Keith Delap.
Rev. Delap, retired from the Presbyterian Ministry, directs our attention to the message of reconciliation and forgiveness that is contained in the ministry of Jesus. He recounts his efforts towards the World Peace, a Christian goal which he has promoted throughout his own ministry.
Listen to the live recording: The Pathology of Alienation, by Rev. Keith Delap.
From October 28, 2007. 34:02 min. - 13.6 MB file.

October 14, 2007 - Get Ready! The World Is Coming to an End -- Or Is It?, by Paul Miller.
Environmental doomsday is only a part of the danger that faces our planet. Paul surveys the stages of events that lead up to failed civilizations and shares his optimism that humankind will realize the value of a broader self-interest.
Listen to the live recording: Get Ready! The World Is Coming to an End -- Or Is It?, by Paul Miller.
From October 14, 2007. 30:20 min. - 12.2 MB file.

October 7, 2007 - Confucius and Jesus, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
Jesus is often credited as a great teacher of moral principles by the Christian community. Writings handed down from Confucius contain a larger body of moral teaching than any other moral teacher, including Jesus! Today, we explore Confucian wisdom.
Listen to the live recording: Confucius and Jesus, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From October 7, 2007. 24:38 min. - 10.3 MB file.

May 27, 2007 - Honoring the Tenth Anniversary of the Ministry of the Rev. Dr. Rob Manning, by Frieda Marshall.
A very special service honoring the Tenth Anniversary of the ministry of the Reverend Dr. Rob Manning. Remarks from Fr. Bill Burton, Ellen Taylor, Frieda Marshall, Dr. Kerry Manning, and Dr. Rob Manning. Music from Kim Starkey.
Listen to the live recording: Honoring the Tenth Anniversary, by Frieda Marshall.
From May 27, 2007. 35:00 min. - 14.0 MB file.

May 13, 2007 - More, More, MORE! Why Do We Never Have Enough?, by Paul Miller.
In this society of consumption, the desire to accumulate is driven by the primitive urge to survive. Adam Smith's economic model provides a solution to the efficient distribution of SCARCE commodities. How do we cope when "stuff" isn't scarce any more?
Listen to the live recording: Why Do We Never Have Enough?, by Paul Miller.
From May 13, 2007. 33:41 min. - 13.5 MB file.

May 6, 2007 - In Praise of Imperfection, by Susan Morrison Hebble.
Perfection is not part of our make up. Indeed, achieving perfection might be the death of us; it is a notion antithetical to the idea of seeking to make the world a better place, . . . to continually renew the spirit. . . but also to celebrate humanity. And humanity, by definition, is imperfect!
Listen to the live recording: In Praise of Imperfection, by Susan Morrison Hebble.
From May 6, 2007. 23:56 min. - 9.58 MB file.

April 29, 2007 - Joys, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. What do you think are the most enjoyable things in your life? Playing in the dirt? Your children? Hanging out with friends? "There has never been enough joy."
Listen to the live recording: Joys, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning
from April 29, 2007. 22:29 min. - 9.01 MB file.

April 22, 2007 - This Week in God, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
Following a week of senseless murder, both in Quincy and at Virginia Tech, Rob shifted his focus to address some of the issues raised. These acts are symptoms of a culture oriented towards death rather than a culture of life. Referring to the conception of God described by Alfred North Whitehead, Rob explains how God experiences the losses during the week past with pain, very much like our own.
Listen to the live recording: This Week in God, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From April 22, 2007. 33:42 min. - 13.5 MB file.

April 15, 2007 - Words matter, but . . . , by Joe Conover. Joe concludes a marvelous survey of the human condition with the words, "Perhaps being "fully alive" means simply living by that positive ethic that was also taught over the last 4,000 years by all the great religions of which we know: treat others as we would want to be treated. If the evolutionary biologists have it right, this is in fact the ethic that came to us from our primate ancestors. If so, it is this ethic that is truly fundamental."
Listen to the live recording: Words matter, but . . . , by Joe Conover. And including special music from Robert Sibbing - clarinet, Rosa Julstrom - piano, and Mari Hauge - cello.
From April 15, 2007. 36:45 min. - 14.8 MB file.

Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007 - What Jesus Tried To Save Us From, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
On this Easter Sunday Morning, Rob made a fresh survey of the four Canonic gospels, with only one question in his focus: What was it that Jesus was trying to save us from. He came up with five answers, each with a scriptural reference. You will find the range of these answers at variance with the traditional American Christian Easter sermon.
Listen to the live recording: What Jesus Tried To Save Us From, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From April 8, 2007. 33:08 min. - 13.91 MB file.

April 1, 2007 - What's So Funny? I Don't Get It. by Steve Wiegenstein. Steve brings us an April Fool's delight; a critique of the forms of humor that we encounter daily. Mixed in amongst the scholarly analysis and the thoughtful observations are examples of the humor that Steve finds most entertaining. Have you heard the one about . . .
Listen to the live recording: What's So Funny? I Don't Get It!, by Steve Wiegenstein.
From April 1, 2007. 26:57 min. - 11.32 MB file.

March 25, 2007 - The View from Afar: How the U.S. is Perceived Abroad, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Rob shares his recent experience as a Fulbright Scholar in Romania. This time his focus is upon the perception that Romanians and Eastern Europeans in general, have of America and of Americans. Rob presents a 21^st Century version of the story of the "Ugly American."
Listen to the live recording: The View From Afar: How the U.S. is Perceived Abroad, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From March 25, 2007. 31:21 min. - 13.17 MB file.

March 18, 2007 - Forever Gaijin, by Jane Hayashi. Culture shock seems to be a theme at Quincy's Unitarian Church, recently. Jane Hayashi recounts her recent experiences as an exchange student in Japan.
Listen to the live recording: Forever Gaijin, by Jane Hayashi.
From March 18, 2007. 36:07 min. - 15.17 MB file.

March 11, 2007 - God's Politics, Jim Wallis, and the rise of the Evangelical Left, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. The face of Christianity in America has been dominated by the politically active, Religious Right, for several decades, now. In his book, <em>God's Politics</em> Jim Wallis presents an indictment of the Religious Right. Jim Wallis presents a vision of Christianity that Unitarians can look more favorably upon.
Listen to the live recording: God's Politics, Jim Wallis, and the rise of the Evangelical Left, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From March 11, 2007. 37:20 min. - 15.68 MB file.

February 25, 2007 - Lost in Translation, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. When we become confronted with clashing cultures, we often find that truth becomes elusive. We suppose that we know many things about other peoples. Our experiences within other cultures reveal to us how much we don't understand about what is foreign, different to us, and how imperfect, and flawed, and provisional is our understanding when we do try to interpret and to know the other.
Listen to the live recording: Lost in Translation, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning.
From February 25, 2007. 29:13 min. - 26.06 MB file.

February 11, 2007 - The Bear in the Closet, by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. For us in this church, the fatherly God who assures and protects us and tells us that there is no bear in the closet is not a believeable vision of God. Instead, we open ourselves to the vision of a God who wakes us up and reveals to us that we are sleeping in false safety and security; and who asks us what we have done for those who aren't ok and safe and protected.

January 21, 2007 - Christianity and Social Justice; Reflections on 'Letter from Birmingham Jail', by Melissa Holden. Melissa presents us with a juxtaposition of America's "Christian" identity with Jesus' most radical of notions, that one should "Love your neighbor as yourself". Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s message resonates with a 21^st Century audience as vibrantly as when he first penned his 'Letter from Birmingham Jail'.

January 7, 2007 - Let me Know if I Ever Need to Bring a Shovel by Anna Wiegenstein and Chelsea Lloyd. Anna & Chelsea have been fast friends since they were in Junior High School. Together, they tell us about the challenges of growing and changing, living and loving, with their "Best Friend" very close by.

December 17, 2006 - Grace in Unexpected Places by Dr. Hemchand Gossai. Dr. Gossai illustrates a significant parallel between the plight of the Israelis exiled to Babylon in the 6^th century BCE, and all who find themselves estranged from their familiar, traditional roots. Jeremiah exhorts us to take our surroundings, as we find them, and to work toward making a peaceful home for ourselves and for our enemies.

November 19, 2006 - Living Your Bumper Stickers by Ellen Taylor. We have to stop our childish, "am not - are too" shouting matches and begin having reasonable discussions. Namecalling isn't getting us anywhere. It would behoove us to pay more attention to our behaviors than we do to the labels on our bumpers.

