Copyright 2022 First Congregational Church of Somerville no no Welcome to the First Congregational Church of Somerville's Podcast! We are a community church that encourages spiritual seekers, whether they are just beginning to find faith or are ever-deepening their relationship with God in Jesus Christ. Our beliefs have a strong focus on social justice, political and environmental concerns as we strive to live out our faith in concrete ways. We are intergenerational, multicultural, and celebrate a diversity of God-given orientations: gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual and transgendered. We are a small enough congregation that you will never be a stranger, and a large enough family that there is always something exciting going on! Welcome! Find us on the web at www.firstchurchsomerville.org. We are a progressive United Church of Christ based out of Somerville, MA. This podcast presents our weekly sermons for your listening pleasure. en UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,AffirmingThe First Church Somerville Podcastfirstchurchpodcast@gmail.comFirst Congregational Church of Somerville Sun, 15 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0400 www.youtube.com no no Rev. Jenn Macy firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)www.youtube.comUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0500 Not Yet Available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0500 Not Yet Available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0500 Not available at this time no no Rev. Jenn Macy firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not available at this timeUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jenn Macy firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0500 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Jenn Macy firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0500 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Jenn Macy firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0500 Sermon not available at this time.  no no firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon not available at this time. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0500 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Unavailable at this time no no Rev. Jenn Macy firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Unavailable at this timeUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Not Yet Available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jenn Macy firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jenn Macy firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Unavailable at this time no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Unavailable at this timeUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Megan Berkowitz firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Luke 12:13-21 (NRSV, alt.) no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Luke 12:13-21 (NRSV, alt.)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jocelyn Gardner Spencer firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Reading: Galations 5:1,13-25 no no Rev. Reebee Girash firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Reading: Galations 5:1,13-25UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Available no no firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Technological Delay. no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Technological Delay.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no FCS Confirmands firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 May 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 May 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Reebee Girash firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 May 2019 00:00:00 -0400 The Word Of God no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The Word Of GodUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 May 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Apr 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Not available at this time.  no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not available at this time. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Apr 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Apr 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Apr 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Not Yet Available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0400 Not Available at this time no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not Available at this timeUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0400 no no Megan Berkowitz firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Feb 2019 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Feb 2019 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Feb 2019 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Feb 2019 00:00:00 -0500 Not yet available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet availableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Jan 2019 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Jan 2019 00:00:00 -0500 Not yet available.  no no Rev. George Harris and Rev. Jocelyn Gardner Spencer firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Jan 2019 00:00:00 -0500 Not Yet Available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Dec 2018 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Dec 2018 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Dec 2018 00:00:00 -0500 Advent Cantata no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Advent CantataUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Dec 2018 00:00:00 -0500 Luke 2:3-5 no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Luke 2:3-5UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Dec 2018 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Nov 2018 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Nov 2018 00:00:00 -0500 Not yet available.  no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Nov 2018 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Nov 2018 00:00:00 -0400 *Word Of God* no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)*Word Of God*UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Oct 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available. no no Rev. Megan Snell firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Oct 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Megan Snell firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Oct 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Katie Omberg firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Oct 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon text not yet available. no no Rev. Megan Snell firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon text not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Sep 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Megan Snell firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Sep 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Megan Snell firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Sep 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon text not yet available. no no Rev. Megan Snell firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon text not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Sep 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Sep 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon text not yet available. no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon text not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Aug 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. James Matarazzo firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Aug 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available.  no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Aug 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Aug 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Jul 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Megan Berkowitz firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Jul 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Jul 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Denson Staples firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Jul 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available.  no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Jun 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Mark Alston-Follansbee firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Jun 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Jun 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Jun 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Isaiah 6:1-8 (NRSV, alt.) no no Katie Omberg firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Isaiah 6:1-8 (NRSV, alt.)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available.  no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available.  no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available. no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Fri, 30 Mar 2018 00:00:00 -0400 This audio file is a recording of the full Good Friday 2018 service.  There's some silence at the beginning and the end due to when the recording started and finished. no no firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)This audio file is a recording of the full Good Friday 2018 service.  There's some silence at the beginning and the end due to when the recording started and finished.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Mar 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Mar 2018 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Mar 2018 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Mar 2018 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0500 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0500 Not yet available. no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0500 Sermony Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermony Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0500 Not yet available no no Katie Omberg firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet availableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 31 Dec 2017 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Dec 2017 00:00:00 -0500 no no Katie Omberg firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Dec 2017 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Dec 2017 00:00:00 -0500 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Dec 2017 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Nov 2017 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Chris Lyman Waldron & Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Nov 2017 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Nov 2017 00:00:00 -0500 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Wendy Vander Hart firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Nov 2017 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Oct 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Katie Omberg firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Oct 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Oct 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Oct 2017 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Oct 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Sep 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Sep 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Sep 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Sep 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Greg Woodsbie firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Aug 2017 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Aug 2017 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Aug 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available. no no Gianna Marzilli Ericson firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Jun 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Keith Marzilli Ericson firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Jun 2017 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon text not yet available. no no Community Minister Megan Berkowitz firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon text not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Jun 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Jun 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 May 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 May 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 May 2017 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 May 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Apr 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Apr 2017 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Hank Peirce firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Apr 2017 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Apr 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Mar 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Community Minister Megan Berkowitz firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Mar 2017 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Mar 2017 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Mar 2017 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Feb 2017 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Feb 2017 00:00:00 -0500 Sermon text not yet available. no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon text not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Feb 2017 00:00:00 -0500 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Feb 2017 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0500 Not yet available. no no Community Minister Megan Berkowitz firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0500 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Dec 2016 00:00:00 -0500 no no firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Dec 2016 00:00:00 -0500 Not yet available. no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Dec 2016 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0500 Not Yet Available no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available. no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Oct 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Oct 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Katie Omberg firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Oct 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Taj Smith firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Oct 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Oct 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Sep 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Sep 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Sep 2016 00:00:00 -0400 [due to an Audacity glitch, the recording begins after the Ancient Testimony] no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)[due to an Audacity glitch, the recording begins after the Ancient Testimony]UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Sep 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Our Scripture reading this morning comes from the Gospel according to Luke. no no Elizabeth Sweeny firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Our Scripture reading this morning comes from the Gospel according to Luke.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Aug 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Aug 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available. no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Aug 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Not Yet Available no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 31 Jul 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available. no no Community Minister Megan Berkowitz firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Jul 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Community Minister Megan Berkowitz firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Jul 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Michael Molla firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Jul 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Taj Smith firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Jul 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no CM Chris Alburger firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Various firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Mon, 20 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Amanda Kersey, a reporter from WGHB Boston Public Radio was with us on Sunday, June 19th as we struggled to process together the murders at Pulse nightclub. This piece ran on WGBH's Morning Edition on Monday, June 20th.  no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Amanda Kersey, a reporter from WGHB Boston Public Radio was with us on Sunday, June 19th as we struggled to process together the murders at Pulse nightclub. This piece ran on WGBH's Morning Edition on Monday, June 20th. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 May 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Text not yet available. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Text not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 May 2016 00:00:00 -0400 *Reading 1: Genesis 21:1-2, 8-10 (NRSV)* no no Community Minister Megan Berkowitz firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)*Reading 1: Genesis 21:1-2, 8-10 (NRSV)*UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 May 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 May 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 May 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available. no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Let us pray. God of the ever new, purify our hearts and minds. Let us hear your ancient word fresh in our own times. Gift us with a perspective of what has been good and true and holy throughout the ages and how it is today. Amen no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Let us pray. God of the ever new, purify our hearts and minds. Let us hear your ancient word fresh in our own times. Gift us with a perspective of what has been good and true and holy throughout the ages and how it is today. AmenUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Mar 2016 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Mar 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available. no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Mar 2016 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Mar 2016 00:00:00 -0500 Sermon Text Not Yet Available no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sermon Text Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Feb 2016 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Feb 2016 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Feb 2016 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 31 Jan 2016 00:00:00 -0500 Not yet available. no no Rev. Henry Schoenfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Jan 2016 00:00:00 -0500 Our God began life with us as a vulnerable God. I’m still not sure it was such a good idea, concentrating all that divinity in one fragile human being that could so easily be taken out. From day one She put Herself at risk of hypothermia in that drafty stable, of possible malnutrition if Mary’s milk supply didn’t get well established given the stress she was under, and of any and all of the childhood diseases that claimed so many infants back then and still do in some parts of the world. And that’s not even counting Herod’s homicidal mania. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Our God began life with us as a vulnerable God. I’m still not sure it was such a good idea, concentrating all that divinity in one fragile human being that could so easily be taken out. From day one She put Herself at risk of hypothermia in that drafty stable, of possible malnutrition if Mary’s milk supply didn’t get well established given the stress she was under, and of any and all of the childhood diseases that claimed so many infants back then and still do in some parts of the world. And that’s not even counting Herod’s homicidal mania.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Jan 2016 00:00:00 -0500 Do you remember when you were a kid, and someone gave you a gift you couldn’t quite muster up enthusiasm for, even though you knew you should? Maybe you didn’t like the gift, or you didn’t know what to do with it. Or maybe you just had your heart set on something else. And then, later, after you wrote the obligatory thank you note, you “lost” it, or it “broke,” never to be seen again.  no no Gianna Marzilli Ericson firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Do you remember when you were a kid, and someone gave you a gift you couldn’t quite muster up enthusiasm for, even though you knew you should? Maybe you didn’t like the gift, or you didn’t know what to do with it. Or maybe you just had your heart set on something else. And then, later, after you wrote the obligatory thank you note, you “lost” it, or it “broke,” never to be seen again. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Jan 2016 00:00:00 -0500 Martin Luther, 16th century church reformer and THE renegade Catholic priest and loudmouthed crank to whom every single one of us can trace our spiritual ancestry, often used to fall into a dark place mentally and spiritually. It is a worthy reminder that if even Martin Luther, on whose shoulders all of Protestant Christianity rests, could have doubts and fears and depressions, then it’s only natural that we would too. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Martin Luther, 16th century church reformer and THE renegade Catholic priest and loudmouthed crank to whom every single one of us can trace our spiritual ancestry, often used to fall into a dark place mentally and spiritually. It is a worthy reminder that if even Martin Luther, on whose shoulders all of Protestant Christianity rests, could have doubts and fears and depressions, then it’s only natural that we would too.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Jan 2016 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Dec 2015 00:00:00 -0500 Not yet available no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet availableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Thu, 24 Dec 2015 00:00:00 -0500 Posada Or, Home is the place when you go there, they have to take you in  no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Posada Or, Home is the place when you go there, they have to take you in UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Dec 2015 00:00:00 -0500 no no firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Dec 2015 00:00:00 -0500   no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Dec 2015 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Nov 2015 00:00:00 -0500 Not yet available no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet availableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Nov 2015 00:00:00 -0500 no no firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Nov 2015 00:00:00 -0500 It was exactly two years ago this past Friday. Peter and I were in Paris for our 15th wedding anniversary, a lifelong, long-deferred dream of using my high school French come true. We were walking off some wine and foie gras along the Seine. It had been raining for days, and the water level seemed unusually high to me, the walkways underneath the bridges deluged, and getting higher every hour. And then, out of nowhere, a tiny European police riot van suddenly raced by. Which in itself was a surprise. I thought the French police had long ago beaten their billy clubs into baguettes. Then another went by. Then another. Then another. I counted, and I’m not exaggerating, 43 riot vans went by over the next 20 minutes. 43!  no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)It was exactly two years ago this past Friday. Peter and I were in Paris for our 15th wedding anniversary, a lifelong, long-deferred dream of using my high school French come true. We were walking off some wine and foie gras along the Seine. It had been raining for days, and the water level seemed unusually high to me, the walkways underneath the bridges deluged, and getting higher every hour. And then, out of nowhere, a tiny European police riot van suddenly raced by. Which in itself was a surprise. I thought the French police had long ago beaten their billy clubs into baguettes. Then another went by. Then another. Then another. I counted, and I’m not exaggerating, 43 riot vans went by over the next 20 minutes. 43! UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Nov 2015 00:00:00 -0500 Not Yet Available no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Nov 2015 00:00:00 -0400 When I first starting reading the Bible as an adult, I really didn’t like Paul. He was so fussy and swirly; he could be so emotionally manipulative and had such pointed opinions about women in leadership; he countenanced slavery, and then there was that unfortunate oblique verse about same sex relationships in the first letter to the Corinthians that has fuelled 2,000 years of bigotry against queer people. Thanks a lot, Paul. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)When I first starting reading the Bible as an adult, I really didn’t like Paul. He was so fussy and swirly; he could be so emotionally manipulative and had such pointed opinions about women in leadership; he countenanced slavery, and then there was that unfortunate oblique verse about same sex relationships in the first letter to the Corinthians that has fuelled 2,000 years of bigotry against queer people. Thanks a lot, Paul.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400 no no Mark Alston-Follansbee firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400 There’s a story that gets told on Martin Luther, father of the Protestant church. It’s said he preached a sermon on Love Thy Neighbor one Sunday. His congregation said to him on their way through the receiving line, good sermon, pastor. Good sermon pastor. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)There’s a story that gets told on Martin Luther, father of the Protestant church. It’s said he preached a sermon on Love Thy Neighbor one Sunday. His congregation said to him on their way through the receiving line, good sermon, pastor. Good sermon pastor.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400 Our scripture reading this morning comes from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia. Let us now hear the word of God: no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Our scripture reading this morning comes from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia. Let us now hear the word of God:UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Sep 2015 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available no no Valerie Tutson firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet availableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Sep 2015 00:00:00 -0400 There was a man at the first church I served, north of Boston. His name was Sub, short for Sumner. He was a reedy man with a Pilgrim sort of face: creased with hard work, and serious. I could well picture him, in our 300-year-old church, 300 years earlier, sitting on a hard wooden bench with his King James open before him. Sub was a retired engineer. He had been happily married for a very long time, and in order to stay happily married he had to leave the house every day. And where Sub came was: his church. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)There was a man at the first church I served, north of Boston. His name was Sub, short for Sumner. He was a reedy man with a Pilgrim sort of face: creased with hard work, and serious. I could well picture him, in our 300-year-old church, 300 years earlier, sitting on a hard wooden bench with his King James open before him. Sub was a retired engineer. He had been happily married for a very long time, and in order to stay happily married he had to leave the house every day. And where Sub came was: his church.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Sep 2015 00:00:00 -0400 We experienced a miracle, a gen-u-wine miracle at our house a few weeks ago. I plan on having the Pope verify it when he comes later this month. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)We experienced a miracle, a gen-u-wine miracle at our house a few weeks ago. I plan on having the Pope verify it when he comes later this month.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Sep 2015 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0400 It never fails to surprise me how in this congregation, when we begin to talk about big, vulnerable things, the confession most folks want to make is not a confession of sin, it’s not a revelation of pride, sloth, gluttony, wrath, envy, greed or lust—rather, what comes out, is a confession of the terrible hold that anxiety has over their lives, your lives. The anxiety might be specific: about a decision, a job, a relationship, a new initiative, but more commonly it’s a generalized anxiety, a giant miasmic anxiety that holds you hostage to fears of death, either the Big One or the little deaths of your particular hopes and plans. It squeezes your life like a great and terrible sea monster, careening up from the depths without warning to seize your little ship and splinter it into pieces. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)It never fails to surprise me how in this congregation, when we begin to talk about big, vulnerable things, the confession most folks want to make is not a confession of sin, it’s not a revelation of pride, sloth, gluttony, wrath, envy, greed or lust—rather, what comes out, is a confession of the terrible hold that anxiety has over their lives, your lives. The anxiety might be specific: about a decision, a job, a relationship, a new initiative, but more commonly it’s a generalized anxiety, a giant miasmic anxiety that holds you hostage to fears of death, either the Big One or the little deaths of your particular hopes and plans. It squeezes your life like a great and terrible sea monster, careening up from the depths without warning to seize your little ship and splinter it into pieces.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0400 My cousin-in-law has been on some hard times lately. She wanted children and couldn’t have them, so she had animals instead. Then she fell in love with my cousin Bill. Their blended family had two young adult daughters, six dogs and two cats. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)My cousin-in-law has been on some hard times lately. She wanted children and couldn’t have them, so she had animals instead. Then she fell in love with my cousin Bill. Their blended family had two young adult daughters, six dogs and two cats.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Jul 2015 00:00:00 -0400 By now hopefully most of you have heard the bolt-out-of-the-blue news I sent out by email on Monday, the news that my family is moving to California next year, because I have accepted a new call to serve a UCC in the Bay Area. If you hadn’t yet heard the news, and you know me, I’m sorry that I did not get to tell you more gently. And if you don’t know me, I ask your forgiveness for the ways in which this sermon and today’s service may make you feel like you have suddenly crashed a very intimate family moment. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)By now hopefully most of you have heard the bolt-out-of-the-blue news I sent out by email on Monday, the news that my family is moving to California next year, because I have accepted a new call to serve a UCC in the Bay Area. If you hadn’t yet heard the news, and you know me, I’m sorry that I did not get to tell you more gently. And if you don’t know me, I ask your forgiveness for the ways in which this sermon and today’s service may make you feel like you have suddenly crashed a very intimate family moment.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Jul 2015 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Jul 2015 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Jul 2015 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Jun 2015 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Jun 2015 00:00:00 -0400 It wasn’t supposed to end that way. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)It wasn’t supposed to end that way.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Jun 2015 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Jun 2015 00:00:00 -0400 When I was a senior in college, I was pretty scared about being unemployed and adrift in the big bad world. I was so scared, that I did something fairly unusual and counterintuitive for me. I applied to go into the Foreign Service. When George Herbert Walker Bush was president. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)When I was a senior in college, I was pretty scared about being unemployed and adrift in the big bad world. I was so scared, that I did something fairly unusual and counterintuitive for me. I applied to go into the Foreign Service. When George Herbert Walker Bush was president.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 31 May 2015 00:00:00 -0400 Nicodemus could not sleep. He was tossing and turning, but something just wasn’t sitting right. It was something to do with this guy, Jesus—the one who was driving everybody crazy. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Nicodemus could not sleep. He was tossing and turning, but something just wasn’t sitting right. It was something to do with this guy, Jesus—the one who was driving everybody crazy.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 May 2015 00:00:00 -0400 Next month, on June 23 to be exact, Peter and I will celebrate 20 years together.  On that first June 23rd, falling pell-mell into summer romance, I don’t think either one of us anticipated we’d be here 20 years later, with kids, a mortgage, and decades more life together stretching out before us. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Next month, on June 23 to be exact, Peter and I will celebrate 20 years together.  On that first June 23rd, falling pell-mell into summer romance, I don’t think either one of us anticipated we’d be here 20 years later, with kids, a mortgage, and decades more life together stretching out before us.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 May 2015 00:00:00 -0400 Not yet available no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet availableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 May 2015 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400 I had a dream the night before last. I walked into a room at church, and it was filled with nativity sets. High and low, on every surface, as far as the eye can see, were wise ones and shepherds, and baby Jesuses, with stars hanging from the ceiling above all of them. Snow was gently falling on them. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I had a dream the night before last. I walked into a room at church, and it was filled with nativity sets. High and low, on every surface, as far as the eye can see, were wise ones and shepherds, and baby Jesuses, with stars hanging from the ceiling above all of them. Snow was gently falling on them.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400 In the sci fi novel series Hyperion, the author Dan Simmons gives us a 28th-century universe in which Earth is gone; it’s been utterly destroyed by the hubris of humankind and what was left over sucked into a manmade black hole. The remaining inhabitants of the planet were airlifted out at the last moment, to colonize distant planets in the universe—beautiful planets, but none of them quite like Earth, their home that is gone forever. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)In the sci fi novel series Hyperion, the author Dan Simmons gives us a 28th-century universe in which Earth is gone; it’s been utterly destroyed by the hubris of humankind and what was left over sucked into a manmade black hole. The remaining inhabitants of the planet were airlifted out at the last moment, to colonize distant planets in the universe—beautiful planets, but none of them quite like Earth, their home that is gone forever.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400 1 John 1:1-2:2 no no John Olson firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)1 John 1:1-2:2UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400 It’s been a long, hard winter. Can I get an amen, Church? It’s been a killing winter, soul-killing and, for some people, body-killing. Every day you and I keep looking outside to see if anything, anything is coming back alive again, don’t we? Is spring even coming? We look and we look, but there’s not much to go on yet. We know spring has to come eventually, but what if it doesn’t? What if everything stays dead? What if this is the year spring decides: nah. I’m moving to Florida!  no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)It’s been a long, hard winter. Can I get an amen, Church? It’s been a killing winter, soul-killing and, for some people, body-killing. Every day you and I keep looking outside to see if anything, anything is coming back alive again, don’t we? Is spring even coming? We look and we look, but there’s not much to go on yet. We know spring has to come eventually, but what if it doesn’t? What if everything stays dead? What if this is the year spring decides: nah. I’m moving to Florida! UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Fri, 03 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0400 Text not yet available. no no Rev. Megan Snell firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Text not yet available.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0400 Last week in worship the sense of victory over winter was palpable. You were here in droves. There were smiles on your faces. I saw many of you gamboling like spring lambs when you thought nobody was looking. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Last week in worship the sense of victory over winter was palpable. You were here in droves. There were smiles on your faces. I saw many of you gamboling like spring lambs when you thought nobody was looking.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Day McCallister firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500 The other day, I was walking Carmen and her friend to school, when I noticed a guy spinning his wheels, trying to get his parked car out of the ice and snow. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The other day, I was walking Carmen and her friend to school, when I noticed a guy spinning his wheels, trying to get his parked car out of the ice and snow.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500 The lectionary reading this morning, the fifth Sunday after Epiphany, comes from the Gospel according to Mark, chapter 1, verses 29 – 39. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The lectionary reading this morning, the fifth Sunday after Epiphany, comes from the Gospel according to Mark, chapter 1, verses 29 – 39.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500 When I sat down to write this sermon, I was on the All Church Retreat, with a view of snow whipping across the Cape Cod marsh as children burbled from the other room, “I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)When I sat down to write this sermon, I was on the All Church Retreat, with a view of snow whipping across the Cape Cod marsh as children burbled from the other room, “I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0500 This morning we’ll continue our Living the Questions sermon series.  no no Rev. Megan Snell firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)This morning we’ll continue our Living the Questions sermon series. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0500 no no Molly Baskette, Jeff Mansfield, and Megan Snell firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0500 We have two readings from the lectionary this Sunday, the First Sunday after Epiphany.  Both about the start of something new. Let us now hear the word of God. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)We have two readings from the lectionary this Sunday, the First Sunday after Epiphany.  Both about the start of something new. Let us now hear the word of God.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0500 Today is the tenth day of Christmas. The wise ones are almost there—they’ll get there in two more days. Gertrude Stein once said there’s no THERE there, but we know she’s wrong, because we know where THERE is. Bethlehem. The stable place. The Messiah. Wonder, and certainty, that we are finally face to face with God. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Today is the tenth day of Christmas. The wise ones are almost there—they’ll get there in two more days. Gertrude Stein once said there’s no THERE there, but we know she’s wrong, because we know where THERE is. Bethlehem. The stable place. The Messiah. Wonder, and certainty, that we are finally face to face with God.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Dec 2014 00:00:00 -0500 Not yet available no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not yet availableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Dec 2014 00:00:00 -0500 A week from Wednesday, we will gather in this sanctuary to celebrate that the God who made us is getting made Herself: Jesus, the light of the world, is God coming to get as close to us as possible. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)A week from Wednesday, we will gather in this sanctuary to celebrate that the God who made us is getting made Herself: Jesus, the light of the world, is God coming to get as close to us as possible.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Dec 2014 00:00:00 -0500 The reading this morning, the second Sunday of Advent, comes from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1, verses 26-38.  Let us now hear the Word of God: no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The reading this morning, the second Sunday of Advent, comes from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1, verses 26-38.  Let us now hear the Word of God:UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Nov 2014 00:00:00 -0500   no no Rev. Megan Snell firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Nov 2014 00:00:00 -0500 It’s the fourth and final Sunday in our stewardship series on Holding All Things in Common. Each week we’ve talked about the early Christian church, and how we can be more like them, making sure that there is no needy person among us, because of how willing we are to share our treasure, be that our physical possessions, our money, our white privilege and other forms of privilege; and our willingness to take responsibility for the treasure of our scripture and religious tradition, because we are the spiritual descendants of progressive Christianity—we are the ones who keep it alive.  no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)It’s the fourth and final Sunday in our stewardship series on Holding All Things in Common. Each week we’ve talked about the early Christian church, and how we can be more like them, making sure that there is no needy person among us, because of how willing we are to share our treasure, be that our physical possessions, our money, our white privilege and other forms of privilege; and our willingness to take responsibility for the treasure of our scripture and religious tradition, because we are the spiritual descendants of progressive Christianity—we are the ones who keep it alive. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Nov 2014 00:00:00 -0500 The scripture reading this morning comes from the book of Acts, chapter 6, verses 1-6.  Two weeks ago, at the start of our stewardship season (the season when we plan our financial pledges to the church for next year), Molly preached on an earlier text in the narrative of Acts.  The book of Acts is basically the Gospel of Luke part II.  In the gospel Luke tells us all about Jesus’ conception, birth, life, death, and resurrection.  In Acts Luke picks up with the early Church’s conception, birth, and life in the first few decades after Jesus’ resurrection.  no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The scripture reading this morning comes from the book of Acts, chapter 6, verses 1-6.  Two weeks ago, at the start of our stewardship season (the season when we plan our financial pledges to the church for next year), Molly preached on an earlier text in the narrative of Acts.  The book of Acts is basically the Gospel of Luke part II.  In the gospel Luke tells us all about Jesus’ conception, birth, life, death, and resurrection.  In Acts Luke picks up with the early Church’s conception, birth, and life in the first few decades after Jesus’ resurrection. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Nov 2014 00:00:00 -0500 Last week in worship I pointed out this chest sitting here on the chancel, the chest emblazoned with the mysterious phrase “Chest of Joash.”  At the time I said it was a treasure chest—and so it is—to guide us through Stewardship season, the time of year when we think and pray about giving to our church and commit an amount of money for the year to come. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Last week in worship I pointed out this chest sitting here on the chancel, the chest emblazoned with the mysterious phrase “Chest of Joash.”  At the time I said it was a treasure chest—and so it is—to guide us through Stewardship season, the time of year when we think and pray about giving to our church and commit an amount of money for the year to come.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Nov 2014 00:00:00 -0400 Uh oh. Here it comes. The sermon on Giving. Because it’s stewardship season again! The time of year when we are planning our 2015 budget, and trying to figure out how much we can spend. The time of year when YOU good people take real, tangible, physical responsibility for your church and all the lives it touches in its ever-widening trajectory. The time of year when we talk a lot about the god we usually fall silent before, MONEY. Appropriate that stewardship season always seems to come around Halloween because it is scarrrrrry….Moohahahahahaha!  no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Uh oh. Here it comes. The sermon on Giving. Because it’s stewardship season again! The time of year when we are planning our 2015 budget, and trying to figure out how much we can spend. The time of year when YOU good people take real, tangible, physical responsibility for your church and all the lives it touches in its ever-widening trajectory. The time of year when we talk a lot about the god we usually fall silent before, MONEY. Appropriate that stewardship season always seems to come around Halloween because it is scarrrrrry….Moohahahahahaha! UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Oct 2014 00:00:00 -0400 Before we read to you the scripture for the day, I want to give you a little context for hear it: the story of Job. Good old Job. Loveable, hardworking, humble Job, who put up with everything. What a loser! No, really! Job lost everything! He had 3,000 camels! And he had 10 adult children. And they all died. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield & Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Before we read to you the scripture for the day, I want to give you a little context for hear it: the story of Job. Good old Job. Loveable, hardworking, humble Job, who put up with everything. What a loser! No, really! Job lost everything! He had 3,000 camels! And he had 10 adult children. And they all died.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Oct 2014 00:00:00 -0400 Theologian Karl Barth said that preachers should preach with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. Here’s my newspaper (hold up iPhone).  no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Theologian Karl Barth said that preachers should preach with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. Here’s my newspaper (hold up iPhone). UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Oct 2014 00:00:00 -0400 Sabbath for Everyone no no Rev. Megan Snell firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sabbath for EveryoneUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Oct 2014 00:00:00 -0400 Church, I want to tell you how my day started yesterday. I went for a drive in my little car with an exuberant third grader, a lesbian environmental consultant, a straight doula and her former community organizer boyfriend who has a lot of facial hair. They are known to you as Carmen, Andrea, Bonnie and Rev. Jeff. I came by Carmen biologically, but the other three—well, let’s just say that I am continually amazed by the people who have ended up in my life because I followed Jesus, and because this church was one of the places I have followed him to. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Church, I want to tell you how my day started yesterday. I went for a drive in my little car with an exuberant third grader, a lesbian environmental consultant, a straight doula and her former community organizer boyfriend who has a lot of facial hair. They are known to you as Carmen, Andrea, Bonnie and Rev. Jeff. I came by Carmen biologically, but the other three—well, let’s just say that I am continually amazed by the people who have ended up in my life because I followed Jesus, and because this church was one of the places I have followed him to.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Sep 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Sep 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Valerie Tutson firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Sep 2014 00:00:00 -0400 When I was in college, I joined a fraternity, a co-ed fraternity. It was called The Tabard, after the pub in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, from which a motley band of pilgrims set out on their journey.   no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)When I was in college, I joined a fraternity, a co-ed fraternity. It was called The Tabard, after the pub in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, from which a motley band of pilgrims set out on their journey.  UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Sep 2014 00:00:00 -0400 Most of the anxiety in our house around the start of the academic year can be summed up in how my two very different kids dressed on the first day of school. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Most of the anxiety in our house around the start of the academic year can be summed up in how my two very different kids dressed on the first day of school.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 31 Aug 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Aug 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Aug 2014 00:00:00 -0400 Hey my people! It is so good to be back with you after 49 days of sabbatical!  Thank you, thank you, for the gift of time and Sabbath, the chance to step outside the stream of church life and work, and spend treasured time with my family, and with my own soul. It was a great gift; one I hope you get to experience periodically. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Hey my people! It is so good to be back with you after 49 days of sabbatical!  Thank you, thank you, for the gift of time and Sabbath, the chance to step outside the stream of church life and work, and spend treasured time with my family, and with my own soul. It was a great gift; one I hope you get to experience periodically.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Aug 2014 00:00:00 -0400   no no Rev. James Matarazzo firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Jul 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Jul 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jason Lydon firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Jul 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Jul 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0400 I’ve been a minister for a while now, to the point that I can distill some of my pastoral wisdom into a few handy phrases.   no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I’ve been a minister for a while now, to the point that I can distill some of my pastoral wisdom into a few handy phrases.  UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 May 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 May 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 May 2014 00:00:00 -0400 Today’s scripture story is built on a premise some of us might have difficulty accepting. That is: that Jesus is the shepherd and we are the sheep.But nobody wants to be a sheep. In the United States of America, ‘sheep’ is a slur for someone who follows the crowd, someone who doesn’t know their own mind. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Today’s scripture story is built on a premise some of us might have difficulty accepting. That is: that Jesus is the shepherd and we are the sheep.But nobody wants to be a sheep. In the United States of America, ‘sheep’ is a slur for someone who follows the crowd, someone who doesn’t know their own mind.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 May 2014 00:00:00 -0400 Do you ever feel, when you’re reading the Bible, like you’re looking through a telescope through the wrong end? Whatever you see looks impossibly remote and far away. It’s old news. It’s even less relevant than old news:  it’s mythology. I just told you that the people who first heard this story were Greek and Roman—that means that their referent for Deity were gods like Zeus, Aphrodite, Aurora—remember Aurora, the goddess of the dawn, who renewed herself every morning and was fond of taking mortal lovers? For centuries Greeks and Romans had been telling each other stories about gods coming down in disguise, hangingout with humans, playing practical jokes on them—so, the Emmaus story, with its case of mistaken identity and its congress between human and divine, would have been right up their alley. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Do you ever feel, when you’re reading the Bible, like you’re looking through a telescope through the wrong end? Whatever you see looks impossibly remote and far away. It’s old news. It’s even less relevant than old news:  it’s mythology. I just told you that the people who first heard this story were Greek and Roman—that means that their referent for Deity were gods like Zeus, Aphrodite, Aurora—remember Aurora, the goddess of the dawn, who renewed herself every morning and was fond of taking mortal lovers? For centuries Greeks and Romans had been telling each other stories about gods coming down in disguise, hangingout with humans, playing practical jokes on them—so, the Emmaus story, with its case of mistaken identity and its congress between human and divine, would have been right up their alley.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0400 The Lectionary reading this morning comes from the Gospel According to John, chapter 20, verses 19-31.  A whole week  has gone by since Easter Sunday.  But our reading picks up right where we left off last week - Mary Magdalene has been to Jesus’ tomb and discovered it empty.  She remained at the tomb weeping and searching for the body of Jesus and that’s when she saw the angels and Jesus appeared to her.  Jesus told her to go find the disciples and tell them the good news of the resurrection, which she did.  As this week’s reading begins, it is still the first Easter day.  Evening is now upon us.  Mary has delivered the Good News and the Resurrected Jesus is about to reveal himself to ALL the disciples – all of them except one.  Let us now hear the Word of God: no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The Lectionary reading this morning comes from the Gospel According to John, chapter 20, verses 19-31.  A whole week  has gone by since Easter Sunday.  But our reading picks up right where we left off last week - Mary Magdalene has been to Jesus’ tomb and discovered it empty.  She remained at the tomb weeping and searching for the body of Jesus and that’s when she saw the angels and Jesus appeared to her.  Jesus told her to go find the disciples and tell them the good news of the resurrection, which she did.  As this week’s reading begins, it is still the first Easter day.  Evening is now upon us.  Mary has delivered the Good News and the Resurrected Jesus is about to reveal himself to ALL the disciples – all of them except one.  Let us now hear the Word of God:UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0400 There’s something missing here, from the Easter Story.  no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)There’s something missing here, from the Easter Story. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0400 Sometimes we hear others say, or say ourselves, Ugh, the Holy Week story is so negative. I far prefer Easter to Good Friday. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield & Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sometimes we hear others say, or say ourselves, Ugh, the Holy Week story is so negative. I far prefer Easter to Good Friday.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0400 The lectionary reading this morning, the fourth Sunday in Lent, comes from the Gospel according to John, chapter 9, verses 1-41. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The lectionary reading this morning, the fourth Sunday in Lent, comes from the Gospel according to John, chapter 9, verses 1-41.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0400 The scripture reading this morning comes from the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 17, verses 1-4.  The reading we’re about to hear is short, but it comes in the narrative here just a few beats before Jesus rides into Jerusalem triumphantly to face the events of the passion and the cross.  And these short sayings of Jesus are surrounded on all sides by some of the greatest and most recognizable parables and predictions – all leading up to the dramatic final events of Jesus’ life.  The author of the Gospel of Luke wants us to really hear these words, to hear their incredible call to action.  Listen to these words – how urgent they are.  And they’re all the more urgent in light of the tidal wave of violence, betrayal, and separation that is about to overwhelm Jesus’ story.  Let us now hear the Word of God: no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The scripture reading this morning comes from the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 17, verses 1-4.  The reading we’re about to hear is short, but it comes in the narrative here just a few beats before Jesus rides into Jerusalem triumphantly to face the events of the passion and the cross.  And these short sayings of Jesus are surrounded on all sides by some of the greatest and most recognizable parables and predictions – all leading up to the dramatic final events of Jesus’ life.  The author of the Gospel of Luke wants us to really hear these words, to hear their incredible call to action.  Listen to these words – how urgent they are.  And they’re all the more urgent in light of the tidal wave of violence, betrayal, and separation that is about to overwhelm Jesus’ story.  Let us now hear the Word of God:UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0500 no no Jamie Thompson, Sarah Glover, Sophia Vieira firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0500 I spent the last couple days in Cleveland, at our denomination’s Mother House, with a group of pastors who also write for our national website. A number of them live and serve right in Ohio, and tell hair-raising stories of what it is like to be pastors in such a politically polarized state. Can you imagine what it is like to preach or pray about anything at all that is going on in the world while worrying about alienating half of your church? no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I spent the last couple days in Cleveland, at our denomination’s Mother House, with a group of pastors who also write for our national website. A number of them live and serve right in Ohio, and tell hair-raising stories of what it is like to be pastors in such a politically polarized state. Can you imagine what it is like to preach or pray about anything at all that is going on in the world while worrying about alienating half of your church?UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Feb 2014 00:00:00 -0500 Disclaimer: Is Jesus saying that if we have been mistreated by someone, we should not call them out for it? That if we are systemically abused, physically or verbally, by a partner, we should go back for more? Isn’t that enabling their behavior? Aren’t we putting others at risk by not holding abusive people accountable? no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Disclaimer: Is Jesus saying that if we have been mistreated by someone, we should not call them out for it? That if we are systemically abused, physically or verbally, by a partner, we should go back for more? Isn’t that enabling their behavior? Aren’t we putting others at risk by not holding abusive people accountable?UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Feb 2014 00:00:00 -0500 no no Valerie Tutson firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Feb 2014 00:00:00 -0500 The lectionary reading this Sunday, the fifth Sunday of Epiphany, comes from the Gospel according to Mark, Chapter 5, verses 13-16. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The lectionary reading this Sunday, the fifth Sunday of Epiphany, comes from the Gospel according to Mark, Chapter 5, verses 13-16.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Feb 2014 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jerry Troyer firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0500 Matthew 4:12-23 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Matthew 4:12-23UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0500 On Wednesday, Blanca, our custodian, and Carol, our church administrator, and I were tooling around the church. It was like the aftermath of a holiday party around here, with random cups on windowsills, glow sticks faded to pastel cast into nooks. For Christmas Eve services we had brought down every single chair in the church, including the velvet thrones from the sanctuary, so that everyone would be sure to have a place to sit, and still we were standing room only. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)On Wednesday, Blanca, our custodian, and Carol, our church administrator, and I were tooling around the church. It was like the aftermath of a holiday party around here, with random cups on windowsills, glow sticks faded to pastel cast into nooks. For Christmas Eve services we had brought down every single chair in the church, including the velvet thrones from the sanctuary, so that everyone would be sure to have a place to sit, and still we were standing room only.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0500 Jesus’s life has a lot of beginnings, like a novel by a first-time writer who needed a better copy editor. There’s the time when Jesus was the Word, in the beginning, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. That’s a lot of words, and not a lot of action. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Jesus’s life has a lot of beginnings, like a novel by a first-time writer who needed a better copy editor. There’s the time when Jesus was the Word, in the beginning, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. That’s a lot of words, and not a lot of action.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0500 The lectionary reading this morning the second and final Sunday of the Christmas season comes from the Gospel According to John, the first chapter, verses 1-18.  no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The lectionary reading this morning the second and final Sunday of the Christmas season comes from the Gospel According to John, the first chapter, verses 1-18. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0500             The lectionary reading this morning, the first Sunday after Christmas, comes from the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 2, verses 13 – 23. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)            The lectionary reading this morning, the first Sunday after Christmas, comes from the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 2, verses 13 – 23.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0500 There is a lot of ink spilled and breath spent this time of year in religious circles on Mary’s Yes to God. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)There is a lot of ink spilled and breath spent this time of year in religious circles on Mary’s Yes to God.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0500 no no firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Did you know that Advent was meant to be a devotional time, a time for doing less and praying more, eating less and feeding more, spending less on ourselves and more on the poor? It is sometimes called a Little Lent. The readings for the first two Sundays in Advent are apocalyptic readings--they point us toward the second coming of the Messiah, the revolutionary who will totally re-order the world in just and equitable ways. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Did you know that Advent was meant to be a devotional time, a time for doing less and praying more, eating less and feeding more, spending less on ourselves and more on the poor? It is sometimes called a Little Lent. The readings for the first two Sundays in Advent are apocalyptic readings--they point us toward the second coming of the Messiah, the revolutionary who will totally re-order the world in just and equitable ways.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Note: Two files: no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Note: Two files:UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Note: Low level, sketchy quality no no Christy Zuzelo firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Note: Low level, sketchy qualityUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0500 This is a love story. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)This is a love story.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0500   no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0500 The scripture reading this morning, the 25th Sunday after Pentecost, comes from the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 24: 36-43.  no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The scripture reading this morning, the 25th Sunday after Pentecost, comes from the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 24: 36-43. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0400 I’ve got babies on the brain today! If you’re not aware, we had not one, not two, but THREE babies born this week from First Church Somerville. Some card noticed what was happening exactly 9 months ago: the All Church Retreat. If any of you were still on the fence about going to the next one: you should make an informed decision. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I’ve got babies on the brain today! If you’re not aware, we had not one, not two, but THREE babies born this week from First Church Somerville. Some card noticed what was happening exactly 9 months ago: the All Church Retreat. If any of you were still on the fence about going to the next one: you should make an informed decision.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Oct 2013 00:00:00 -0400 The lectionary gospel reading this morning, the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost, comes from the Book of Luke chapter 18, verses 9 – 14. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The lectionary gospel reading this morning, the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost, comes from the Book of Luke chapter 18, verses 9 – 14.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Oct 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Church, say amen if you feel the Spirit. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Church, say amen if you feel the Spirit.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Oct 2013 00:00:00 -0400 I want to talk about loneliness. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I want to talk about loneliness.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Oct 2013 00:00:00 -0400 The lectionary reading this morning, the twentieth Sunday after Pentecost comes from the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 17, verses 7 – 10. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The lectionary reading this morning, the twentieth Sunday after Pentecost comes from the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 17, verses 7 – 10.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 This is a story that cut deeply across the grain of traditional religious thought, when Jesus told it. His audience is the Pharisees. The Pharisees were the religious nobility of the day—I’m not sure there’s any equivalent left in our society, but maybe: people who write the books on popular religion that sell pretty well to white-knuckled flyers at airport bookstores. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)This is a story that cut deeply across the grain of traditional religious thought, when Jesus told it. His audience is the Pharisees. The Pharisees were the religious nobility of the day—I’m not sure there’s any equivalent left in our society, but maybe: people who write the books on popular religion that sell pretty well to white-knuckled flyers at airport bookstores.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 *Genesis 1* no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)*Genesis 1*UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400    no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 The lectionary reading this morning, the 16th Sunday after Pentecost, comes from the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 14, verses 25-33. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The lectionary reading this morning, the 16th Sunday after Pentecost, comes from the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 14, verses 25-33.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Reebee Girash firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Aug 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Not Yet Available no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Not Yet AvailableUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Aug 2013 00:00:00 -0400 no no Mark Allston-Follansbee & Fred Harvey firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Aug 2013 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Aug 2013 00:00:00 -0400 When Cheryl Strayed walked into the woods at 26 years old, she went because there were no other ways open to her. She doesn't say God made her do it. In fact, she doesn't mention God once, anywhere in her book, though God's fingerprints are all over her story. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)When Cheryl Strayed walked into the woods at 26 years old, she went because there were no other ways open to her. She doesn't say God made her do it. In fact, she doesn't mention God once, anywhere in her book, though God's fingerprints are all over her story.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Jul 2013 00:00:00 -0400 The scripture reading this morning comes from the Book of Job, chapter 12, verses 7-10.  In the Book of Job, Job is a man who is going through a really hard time – a lot of bad things have happened to him.  His friends all show up and tell him that he must have done something really terrible to be so cursed.  But Job knows deep down that what his friends think is wisdom, is too simple.  Job scoffs at their human wisdom and lifts up the Wisdom of all Creation.  All life knows that God is in control, says Job, but only people assume that they can speak for God about why bad things happen.  Let us now hear Job’s words; the Word of God: no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The scripture reading this morning comes from the Book of Job, chapter 12, verses 7-10.  In the Book of Job, Job is a man who is going through a really hard time – a lot of bad things have happened to him.  His friends all show up and tell him that he must have done something really terrible to be so cursed.  But Job knows deep down that what his friends think is wisdom, is too simple.  Job scoffs at their human wisdom and lifts up the Wisdom of all Creation.  All life knows that God is in control, says Job, but only people assume that they can speak for God about why bad things happen.  Let us now hear Job’s words; the Word of God:UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Jul 2013 00:00:00 -0400 There was an error in our recording program during Molly's sermon, we were able to get it recording again in just a few seconds, but there is a slight break in the recording. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)There was an error in our recording program during Molly's sermon, we were able to get it recording again in just a few seconds, but there is a slight break in the recording.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Jul 2013 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Jul 2013 00:00:00 -0400 The Gospel According to General Synod 29: no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The Gospel According to General Synod 29:UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0400 “Dance” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)“Dance”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0400 When I was in college, I worked at the local late-night pizza joint, Everything But Anchovies. It was owned by a large extended family of what you might have called poor rural working-class whites, except that pizza had made them pretty comfortable. The scion of that family, Charlie, was a middle-aged straight white man, who loved all-you-can-eat pasta, the sports section of the newspaper, and being a male chauvinist/making fun of his waitstaff. Charlie’s many siblings were content to let him run the business while they took their share of profits, so Charlie got to make fun of us a lot. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)When I was in college, I worked at the local late-night pizza joint, Everything But Anchovies. It was owned by a large extended family of what you might have called poor rural working-class whites, except that pizza had made them pretty comfortable. The scion of that family, Charlie, was a middle-aged straight white man, who loved all-you-can-eat pasta, the sports section of the newspaper, and being a male chauvinist/making fun of his waitstaff. Charlie’s many siblings were content to let him run the business while they took their share of profits, so Charlie got to make fun of us a lot.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Mykal Slack firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 One of the things that can make it hard, as a thinking person, to read the Bible, is the contradictions we encounter as soon as we crack it open. The one I noted about the two conflicting Ascension stories is typical. It is hard to take the Bible seriously when it can’t even get its stories straight. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)One of the things that can make it hard, as a thinking person, to read the Bible, is the contradictions we encounter as soon as we crack it open. The one I noted about the two conflicting Ascension stories is typical. It is hard to take the Bible seriously when it can’t even get its stories straight.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 no no Robert Henry Hyde firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 As our congregation grows, different kind of people come and teach us about their piece of God. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)As our congregation grows, different kind of people come and teach us about their piece of God.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Our sister Lisa Cordner said on Friday afternoon that we were all involved in our own kind of marathon. A marathon of waiting. Painful in a different way than mile 18 or Heartbreak Hill. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Our sister Lisa Cordner said on Friday afternoon that we were all involved in our own kind of marathon. A marathon of waiting. Painful in a different way than mile 18 or Heartbreak Hill.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 This past week has been a jumble of events and emotions. Some of you were at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday. A day of rest and triumph was shattered. You saw all the devastation that an improvised explosive device can cause and you will never forget it. Some of you know victims of this week’s senseless violence. And you are mourning their loss. Some of you live in Watertown. You woke up on Friday morning wondering how things could have gotten so much worse in one unbelievable night. Most of you were in lockdown Friday, glued to the network news, feeling trapped in a week that would never end. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)This past week has been a jumble of events and emotions. Some of you were at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday. A day of rest and triumph was shattered. You saw all the devastation that an improvised explosive device can cause and you will never forget it. Some of you know victims of this week’s senseless violence. And you are mourning their loss. Some of you live in Watertown. You woke up on Friday morning wondering how things could have gotten so much worse in one unbelievable night. Most of you were in lockdown Friday, glued to the network news, feeling trapped in a week that would never end.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD – AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD – AND THE WORD WAS WITH GODUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 no no firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Nicodemus couldn’t sleep. His digital alarm clock must have been broken, because the minutes just wouldn’t go by, glaring red and wiggly at him in the darkness. He’d tried all of the sounds on his white noise app: the grandfather clock, the lapping waves, the crickets, and, far from lulling him back to slumber, they were driving him out of his mind. F. Scott Fitzgerald once said that in the dark night of the soul, it is always 3am. That is also the hour of most ontological crises, of the sort Nicodemus was having. Was everything he believed, everything he had worked for, everything he had taken as gospel, wrong? no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Nicodemus couldn’t sleep. His digital alarm clock must have been broken, because the minutes just wouldn’t go by, glaring red and wiggly at him in the darkness. He’d tried all of the sounds on his white noise app: the grandfather clock, the lapping waves, the crickets, and, far from lulling him back to slumber, they were driving him out of his mind. F. Scott Fitzgerald once said that in the dark night of the soul, it is always 3am. That is also the hour of most ontological crises, of the sort Nicodemus was having. Was everything he believed, everything he had worked for, everything he had taken as gospel, wrong?UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Imagine that you have been invited to get on a rocket ship and go into outer space. You won’t have time to pack a bag, or tie up loose ends, or say goodbye to the people you love. And you might never be able to come back. Who, in this room, is that brave? Who has that kind of adventurous spirit? Let’s see your hands. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Imagine that you have been invited to get on a rocket ship and go into outer space. You won’t have time to pack a bag, or tie up loose ends, or say goodbye to the people you love. And you might never be able to come back. Who, in this room, is that brave? Who has that kind of adventurous spirit? Let’s see your hands.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Crucifixion, in the ancient world and within our Christian tradition, is the ultimate statement of the powers of death. For the Roman Empire, the ones who crucified Jesus, death on a cross was not merely the way to dispose of one human life. Crucifixion was a tool to crush the hopes of all people who refused to serve them or bow to them. For the Jewish people who believed that they were created in the image of God, crucifixion was meant to be a violent re-education declaring that you have been made and will be unmade according to the power and the vision of Rome. The cross was raised up like a billboard, a living-dying-bodily advertisement of power and subjugation. The crucified human being on the cross, raised before their own community to slowly, publicly suffer, became a torturous exposition of the personal and collective frailty of the vanquished. The cross was a simple, practical way of showing the world who was boss and the cross was the Empire’s way of celebrating its own vicious victory over the lives of those it was conquering. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Crucifixion, in the ancient world and within our Christian tradition, is the ultimate statement of the powers of death. For the Roman Empire, the ones who crucified Jesus, death on a cross was not merely the way to dispose of one human life. Crucifixion was a tool to crush the hopes of all people who refused to serve them or bow to them. For the Jewish people who believed that they were created in the image of God, crucifixion was meant to be a violent re-education declaring that you have been made and will be unmade according to the power and the vision of Rome. The cross was raised up like a billboard, a living-dying-bodily advertisement of power and subjugation. The crucified human being on the cross, raised before their own community to slowly, publicly suffer, became a torturous exposition of the personal and collective frailty of the vanquished. The cross was a simple, practical way of showing the world who was boss and the cross was the Empire’s way of celebrating its own vicious victory over the lives of those it was conquering.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Now is the time when God brings Her stories before us. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Now is the time when God brings Her stories before us.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 This Sunday is the fifth Sunday in Lent and this week, as we continue our Lenten practice of exploring what we’ve been calling the “Marks of Discipleship,” we’re going to be diving down into the 5th mark of discipleship, a fifth activity that we are called to as the Church, which is relationships.  The lectionary reading this morning comes from the Gospel according to John, the 12th chapter, verses 1 through 8.  no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)This Sunday is the fifth Sunday in Lent and this week, as we continue our Lenten practice of exploring what we’ve been calling the “Marks of Discipleship,” we’re going to be diving down into the 5th mark of discipleship, a fifth activity that we are called to as the Church, which is relationships.  The lectionary reading this morning comes from the Gospel according to John, the 12th chapter, verses 1 through 8. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 When I was in college, my best friend, who was from Oakland, California, invited me home with her for winter break. In all of 8 days, she introduced me to sushi, nose piercings, and Eastern religions. Aisha was one of the coolest people I had ever met: she was raised not just Buddhist BUT ALSO Hindu. [only in California!] She took me to an ashram, my first big venture outside of New England Congregationalism, and it blew my mind. People of every color gathered for some hot gruel and mugs of chai before the service began. It was all free. Then we gathered in a giant gymnasium, on our little mats, and chanted in Hindi for an hour or more. That was almost 25 years ago now but I can still see the gym and the Kingdom-hued people; I can still taste the gruel and chai. It was terribly novel and interesting, and a little bit boring, all at the same time, as such things tend to be for people who are just passing through. The problem was, I was outside the mystery of their worship. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)When I was in college, my best friend, who was from Oakland, California, invited me home with her for winter break. In all of 8 days, she introduced me to sushi, nose piercings, and Eastern religions. Aisha was one of the coolest people I had ever met: she was raised not just Buddhist BUT ALSO Hindu. [only in California!] She took me to an ashram, my first big venture outside of New England Congregationalism, and it blew my mind. People of every color gathered for some hot gruel and mugs of chai before the service began. It was all free. Then we gathered in a giant gymnasium, on our little mats, and chanted in Hindi for an hour or more. That was almost 25 years ago now but I can still see the gym and the Kingdom-hued people; I can still taste the gruel and chai. It was terribly novel and interesting, and a little bit boring, all at the same time, as such things tend to be for people who are just passing through. The problem was, I was outside the mystery of their worship.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Luke treats this story a little more indirectly than his fellow gospel-writer: he has Jesus tells it as a parable. Maybe there’s a little redactionism here. An attempt to do a little PR work on Jesus. Matthew and Mark’s telling of the story put Jesus in a certain light, and Luke softens it by turning it into a parable. It’s kind of like saying, “A friend of mine had this fig tree...” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Luke treats this story a little more indirectly than his fellow gospel-writer: he has Jesus tells it as a parable. Maybe there’s a little redactionism here. An attempt to do a little PR work on Jesus. Matthew and Mark’s telling of the story put Jesus in a certain light, and Luke softens it by turning it into a parable. It’s kind of like saying, “A friend of mine had this fig tree...”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 The scripture reading this Sunday, the first Sunday in Lent, comes from the Gospel according to Luke chapter 11 verses 5-13.  Last week we went with Jesus to the mountaintop, experienced the transfiguration, and came back down again with Jesus to walk the Lenten road to Jerusalem.  According to Luke, one day in the midst of this long journey the disciples find Jesus in prayer and they ask him to teach them how to pray.  Jesus teaches them a prayer we pray here together each week, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.”  Then, Luke writes, Jesus offers these teachings on prayer.  Let us now hear the Word of God: no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The scripture reading this Sunday, the first Sunday in Lent, comes from the Gospel according to Luke chapter 11 verses 5-13.  Last week we went with Jesus to the mountaintop, experienced the transfiguration, and came back down again with Jesus to walk the Lenten road to Jerusalem.  According to Luke, one day in the midst of this long journey the disciples find Jesus in prayer and they ask him to teach them how to pray.  Jesus teaches them a prayer we pray here together each week, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.”  Then, Luke writes, Jesus offers these teachings on prayer.  Let us now hear the Word of God:UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 no no Robert Henry Hyde firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Call the kids down…. We have a story today about Jesus from Luke’s Gospel.  Here’s what you need to know before we hear this story.  Jesus is about to introduce himself to the world in a very special way.  He’s going to the synagogue that he grew up in.  A synagogue is a lot like a church, but it’s a building for a Jewish congregation and Jesus was Jewish so he went to synagogue.  In the synagogue he’s going to read the scripture – just like I’m about to do – reading from a very special, sacred scroll.  This is before Jesus has done any miracles or healings, he has just started to teach people.  And this is how he introduces himself to us.  This is how Jesus tells us who he is.  Let’s listen to Jesus’ story:   Act it out… no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Call the kids down…. We have a story today about Jesus from Luke’s Gospel.  Here’s what you need to know before we hear this story.  Jesus is about to introduce himself to the world in a very special way.  He’s going to the synagogue that he grew up in.  A synagogue is a lot like a church, but it’s a building for a Jewish congregation and Jesus was Jewish so he went to synagogue.  In the synagogue he’s going to read the scripture – just like I’m about to do – reading from a very special, sacred scroll.  This is before Jesus has done any miracles or healings, he has just started to teach people.  And this is how he introduces himself to us.  This is how Jesus tells us who he is.  Let’s listen to Jesus’ story:   Act it out…UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 I mentioned in the newsletter this week that when I was a younger preacher, I hoped to become the next Martin Luther King Jr. I also lamented that that doesn’t seem to have happened yet. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I mentioned in the newsletter this week that when I was a younger preacher, I hoped to become the next Martin Luther King Jr. I also lamented that that doesn’t seem to have happened yet.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 no no firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Mon, 07 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 To misquote the poet Emily Dickinson, something there is that loves a line. When I was growing up in the 80s in Dorchester, near Ashmont station on the red line, I remember the fights in the press about extending the red line all the way to Alewife from Harvard Station, where it ended at the time. Some residents of Arlington, it seemed, wanted the red line kept out so that some other, less visible lines would kept firmly IN. They expressed concern that poor blacks from Dot were going to get on the T at Shawmut or Field’s Corner, and ride in air-conditioned comfort all the way to Alewife, for the express purpose of burgling their homes. Presumably, then, the would-be burglars would take a cab back to Dot with all their booty. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)To misquote the poet Emily Dickinson, something there is that loves a line. When I was growing up in the 80s in Dorchester, near Ashmont station on the red line, I remember the fights in the press about extending the red line all the way to Alewife from Harvard Station, where it ended at the time. Some residents of Arlington, it seemed, wanted the red line kept out so that some other, less visible lines would kept firmly IN. They expressed concern that poor blacks from Dot were going to get on the T at Shawmut or Field’s Corner, and ride in air-conditioned comfort all the way to Alewife, for the express purpose of burgling their homes. Presumably, then, the would-be burglars would take a cab back to Dot with all their booty.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 When I read this old, old story again a couple weeks ago, one phrase stood out to me like it was glowing in golden Elvish script: the wise ones were “overwhelmed with joy” when they arrived at their destination. Why overwhelmed with joy? Why not “overcome” with joy; “transported” by joy? Overwhelmed is a bad thing, right? Overwhelm was one of the words that marked the candle-lighting stations we provided for people at our Longest Night service just after the massacre in Newtown, along with the words Grief, Loss, Doubt. Overwhelm is a bad thing. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)When I read this old, old story again a couple weeks ago, one phrase stood out to me like it was glowing in golden Elvish script: the wise ones were “overwhelmed with joy” when they arrived at their destination. Why overwhelmed with joy? Why not “overcome” with joy; “transported” by joy? Overwhelmed is a bad thing, right? Overwhelm was one of the words that marked the candle-lighting stations we provided for people at our Longest Night service just after the massacre in Newtown, along with the words Grief, Loss, Doubt. Overwhelm is a bad thing.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 The lectionary reading this morning, the first Sunday after Christmas, is from the Gospel According to Luke, chapter 2, verses 41-52. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The lectionary reading this morning, the first Sunday after Christmas, is from the Gospel According to Luke, chapter 2, verses 41-52.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 The lectionary reading this morning, the second Sunday of Advent, comes from the Gospel According to Luke, chapter 1, verses 67-80. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The lectionary reading this morning, the second Sunday of Advent, comes from the Gospel According to Luke, chapter 1, verses 67-80.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 The lectionary reading this morning, the second Sunday of Advent, comes from the Gospel According to Luke, chapter 1, verses 67-80. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The lectionary reading this morning, the second Sunday of Advent, comes from the Gospel According to Luke, chapter 1, verses 67-80.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 no no Robert Henry Hyde firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 There is a form of literature in the Bible known as an “apocalypse,” a description of the end times. Revelation is one such, the book of Daniel is another. The story from scripture today is known as the “Little Apocalypse.” Isn’t that comforting, somehow? It’s just a tiny, little apocalypse. It probably didn’t feel little to the people suffering it, though. As Mark was writing these words down, 40 years after Jesus died, the Roman occupiers were tearing down the temple at Jerusalem, ripping out the heart of Jewish religious life, and persecution of the early Christians was well underway. The world obviously didn’t come to an end then, not in an absolute sense, but it felt like the end, for many. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)There is a form of literature in the Bible known as an “apocalypse,” a description of the end times. Revelation is one such, the book of Daniel is another. The story from scripture today is known as the “Little Apocalypse.” Isn’t that comforting, somehow? It’s just a tiny, little apocalypse. It probably didn’t feel little to the people suffering it, though. As Mark was writing these words down, 40 years after Jesus died, the Roman occupiers were tearing down the temple at Jerusalem, ripping out the heart of Jewish religious life, and persecution of the early Christians was well underway. The world obviously didn’t come to an end then, not in an absolute sense, but it felt like the end, for many.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Jesus sat down opposite the convenience store, and he watched people putting money onto the counter. He saw the elderly person put their whole Social Security check. He watched the waitress put her cash tips. He saw the day laborer take all he had and give it up to the clerk. And he watched as the clerk handed over strips of scratch tickets, sparkly, with those silly names, Lucky Stars, In The Chips, 7-come-11. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Jesus sat down opposite the convenience store, and he watched people putting money onto the counter. He saw the elderly person put their whole Social Security check. He watched the waitress put her cash tips. He saw the day laborer take all he had and give it up to the clerk. And he watched as the clerk handed over strips of scratch tickets, sparkly, with those silly names, Lucky Stars, In The Chips, 7-come-11.