November 12, 2006 - Left and Right Together: What Religious Liberals and Conservatives Have in Common by Doug Muder. Liberal religion and conservative religion are two responses to the superficiality and emptiness of today's consumer culture. Liberals and conservatives blame each other for the current state of the world. Both should realize that they share similar visions of Dystopia: a world without depth.

November 5, 2006 - Hannah Arendt & The Origins of Totalitarianism by Joseph Messina. This talk is perhaps ultimately about universal human responsibility not just for the development of the totalitarian situation but for the entirety of our moral reality.

October 29, 2006 - "A Fine Kettle of Witches": The origins of Wicca, told through biographies of some prominent witches by our perennially popular promoter of personal serendipity, Paul Miller.

October 15, 2006 - Clarence Jordan and the Left Hand of God by Judy Crocker. Clarence Jordan was the founder of an interracial Christian cooperative founded in 1942. His is a story of religious belief informing progressive social action. There have been several "spin-offs" of his original Koinonia Farm, Habitat for Humanity probably being the best known.

October 1, 2006 - This I Believe: Why UU's are a Religious People by Carol Nichols. UU's are religious in a way that is not common in America. Carol encourages our curiousity and asks us to explore the realm of the religious from our own, personal perspective.

September 17, 2006 - Thoughts About the Future by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Rob has served as the minister of Quincy's Unitarian Church for ten years, now. He has served longer than any other minister in our long history, a history that dates back to 1839. In this talk, Rob shares a vision of our future, and his.

September 10, 2006 - Our Church Community as a Home by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Home for a while from Romania, Rob explains how his experiences away from America, away from Quincy, and away from Quincy's Unitarian Church, have affected his sense of "Home".

June 4, 2006 - Everything I Needed to Know About High School, I Learned in College by Anna Wiegenstein. Anna grew up attending our church. Here, she offers reflections upon her first year away at college.

May 7, 2006 - Spirituality in Children's Literature by Dr. Susan Morrison Hebble. Susan offers her view of semantic differences between the words "morality" and "spirituality." Then describes the relationship that discussion brings to the study of Children's Literature.

April 16, 2006 - Bunnies and Chicks by Steve Wiegenstein. We who are outsiders, living within a predominantly Christian culture often find "resurection" a bit hard to swallow. But the betrayl and suffering described in the Easter Story are universal themes; themes shared by all of humanity.

April 2, 2006 - Meeting at Infinity: What Theists and Atheists Can Learn From Each Other by Doug Muder. Doug Muder grew up in Quincy. His first career was in Mathematics. Now, he lives and writes in New Hampshire. In this talk, he makes the connection between sacred epiphany and secular epiphany.

March 26, 2006 - Progressive Christianity on the Move by Louise Crede. Herb and Louise Crede are dear friends of many members of our church. They find profound meaning within their decidedly NOT Fundamentalist, Christian Faith.

February 12, 2006 - The Importance of Living: Idle Philosophy Born of an Idle Life by Joe Conover. Forty years ago, Joe encountered a poem that he typed out and has carried with him all over the world. We rediscover with him the source of those "Words to live by."

February 5, 2006 - The Miracle of Faith by Dr. Sharon Buzzard. The concept of "Faith" often causes Unitarians anguish over its meaning. Here, Sharon presents an interpretation of "Faith" that many of us will find comforting.

December 18, 2006 - Reflections on Justice in Shakespeare by Joseph Messina. Justice is an important Shakespearean concern, but perhaps a more important concern is the forgiving presence and action of others.

November 6, 2005 - What a Long Strange Trip It's Been!, by Bill Holden. Bill paints a portrait of a mentor and friend whose homegrown flavor of spirituality reflects a Unitarian ideal.

October 30, 2005 - Into the Dark or Heaven, Hell, and Other Options, By Paul Miller. Our purposefully unemployed, autodidactic, neo-Renaissance scholar goes spelunking in the depths of afterlives.

October 16, 2005 - A Different View of Jesus - What Christianity Could Have Been, by Carol Nichols. Carol has done careful research into the evolution of the canon supporting Christianity. She finds an affinity with Thomas' writings; writings which were rejected as an orthodox canon was being established at Nicea.

June 5, 2005 - Our Unitarian Families: Looking Back, Looking Forward by Judy Crocker and Sandy Morrison. Our church has a long, rich history. Some of the families attending today, have a long, rich history within our church, too.

January 23, 2005 - Do You Believe in Faeries? by Paul Miller. Our resident chemist, Pagan, and autodidact neo-Renaissance scholar presents his naturalistic vision of spirituality.

September 26, 2004 - On the Israeli-Palestinian Situation by former Republican, U.S. Congressman from Illinois (1961-1983), Paul Findley. Rep. Findley advocates respect and understanding for all the peoples of the Middle East.

May 22, 2004 - Patriotism and Spirituality by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Rob offers an intimate glimpse of the way his patriotism has been affected by his theological and religious understanding.

April 25, 2004 - Power by Michael Flanagan. What is behind the close correlation between political power and military power, and what portent does this relationship hold for the future?

Easter Sunday, April 11, 2004 - The Secret of Forgiveness by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. "Father Forgive Them for they Know Not What They are Doing." Rob asks us to examine the ways in which holes are being torn into the fabric of the universe.

April 4, 2004 - Certainties and Hesitancies, A Talk about Gay Marriage by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. The Certainty within the morality of Gay Marriage. And the Hesitancy to allow it to become a political football.

March 7, 2004 - Coming Together Outside the Temple by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Rob tackles the theology of Mel Gibson's controversial movie, The Passion of the Christ.

January 18, 2004 - A Perspective from the Archives of the 1880's by Frieda Marshall. How this church, which was organized in 1839, functioned more than a century ago.

January 4, 2004 - Where Do We Go From Here? by Ellen Taylor. Reflections upon the differing concepts of afterlife. What comes next? What happens when we die?

Christmas Eve, December 24, 2003 - A Unitarian Parable for Christmas by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. We look forward to our annual Christmas Eve Program as an important ingredient in our families' celebration of the season. Our Minister made Christmas 2003 especially memorable with this Christmas parable.

December 21, 2003 - Extracting Meaning from the Christian Myth by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Rob surveys several different possibilities for meaning from the familiar Christmastime story about the baby Jesus.

November 30, 2003 - The Spirituality of The Gift by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Digging deeply into some of the thoughts that surround the concept of the giving of gifts.

October 26, 2003 - Which Halloween do we want? by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. A brief history of the syncretistic holiday, Halloween.

September 23, 2003 - Has our Church Become Too Political by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Reflections upon the role of our church in our community.

April 20, 2003 - A Whole New Christianity, Beginning When? - by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Where is the re-evaluation of Christian thought required by honest reflection upon the events of the Holocaust?

April 13, 2003 - Talmudic Interpretation of the Babylonian passage recounting the conversation between the Rabbis and Alexander the Great by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Our minister plays the role of a Talmudic Scholar and offers an interpretation of a famous Talmudic Story.

Good Friday, March 29, 2003 - On Judas by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. On this Good Friday, Rob was asked to make this short presentation to Quincy's Ministerial Alliance as part of the larger program.

March 9, 2003 - On Becoming a Life Long Unitarian by Dr. Susan Morrison Hebble. It is a Unitarian-Universalist necessity to keep looking, to change, refine, flow, debate, and consider religion perpetually.

January 19, 2003 - Nature's Plan by Paul Miller. "The probability that we might exist by chance rather than by design is, I think, less than one in a googolplex. It is zero." Reflections upon the design of the Universe by a Wiccan chemist.

January 12, 2003 - The Ugliest Idea ever Conceived and The Most Beautiful Idea ever Conceived: Thoughts on Christianity by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. The predominant vision of Christianity in America is one that Jesus would hardly recognize.

December 29, 2002 - The Great Enchantment of Religion by Rev. John W. Brigham, D.D. John took a long look back over a rewarding life, remembering how it had been punctuated with moments of great personal, religious meaning.

December 22, 2002 - On Dying Daily by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. In developing a personal theology of continuous renewal, Rob finds one meaning for On Dying Daily within the life of Jesus. And another meaning for On Dying Daily from the writings of Paul, which is more Buddhist in character.

December 1, 2002 - Advent, The War Versus Iraq, and Spiritual Direction by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Let Advent be a time for the contemplation of a most important question: Do we want to make war on Iraq in the first place?