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 no no Susie Hayward firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 The lectionary reading this morning, Reformation Sunday, comes from the Gospel according to Mark chapter 10 verses 46-52.  It’s a short little story about Jesus healing a blind beggar named Bartimaeus.  But in order to understand it fully you have to hear it in its immediate context.  no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The lectionary reading this morning, Reformation Sunday, comes from the Gospel according to Mark chapter 10 verses 46-52.  It’s a short little story about Jesus healing a blind beggar named Bartimaeus.  But in order to understand it fully you have to hear it in its immediate context. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Zaccheus was easy to hate. The poor hated him because he was rich, and the rich hated him because he was tacky. At least that’s what they told themselves, to justify being so scornful. Everybody needs somebody to hate. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Zaccheus was easy to hate. The poor hated him because he was rich, and the rich hated him because he was tacky. At least that’s what they told themselves, to justify being so scornful. Everybody needs somebody to hate.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 I have a terrible prejudice. Some of you are gasping in horror, already. Others of you, who perhaps know me better, are saying: “only one? I can count at LEAST three...” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I have a terrible prejudice. Some of you are gasping in horror, already. Others of you, who perhaps know me better, are saying: “only one? I can count at LEAST three...”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Wow. Look at all these people, Jeff. This is a little embarrassing, and I hate to be the one to tell you: you’re not supposed to be here. Didn’t you hear the NPR story that organized religion is dead, and even worse, unCool? Didn’t you get the memo that God is on hospice care? Don’t you know by now that Christianity is totally irrelevant to our daily lives? Get out of here! no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Wow. Look at all these people, Jeff. This is a little embarrassing, and I hate to be the one to tell you: you’re not supposed to be here. Didn’t you hear the NPR story that organized religion is dead, and even worse, unCool? Didn’t you get the memo that God is on hospice care? Don’t you know by now that Christianity is totally irrelevant to our daily lives? Get out of here!UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 It used to be that fall was my favorite season. The cool air, the burst of energy, the new pencils, the new clothes, the new EVERYTHING. Boots suited me better than flipflops. Summer was altogether too much of a good thing that I didn’t seem to be able to enjoy. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)It used to be that fall was my favorite season. The cool air, the burst of energy, the new pencils, the new clothes, the new EVERYTHING. Boots suited me better than flipflops. Summer was altogether too much of a good thing that I didn’t seem to be able to enjoy.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Carol Taylor firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 The scripture reading this morning comes from the Gospel of Luke chapter 17, verses 20 and 21. Translation of Biblical texts isn’t easy, but if you’re just the right kind of nerd it can be a lot of fun. I am that nerd and this morning since our scripture reading is so short, I thought I’d read it to you twice – once from the New Revised Standard Version and then from the Jeff Mansfield version. Translation is always a creative act and, perhaps, it will help us to better understand one of Jesus’ mysterious sayings about the Kingdom of God. Let us now hear the Word of God: no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The scripture reading this morning comes from the Gospel of Luke chapter 17, verses 20 and 21. Translation of Biblical texts isn’t easy, but if you’re just the right kind of nerd it can be a lot of fun. I am that nerd and this morning since our scripture reading is so short, I thought I’d read it to you twice – once from the New Revised Standard Version and then from the Jeff Mansfield version. Translation is always a creative act and, perhaps, it will help us to better understand one of Jesus’ mysterious sayings about the Kingdom of God. Let us now hear the Word of God:UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 If you’re thinking that the scripture I just read sounds an awful lot like what I preached a couple of weeks ago, you’re exactly right. Before you start thinking I’ve run out of new material, you should know that it’s the second half of the sermon we heard from Jesus two weeks ago, the one in which Jesus called himself the bread of life. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)If you’re thinking that the scripture I just read sounds an awful lot like what I preached a couple of weeks ago, you’re exactly right. Before you start thinking I’ve run out of new material, you should know that it’s the second half of the sermon we heard from Jesus two weeks ago, the one in which Jesus called himself the bread of life.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 A friend of mine studied Buddhism with masters throughout Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Thailand. He met a monk who had been ill for a quite a while and had not been able to participate in the life of his temple or to teach. But this great and respected master decided to give one final dharma talk or sermon as a way of saying farewell to the community. It was a greatly anticipated event and the temple was packed with people for this special service. When the moment finally came for the dharma talk, everyone settled down onto their cushions, getting ready for their beloved teacher’s final words of wisdom. The monk began: “You are all going to die,” he said, “SOON!” Then he bowed to them. The talk was over. That was his last teaching. The truth of these last words basically sums up the reason that Molly and I have decided to talk about death – Ars Moriendi, the Art of Dying – for three Sundays in a row in the high heat of August. Because the human lifespan is short and whether it’s later this afternoon or a hundred years from now, death will arrive for all of us – SOON! Ars Moriendi was a 15th century text that came out of the devastation of Europe’s Black Death. The priestly classes who had attended so many deathbeds had been particularly devastated by the plague and there arose a need for a DIY guidebook to having a good death. But, I think, to be most effective, training in the Art of Dying needs to begin before our deathbed. In order to live well, to really understand what this life is, what it’s made for, and what we are capable of, we all have to come to terms with death. John’s telling of the Raising of Lazarus, which we just heard, is a teaching about resurrection, right? Clearly, there is a resurrection in there, but I wonder if these events are more about death and the absolute necessity of our facing it – before we are dying – in order to truly live. Have you been down in Lazarus’ tomb, the way that Jesus went to it – to truly deal with death? There’s a story about the Buddha that got me thinking about this aspect of the Lazarus story. There was a woman, named Kisa Gautami, from a well-to-do family who was married to a successful merchant. She had a young son who became suddenly sick and died. Grief stricken, Kisa Gautami carried her son throughout her village begging for help, seeking out medicine, trying to find someone who could bring the child back to life. A villager told her she should go to visit the powerful teacher who was in town and Kisa brought her son’s body to the Buddha and asked for his help. Buddha told her that only one thing would solve her problem and asked her to bring him a grain of mustard seed from a home in the village BUT that it had to be from a home which had never known death. Kisa Gautami leapt up and went from house to house, knocking on doors, asking her neighbors if this was a house that had never known death. The reply kept coming back, “no, my daughter died here, we lost our father here, my grandparents passed here.” Before long, the realization dawned on her that there is no home, no person, who has not known death. Death is inevitable and universal. She stopped looking for the mustard seed, buried her son, and returned to the Buddha to become his follower. The first teachings Buddha gave her before Kisa could embrace her new life as a nun were teachings about death and its absolute connection to life. In fact, Buddhist traditions record that the Buddha taught 40 different subjects of meditation to calm the mind and seek out truth. 10 of them were corpse meditations. The recommended corpse meditations are meditations on the bloated corpse, the bluish discolored corpse, the festering corpse, the cut-up corpse, the gnawed corpse, the scattered corpse, the hacked and scattered corpse, the blood-stained corpse, the worm-infested corpse, and the skeleton. Buddhist monks have been known throughout history to sit in meditation in graveyards – which were not always so neat and orderly as our modern graveyards – and gaze upon the decaying bodies there in order to know death. I know, it’s all pretty macabre, but isn’t Lazarus’ story also a little gory and gross? If you look at the picture on the front of your bulletin, you can get a feel for it. The Raising of Lazarus was painted by artist Nicolas Froment around the same time that the Ars Moriendi was written. This is a resurrection of a corpse that has been in the ground for four days. Martha on the left there swoons from the smell that she warned Jesus about. Lazarus rises stiffly. His face is still held by his death rigor. No one looks particularly overjoyed that he’s back. It’s a ghastly scene – as much a meditation on death as it is a meditation on resurrection. Kisa Gautami, like Mary and Martha, was looking for a resurrection. Instead, she was confronted full on with the truth that death is a part of life and it shaped her future and her spiritual journey moving forward. Death led her toward Enlightenment. Kisa’s story got me thinking about Jesus in the Lazarus story. The way John tells it suggests that maybe even Jesus at first, like Kisa, was in denial about having to encounter death. When Jesus gets the message from Lazarus’ family saying that he is ill, Jesus says that the illness will not lead to death, but to Glory instead. But was it only resurrection and glory that Jesus, Lazarus, and all those mourners experienced or was it first and foremost, just like it was for Kisa Gautami, an intimate encounter with death? Is Jesus, as we often do when it comes to death, having a moment of denial? When Jesus decides to leave for Bethany to see Lazarus, at first, he can’t even say to the disciples that the Lazarus has died. He says he has fallen asleep. Was it some discomfort that made Jesus use a euphemism that confused all of the disciples? Jesus even says that he is glad that he wasn’t there at Lazarus’ death – so that you may believe, he tells disciples. But I wonder if Jesus, like any of us might be, was wary of facing death. Perhaps Jesus, like any of us, knew that in facing the death of his friend he would also be facing his own death. The disciples seem to understand that this is what Jesus is going through. They tell him not go – because attempts have been made on Jesus’ life already in that area. Stay safe, they tell him, don’t face death. But Jesus tells them that he is determined – he is seeking the light and will not stumble. And like good friends, the disciples go too – that we may die with him also, says Thomas. They know that Jesus, in some way, is going to face his death. Maybe that’s why Jesus delayed for two days before heading to Bethany. Jesus seems to tell himself that he was giving Lazarus time to die so that he could perform the resurrection when he finally showed up. But after a two-day delay, Jesus arrives in Bethany to learn that Lazarus has been in the grave for four days. No delay was necessary. Could it have been that Jesus needed that time for himself to overcome his fear of the truth he would find in that tomb? Could Jesus have arrived in time? Could he have saved Lazarus? The mourners’ ask the same doubting question, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Why face death when you can perform miracles to prevent it? Certainly Jesus has performed many great healings and saved many from death demonstrating that he had the power to heal Lazarus, yet in this situation, it seems that even Jesus, the miracle worker and healer, must truly meet death – just like any of us. When Martha runs out to meet Jesus she says to him, “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died.” Jesus doesn’t confirm this but replies to her confidently that Lazarus will rise again and that he, Jesus, is the resurrection and the life. Next, Mary runs out to meet Jesus and she says to him, “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died.” This time Jesus’ response is very different. The text says that Jesus was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He begins to weep. It is only now that he is ready to go down to the tomb, to roll away the stone, to face the stench, and to call Lazarus out and meet death – and the glory beyond it. What’s the benefit of all of this facing death? Why should we meditate now on this smelly, disturbing reality? Is it just because we are all going to die – soon? Or are there benefits to living life now with the kind of enlightenment and glory that may be found on the other side of death? And do I really need to hang out with corpses to get these benefits? What is your corpse meditation? Where might there be a tomb in your life that you could visit? When I was 14-years old, I broke my back. One of my vertebrae was so severely collapsed that the doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital told me they had never seen a spine so damaged that had not severed the spinal column. My spinal cord was squeezed down to ¼ of its normal width, my spine itself was twisted so badly inside of me that you could see the hump through my back. The doctors told me they would do their best but that it was a serious operation to put me back together again and there were no guarantees. I needed to be prepared to wake up from the surgery paralyzed from the chest down and, of course, I knew I needed to be prepared to not wake up from surgery at all. Anything could happen. Obviously things turned out pretty well for me. I woke up from surgery, my spinal cord was saved, my spine was screwed and grafted back into a mostly normal configuration, and I was walking around within days. Now, some days have been better than others, but since the operations I have had to live with a lot of pain. Sometimes I barely notice it, other times it is absolutely debilitating. As I was trying to write this sermon last night, it just so happened, I was having wracking back pain. This pain has been my corpse meditation, my trip down to the tomb for the last 20 years of my life. When it comes, in big nauseating waves, I remember my own mortality – that anything could happen. And every time I go for a hike, or take a bike ride, or touch my toes, the little aches and pains up and down my torso seem to me like the Glory of God. This morning, after a night of back spasms, I woke up like a dead man stiffly raising himself up to the light and I remembered that after we face death anything can happen. That’s good news and it’s a good way to live. AMEN. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)A friend of mine studied Buddhism with masters throughout Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Thailand. He met a monk who had been ill for a quite a while and had not been able to participate in the life of his temple or to teach. But this great and respected master decided to give one final dharma talk or sermon as a way of saying farewell to the community. It was a greatly anticipated event and the temple was packed with people for this special service. When the moment finally came for the dharma talk, everyone settled down onto their cushions, getting ready for their beloved teacher’s final words of wisdom. The monk began: “You are all going to die,” he said, “SOON!” Then he bowed to them. The talk was over. That was his last teaching. The truth of these last words basically sums up the reason that Molly and I have decided to talk about death – Ars Moriendi, the Art of Dying – for three Sundays in a row in the high heat of August. Because the human lifespan is short and whether it’s later this afternoon or a hundred years from now, death will arrive for all of us – SOON! Ars Moriendi was a 15th century text that came out of the devastation of Europe’s Black Death. The priestly classes who had attended so many deathbeds had been particularly devastated by the plague and there arose a need for a DIY guidebook to having a good death. But, I think, to be most effective, training in the Art of Dying needs to begin before our deathbed. In order to live well, to really understand what this life is, what it’s made for, and what we are capable of, we all have to come to terms with death. John’s telling of the Raising of Lazarus, which we just heard, is a teaching about resurrection, right? Clearly, there is a resurrection in there, but I wonder if these events are more about death and the absolute necessity of our facing it – before we are dying – in order to truly live. Have you been down in Lazarus’ tomb, the way that Jesus went to it – to truly deal with death? There’s a story about the Buddha that got me thinking about this aspect of the Lazarus story. There was a woman, named Kisa Gautami, from a well-to-do family who was married to a successful merchant. She had a young son who became suddenly sick and died. Grief stricken, Kisa Gautami carried her son throughout her village begging for help, seeking out medicine, trying to find someone who could bring the child back to life. A villager told her she should go to visit the powerful teacher who was in town and Kisa brought her son’s body to the Buddha and asked for his help. Buddha told her that only one thing would solve her problem and asked her to bring him a grain of mustard seed from a home in the village BUT that it had to be from a home which had never known death. Kisa Gautami leapt up and went from house to house, knocking on doors, asking her neighbors if this was a house that had never known death. The reply kept coming back, “no, my daughter died here, we lost our father here, my grandparents passed here.” Before long, the realization dawned on her that there is no home, no person, who has not known death. Death is inevitable and universal. She stopped looking for the mustard seed, buried her son, and returned to the Buddha to become his follower. The first teachings Buddha gave her before Kisa could embrace her new life as a nun were teachings about death and its absolute connection to life. In fact, Buddhist traditions record that the Buddha taught 40 different subjects of meditation to calm the mind and seek out truth. 10 of them were corpse meditations. The recommended corpse meditations are meditations on the bloated corpse, the bluish discolored corpse, the festering corpse, the cut-up corpse, the gnawed corpse, the scattered corpse, the hacked and scattered corpse, the blood-stained corpse, the worm-infested corpse, and the skeleton. Buddhist monks have been known throughout history to sit in meditation in graveyards – which were not always so neat and orderly as our modern graveyards – and gaze upon the decaying bodies there in order to know death. I know, it’s all pretty macabre, but isn’t Lazarus’ story also a little gory and gross? If you look at the picture on the front of your bulletin, you can get a feel for it. The Raising of Lazarus was painted by artist Nicolas Froment around the same time that the Ars Moriendi was written. This is a resurrection of a corpse that has been in the ground for four days. Martha on the left there swoons from the smell that she warned Jesus about. Lazarus rises stiffly. His face is still held by his death rigor. No one looks particularly overjoyed that he’s back. It’s a ghastly scene – as much a meditation on death as it is a meditation on resurrection. Kisa Gautami, like Mary and Martha, was looking for a resurrection. Instead, she was confronted full on with the truth that death is a part of life and it shaped her future and her spiritual journey moving forward. Death led her toward Enlightenment. Kisa’s story got me thinking about Jesus in the Lazarus story. The way John tells it suggests that maybe even Jesus at first, like Kisa, was in denial about having to encounter death. When Jesus gets the message from Lazarus’ family saying that he is ill, Jesus says that the illness will not lead to death, but to Glory instead. But was it only resurrection and glory that Jesus, Lazarus, and all those mourners experienced or was it first and foremost, just like it was for Kisa Gautami, an intimate encounter with death? Is Jesus, as we often do when it comes to death, having a moment of denial? When Jesus decides to leave for Bethany to see Lazarus, at first, he can’t even say to the disciples that the Lazarus has died. He says he has fallen asleep. Was it some discomfort that made Jesus use a euphemism that confused all of the disciples? Jesus even says that he is glad that he wasn’t there at Lazarus’ death – so that you may believe, he tells disciples. But I wonder if Jesus, like any of us might be, was wary of facing death. Perhaps Jesus, like any of us, knew that in facing the death of his friend he would also be facing his own death. The disciples seem to understand that this is what Jesus is going through. They tell him not go – because attempts have been made on Jesus’ life already in that area. Stay safe, they tell him, don’t face death. But Jesus tells them that he is determined – he is seeking the light and will not stumble. And like good friends, the disciples go too – that we may die with him also, says Thomas. They know that Jesus, in some way, is going to face his death. Maybe that’s why Jesus delayed for two days before heading to Bethany. Jesus seems to tell himself that he was giving Lazarus time to die so that he could perform the resurrection when he finally showed up. But after a two-day delay, Jesus arrives in Bethany to learn that Lazarus has been in the grave for four days. No delay was necessary. Could it have been that Jesus needed that time for himself to overcome his fear of the truth he would find in that tomb? Could Jesus have arrived in time? Could he have saved Lazarus? The mourners’ ask the same doubting question, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Why face death when you can perform miracles to prevent it? Certainly Jesus has performed many great healings and saved many from death demonstrating that he had the power to heal Lazarus, yet in this situation, it seems that even Jesus, the miracle worker and healer, must truly meet death – just like any of us. When Martha runs out to meet Jesus she says to him, “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died.” Jesus doesn’t confirm this but replies to her confidently that Lazarus will rise again and that he, Jesus, is the resurrection and the life. Next, Mary runs out to meet Jesus and she says to him, “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died.” This time Jesus’ response is very different. The text says that Jesus was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He begins to weep. It is only now that he is ready to go down to the tomb, to roll away the stone, to face the stench, and to call Lazarus out and meet death – and the glory beyond it. What’s the benefit of all of this facing death? Why should we meditate now on this smelly, disturbing reality? Is it just because we are all going to die – soon? Or are there benefits to living life now with the kind of enlightenment and glory that may be found on the other side of death? And do I really need to hang out with corpses to get these benefits? What is your corpse meditation? Where might there be a tomb in your life that you could visit? When I was 14-years old, I broke my back. One of my vertebrae was so severely collapsed that the doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital told me they had never seen a spine so damaged that had not severed the spinal column. My spinal cord was squeezed down to ¼ of its normal width, my spine itself was twisted so badly inside of me that you could see the hump through my back. The doctors told me they would do their best but that it was a serious operation to put me back together again and there were no guarantees. I needed to be prepared to wake up from the surgery paralyzed from the chest down and, of course, I knew I needed to be prepared to not wake up from surgery at all. Anything could happen. Obviously things turned out pretty well for me. I woke up from surgery, my spinal cord was saved, my spine was screwed and grafted back into a mostly normal configuration, and I was walking around within days. Now, some days have been better than others, but since the operations I have had to live with a lot of pain. Sometimes I barely notice it, other times it is absolutely debilitating. As I was trying to write this sermon last night, it just so happened, I was having wracking back pain. This pain has been my corpse meditation, my trip down to the tomb for the last 20 years of my life. When it comes, in big nauseating waves, I remember my own mortality – that anything could happen. And every time I go for a hike, or take a bike ride, or touch my toes, the little aches and pains up and down my torso seem to me like the Glory of God. This morning, after a night of back spasms, I woke up like a dead man stiffly raising himself up to the light and I remembered that after we face death anything can happen. That’s good news and it’s a good way to live. AMEN.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 I’ve come to an important decision, people. None of us needs to go to church anymore. I swear my decision was not affected by the fact that we do not have central air-conditioning in the sanctuary. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I’ve come to an important decision, people. None of us needs to go to church anymore. I swear my decision was not affected by the fact that we do not have central air-conditioning in the sanctuary.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400 The scripture reading this morning comes from Ezekiel chapter 13 verses 10-16. The prophet Ezekiel lived in Jerusalem and was a part of the royal court around 600 BCE when the Babylonian Empire attacked the city and broke its defenses for the first time. Ezekiel and many other members of the royal court were forced out of Jerusalem by the victorious Babylonian army and into exile in Babylon. This was the empire’s way of maintaining control over the Israelites – by forcing the ruling families out of their homes and holding them in captivity. In Babylon, some people must have said, “Well, at least the worst is over. At least Jerusalem is safe even though we’re in exile. At least now we have peace.” But Ezekiel, experiencing the prophetic presence of God in profound ways, did not believe that Jerusalem was safe nor that captivity was the beginning of peace. Let us hear now what Ezekiel had to say to those who falsely predicted peace. Let us hear now the Word of God: no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The scripture reading this morning comes from Ezekiel chapter 13 verses 10-16. The prophet Ezekiel lived in Jerusalem and was a part of the royal court around 600 BCE when the Babylonian Empire attacked the city and broke its defenses for the first time. Ezekiel and many other members of the royal court were forced out of Jerusalem by the victorious Babylonian army and into exile in Babylon. This was the empire’s way of maintaining control over the Israelites – by forcing the ruling families out of their homes and holding them in captivity. In Babylon, some people must have said, “Well, at least the worst is over. At least Jerusalem is safe even though we’re in exile. At least now we have peace.” But Ezekiel, experiencing the prophetic presence of God in profound ways, did not believe that Jerusalem was safe nor that captivity was the beginning of peace. Let us hear now what Ezekiel had to say to those who falsely predicted peace. Let us hear now the Word of God:UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Beloved, there is a question on my heart this morning and I want to ask you all to walk with me as I struggle with it. If any part of this discussion inspires or disturbs you, I hope you’ll come and talk to me about it – this is not Jeff’s monologue, but our dialogue together in the presence of the Spirit of God. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Beloved, there is a question on my heart this morning and I want to ask you all to walk with me as I struggle with it. If any part of this discussion inspires or disturbs you, I hope you’ll come and talk to me about it – this is not Jeff’s monologue, but our dialogue together in the presence of the Spirit of God.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Exegesis: the story that every candidate used to answer the question: what is your favorite Bible story! So relieve that I didn’t say “the woman with the bloody flow” that they hired me on the spot. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Exegesis: the story that every candidate used to answer the question: what is your favorite Bible story! So relieve that I didn’t say “the woman with the bloody flow” that they hired me on the spot.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 The Scripture reading from the lectionary this morning on the third Sunday after Pentecost comes from the book of Mark chapter 4 verses 26 – 36.  Jesus has just begun his ministry – he’s done a few healings and he’s called the disciples and now he’s ready to begin teaching.  Jesus teaches using parables.  A parable is a very simple story that goes deep with meaning and grows with significance far beyond its apparent boundaries.  A parable is a lot like a seed – planted into your life and journey it sinks roots deep into you, grows big, and bears fruit.  In fact, in Mark, three of the first four parables that Jesus teaches are about seeds.  We will hear two of them.  Let us now hear the Word of God: no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The Scripture reading from the lectionary this morning on the third Sunday after Pentecost comes from the book of Mark chapter 4 verses 26 – 36.  Jesus has just begun his ministry – he’s done a few healings and he’s called the disciples and now he’s ready to begin teaching.  Jesus teaches using parables.  A parable is a very simple story that goes deep with meaning and grows with significance far beyond its apparent boundaries.  A parable is a lot like a seed – planted into your life and journey it sinks roots deep into you, grows big, and bears fruit.  In fact, in Mark, three of the first four parables that Jesus teaches are about seeds.  We will hear two of them.  Let us now hear the Word of God:UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 I have been deeply disturbed lately by the uptick in hateful speech against gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans folks. It’s targeted talk intended to withhold basic human rights from a large swath of our fellow humans, and it’s talk that is an incitement to violence against other human beings because of their sexual orientation. I’m talking about the state amendment in North Carolina followed by the alarming and repugnant clip of a preacher from that same state calling for a quarantine LGBT folks behind electric fences followed by a US Congressman hauling out an ancient Levitical law that called for the stoning of gays and lesbians. And in the midst of it all, the inevitable nasty backlash against President Obama for a careful, quiet stand for equal marriage. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I have been deeply disturbed lately by the uptick in hateful speech against gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans folks. It’s targeted talk intended to withhold basic human rights from a large swath of our fellow humans, and it’s talk that is an incitement to violence against other human beings because of their sexual orientation. I’m talking about the state amendment in North Carolina followed by the alarming and repugnant clip of a preacher from that same state calling for a quarantine LGBT folks behind electric fences followed by a US Congressman hauling out an ancient Levitical law that called for the stoning of gays and lesbians. And in the midst of it all, the inevitable nasty backlash against President Obama for a careful, quiet stand for equal marriage.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Nicodemus couldn’t sleep. His digital alarm clock must have been broken, because the minutes just wouldn’t go by, glaring red and wiggly at him in the darkness. He’d tried all of the sounds on his white noise app: the grandfather clock, the lapping waves, the crickets, and, far from lulling him back to slumber, they were driving him out of his mind. F. Scott Fitzgerald once said that in the dark night of the soul, it is always 3am. That is also the hour of most ontological crises, of the sort Nicodemus was having. Was everything he believed, everything he had worked for, everything he had taken as gospel, wrong? no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Nicodemus couldn’t sleep. His digital alarm clock must have been broken, because the minutes just wouldn’t go by, glaring red and wiggly at him in the darkness. He’d tried all of the sounds on his white noise app: the grandfather clock, the lapping waves, the crickets, and, far from lulling him back to slumber, they were driving him out of his mind. F. Scott Fitzgerald once said that in the dark night of the soul, it is always 3am. That is also the hour of most ontological crises, of the sort Nicodemus was having. Was everything he believed, everything he had worked for, everything he had taken as gospel, wrong?UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 ‘I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.’ Oh NO. What if we’re not sure if we believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God? What if we’re not sure if we believe in Jesus, period? no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)‘I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.’ Oh NO. What if we’re not sure if we believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God? What if we’re not sure if we believe in Jesus, period?UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 The first scripture reading this morning, the sixth Sunday of Easter, is Genesis chapter 3, verses 1 – 6 and verse 20. During our “Reading the Bible Again for the First Time” Bible Study on Tuesday night, we read this piece of Genesis discussing the historical context in which it was written and seeking out our own metaphors within the creation myths. As you encounter this piece of scripture now, try to do it like it was your first time – without any preconceived notions about what it means or how it should all be interpreted. Let’s listen now to the woman who would be named Eve: no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The first scripture reading this morning, the sixth Sunday of Easter, is Genesis chapter 3, verses 1 – 6 and verse 20. During our “Reading the Bible Again for the First Time” Bible Study on Tuesday night, we read this piece of Genesis discussing the historical context in which it was written and seeking out our own metaphors within the creation myths. As you encounter this piece of scripture now, try to do it like it was your first time – without any preconceived notions about what it means or how it should all be interpreted. Let’s listen now to the woman who would be named Eve:UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400 I am a list person. Maybe you are too. You wake up in the morning, and the first thing you do, before caffeine even, is make a list of all the things you need to do during the day. And with great pleasure, as you accomplish your life, you cross things off the list, starting with, “get caffeine.” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I am a list person. Maybe you are too. You wake up in the morning, and the first thing you do, before caffeine even, is make a list of all the things you need to do during the day. And with great pleasure, as you accomplish your life, you cross things off the list, starting with, “get caffeine.”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 “The Earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it.” And boy will he be mad when he sees what we’ve done to the place. We made holes in the ozone, tore up the carpets of forest and grassland, poisoned the honeybees. All in all, we couldn’t be worse tenants. no no John Olson firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)“The Earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it.” And boy will he be mad when he sees what we’ve done to the place. We made holes in the ozone, tore up the carpets of forest and grassland, poisoned the honeybees. All in all, we couldn’t be worse tenants.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 This is the God’s-honest truth: I never got mad at God when I had cancer. I didn’t see the point. I didn’t think God gave me, a relatively young non-smoking mother of two, cancer, so why would I hold Her responsible? no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)This is the God’s-honest truth: I never got mad at God when I had cancer. I didn’t see the point. I didn’t think God gave me, a relatively young non-smoking mother of two, cancer, so why would I hold Her responsible?UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 The scripture reading this Sunday, the second Sunday of Easter, comes from the Gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 19-29. According to John, on the first Easter morning before dawn, Mary Magdalene made her way to Jesus’ tomb and discovered it empty. She went to get to get Simon Peter and the Beloved disciple and they came back with her and finding the tomb empty the men then went home. But Mary stayed at the tomb weeping and searching for the body of Jesus and that’s when she saw the angels and Jesus appeared to her. Jesus told her to go find the disciples and tell them the good news of the resurrection, which she did. Our scripture reading picks up later that evening. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The scripture reading this Sunday, the second Sunday of Easter, comes from the Gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 19-29. According to John, on the first Easter morning before dawn, Mary Magdalene made her way to Jesus’ tomb and discovered it empty. She went to get to get Simon Peter and the Beloved disciple and they came back with her and finding the tomb empty the men then went home. But Mary stayed at the tomb weeping and searching for the body of Jesus and that’s when she saw the angels and Jesus appeared to her. Jesus told her to go find the disciples and tell them the good news of the resurrection, which she did. Our scripture reading picks up later that evening.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 What would you do if you were Jesus, and it was the Monday after Easter? You’ve had a busy Sunday. It is not that easy to come back from the dead. Even if you’re God, there are a lot of logistics to think about: what to wear, because the Roman soldiers have taken every stitch of your clothing; and, more importantly, in what order to stage your resurrection appearances. There are all these fragile egos around. If you visit Mary or Salome first, James and John might throw a stink; but if you put the guys first, the women who were bankrolling the whole endeavor might pull their funding. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)What would you do if you were Jesus, and it was the Monday after Easter? You’ve had a busy Sunday. It is not that easy to come back from the dead. Even if you’re God, there are a lot of logistics to think about: what to wear, because the Roman soldiers have taken every stitch of your clothing; and, more importantly, in what order to stage your resurrection appearances. There are all these fragile egos around. If you visit Mary or Salome first, James and John might throw a stink; but if you put the guys first, the women who were bankrolling the whole endeavor might pull their funding.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Jeff: It makes me mad. Getting cut off in traffic. It hits me just as I hit the brakes. Road Rage. Well, what can you do? The news comes on and a soldier has killed civilians in Afghanistan. Women and children mostly – while they slept. 17 more victims in America’s longest war. I’m angry with the staff sergeant, furious with war. Some guy taking off his coat in Diesel, bumps my partner from behind. Hard enough that Julia spills her coffee. No sorry. No excuse me. No nothin’. I want to haul him up over my head and throw him through the window onto the sidewalk. I want to yell, punch, scream – RAGE! I want the world to see the animal in me and to be afraid. For the third time in one day someone asks me for change. I’m annoyed at her because I’ve got no change left. I’m infuriated at a world where people have to beg for change. A world where billions of us – BILLIONS – live on less than a dollar a day. Less than you could beg for in Davis Square. Can I even get angry enough? I walk into work one day and my boss picks a fight with me. Don’t worry, though, I won’t let him get to me. 12 hours later I’m brushing my teeth before bed and seething. Thinking of all the things I should have said. All the things I WILL say – one day, ONE DAY. It makes me mad. I was 21-years-old and working for Habitat for Humanity in Miami. There’s a kid, Germaine, who comes around the job site all the time. He wears the same dirty ripped clothes every day. He never goes to school, no one ever seems to be looking out for him. I let him help me out with the houses. Become his friend. His mother’s on drugs he tells me. He lives with his grandmother but she’s really old. One day I’m sharing my lunch with him because he never has any food. He grabs onto me hard and whispers in my ear. Will you be my daddy? Will you be my daddy? Will you be my daddy? Over and over again. And I say NO. I can’t. I’m sorry. I wonder if I’ll ever stop being angry at myself for that NO. I wonder if I’ll ever find a place for this wrath. Will I ever make something of it? What can I do? It makes me mad. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Jeff: It makes me mad. Getting cut off in traffic. It hits me just as I hit the brakes. Road Rage. Well, what can you do? The news comes on and a soldier has killed civilians in Afghanistan. Women and children mostly – while they slept. 17 more victims in America’s longest war. I’m angry with the staff sergeant, furious with war. Some guy taking off his coat in Diesel, bumps my partner from behind. Hard enough that Julia spills her coffee. No sorry. No excuse me. No nothin’. I want to haul him up over my head and throw him through the window onto the sidewalk. I want to yell, punch, scream – RAGE! I want the world to see the animal in me and to be afraid. For the third time in one day someone asks me for change. I’m annoyed at her because I’ve got no change left. I’m infuriated at a world where people have to beg for change. A world where billions of us – BILLIONS – live on less than a dollar a day. Less than you could beg for in Davis Square. Can I even get angry enough? I walk into work one day and my boss picks a fight with me. Don’t worry, though, I won’t let him get to me. 12 hours later I’m brushing my teeth before bed and seething. Thinking of all the things I should have said. All the things I WILL say – one day, ONE DAY. It makes me mad. I was 21-years-old and working for Habitat for Humanity in Miami. There’s a kid, Germaine, who comes around the job site all the time. He wears the same dirty ripped clothes every day. He never goes to school, no one ever seems to be looking out for him. I let him help me out with the houses. Become his friend. His mother’s on drugs he tells me. He lives with his grandmother but she’s really old. One day I’m sharing my lunch with him because he never has any food. He grabs onto me hard and whispers in my ear. Will you be my daddy? Will you be my daddy? Will you be my daddy? Over and over again. And I say NO. I can’t. I’m sorry. I wonder if I’ll ever stop being angry at myself for that NO. I wonder if I’ll ever find a place for this wrath. Will I ever make something of it? What can I do? It makes me mad.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Jesus said, "Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal.” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Jesus said, "Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal.”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400 And so we have arrived at the fifth in our Lenten series on the cardinal sins, Lust. Insert nervous laughter here. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)And so we have arrived at the fifth in our Lenten series on the cardinal sins, Lust. Insert nervous laughter here.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500 When my daughter, Sophia, and I traveled to the Casa San Jose orphanage for the second time last month, I’ll admit that there was some pride involved – the desire to be of service, a good thing, coupled with the self-righteous smugness of telling people that we were spending Sophia’s February school vacation week in Mexico. Not at some fancy ocean resort, mind you, but at an orphanage. With underprivileged kids, as part of a church mission trip. Anyone reading my Facebook status updates would see how saintly and Christian we were, how selfless and altruistic, filled with love and compassion. Yet how much of that altruism was rooted in a desire to simply make myself feel good, by indulging my passion for travel and hugging lots of adorable Mexican children? no no Jamie Thompson firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)When my daughter, Sophia, and I traveled to the Casa San Jose orphanage for the second time last month, I’ll admit that there was some pride involved – the desire to be of service, a good thing, coupled with the self-righteous smugness of telling people that we were spending Sophia’s February school vacation week in Mexico. Not at some fancy ocean resort, mind you, but at an orphanage. With underprivileged kids, as part of a church mission trip. Anyone reading my Facebook status updates would see how saintly and Christian we were, how selfless and altruistic, filled with love and compassion. Yet how much of that altruism was rooted in a desire to simply make myself feel good, by indulging my passion for travel and hugging lots of adorable Mexican children?UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500 So we don’t get sunk before we’re even out of the harbor, I want us to be perfectly clear on one point. The apostle Paul has often been accused of being a body-hating prude, because of the way he throws around phrases like, “Live by the Spirit and do not gratify the desires of the Flesh.” Paul, it seems, would have us all walking around in hair shirts, fasting and praying and looking sour. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)So we don’t get sunk before we’re even out of the harbor, I want us to be perfectly clear on one point. The apostle Paul has often been accused of being a body-hating prude, because of the way he throws around phrases like, “Live by the Spirit and do not gratify the desires of the Flesh.” Paul, it seems, would have us all walking around in hair shirts, fasting and praying and looking sour.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Have you ever had a terrible, terrible itch? It’s not life-threatening, but it sure feels like it. It starts as a little twinge, a mosquito bite at the beginning of its bloom, a little psoriasis, a heat rash. You do what you do with itches. You scratch it. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Have you ever had a terrible, terrible itch? It’s not life-threatening, but it sure feels like it. It starts as a little twinge, a mosquito bite at the beginning of its bloom, a little psoriasis, a heat rash. You do what you do with itches. You scratch it.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500 People, we have a reputation. Folks from other churches think First Church Somerville is wicked different, radical, because we have so many young adults who worship here. We must be wild and free to attract so many young people. There are rumors that we go on retreat and abuse the communion wine, and practice the ancient liturgy of apophatic prayer, dancing naked in the moonlight. All I have to say is: what happens on retreat, stays on retreat. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)People, we have a reputation. Folks from other churches think First Church Somerville is wicked different, radical, because we have so many young adults who worship here. We must be wild and free to attract so many young people. There are rumors that we go on retreat and abuse the communion wine, and practice the ancient liturgy of apophatic prayer, dancing naked in the moonlight. All I have to say is: what happens on retreat, stays on retreat.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 No doubt it wasn’t easy for Simon Peter and Andrew, James and John just to walk away from everything and follow Jesus. They weren’t kids anymore. They were past the age when it is fun to be as rad as possible just to torture your parents. They were grownups, who were not into the latest fad, who were probably such grownups that they had no idea what the latest fad was. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)No doubt it wasn’t easy for Simon Peter and Andrew, James and John just to walk away from everything and follow Jesus. They weren’t kids anymore. They were past the age when it is fun to be as rad as possible just to torture your parents. They were grownups, who were not into the latest fad, who were probably such grownups that they had no idea what the latest fad was.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 The scripture reading this morning, the second Sunday of Epiphany, comes from the fourth chapter of Luke verses 1 – 13. We started last week in the wilderness, the desert, with Jesus’ baptism. We explored together the important voices surrounding this significant starting place in Jesus’ biography. There was the voice of Isaiah, the voice of scripture, which assured us that all of these happenings were holy and expected over generations. Then came the harsh voice of John the Baptist crying out from the wilderness and preparing the way in a manner that seemed to fulfill a prediction in Isaiah’s holy words. Then came the voice of God from Heaven, mirroring the voice of the Creator in Genesis, to illuminate Jesus’ identity as a beloved Son of God and to name him as “good,” “with you I am well pleased.” We spoke about what sort of a life would lead to a beginning and an epiphany of identity and purpose like this one. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The scripture reading this morning, the second Sunday of Epiphany, comes from the fourth chapter of Luke verses 1 – 13. We started last week in the wilderness, the desert, with Jesus’ baptism. We explored together the important voices surrounding this significant starting place in Jesus’ biography. There was the voice of Isaiah, the voice of scripture, which assured us that all of these happenings were holy and expected over generations. Then came the harsh voice of John the Baptist crying out from the wilderness and preparing the way in a manner that seemed to fulfill a prediction in Isaiah’s holy words. Then came the voice of God from Heaven, mirroring the voice of the Creator in Genesis, to illuminate Jesus’ identity as a beloved Son of God and to name him as “good,” “with you I am well pleased.” We spoke about what sort of a life would lead to a beginning and an epiphany of identity and purpose like this one.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 The scripture reading this morning, the first Sunday after Epiphany, comes from the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark, verses 1 – 11. In our liturgical year now we have passed through both Advent and Christmas and come to Epiphany. We waited, the Christ child was born and delivered to us, and now we will follow the major events of Jesus’ life through the season of Epiphany until we come to Lent. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The scripture reading this morning, the first Sunday after Epiphany, comes from the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark, verses 1 – 11. In our liturgical year now we have passed through both Advent and Christmas and come to Epiphany. We waited, the Christ child was born and delivered to us, and now we will follow the major events of Jesus’ life through the season of Epiphany until we come to Lent.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500 The scripture reading this morning, the first Sunday after Christmas, comes from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, verses 22 – 40. It is a significant reading in our liturgical year because it is through the lives of these two old prophets, Simeon and Anna, who we will read about here, that we are finally and totally released from our Advent theme of waiting. Our waiting has been fulfilled. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The scripture reading this morning, the first Sunday after Christmas, comes from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, verses 22 – 40. It is a significant reading in our liturgical year because it is through the lives of these two old prophets, Simeon and Anna, who we will read about here, that we are finally and totally released from our Advent theme of waiting. Our waiting has been fulfilled.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500 The season is upon us. It’s that frantic time, the time longed-for and dreaded, a time for watching and waiting…it’s the season of high school reunions. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The season is upon us. It’s that frantic time, the time longed-for and dreaded, a time for watching and waiting…it’s the season of high school reunions.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500 The Scripture reading this morning comes from the Book of Isaiah chapter 40, verses 1 – 11. It’s a classic Advent text and, no doubt, you’re going to hear why for yourselves as we read it. It’s full of the promise of new things, a new way, a voice in the wilderness, salvation from the old judgments, and a gentle shepherd who will come to feed his flock. For centuries, we Christians have interpreted this text as a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. But the text also has an original meaning for the people it was first written for. The original prophet Isaiah is believed by scholars to have written the first 39 chapters of the book of Isaiah. They are a collection of his writings from over the course of many years. He was warning the people of Judah and Israel (the two Jewish kingdoms at the time) to turn themselves over to the care and protection of God. Instead, the leaders of the two kingdoms gave themselves over to the care and protection of warring empires which eventually saw both kingdoms invaded and destroyed or occupied by the Assyrian Empire. After the original Isaiah’s death, things got even worse. The Babylonian Empire rose up to defeat the Assyrians, they sacked Jerusalem because it was now an Assyrian territory, knocked down its walls, and utterly destroyed the Temple. Then they took many of the people of Jerusalem into captivity, exiling them away to Babylon in order to maintain political control of the region. This was the ultimate judgment that the prophet Isaiah had so forcefully warned about. But Isaiah also spoke of the ultimate salvation that would always come from God, and in the generation after the exile there was still room for hope. There were whispers of the rise of the Persians, challenging Babylonian power, and a possible road (maybe we could even be so bold as to call it a highway) home to Jerusalem. Political powers would come and go like the seasons and like the flowers of the field, but the Word and hope of God stands forever. A second prophet Isaiah, in exile, maybe a student or a follower of the original Isaiah’s school picks up the Isaiah scroll and begins to write where the first Isaiah had left off about this new hope for the people in captivity and about the steadfast promises of God. Hear now the word of God: Isaiah 40: 1-11. no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The Scripture reading this morning comes from the Book of Isaiah chapter 40, verses 1 – 11. It’s a classic Advent text and, no doubt, you’re going to hear why for yourselves as we read it. It’s full of the promise of new things, a new way, a voice in the wilderness, salvation from the old judgments, and a gentle shepherd who will come to feed his flock. For centuries, we Christians have interpreted this text as a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. But the text also has an original meaning for the people it was first written for. The original prophet Isaiah is believed by scholars to have written the first 39 chapters of the book of Isaiah. They are a collection of his writings from over the course of many years. He was warning the people of Judah and Israel (the two Jewish kingdoms at the time) to turn themselves over to the care and protection of God. Instead, the leaders of the two kingdoms gave themselves over to the care and protection of warring empires which eventually saw both kingdoms invaded and destroyed or occupied by the Assyrian Empire. After the original Isaiah’s death, things got even worse. The Babylonian Empire rose up to defeat the Assyrians, they sacked Jerusalem because it was now an Assyrian territory, knocked down its walls, and utterly destroyed the Temple. Then they took many of the people of Jerusalem into captivity, exiling them away to Babylon in order to maintain political control of the region. This was the ultimate judgment that the prophet Isaiah had so forcefully warned about. But Isaiah also spoke of the ultimate salvation that would always come from God, and in the generation after the exile there was still room for hope. There were whispers of the rise of the Persians, challenging Babylonian power, and a possible road (maybe we could even be so bold as to call it a highway) home to Jerusalem. Political powers would come and go like the seasons and like the flowers of the field, but the Word and hope of God stands forever. A second prophet Isaiah, in exile, maybe a student or a follower of the original Isaiah’s school picks up the Isaiah scroll and begins to write where the first Isaiah had left off about this new hope for the people in captivity and about the steadfast promises of God. Hear now the word of God: Isaiah 40: 1-11.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500 The story of the sheep and the goats is the last story Jesus tells in the gospel of Matthew. From this story, he went to the cross, then to the tomb, then to the sky. We have no body to show for Jesus’ years of ministry among us, but we have this story, echoing across thousands of years. This is his body, opened for you. Read Scripture. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The story of the sheep and the goats is the last story Jesus tells in the gospel of Matthew. From this story, he went to the cross, then to the tomb, then to the sky. We have no body to show for Jesus’ years of ministry among us, but we have this story, echoing across thousands of years. This is his body, opened for you. Read Scripture.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500 Matthew’s parable of the talents is one of those stories that is tempting to skip over altogether. It is the kind of story that brings up our religious PTSD because it confirms the idea of the angry, vengeful God some of us grew up with, and all of us, in our bad minds, still sometimes believe in, despite the evidence, or maybe because of it. It is natural, when life gets hard, to want to hold someone responsible, and God is as good a scapegoat as any. But then we’re perhaps stuck with that God we believe in. We can’t have it both ways. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Matthew’s parable of the talents is one of those stories that is tempting to skip over altogether. It is the kind of story that brings up our religious PTSD because it confirms the idea of the angry, vengeful God some of us grew up with, and all of us, in our bad minds, still sometimes believe in, despite the evidence, or maybe because of it. It is natural, when life gets hard, to want to hold someone responsible, and God is as good a scapegoat as any. But then we’re perhaps stuck with that God we believe in. We can’t have it both ways.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0400 A little while ago I preached to you about the drinking culture of my college, Dartmouth College. Now that I’m about to be a senior minister again, I guess I’m entitled to some senior moments, which means repeating myself in sermons. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)A little while ago I preached to you about the drinking culture of my college, Dartmouth College. Now that I’m about to be a senior minister again, I guess I’m entitled to some senior moments, which means repeating myself in sermons.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Jeff Mansfield firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400 no no Matt Meyer firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400 no no Matt Meyer firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400 Since you’ve found your way to this place today, it’s likely you know a little something about the United Church of Christ, the denomination of which we are a part. You might know that we are non-hierarchical, and that we have a progressive theology that takes personal experience and conscience into account as well as scripture and tradition. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Since you’ve found your way to this place today, it’s likely you know a little something about the United Church of Christ, the denomination of which we are a part. You might know that we are non-hierarchical, and that we have a progressive theology that takes personal experience and conscience into account as well as scripture and tradition.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400 When James Adams, that is, Serenity Jones asked me some time ago about the possibility of having Drag Worship and Brunch, I said, ‘why not?’ I mean, Catholic priests get to be in drag every day in worship. Why should they have all the fun? And Jesus was certainly all about gender-bending, with his long hair and doe eyes. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)When James Adams, that is, Serenity Jones asked me some time ago about the possibility of having Drag Worship and Brunch, I said, ‘why not?’ I mean, Catholic priests get to be in drag every day in worship. Why should they have all the fun? And Jesus was certainly all about gender-bending, with his long hair and doe eyes.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400 I’m going to call out John Olson, the tall guy in the choir who has a hard time hiding, in any case. When I was newly First Church Somerville’s pastor, and had not known him very long, I asked him why he came. He said he first came because he was friends with the pastor, though he was more or less an atheist, and when he sat in the pews that first Sunday, heard the choir sing. “I could make that better,” he said to himself. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I’m going to call out John Olson, the tall guy in the choir who has a hard time hiding, in any case. When I was newly First Church Somerville’s pastor, and had not known him very long, I asked him why he came. He said he first came because he was friends with the pastor, though he was more or less an atheist, and when he sat in the pews that first Sunday, heard the choir sing. “I could make that better,” he said to himself.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400 Today we have a parable before us which is so Christian it is likely to make me become an infidel. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Today we have a parable before us which is so Christian it is likely to make me become an infidel.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Carol Taylor firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400 Under the category of Things I Never Thought I’d Be Doing: twelve hours ago, I was drinking tequila at church camp. I knew I was going to be preaching about the Prodigal Son and his brother, about goodness and badness, and I believe in method preaching, so I thought I should be a little bad last night, to make the sermon truly authentic. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Under the category of Things I Never Thought I’d Be Doing: twelve hours ago, I was drinking tequila at church camp. I knew I was going to be preaching about the Prodigal Son and his brother, about goodness and badness, and I believe in method preaching, so I thought I should be a little bad last night, to make the sermon truly authentic.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400 no no Sarah Green & Pete Shungu firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Carol Taylor firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400 If this sermon were the gospel according to Molly, I’d preach it this way: a putterer went out to putter. She puttered in basements and she went through drawers and she took everything out of her closets that was. And she separated the good from the bad, the useful from the useless, the whole from the broken. And she put the good and useful and whole on her left hand, because she was a leftie, and the bad and useless and broken she set upon her right hand, and then she loaded the hatchback of her Prius with all that lay upon her right hand, and she drove it to Davis Square and cast it into the outer darkness, otherwise known as Good Will, where there is much weeping and gnashing of teeth, but also often good bargains. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)If this sermon were the gospel according to Molly, I’d preach it this way: a putterer went out to putter. She puttered in basements and she went through drawers and she took everything out of her closets that was. And she separated the good from the bad, the useful from the useless, the whole from the broken. And she put the good and useful and whole on her left hand, because she was a leftie, and the bad and useless and broken she set upon her right hand, and then she loaded the hatchback of her Prius with all that lay upon her right hand, and she drove it to Davis Square and cast it into the outer darkness, otherwise known as Good Will, where there is much weeping and gnashing of teeth, but also often good bargains.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400 I don’t want to talk about sowing seeds today. I don’t want to talk about good soil and bad soil and weather conditions, the path and the birds and the rocky ground, the thorns and the harvest. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I don’t want to talk about sowing seeds today. I don’t want to talk about good soil and bad soil and weather conditions, the path and the birds and the rocky ground, the thorns and the harvest.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400 These words that Jesus said to his twelve disciples: “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes God, and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple – none of these will lose their reward.” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)These words that Jesus said to his twelve disciples: “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes God, and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple – none of these will lose their reward.”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400 Once upon a time, the sun and the wind got in a fight about who was stronger. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Once upon a time, the sun and the wind got in a fight about who was stronger.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400 God is elemental. Fire, air, water, earth. Before everything else that was, WAS, there were these raw ingredients, and the God of Creation living in them. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)God is elemental. Fire, air, water, earth. Before everything else that was, WAS, there were these raw ingredients, and the God of Creation living in them.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400 In the 40 days following Easter, the disciples had a number of experiences of the risen Jesus. He walked with some to Emmaus. He came to them in the upper room in Jerusalem. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)In the 40 days following Easter, the disciples had a number of experiences of the risen Jesus. He walked with some to Emmaus. He came to them in the upper room in Jerusalem.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400 (Note to the reader, the sermon as delivered is different in a number of places from the text provided here. Please listen to the audio recording for the complete sermon.) no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)(Note to the reader, the sermon as delivered is different in a number of places from the text provided here. Please listen to the audio recording for the complete sermon.)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400 In the days and weeks following that first Easter the disciples were afraid and uncertain about what was going to happen to them. no no Rev. Heather Hinton firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)In the days and weeks following that first Easter the disciples were afraid and uncertain about what was going to happen to them.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev. Heather Hinton firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400 The Creation Story no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The Creation StoryUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400 Sometimes, I can’t believe Jesus was operating fully 1,950 years before the advent of television. He was such a master of the small screen. In the Gospel of John, the Easter story plays like an episode of the old British farce Benny Hill, with people running on and offscreen in what amounts to hospital johnnies, just missing each other and the truth. Mary Magdalene and Simon Peter and the disciple called “Beloved” scamper hither and thither, seeing and not seeing and wondering and being afraid while the audience laughs, because they are in on the joke. Jesus finally sneaks up behind Mary, who is crying because she can’t find his body. Woman, why are you weeping? Jesus asks her, even though he already knows the answer. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sometimes, I can’t believe Jesus was operating fully 1,950 years before the advent of television. He was such a master of the small screen. In the Gospel of John, the Easter story plays like an episode of the old British farce Benny Hill, with people running on and offscreen in what amounts to hospital johnnies, just missing each other and the truth. Mary Magdalene and Simon Peter and the disciple called “Beloved” scamper hither and thither, seeing and not seeing and wondering and being afraid while the audience laughs, because they are in on the joke. Jesus finally sneaks up behind Mary, who is crying because she can’t find his body. Woman, why are you weeping? Jesus asks her, even though he already knows the answer.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400 It started with a parade. It started with joy and hosannas, waving crowds, celebration and welcomes. But it was not going to end that way. It was not going to end that way, and Jesus knew it. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)It started with a parade. It started with joy and hosannas, waving crowds, celebration and welcomes. But it was not going to end that way. It was not going to end that way, and Jesus knew it.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400 Who is Jesus? Why should we believe in him? How could he be the Messiah – that’s just crazy talk! How could this carpenter-criminal, one who was crucified on the cross by the Romans be the Messiah, the anointed one, the one promised by God to lead the people in the Promised Land? You must be crazy? Prove it. Where is the proof? no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Who is Jesus? Why should we believe in him? How could he be the Messiah – that’s just crazy talk! How could this carpenter-criminal, one who was crucified on the cross by the Romans be the Messiah, the anointed one, the one promised by God to lead the people in the Promised Land? You must be crazy? Prove it. Where is the proof?UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400 We are in the middle of a series of readings from the Gospel of John. It started with the encounter with Nicodemus the Pharisee, and it will end with John’s telling of the Easter story on Easter Sunday. Last week, you heard me say that the Woman at the Well was the longest reading in the lectionary, but I am going to tell you that this week’s reading about the blind man is the longest one. I wonder what I will have to say next week! no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)We are in the middle of a series of readings from the Gospel of John. It started with the encounter with Nicodemus the Pharisee, and it will end with John’s telling of the Easter story on Easter Sunday. Last week, you heard me say that the Woman at the Well was the longest reading in the lectionary, but I am going to tell you that this week’s reading about the blind man is the longest one. I wonder what I will have to say next week!UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0400 At the end of every scripture reading we end with In the Beginning Was the Word and the Word was with God. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)At the end of every scripture reading we end with In the Beginning Was the Word and the Word was with God.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500 We began our Lenten journey towards Easter on Ash Wednesday this week. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)We began our Lenten journey towards Easter on Ash Wednesday this week.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500 For nine weeks we have been in the church season of Epiphany – the season of light, and of revelation. In this time between Christmas and Lent the readings and our worship together point us to who Jesus was and is. It began with his baptism in the waters of the muddy Jordan - ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ Epiphany ends this week with a scene on a mountain top, and an echo of those same words. What will we hear and learn about Jesus today, what will be revealed to us about him and ourselves, on this last day of Epiphany? no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)For nine weeks we have been in the church season of Epiphany – the season of light, and of revelation. In this time between Christmas and Lent the readings and our worship together point us to who Jesus was and is. It began with his baptism in the waters of the muddy Jordan - ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ Epiphany ends this week with a scene on a mountain top, and an echo of those same words. What will we hear and learn about Jesus today, what will be revealed to us about him and ourselves, on this last day of Epiphany?UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500 “God is Still Speaking.” Our UCC denomination has made powerful use of that phrase in communicating that our understanding of God’s action and relationship with us is ongoing, and evolving everyday. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)“God is Still Speaking.” Our UCC denomination has made powerful use of that phrase in communicating that our understanding of God’s action and relationship with us is ongoing, and evolving everyday.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500 There is something in the soul that cries out for freedom." no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)There is something in the soul that cries out for freedom."UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500 As we have learned over the past four weeks, Jesus starts his ministry – he calls his first disciples, Peter, Andrew, James and John. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)As we have learned over the past four weeks, Jesus starts his ministry – he calls his first disciples, Peter, Andrew, James and John.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500 One of the most joyful tasks and important responsibilities of a local church’s life is when we as a community recognize that someone in our midst has been called by God to ordination in the church. The road towards ordination in the United Church of Christ is both an individual journey for the person called by God, but it is also a communal journey. This past week, on Tuesday night, our own Jason Donnelly reached a major milestone on his journey towards ordination. He met with the Committee on Ministry of our local UCC association for his ordination interview. It’s called an interview – but it is more like an oral examination. And he passed. It was a very special and holy moment. Senior deacons Kim Ardolino and Betsy Mariere were there to speak on his behalf and on your behalf. Ian Tosh and Jeff Von Wald were there as members of the committee. And I was there as his pastor, standing in for Molly. There are two more steps to go through before he will become ordained, but his success last Tuesday is a major accomplishment. Take a moment to celebrate with him later this morning, and celebrate with his family as well. It is very fitting to share this news with you this week, because our scripture reading from the Gospel of Matthew is about Jesus calling his first disciples, about his reaching our to Simon Peter, James and John and saying to them “follow me and I will make you fish for people”. “Follow me” Jesus says. Jason hears that invitation in a very particular way – and we celebrate that. The story of the life of Jesus of Nazareth presented in the Gospel of Matthew, has a beginning, a middle (all about his teachings, parables, and miracles), and an end (his arrest, death, and resurrection). The passage we are about to hear is the last part of the beginning of the Gospel. The start of Jesus’ story begins with Christmas Day, then we jump to his own baptism as an adult, at the hands of John the Baptist at the Jordan river. Following his baptism, Jesus is led by the Holy Spirit to the dessert for 40 days and nights, and he is tested and tempted by the devil with promises of power, wealth, and status. He could become the ruler over all the nations – the tempter says. But Jesus does not fall for it. Jesus returns after those 40 days and 40 nights, and his story now continues with these words from the Gospel of Mathew, Listen with me now for the Word of God. Matthew 4:12-23: Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)One of the most joyful tasks and important responsibilities of a local church’s life is when we as a community recognize that someone in our midst has been called by God to ordination in the church. The road towards ordination in the United Church of Christ is both an individual journey for the person called by God, but it is also a communal journey. This past week, on Tuesday night, our own Jason Donnelly reached a major milestone on his journey towards ordination. He met with the Committee on Ministry of our local UCC association for his ordination interview. It’s called an interview – but it is more like an oral examination. And he passed. It was a very special and holy moment. Senior deacons Kim Ardolino and Betsy Mariere were there to speak on his behalf and on your behalf. Ian Tosh and Jeff Von Wald were there as members of the committee. And I was there as his pastor, standing in for Molly. There are two more steps to go through before he will become ordained, but his success last Tuesday is a major accomplishment. Take a moment to celebrate with him later this morning, and celebrate with his family as well. It is very fitting to share this news with you this week, because our scripture reading from the Gospel of Matthew is about Jesus calling his first disciples, about his reaching our to Simon Peter, James and John and saying to them “follow me and I will make you fish for people”. “Follow me” Jesus says. Jason hears that invitation in a very particular way – and we celebrate that. The story of the life of Jesus of Nazareth presented in the Gospel of Matthew, has a beginning, a middle (all about his teachings, parables, and miracles), and an end (his arrest, death, and resurrection). The passage we are about to hear is the last part of the beginning of the Gospel. The start of Jesus’ story begins with Christmas Day, then we jump to his own baptism as an adult, at the hands of John the Baptist at the Jordan river. Following his baptism, Jesus is led by the Holy Spirit to the dessert for 40 days and nights, and he is tested and tempted by the devil with promises of power, wealth, and status. He could become the ruler over all the nations – the tempter says. But Jesus does not fall for it. Jesus returns after those 40 days and 40 nights, and his story now continues with these words from the Gospel of Mathew, Listen with me now for the Word of God. Matthew 4:12-23: Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500 The Lord Called Me. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The Lord Called Me.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500 There are two beginnings to the narrative of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. There is story of his birth in Bethlehem. And there is the beginning of his ministry. Two of the four Gospels in the New Testament begin with variations of the story of his birth in Bethlehem and no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)There are two beginnings to the narrative of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. There is story of his birth in Bethlehem. And there is the beginning of his ministry. Two of the four Gospels in the New Testament begin with variations of the story of his birth in Bethlehem andUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0500 A month or so ago, I told you about the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple at the hands of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. This happened about 600 years before Jesus was born. His armies crushed the defenders of the city and forced 10’s of thousands of her people to live in exile in a place we now know as Iraq. The good behavior of the people left near Jerusalem was guaranteed by continued health of the exiles, hostages really, in Iraq. This was a terrible period of history for the people of Israel – was God still their God – where they still the chosen people God sent the prophet Isaiah to the people in Iraq, and gave him the words to say to them. As we listen to the words from Isaiah, I invite you to picture the heat of the Iraqi sun, and the miles of sand, and dessert that separate the exiles from their homes. Let’s listen now for a Word from God from the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 35:1, 5-10 The Return of the Redeemed to Zion The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)A month or so ago, I told you about the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple at the hands of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. This happened about 600 years before Jesus was born. His armies crushed the defenders of the city and forced 10’s of thousands of her people to live in exile in a place we now know as Iraq. The good behavior of the people left near Jerusalem was guaranteed by continued health of the exiles, hostages really, in Iraq. This was a terrible period of history for the people of Israel – was God still their God – where they still the chosen people God sent the prophet Isaiah to the people in Iraq, and gave him the words to say to them. As we listen to the words from Isaiah, I invite you to picture the heat of the Iraqi sun, and the miles of sand, and dessert that separate the exiles from their homes. Let’s listen now for a Word from God from the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 35:1, 5-10 The Return of the Redeemed to Zion The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0500 My name is Laura Tuach, Community Minister here at First Church. I am one of five in this community who is ordained or preparing for ordination. We root ourselves here and doing our work out in the world, I’m at Harvard Divinity School helping prepare students for ministry. It’s good to be together today on this Second Sunday of Advent. Advent marks the beginning of the Christian liturgical year and while we watch and wait and prepare the way for the mystery that is the birth of Jesus, at this time of year, we also prepare to encounter the whole drama of the Jesus story again. no no Rev Laura Tuach firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)My name is Laura Tuach, Community Minister here at First Church. I am one of five in this community who is ordained or preparing for ordination. We root ourselves here and doing our work out in the world, I’m at Harvard Divinity School helping prepare students for ministry. It’s good to be together today on this Second Sunday of Advent. Advent marks the beginning of the Christian liturgical year and while we watch and wait and prepare the way for the mystery that is the birth of Jesus, at this time of year, we also prepare to encounter the whole drama of the Jesus story again.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Advent is a word derived from the Latin word for “coming” or “arrival” and the four weeks of Advent are a time of preparation for the arrival of the Christ Child. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Advent is a word derived from the Latin word for “coming” or “arrival” and the four weeks of Advent are a time of preparation for the arrival of the Christ Child.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500 We stand on the threshold of Advent; next Sunday starts our journey towards Bethlehem. On this Sunday, the last Sunday of the church calendar, we also have come to the end of our sermon series on the person and mystery of Christ. Appropriately, this Sunday is set aside as Reign of Christ Sunday, or Christ the king Sunday. Six weeks ago Rev. Judy Brain started the series with the image of Jesus as the one who is sovereign in our lives. Thematically we have come full circle. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)We stand on the threshold of Advent; next Sunday starts our journey towards Bethlehem. On this Sunday, the last Sunday of the church calendar, we also have come to the end of our sermon series on the person and mystery of Christ. Appropriately, this Sunday is set aside as Reign of Christ Sunday, or Christ the king Sunday. Six weeks ago Rev. Judy Brain started the series with the image of Jesus as the one who is sovereign in our lives. Thematically we have come full circle.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Over the past month or so, we have encountered Jesus in different ways. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Over the past month or so, we have encountered Jesus in different ways.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Our scripture reading today is from the Gospel of Luke, it is the Parable of the Ten Pounds. A pound is a sum of money worth about 3 month’s wages for a laborer. Instead of giving a preamble or setting any context, we are going to go right to the text. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Our scripture reading today is from the Gospel of Luke, it is the Parable of the Ten Pounds. A pound is a sum of money worth about 3 month’s wages for a laborer. Instead of giving a preamble or setting any context, we are going to go right to the text.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 31 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Today we continue our sermon series on the person and mystery of Jesus Christ by asking the question “what is he doing?” Our scripture reading from the Gospel of Luke provides an answer to that question. But before we get to the scripture, to help set some context for the reading, and perhaps to scare you a little -- it is Halloween after all -- I want you to imagine something with me. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Today we continue our sermon series on the person and mystery of Jesus Christ by asking the question “what is he doing?” Our scripture reading from the Gospel of Luke provides an answer to that question. But before we get to the scripture, to help set some context for the reading, and perhaps to scare you a little -- it is Halloween after all -- I want you to imagine something with me.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Who was Jesus of Nazareth? Who is Jesus Christ? Outside of the Bible there are only two very brief references to Jesus found in ancient documents of that time. Over the years, historians, archeologists, Bible scholars have tried their best to uncover the factual truth about his life on Earth. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Who was Jesus of Nazareth? Who is Jesus Christ? Outside of the Bible there are only two very brief references to Jesus found in ancient documents of that time. Over the years, historians, archeologists, Bible scholars have tried their best to uncover the factual truth about his life on Earth.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0400 INTRODUCTION TO THE SCRIPTURE no no The Rev. Judith Brain firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)INTRODUCTION TO THE SCRIPTUREUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0400 This week we continue to hear from the prophet Jeremiah, as we conclude our series on change transition and transformation. Today we will talk about money. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)This week we continue to hear from the prophet Jeremiah, as we conclude our series on change transition and transformation. Today we will talk about money.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Preamble no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)PreambleUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Preamble no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)PreambleUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400 PREAMBLE no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)PREAMBLEUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400 It’s great to be here again. I’ve done a lot of guest preaching since my retirement, and I want you to know that First Church Somerville stands out. It’s a pleasure to have been with you these two weeks. You have a wonderful staff. Nothing seems to faze Thom—he’s not a prima donna but truly a part of the ministry team. Your church administrator, Jamie, is patient and competent, Ian was very helpful in bringing me on board. And you are just a fine congregation. You extend a warm welcome and are clearly a church with a mission. It is especially a privilege to be sharing worship with Molly today. She is a treasure, as you know—full of passion and smarts. Watch out for when she comes back full time. She’s bound to be even more her authentic, brilliant self. no no The Rev. Judith Brain firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)It’s great to be here again. I’ve done a lot of guest preaching since my retirement, and I want you to know that First Church Somerville stands out. It’s a pleasure to have been with you these two weeks. You have a wonderful staff. Nothing seems to faze Thom—he’s not a prima donna but truly a part of the ministry team. Your church administrator, Jamie, is patient and competent, Ian was very helpful in bringing me on board. And you are just a fine congregation. You extend a warm welcome and are clearly a church with a mission. It is especially a privilege to be sharing worship with Molly today. She is a treasure, as you know—full of passion and smarts. Watch out for when she comes back full time. She’s bound to be even more her authentic, brilliant self.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400 It’s great to be back in Somerville again. You were very welcoming and receptive when I preached here last August. I’ve followed Rev. Molly’s blog so I know that you are being what a church should be in a crisis. Supporting her and her family spiritually and practically, and rising to your challenges. With your exceptional staff and lay leaders and Ian as pastor, you continue to be a witness in the community. I commend you. no no The Rev. Judith Brain firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)It’s great to be back in Somerville again. You were very welcoming and receptive when I preached here last August. I’ve followed Rev. Molly’s blog so I know that you are being what a church should be in a crisis. Supporting her and her family spiritually and practically, and rising to your challenges. With your exceptional staff and lay leaders and Ian as pastor, you continue to be a witness in the community. I commend you.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Preamble no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)PreambleUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Preamble Our text for the morning comes from the book of Ecclesiastes. It is a strange and small book, just about ten pages long in my Bible, sandwiched between the book of Proverbs and the Book of the prophet Isaiah, two giant texts of the Old Testament. It is easy to miss. You may not recognize the name of the book, but you probably have heard the following verses spoken before, perhaps at a funeral or memorial service. no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Preamble Our text for the morning comes from the book of Ecclesiastes. It is a strange and small book, just about ten pages long in my Bible, sandwiched between the book of Proverbs and the Book of the prophet Isaiah, two giant texts of the Old Testament. It is easy to miss. You may not recognize the name of the book, but you probably have heard the following verses spoken before, perhaps at a funeral or memorial service.