November 17, 2002 - Martin Luther King Jr., the Civil Rights Movement, and American Memory by Mike Boles. ". . .the curse of poverty has no justification in our age. . . The time has come for us to civilize ourselves by the total, direct and immediate abolition of poverty." MLK, Jr.

November 10, 2002 - Looking back at the (First) Gulf War by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Why aren't we discussing the Persian Gulf War of 1990. Why aren't we making the effort to learn from our recent history?

April 28, 2002 - Twin Stars: Naturalism & Secularism by Rev. Calvin R. Knapp. My decision in 1971 to become your minister was one of the most important milestones in my life. Now is the time for me to report just how far I have come.

March 31, 2002 - Violence and Christian Doctrine by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. How might conventional Christian teachings and theological interpretations be fostering, enabling, even promoting some of the violence in our households?

March 3, 2002 - Unitarianism as a Culture by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. How are Unitarian values integrated into the lives of the Unitarians you know?

February 24, 2002 - Life Inside the Simulacrum by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Exploring the Social Theories of Jean Baudrillard, Rob asks how fictional visual images affect contemporary perceptions of "reality."

January 13, 2002 - The Non-Christian Sources of Martin Luther King's Thought by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. "In his speeches and his writings, King mentions Gandhi more often than any other historical person except Jesus."

January 6, 2002 - Taking Risks and Making Connections by Ellen Taylor. We say that variety is the spice of life. We say that we value original thinking and creativity. What we really seem to value, especially in our schools, is conformity.

October 28, 2001 - Unfunny Remarks About Humor by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Jokes and their relation to repression. Wherein Rob gives us a heavy and serious talk about humor.

September 23, 2001 - Good, Critical, Prophetic Theology: Where is it? by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Or This is NOT a Time for Bad Theology!

September 16, 2001 - Ruptured by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. A Unitarian response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; presented on the Sunday following those terrible tragedies.

September 2, 2001 - Life Lived Between Idiocy and Lunacy by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. A short talk for the first Sunday of our church year, celebrating how the summer has widened our horizons.

June 3, 2001 - A Moment, A Summer by Sharon Buzzard. Our church traditionally recesses during the summers. Sharon, a perennial academic, gives us a sensual assignment for the coming Summer.

May 27, 2001 - The Spiritual Practice of Forgiveness and its Problems by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. There are profound differences in the philosophies of Forgiveness practiced by the Christians and the Jews. Rob illustrates these differences with stories drawn from the survivors of the holocaust.

March 18, 2001 - American Dreams and the Workplace Blues by Sharon Buzzard. How do we work day by day towards justice, equity, and compassion in human relations in our own lives, and especially in the life of the workplace? Sharon reviews how our personal identity is too often, intimately tied to our occupational identity.

February 11, 2001 - Unitarian Religious Education: Paradox or Paradigm? by Sherryl Lang. It seems as if we Unitarians are quick to tell others what we don't believe. What can we tell our children about what we do believe? A discussion of the Seven Principles of our Unitarian Universalist Faith.

January 7, 2001 - Approaching Tao by Kevin Ballard. A broad survey of Taoism, its practice and its philosophy. And an appreciation of some similarities between Taoism and the philosophy of Unitarian Universalists.

December 10, 2000 - Will You Please Be Quiet, Please? And other Christmas Thoughts by Steve Wiegenstein. The Christmas story tells us that holiness sometimes breaks into our lives unexpectedly, unasked-for; and that if we can be open to these moments our world can suddenly blossom and be transformed.

Veteran's Day, November 11, 2000 - What Mean These Stones? by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Cultural Memory and the meaning of the past. Reflections upon our rememberance during a day set aside for remembering.

September 17, 2000 - Playing the Church Game by Ellen Taylor. A powerfully perceptive response to Ellen's personal questioning. Why do we bother with coming to church? What is it that Unitarians find so compelling about coming to this place and being with these people?

May 7, 2000 - Growing up as a UU by Kristina Mathieson. In honor of our graduating High School Seniors, we annually designate one Sunday as "Youth Sunday." We are extremely proud of our graduates, and we are happy to share the address that Kristina presented on "Youth Sunday, 2000."

March 26, 2000 - Surfing Toward Bethlehem by Steve Wiegenstein. Can a person be an inhabitant of this media-saturated era without falling prey to its twin influences of superficiality and self-absorption? The key is to make sure that you are using the technology, and not the other way around.