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Preamble no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)PreambleUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400 A number of years ago, there were no pets in our house. Life was complicated enough I thought. We had two young children, a busy and hectic work life. I did a lot of business related travel, and we travelled to Ireland and West Virginia frequently to see family, and on and on and on. Pets would just add to the complications and issues. But certain members of the family were becoming more and more interested in having a pet. As the children grew up, there was a growing pressure for a pet. Now, it has been our family tradition to create wish-lists for birthdays and Christmas. One year, one memorable year, my son Nolan put a single thing on his Christmas wish list. His list was a blank piece of paper with a single phrase on it. I wonder if you can imagine what he wished for? Can you guess? no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)A number of years ago, there were no pets in our house. Life was complicated enough I thought. We had two young children, a busy and hectic work life. I did a lot of business related travel, and we travelled to Ireland and West Virginia frequently to see family, and on and on and on. Pets would just add to the complications and issues. But certain members of the family were becoming more and more interested in having a pet. As the children grew up, there was a growing pressure for a pet. Now, it has been our family tradition to create wish-lists for birthdays and Christmas. One year, one memorable year, my son Nolan put a single thing on his Christmas wish list. His list was a blank piece of paper with a single phrase on it. I wonder if you can imagine what he wished for? Can you guess?UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400 A number of years ago, there were no pets in our house. Life was complicated enough I thought. We had two young children, a busy and hectic work life. I did a lot of business related travel, and we travelled to Ireland and West Virginia frequently to see family, and on and on and on. Pets would just add to the complications and issues. But certain members of the family were becoming more and more interested in having a pet. As the children grew up, there was a growing pressure for a pet. Now, it has been our family tradition to create wish-lists for birthdays and Christmas. One year, one memorable year, my son Nolan put a single thing on his Christmas wish list. His list was a blank piece of paper with a single phrase on it. I wonder if you can imagine what he wished for? Can you guess? no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)A number of years ago, there were no pets in our house. Life was complicated enough I thought. We had two young children, a busy and hectic work life. I did a lot of business related travel, and we travelled to Ireland and West Virginia frequently to see family, and on and on and on. Pets would just add to the complications and issues. But certain members of the family were becoming more and more interested in having a pet. As the children grew up, there was a growing pressure for a pet. Now, it has been our family tradition to create wish-lists for birthdays and Christmas. One year, one memorable year, my son Nolan put a single thing on his Christmas wish list. His list was a blank piece of paper with a single phrase on it. I wonder if you can imagine what he wished for? Can you guess?UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Introduction to the Scripture no no Ian Holland firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Introduction to the ScriptureUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Iona no no Rev. Jeff VonWald firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)IonaUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400 There is a boy, 13 years old. I guess you would call him a prodigy. He plays the piano extraordinarily well, and the organ. He is so good that they have made him their church’s accompanist, and that’s where you can find him on Thursday nights, rehearsing Bach in four-part harmony with Mabel and Betty and Fred. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)There is a boy, 13 years old. I guess you would call him a prodigy. He plays the piano extraordinarily well, and the organ. He is so good that they have made him their church’s accompanist, and that’s where you can find him on Thursday nights, rehearsing Bach in four-part harmony with Mabel and Betty and Fred.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400 U2 fans will recognize that the title of this sermon bears a striking resemblance to one of that band’s more-well known songs. Early morning, April 4, shot rings out in the Memphis sky, free at last, they took your life but they could not take your pride. The song pays homage to one of the church’s pastors and theologians, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As an 11 year old kid growing up in NH, I remember when this song and album first came out. Then and over time, the lyrics of the song served as a kind of entry point into exploring the history of the civil rights movement, the thought and activity of King as a public theologian, and the way that faith can transform the world. Although there are many ways of understanding the civil rights movement, at the heart of it all was a vision of the way things ought to be. This vision, of a just and fair society, of people living and working together regardless of their differences, is one that has been handed down to us as a precious heirloom from our ancestors in faith. no no Jason Donnelly firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)U2 fans will recognize that the title of this sermon bears a striking resemblance to one of that band’s more-well known songs. Early morning, April 4, shot rings out in the Memphis sky, free at last, they took your life but they could not take your pride. The song pays homage to one of the church’s pastors and theologians, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As an 11 year old kid growing up in NH, I remember when this song and album first came out. Then and over time, the lyrics of the song served as a kind of entry point into exploring the history of the civil rights movement, the thought and activity of King as a public theologian, and the way that faith can transform the world. Although there are many ways of understanding the civil rights movement, at the heart of it all was a vision of the way things ought to be. This vision, of a just and fair society, of people living and working together regardless of their differences, is one that has been handed down to us as a precious heirloom from our ancestors in faith.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400 There are some perks that come with having cancer. Peter said to me the other day, “You know, you don’t even really have to come up with a sermon this week. You could just get up and recite Mary Had a Little Lamb, and people would put their hand on the hearts and say ‘that is the most touching thing I’ve ever heard.’” But maybe I’ll save that card for when I really need it, because there is something I actually want to talk to you about today. We’re starting a new sermon series on Pride, and the first order of business is for us to ask ourselves the question, “Are you proud to be a Christian?” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)There are some perks that come with having cancer. Peter said to me the other day, “You know, you don’t even really have to come up with a sermon this week. You could just get up and recite Mary Had a Little Lamb, and people would put their hand on the hearts and say ‘that is the most touching thing I’ve ever heard.’” But maybe I’ll save that card for when I really need it, because there is something I actually want to talk to you about today. We’re starting a new sermon series on Pride, and the first order of business is for us to ask ourselves the question, “Are you proud to be a Christian?”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400 There are some perks that come with having cancer. Peter said to me the other day, “You know, you don’t even really have to come up with a sermon this week. You could just get up and recite Mary Had a Little Lamb, and people would put their hand on the hearts and say ‘that is the most touching thing I’ve ever heard.’” But maybe I’ll save that card for when I really need it, because there is something I actually want to talk to you about today. We’re starting a new sermon series on Pride, and the first order of business is for us to ask ourselves the question, “Are you proud to be a Christian?” no no Jason Donnelly firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)There are some perks that come with having cancer. Peter said to me the other day, “You know, you don’t even really have to come up with a sermon this week. You could just get up and recite Mary Had a Little Lamb, and people would put their hand on the hearts and say ‘that is the most touching thing I’ve ever heard.’” But maybe I’ll save that card for when I really need it, because there is something I actually want to talk to you about today. We’re starting a new sermon series on Pride, and the first order of business is for us to ask ourselves the question, “Are you proud to be a Christian?”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400 You know that I'm a big fan of the lectionary, a set of daily readings from scripture. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)You know that I'm a big fan of the lectionary, a set of daily readings from scripture.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400 This Science and Spirituality Sunday was organized by the Cambridge Science Festival. We are one of a handful of churches across metropolitan Boston speaking about this topic today. You're probably expecting me to tell you how it all just works and there's nothing to worry about. I wish I could. no no John Olson firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)This Science and Spirituality Sunday was organized by the Cambridge Science Festival. We are one of a handful of churches across metropolitan Boston speaking about this topic today. You're probably expecting me to tell you how it all just works and there's nothing to worry about. I wish I could.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Two and a half years ago, when I first came to First Church, I didn't come for God. I didn't come for me, I didn't come for you. I came for Thom. Abby and I had just moved here, and Thom's husband Tim is one of my oldest and dearest friends. So, when Thom invited us to participate in the Christmas Cantata, we said "sure". We came to the Cantata rehearsals, and to a few services to sing with the choir, and we started to kinda like the place. As the Cantata approached, we had a bit of a decision to make; whether to keep coming after it was over, or not. One day I was talking to Tim and said "you know, we really like it here, and might like to keep coming...". "That's great" he said. I replied "well... you know we don't really BELIEVE, right?". He shrugged and said "ahh, we've got lots of people like that". no no Michael Stenner firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Two and a half years ago, when I first came to First Church, I didn't come for God. I didn't come for me, I didn't come for you. I came for Thom. Abby and I had just moved here, and Thom's husband Tim is one of my oldest and dearest friends. So, when Thom invited us to participate in the Christmas Cantata, we said "sure". We came to the Cantata rehearsals, and to a few services to sing with the choir, and we started to kinda like the place. As the Cantata approached, we had a bit of a decision to make; whether to keep coming after it was over, or not. One day I was talking to Tim and said "you know, we really like it here, and might like to keep coming...". "That's great" he said. I replied "well... you know we don't really BELIEVE, right?". He shrugged and said "ahh, we've got lots of people like that".UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400 This book (hold up the Bible) teaches me just everything I need to know about life. This book (hold up ‘The Princess Bride’) teaches me everything I need to know about death. It’s The Princess Bride by William Goldman. First, it taught me that you should never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line. That’s for all you First Churchers born before 1982. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)This book (hold up the Bible) teaches me just everything I need to know about life. This book (hold up ‘The Princess Bride’) teaches me everything I need to know about death. It’s The Princess Bride by William Goldman. First, it taught me that you should never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line. That’s for all you First Churchers born before 1982.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Just last week, 10 days ago on Friday, we when left the church, on Friday, Jesus was dead. Like our mothers and fathers, like our friends who have died, our boyfriend, on Friday, we knew Jesus was not coming back. He was dead to Mary of Magdala, who loved him, and dead to John, whom he loved. He was dead to his mother and father, his students, his brothers and sisters. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Just last week, 10 days ago on Friday, we when left the church, on Friday, Jesus was dead. Like our mothers and fathers, like our friends who have died, our boyfriend, on Friday, we knew Jesus was not coming back. He was dead to Mary of Magdala, who loved him, and dead to John, whom he loved. He was dead to his mother and father, his students, his brothers and sisters.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400 My mind’s on summer today. I wonder why, when it’s hardly spring. Could it be, I don’t know, the fast-track to climate change, evidenced by all the strappy dresses in the crowd, when it’s barely April? I fantasize about summer like I never did before I had kids. Maybe it’s because I know that summer promises Sabbath, promises that my children will pester me nonstop to go to the beach, the park, the pool, to leave my work behind, and my worries, to go and put my face in the sun. I hope you have kids, and that they do this for you, give you an excuse to tell your boss it’s time to go home, tell your schoolwork to go hang. If you don’t have kids, I will lend you mine. And then I will go to the beach all by myself. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)My mind’s on summer today. I wonder why, when it’s hardly spring. Could it be, I don’t know, the fast-track to climate change, evidenced by all the strappy dresses in the crowd, when it’s barely April? I fantasize about summer like I never did before I had kids. Maybe it’s because I know that summer promises Sabbath, promises that my children will pester me nonstop to go to the beach, the park, the pool, to leave my work behind, and my worries, to go and put my face in the sun. I hope you have kids, and that they do this for you, give you an excuse to tell your boss it’s time to go home, tell your schoolwork to go hang. If you don’t have kids, I will lend you mine. And then I will go to the beach all by myself.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Dear God, Let us pray—And as the congregation prays—let us praise—you Praise the sticks and stones that break our bones And the words that break our hearts and our spirits praise the sky we can't see and the sky we're scared of praise the torrential rains and the earth-scarring droughts praise the fire we can't light and the fire trucks howling praise the bitter cold when the heat won’t come on and the scorching heat with no air-conditioning praise the car breaking down in the middle of nowhere and the MBTA bus not showing up on time-- or at all praise the monotony of routine and the scary, overwhelming nature of change praise narcolepsy and insomnia Praise the aggravation that comes with too much noise and the awkwardness of silence praise loneliness that strikes when we are left all alone and loneliness that strikes even when we are surrounded by people praise you for the blind—and the ways in which they are able to hear and feel and sense things that the rest of us cannot praise our own blindness and help us to acknowledge that in many ways we are all blind praise our ignorance—because we are all ignorant—about something Praise you for the parents who would give anything to conceive a child And the abandoned child who would give anything to have parents Praise you for the extravagant, excessive spenders And the stingy, scrooge-like tightwads praise every pain of ours that makes us feel the pain of others more sharply so that we can be more empathetic praise the knowing, loving embrace that comes after the pain Praise the hectic, out-of-control busyness— that it may inspire balance in our lives Praise the extreme boredom— that it may inspire us into action Praise the deaths of loved ones--- that make us value those whom we still have so much more And praise the death of your son Jesus Christ—praise the despair, the pain, the indignity, praise it all For it is this which helps us to understand that for every ending, there is a beginning, for every death, there is new life, for every injustice, there are the seeds for change, and when all seems lost and hopeless, there is you. no no Sarah Green and Pete Shungu firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Dear God, Let us pray—And as the congregation prays—let us praise—you Praise the sticks and stones that break our bones And the words that break our hearts and our spirits praise the sky we can't see and the sky we're scared of praise the torrential rains and the earth-scarring droughts praise the fire we can't light and the fire trucks howling praise the bitter cold when the heat won’t come on and the scorching heat with no air-conditioning praise the car breaking down in the middle of nowhere and the MBTA bus not showing up on time-- or at all praise the monotony of routine and the scary, overwhelming nature of change praise narcolepsy and insomnia Praise the aggravation that comes with too much noise and the awkwardness of silence praise loneliness that strikes when we are left all alone and loneliness that strikes even when we are surrounded by people praise you for the blind—and the ways in which they are able to hear and feel and sense things that the rest of us cannot praise our own blindness and help us to acknowledge that in many ways we are all blind praise our ignorance—because we are all ignorant—about something Praise you for the parents who would give anything to conceive a child And the abandoned child who would give anything to have parents Praise you for the extravagant, excessive spenders And the stingy, scrooge-like tightwads praise every pain of ours that makes us feel the pain of others more sharply so that we can be more empathetic praise the knowing, loving embrace that comes after the pain Praise the hectic, out-of-control busyness— that it may inspire balance in our lives Praise the extreme boredom— that it may inspire us into action Praise the deaths of loved ones--- that make us value those whom we still have so much more And praise the death of your son Jesus Christ—praise the despair, the pain, the indignity, praise it all For it is this which helps us to understand that for every ending, there is a beginning, for every death, there is new life, for every injustice, there are the seeds for change, and when all seems lost and hopeless, there is you.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400 Invitation to Confession no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Invitation to ConfessionUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400 “Simple shifts” is our theme this Lenten Season. We are exploring the simple things we might change in our lives in order to grow more deeply into our spiritual lives. We’re not going for the grandiose changes in our lives and in the world that may be hard to do, and hard to sustain. We’re looking for small changes that might add up to deep and real spiritual and ethical growth. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)“Simple shifts” is our theme this Lenten Season. We are exploring the simple things we might change in our lives in order to grow more deeply into our spiritual lives. We’re not going for the grandiose changes in our lives and in the world that may be hard to do, and hard to sustain. We’re looking for small changes that might add up to deep and real spiritual and ethical growth.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 This morning, our brother Dick Huber woke up in his bed, on the south-facing wing of Masconomet Nursing Home. He lay awake in his bed, feeling his limbs, his brain sending messages to different parts of his body to see how or whether they would respond. Dick has had Parkinson’s for 9 years. There are good days, and bad days, and there are really bad days. He’s never sure which it’s going to be. Whether or not it’s a good day or a bad day, he’ll go to whatever flavor of worship they’re happening to offer in the community room that day: Protestant hymn-sing, Catholic mass, or the religion that knows no denomination, Bingo. In the afternoon he’ll put himself in the sun, and joke with the nurses, for healing. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)This morning, our brother Dick Huber woke up in his bed, on the south-facing wing of Masconomet Nursing Home. He lay awake in his bed, feeling his limbs, his brain sending messages to different parts of his body to see how or whether they would respond. Dick has had Parkinson’s for 9 years. There are good days, and bad days, and there are really bad days. He’s never sure which it’s going to be. Whether or not it’s a good day or a bad day, he’ll go to whatever flavor of worship they’re happening to offer in the community room that day: Protestant hymn-sing, Catholic mass, or the religion that knows no denomination, Bingo. In the afternoon he’ll put himself in the sun, and joke with the nurses, for healing.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 The 13th century Sufi poet, Rumi, tells the following story about eating locally. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The 13th century Sufi poet, Rumi, tells the following story about eating locally.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500 I'm not the liturgist today, but I have my own confession to make. When I first thought about going on the Mexico trip, I thought, Mexico in February, sign me up! Here's my chance to go someplace warm, different, with a group of fantastic people and practice my Spanish. All of this was true, but missed the essence of what the trip would be, would mean. When we were charged the Sunday before leaving to make the trip a spiritual journey as well as a physical journey, I questioned whether I should be on the trip. I'd been feeling disconnected from God and wondered if it was possible, or if I should cash in my ticket and stay home. Better that, than go and be disappointed, be unchanged. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I'm not the liturgist today, but I have my own confession to make. When I first thought about going on the Mexico trip, I thought, Mexico in February, sign me up! Here's my chance to go someplace warm, different, with a group of fantastic people and practice my Spanish. All of this was true, but missed the essence of what the trip would be, would mean. When we were charged the Sunday before leaving to make the trip a spiritual journey as well as a physical journey, I questioned whether I should be on the trip. I'd been feeling disconnected from God and wondered if it was possible, or if I should cash in my ticket and stay home. Better that, than go and be disappointed, be unchanged.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Last week I had the privilege of traveling to the Casa San Jose orphanage in Colima, Mexico with my daughter, Sophia, and fifteen other people from First Church. This was my first-ever visit to Mexico, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I was looking forward to meeting the children of the Casa, but I was afraid that my limited Spanish language skills would be a barrier to communicating and truly bonding with the children. no no Jamie Thompson firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Last week I had the privilege of traveling to the Casa San Jose orphanage in Colima, Mexico with my daughter, Sophia, and fifteen other people from First Church. This was my first-ever visit to Mexico, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I was looking forward to meeting the children of the Casa, but I was afraid that my limited Spanish language skills would be a barrier to communicating and truly bonding with the children.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500 The main area of recreation for many of the older kids at La Casa San Jose is an outdoor basketball court, which doubles as a concrete soccer field. Just behind one of the basketball hoops is a long set of stairs which lead up to a couple of classrooms. The view from the top of these stairs is breathtaking. Two giant volcanoes boldly paint the horizon. In Spanish, these two volcanoes are called Fuego y Nieve. Fire and Snow. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The main area of recreation for many of the older kids at La Casa San Jose is an outdoor basketball court, which doubles as a concrete soccer field. Just behind one of the basketball hoops is a long set of stairs which lead up to a couple of classrooms. The view from the top of these stairs is breathtaking. Two giant volcanoes boldly paint the horizon. In Spanish, these two volcanoes are called Fuego y Nieve. Fire and Snow.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500 I was so honored when Molly approached me about preaching during Lent. I am a double preacher’s kid – both my parents are UCC ministers and if you count my grandfather who was a Presbyterian minister I’m a triple pk. So you would think that preaching is in my blood – but other than the 1 sermon I wrote when I was 7 years old, this is the first time I have ever stood in the pulpit to preach. I hope you are as excited to hear it as I am excited to preach it. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I was so honored when Molly approached me about preaching during Lent. I am a double preacher’s kid – both my parents are UCC ministers and if you count my grandfather who was a Presbyterian minister I’m a triple pk. So you would think that preaching is in my blood – but other than the 1 sermon I wrote when I was 7 years old, this is the first time I have ever stood in the pulpit to preach. I hope you are as excited to hear it as I am excited to preach it.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Ash Wednesday no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Ash WednesdayUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500 The Benefit and Effect of Light[http://old.firstchurchsomerville.org/community/sermons/?sermon_id=86] no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The Benefit and Effect of Light[http://old.firstchurchsomerville.org/community/sermons/?sermon_id=86]UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Lent is almost upon us. It begins on Ash Wednesday, ten days from today, and it will last exactly 46 days, from the time you get ashes on your head to signify that we all will die, until the moment you walk into church on Easter morning and hear that Christ is risen, that death is conquered. 46 days, not 40—the Sundays of Lent are called “little Easters” and are exempt from Lenten disciplines; they are a foretaste of the joy to come. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Lent is almost upon us. It begins on Ash Wednesday, ten days from today, and it will last exactly 46 days, from the time you get ashes on your head to signify that we all will die, until the moment you walk into church on Easter morning and hear that Christ is risen, that death is conquered. 46 days, not 40—the Sundays of Lent are called “little Easters” and are exempt from Lenten disciplines; they are a foretaste of the joy to come.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev. Hank Peirce firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Last week in the receiving line after worship, when I was greeting all of you, a newish person to our community had the self-possession to, very lovingly and respectfully, offer some constructive criticism. It is hard for most people to hear criticism, and I am no exception, being something of a closet perfectionist (who’s been outed on many an occasion around here). In fact, I am such a perfectionist that the way I handle criticism is to pretend that I can accept it, perfectly. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Last week in the receiving line after worship, when I was greeting all of you, a newish person to our community had the self-possession to, very lovingly and respectfully, offer some constructive criticism. It is hard for most people to hear criticism, and I am no exception, being something of a closet perfectionist (who’s been outed on many an occasion around here). In fact, I am such a perfectionist that the way I handle criticism is to pretend that I can accept it, perfectly.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500 To misquote the poet Emily Dickinson, something there is that loves a line. When I was growing up in the 80s in Dorchester, near Ashmont station on the red line, I remember the fights in the press about extending the red line all the way to Alewife from Harvard Station, where it ended at the time. Some residents of Arlington, it seemed, wanted the red line kept out so that some other, less visible lines would kept firmly IN. They expressed concern that poor blacks from Dot were going to get on the T at Shawmut or Field’s Corner, and ride in air-conditioned comfort all the way to Alewife, for the express purpose of burgling their homes. Presumably, then, the would-be burglars would take a cab back to Dot with all their booty. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)To misquote the poet Emily Dickinson, something there is that loves a line. When I was growing up in the 80s in Dorchester, near Ashmont station on the red line, I remember the fights in the press about extending the red line all the way to Alewife from Harvard Station, where it ended at the time. Some residents of Arlington, it seemed, wanted the red line kept out so that some other, less visible lines would kept firmly IN. They expressed concern that poor blacks from Dot were going to get on the T at Shawmut or Field’s Corner, and ride in air-conditioned comfort all the way to Alewife, for the express purpose of burgling their homes. Presumably, then, the would-be burglars would take a cab back to Dot with all their booty.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500 OK, level with me. You know all about rank. You walk into a room and look around to see who is your equal. You notice who outranks you, and whom you outrank. You notice, so quickly that it may not even register in your frontal lobes - who’s wearing what, the quality of their shoes, teeth, clothes. Before you know it, you’ve noticed, how the folks in the room hold themselves, their posture and how their clothes hang on them. You’ve noticed who owns the room, and who understands themselves to be a guest in the room. You’ve already begun to decide where you fit in and with whom you fit. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)OK, level with me. You know all about rank. You walk into a room and look around to see who is your equal. You notice who outranks you, and whom you outrank. You notice, so quickly that it may not even register in your frontal lobes - who’s wearing what, the quality of their shoes, teeth, clothes. Before you know it, you’ve noticed, how the folks in the room hold themselves, their posture and how their clothes hang on them. You’ve noticed who owns the room, and who understands themselves to be a guest in the room. You’ve already begun to decide where you fit in and with whom you fit.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Christmas came a little early for a few people this year. It started on a cold Monday a few weeks ago, when Carmen and I went with about 60 other people to the State House, the beautiful building with the gold dome on Boston Common where big decisions get made, and took the elevator up the stairs to the governor’s office, and stood outside his reception area, in the marble hallways, and talked to the Governor for 2 hours. The Governor stayed in his office the whole time, and didn’t hear a word we said, but we talked to him all the same. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Christmas came a little early for a few people this year. It started on a cold Monday a few weeks ago, when Carmen and I went with about 60 other people to the State House, the beautiful building with the gold dome on Boston Common where big decisions get made, and took the elevator up the stairs to the governor’s office, and stood outside his reception area, in the marble hallways, and talked to the Governor for 2 hours. The Governor stayed in his office the whole time, and didn’t hear a word we said, but we talked to him all the same.