February 20, 2000 - Christians and Pagans and Satan, Oh My! by Paul Miller. Let us draw a distinction between those who call themselves "Pagans" and those who call themselves "Satanists." While we're at it, let us illuminate a few of the sins of the Christians, too. A discussion of the "Nine Satanic Statements."

January 30, 2000 - The Four Faces of Jesus by Dr. Davidson Loehr. We invited Dr. Loehr to Quincy to present a weekend workshop on the Jesus Seminar. His Sunday Address presented an historical view of the person named "Jesus."

April 4, 1999 - Easter Sunday - Overcoming Christianity by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Martin Luther King would tell us that all who work for justice have cosmic companionship. God, as a spirit who helps us to overcome, is the meaning of Christ's resurrection.

March 21, 1999 - The Morality of a Broad & Comprehensive Education by Ellen Taylor. Ellen's vision of Morality and Education was presented to us before Quincy's Public School Administration was re-invented during the Spring of 1999.

February 28, 1999 - What is Prayer & Do Unitarians Pray? by Carol Nichols. A broad survey of the meaning of the word, "Prayer," and of the meaning that prayer can add to Unitarian Lives. Think of prayer as ". . . that which will center you and help you live your brief life with a spark of the Divine."

December 27, 1998 - A Lonely Minority by Dr. John Sperry. Reflections upon the relationship between Unitarian Universalist Congregations and those members who characterize themselves as "Christians."

October 11, 1998 - Why do we Need Funerals? by Rev. Allen Peyton. An anthropological search for the biological and psychological underpinnings of our need for the rituals which solemnize the deaths of our loved ones.

November 9, 1997 - Christianity and the Care of the Self by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Does Christianity have as one of its central concerns, and does it treasure and promote what Michel Foucault presented to us as the central concern of both Greek and Roman cultures; "the care of the self"?

October 17, 1997 - The Specter of Marx: Labor, Alienation, the Caterpillar and the Silkworm by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Since we give so much of our lives to our work; our best sort of work should be the kind which enables us to become who we really want to be.

September 21, 1997 - On World Religion by Michael Flanagan. An attempt to unify the religions of the world. What might ALL of the world's religions have in common?

February 22, 1997 - Love as Strong as Death by Rev. Dr. Rob Manning. Life's toughest battles are fought inside people's hearts as they struggle with the despair, pain and hopelessness brought to them, without their choice, by death's power to take away.

November 17, 1996 - Uprooted and/or Transplanted by Rev. Dr. Robert J. S. Manning. In an afternoon ceremony on the same day, Dr. Robert J. S. Manning was formally ordained and installed as the minister of the Quincy Unitarian Church. In his morning talk, Rob pledges to resist becoming "settled."

October 13, 1996 - I am Haunted by Waters by Captain Michael Flanagan. The value of a life lived on the Mississippi River during the latter half of the Twentieth Century.

May 5, 1991 - Jesus, God, Etc. by Rev. Lynn S. Smith-Roberts. In this, the second of a two part series titled "What Unitarian Universalists Believe," our minister describes aspects of the many relationships among God-talk, Christianity and Unitarian Universalism.

April 7, 1991 - Religion? Without God? by Rev. Lynn S. Smith-Roberts. Our minister presented a two part series that she titled "What Unitarian Universalists Believe." Her defense of Humanism was the first of them.

November 13, 1990 - The Edge of the Sea by Nike Mendenhall. A discussion of the importance of the oceans to those of us who live in the centers of continents.

December 17, 1989 - Our Four Churches, Their Celebrations and People by Dienna Drew. A short history of the church buildings that we have occupied since our organization in 1839.

June 3, 1983 - The Oracles of Concord: Emerson, Thoreau, Alcott, and George Melvin by Rev. John W. Brigham, D.D., Dr. Brigham recalls the portion of Unitarian history that grew from Concord, Massachusetts, his home town.

March 15, 1981 - The Moral Confusion of Religious Zealots by Rev. John W. Brigham, D.D. When personal judgement is surrendered to a movement, the individual's moral sense becomes vulnerable to the judgement of the collective.

Unitarian Church

Quincy, Illinois

Talks that have been presented to Quincy's Unitarian Church.

Selected Sermons