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500 It is a good time to talk about expecting, this Advent-time. We have two very pregnant families in our congregation right now: Liz and Ben Davenny are due with their first child, a daughter. She is reputed to be arriving on January 8, very nearly eight years to the day after Ben and Liz met at a First Church epiphany party, and 2 days after their third wedding anniversary. But, she could always come as an answer to the prayers of her very practical and efficient mother, and be born on December 31 in time for the income tax deduction. Or, she could be a procrastinator like many first babies, and wait until the last possible minute, January 22. If she does, a piece of advice: don’t go up to Ben and Liz at coffee hour on January 3, 10 and 17 and say “haven’t you had that baby yet?” as if it’s their doing. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)It is a good time to talk about expecting, this Advent-time. We have two very pregnant families in our congregation right now: Liz and Ben Davenny are due with their first child, a daughter. She is reputed to be arriving on January 8, very nearly eight years to the day after Ben and Liz met at a First Church epiphany party, and 2 days after their third wedding anniversary. But, she could always come as an answer to the prayers of her very practical and efficient mother, and be born on December 31 in time for the income tax deduction. Or, she could be a procrastinator like many first babies, and wait until the last possible minute, January 22. If she does, a piece of advice: don’t go up to Ben and Liz at coffee hour on January 3, 10 and 17 and say “haven’t you had that baby yet?” as if it’s their doing.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500 My son has become a reader this year. He recently discovered on his shelf a series of books on science called “I Wonder Why…” They’ve been sitting there for years, pining for a 7-year-old to take an interest in them. The other night Rafe was reading about the solar system when he came running into our bedroom, and he and his book climbed into bed with me. “I just learned that the sun is going to explode in 5 billion years,” he said nonchalantly. “When was this book written?” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)My son has become a reader this year. He recently discovered on his shelf a series of books on science called “I Wonder Why…” They’ve been sitting there for years, pining for a 7-year-old to take an interest in them. The other night Rafe was reading about the solar system when he came running into our bedroom, and he and his book climbed into bed with me. “I just learned that the sun is going to explode in 5 billion years,” he said nonchalantly. “When was this book written?”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500 My son has become a reader this year. He recently discovered on his shelf a series of books on science called “I Wonder Why…” They’ve been sitting there for years, pining for a 7-year-old to take an interest in them. The other night Rafe was reading about the solar system when he came running into our bedroom, and he and his book climbed into bed with me. “I just learned that the sun is going to explode in 5 billion years,” he said nonchalantly. “When was this book written?” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)My son has become a reader this year. He recently discovered on his shelf a series of books on science called “I Wonder Why…” They’ve been sitting there for years, pining for a 7-year-old to take an interest in them. The other night Rafe was reading about the solar system when he came running into our bedroom, and he and his book climbed into bed with me. “I just learned that the sun is going to explode in 5 billion years,” he said nonchalantly. “When was this book written?”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 One of my favorite quotes, which I’ve used before, and reserve the right to use again and again, is from EB White, the children’s author. He once said, “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world, and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)One of my favorite quotes, which I’ve used before, and reserve the right to use again and again, is from EB White, the children’s author. He once said, “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world, and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 We humans want to be in relationships, most of us. We want to be connected in some way to friends, to families, connected at work, in church. But friendships are messy! Feelings get hurt, we don’t call enough or we call too often. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)We humans want to be in relationships, most of us. We want to be connected in some way to friends, to families, connected at work, in church. But friendships are messy! Feelings get hurt, we don’t call enough or we call too often.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 In precisely two weeks, four days, and five hours, families all over America will gather in homes to give thanks for the blessings of this life. Among those blessings, they will probably name family, whether or not they mean it. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)In precisely two weeks, four days, and five hours, families all over America will gather in homes to give thanks for the blessings of this life. Among those blessings, they will probably name family, whether or not they mean it.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0400 The Russian author Leo Tolstoy cornered the market on the best opening line to a novel, ever. In Anna Karenina, he wrote, “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The Russian author Leo Tolstoy cornered the market on the best opening line to a novel, ever. In Anna Karenina, he wrote, “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Bible! Reformation! Climate Action! no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Bible! Reformation! Climate Action!UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Just in time for Halloween: The writer Kathleen Norris calls this ‘the scariest story I know about the Bible.’ no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Just in time for Halloween: The writer Kathleen Norris calls this ‘the scariest story I know about the Bible.’UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 I hate horror movies. Watching a movie where you spend half your time waiting for something terrible to happen, and the other half watching the terrible thing happen, is not my idea of a good time. I never liked garden-variety slasher films to begin with, but now even the new brand of intellectual, artistic gore-fest is off the table. The Coen Brothers, who I used to love, are forever ruined for me. Quentin Tarantino is in the doghouse. The reason for my newfound sensitivity? I had a kid. Having kids cracks you open in a way you’ve never been opened; it makes you vulnerable, and anything dark or violent in your immediate vicinity leaks into all the new fissures in your soul. It makes it impossible to watch the evening news, let alone The Lovely Bones. I manufacture enough daymares and nightmares in my imagination now, without any help from Hollywood. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I hate horror movies. Watching a movie where you spend half your time waiting for something terrible to happen, and the other half watching the terrible thing happen, is not my idea of a good time. I never liked garden-variety slasher films to begin with, but now even the new brand of intellectual, artistic gore-fest is off the table. The Coen Brothers, who I used to love, are forever ruined for me. Quentin Tarantino is in the doghouse. The reason for my newfound sensitivity? I had a kid. Having kids cracks you open in a way you’ve never been opened; it makes you vulnerable, and anything dark or violent in your immediate vicinity leaks into all the new fissures in your soul. It makes it impossible to watch the evening news, let alone The Lovely Bones. I manufacture enough daymares and nightmares in my imagination now, without any help from Hollywood.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Last week Laura Ruth kicked off our sermon series on the Bible with a whirlwind tour of the 66 books of the Old Testament and the New Testament. She did a remarkable job of summing up the WHAT of the Bible, and began to get us into the HOW. HOW should we read it? Is there a right way, a wrong way? no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Last week Laura Ruth kicked off our sermon series on the Bible with a whirlwind tour of the 66 books of the Old Testament and the New Testament. She did a remarkable job of summing up the WHAT of the Bible, and began to get us into the HOW. HOW should we read it? Is there a right way, a wrong way?UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Today, Molly and I begin a five week series on the Bible. Today, I want to introduce you to the Bible. My sermon is the ABCs and 123s of the B.I.B.L.E. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Today, Molly and I begin a five week series on the Bible. Today, I want to introduce you to the Bible. My sermon is the ABCs and 123s of the B.I.B.L.E.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 We in this church are the kind of people who have a lot of things going on all the time, and so if there are any of you today who just don’t feel like you have the time to make it through a 12-15 minute sermon, I completely understand, and I will do you the favor of telling you at the beginning what is coming at the end: Rest, and Serve. Rest, and Serve. Now if you have pressing things you need to do, if you are Lucy Arnaz and you’re falling further and further behind the chocolates quota on the quality-control conveyor belt, then go. We don’t want you to be anxious. We’re about setting people free, here. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)We in this church are the kind of people who have a lot of things going on all the time, and so if there are any of you today who just don’t feel like you have the time to make it through a 12-15 minute sermon, I completely understand, and I will do you the favor of telling you at the beginning what is coming at the end: Rest, and Serve. Rest, and Serve. Now if you have pressing things you need to do, if you are Lucy Arnaz and you’re falling further and further behind the chocolates quota on the quality-control conveyor belt, then go. We don’t want you to be anxious. We’re about setting people free, here.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Brothers and sisters! It is so good to be with you today… no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Brothers and sisters! It is so good to be with you today…UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400 GREETINGS I'm delighted to be worshiping with you here in Somerville. First Church has a great reputation in the Massachusetts Conference as a vital growing congregation engaged with your community. We are inspired by your creativity and I know that a lot of churches copy your ideas. I love that your service today began with a burst of humor; a church that laughs is definitely on the right track. Mark Twain wasn't describing you in his famous quip: "If all the people who sleep in church were laid end to end, they'd be a lot more comfortable." no no The Rev. Judith Brain firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)GREETINGS I'm delighted to be worshiping with you here in Somerville. First Church has a great reputation in the Massachusetts Conference as a vital growing congregation engaged with your community. We are inspired by your creativity and I know that a lot of churches copy your ideas. I love that your service today began with a burst of humor; a church that laughs is definitely on the right track. Mark Twain wasn't describing you in his famous quip: "If all the people who sleep in church were laid end to end, they'd be a lot more comfortable."UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Today we celebrate the life of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and of ecology. Although St. Francis’ feast day is not until Oct. 4, we in the free church tradition, and we at First Church Somerville, in keeping with our idea that the church is made for the people, and not the other way around, decided that it is better to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis in the summer. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Today we celebrate the life of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and of ecology. Although St. Francis’ feast day is not until Oct. 4, we in the free church tradition, and we at First Church Somerville, in keeping with our idea that the church is made for the people, and not the other way around, decided that it is better to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis in the summer.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400 We who were brought up in the church may be surprised by the thought that Christianity has spiritual practices like other religions we admire – like Buddhist and Judaism, to name two. Some of us thought the only practice of Christianity was the practice of belief. We were taught that the only way to be Christian was to believe. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)We who were brought up in the church may be surprised by the thought that Christianity has spiritual practices like other religions we admire – like Buddhist and Judaism, to name two. Some of us thought the only practice of Christianity was the practice of belief. We were taught that the only way to be Christian was to believe.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400 no no Kerrie Harthan firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400 In the Bible, in our sacred scriptures, there is an historical account of the evolving ways the people of Israel governed themselves through time. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)In the Bible, in our sacred scriptures, there is an historical account of the evolving ways the people of Israel governed themselves through time.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 31 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400 My sermon is a simple and short sermon, and it has one point. We are God’s and when we are in trouble, if we call on God by so simple a way as breathing in the life force, God will save us. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)My sermon is a simple and short sermon, and it has one point. We are God’s and when we are in trouble, if we call on God by so simple a way as breathing in the life force, God will save us.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400 One day, the Trappist monk Thomas Merton left the monastery to run errands in nearby Louisville, Kentucky. And there, between the dry cleaner’s and the grocery store, he had a religious experience. He writes in his journal, no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)One day, the Trappist monk Thomas Merton left the monastery to run errands in nearby Louisville, Kentucky. And there, between the dry cleaner’s and the grocery store, he had a religious experience. He writes in his journal,UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400 A couple of months ago now, we passed a new mission statement. A small group of us worked on it, trying to the best of our ability to represent what we knew of the larger body. We presented it at our annual meeting in January, and it didn’t pass—there was pushback, because, lo and behold, you actually cared what kind of words we used about you, the claims we were to make about ourselves as a community, to the rest of the world. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)A couple of months ago now, we passed a new mission statement. A small group of us worked on it, trying to the best of our ability to represent what we knew of the larger body. We presented it at our annual meeting in January, and it didn’t pass—there was pushback, because, lo and behold, you actually cared what kind of words we used about you, the claims we were to make about ourselves as a community, to the rest of the world.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400 There is a moment. There is a second, an hour, a day. There is a year between the last breath, and the rest of life. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)There is a moment. There is a second, an hour, a day. There is a year between the last breath, and the rest of life.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400 The other morning I lay in bed, pondering the resurrection of my body from it, and listening to the radio. The radio announcer reported that to save money during the recession, the Commonwealth has decided to turn off the decorative blue lights on the Zakim bridge, to the tune of 5,000 clams per month. I was crushed. I grew up in Boston, and waited 14 years for those lights to go on. They started the Big Dig when I went off to college, and finished it when my second child was born. Every time I drive over the Zakim bridge, I delight in those lights. They make me feel like I can fly. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The other morning I lay in bed, pondering the resurrection of my body from it, and listening to the radio. The radio announcer reported that to save money during the recession, the Commonwealth has decided to turn off the decorative blue lights on the Zakim bridge, to the tune of 5,000 clams per month. I was crushed. I grew up in Boston, and waited 14 years for those lights to go on. They started the Big Dig when I went off to college, and finished it when my second child was born. Every time I drive over the Zakim bridge, I delight in those lights. They make me feel like I can fly.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400 When she got the diagnosis of diabetes, it became her enemy. She remembers the day of the diagnosis. She said that day, after blood tests, but before she knew for sure, she ate a meal thinking this was the last meal she would eat as a normal person, though she had not been normal for a while. And then the diagnosis, the phone call, come to the hospital, pack bags for four days, don’t eat anything, she and her mom went to the hospital, crawled onto the hospital bed together, and cried for four hours. Diabetes. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)When she got the diagnosis of diabetes, it became her enemy. She remembers the day of the diagnosis. She said that day, after blood tests, but before she knew for sure, she ate a meal thinking this was the last meal she would eat as a normal person, though she had not been normal for a while. And then the diagnosis, the phone call, come to the hospital, pack bags for four days, don’t eat anything, she and her mom went to the hospital, crawled onto the hospital bed together, and cried for four hours. Diabetes.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400 I want you all to take your bulletins, turn to the fourth or fifth page, wherever you find a little white space, the space on which you would normally write your grocery list when the sermon gets a little slow. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I want you all to take your bulletins, turn to the fourth or fifth page, wherever you find a little white space, the space on which you would normally write your grocery list when the sermon gets a little slow.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500 no no Joe Zarro firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500 no no John Olson firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500 no no Joe Zarro firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500 I remember the exact moment I knew First Church was the right place for me. The night before I preached the candidating sermon upon which the congregation would decide whether or not to call me to be their pastor, the people held a meet and greet. When I got my first look at the potluck table, I knew. On the table, side by side, were Dibbie’s homemade lemon squares, and takeout sushi. I knew this was a church that could treasure the old and welcome the new. “I’m home,” I said to myself. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I remember the exact moment I knew First Church was the right place for me. The night before I preached the candidating sermon upon which the congregation would decide whether or not to call me to be their pastor, the people held a meet and greet. When I got my first look at the potluck table, I knew. On the table, side by side, were Dibbie’s homemade lemon squares, and takeout sushi. I knew this was a church that could treasure the old and welcome the new. “I’m home,” I said to myself.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500 I might argue that February 2 is one of the most depressing days of the year. It wasn’t always that way. February 2 is the little-known Christian feast of Candlemas, arriving 40 days after Christmas; it marks the day that baby Jesus was presented in the temple, after Mary’s postpartum rituals of purification were done. Greek Orthodox still celebrate it; their priests blessing beeswax candles and sending them home with parishioners, and Mexican Catholics celebrate it, how else? by throwing a party. no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I might argue that February 2 is one of the most depressing days of the year. It wasn’t always that way. February 2 is the little-known Christian feast of Candlemas, arriving 40 days after Christmas; it marks the day that baby Jesus was presented in the temple, after Mary’s postpartum rituals of purification were done. Greek Orthodox still celebrate it; their priests blessing beeswax candles and sending them home with parishioners, and Mexican Catholics celebrate it, how else? by throwing a party.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Thank you to Revs. Baskette and Jarrett for your willingness to relinquish this pulpit to me and thank you to the members of this congregation who have entrusted the pulpit to me this morning. I pray that I am worthy of the task before me this morning. Amen. no no Marian (Meck) Groot firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Thank you to Revs. Baskette and Jarrett for your willingness to relinquish this pulpit to me and thank you to the members of this congregation who have entrusted the pulpit to me this morning. I pray that I am worthy of the task before me this morning. Amen.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500 A Mass Kneeling Rev. Kerrie Harthan, January 11, 2009 no no Kerrie Harthan firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)A Mass Kneeling Rev. Kerrie Harthan, January 11, 2009UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500 The central practice of a religious system, Christianity included, or for us, Christianity especially, is to stay awake, to expand our consciousness toward God, to attune ourselves to the ways God becomes known to us, and to accept the revelation of God’s divine presence. This is also the central message of Epiphany: as Christians, our work is to stay awake to the revelation of God. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)The central practice of a religious system, Christianity included, or for us, Christianity especially, is to stay awake, to expand our consciousness toward God, to attune ourselves to the ways God becomes known to us, and to accept the revelation of God’s divine presence. This is also the central message of Epiphany: as Christians, our work is to stay awake to the revelation of God.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500 “Room in the Inn: Spiritual Purpose” no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)“Room in the Inn: Spiritual Purpose”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500 “Room in the Inn: Closets” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)“Room in the Inn: Closets”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500 Some of you know, I was in Israel for 10 days in October. I traveled with 17 other folks from the Lexington, Massachusetts and the surrounding area. We who traveled together were all clergy and professional religious workers. We were Jews, Catholics, Unitarians, and Protestants. Four of us were UCC. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Some of you know, I was in Israel for 10 days in October. I traveled with 17 other folks from the Lexington, Massachusetts and the surrounding area. We who traveled together were all clergy and professional religious workers. We were Jews, Catholics, Unitarians, and Protestants. Four of us were UCC.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev Rich Tosh firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500 “Oikonomics” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)“Oikonomics”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0400 no no Joe Zarro firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 26 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Rev. Abby Phinney Baskette and Rev. Abigail A. Henrich no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Rev. Abby Phinney Baskette and Rev. Abigail A. HenrichUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400 “Ordinary Mysticism” no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)“Ordinary Mysticism”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400 I grew up in a Christian household, my father is a minister, now retired. My mom is a missionary kid. I’m telling you, we had a praying household. Not every night, but very often, we had family bible study and prayers before bed. Before every meal we prayed. We preacher’s kids, my sisters and I knew formulas for praying very, very early on. There was pressure on us, man, in the family, in Sunday School, to know how to perform, prayer wise. I could say the words, and perform the concern that a prayer should probably evoke in the pray-er, but most often in my case, it did not. That way of praying didn’t feel very authentic to me, and I didn’t know there was another way to pray. For a long time, I didn’t pray because I didn’t know how. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)I grew up in a Christian household, my father is a minister, now retired. My mom is a missionary kid. I’m telling you, we had a praying household. Not every night, but very often, we had family bible study and prayers before bed. Before every meal we prayed. We preacher’s kids, my sisters and I knew formulas for praying very, very early on. There was pressure on us, man, in the family, in Sunday School, to know how to perform, prayer wise. I could say the words, and perform the concern that a prayer should probably evoke in the pray-er, but most often in my case, it did not. That way of praying didn’t feel very authentic to me, and I didn’t know there was another way to pray. For a long time, I didn’t pray because I didn’t know how.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Sunday, August 31, 2008 ~ Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost Matthew 16:21-28 "A Citizen in the White House” Something new is stirring. Something is about to happen. Something old is about to die and something new is about to begin. It always happens this way. Old yin gives way to new yang, then, old yang gives way to new yin. What no longer works, stops working, and a new thing comes into being. Our births were just like this. The old way inside our mothers could not hold – too small, too dark. Gills gave way to lungs and we longed to breathe, not water anymore, but air. “Let me out,” we all said once, “lest I die in here.” Mother’s bodies gave way, and out we came, slipping into a new world, some came screaming and some silent, but those who lived, came out. Jesus had been out with traveling the country with his followers. He had been patiently teaching and healing, using his spiritual gifts on behalf of the community. For three years he gave himself away so that he could be fully alive. But it became time, he could feel it coming, lungs gave way to light, longing to breathe, not dust anymore, but God. Jesus, knowing old was giving way to new, gave this spiritual teaching: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Our country changed, just four days ago, on Thursday, August 26, 2008. We became a country that began to imagine that a black man, a bi-racial man could become the next President of the United States. We began to imagine Michelle Obama, her daughters and her husband in the home of the President, the White House. Can you see the Obamas on the front porch, there between the tall white columns? Can you see Malia, age 10, trying out her first lipstick in a White House mirror, and Sasha, age 7, riding her bike around the rose garden trying not to fall over into some thorny bush? Can you imagine seeing for the first time a citizen who looks like you standing there for the whole world to see, accepting the nomination of the Democratic National Convention to become a candidate for the presidency? Finally it’s not “just us” in the courts, but justice at the highest possible level of participation in our country. Until now, the only folks of color we could imagine in the White House were the servants and the guests. But now we can see it, now we can imagine it, a whole new kind of citizen in the White House. Old gives way. Something new is stirring. We cannot hold it back. We humans change, we do not stay the same. We lift ourselves out of our old miseries and addictions, our histories of trauma and of being left behind. We move out our stuck places and our fears, moving into our new lives – some of us quickly, some of us slowly, but all of us surely and constantly. Sometimes we chose our movement and sometimes the movement is chosen for us. Sometimes our loved ones become ill, new memories flash up, our partners and our idealized lives walk out the door for the last time. Sometimes we are nominated, sometimes we nominate ourselves. We might go into new life kicking and screaming, we might go joyfully or something in between, but the only thing that does not change is change itself. Change can be, as my friend Pam says, “Hell hard.” But pretending all is not in flux is harder than hell. This is what Jesus is teaching us. Something new, something for Christ’s sake is becoming new everyday. Clinging to what does not give us life, clinging to what does not give us peace or peace to the world can kill us way before we die. On the trauma and burn intensive care unit where I worked at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, when it came time to make life decisions, when it came time for a family to decide whether or not to withdraw life support, it was almost 100% of the time true that the least resolved member of the family was the most adamant that life support be continued, regardless of the patient’s condition. The family member most in conflict, with the least degree of peace with the patient, would be the last person to agree to let the patient pass this life, even if the patient was suffering. My work as chaplain was to go to that person to try to help them, if they could, come to peace, to forgive themselves or to forgive the patient. Sometimes it took months. We long to live, to know our purpose, to be free to serve, to love. Even our elders confined to their homes or to beds not their own are able to choose ways to be fully alive. Don’t we want to live fully until our death for our sake, and for the sake of something larger than our little selves. I think we do. I think we do. But how? Here are some ideas for how, for now. One. Show up for community. Sometimes we need to breathe together, for the one who has forgotten to breathe. Two. Notice what your community asks of you. Each of us has a gift for this community, each gift vital for the spiritual survival of us all. Notice what the community asks of you or what you are drawn to do because this may be your divine purpose. Someone in this church waters our plants, someone remembers to pray. Someone give an offering for the poor, and someone receives that offering. Some preach, some sing, some cook, some cry. It is all necessary. Three, take a break from community. Rest and reset. Pray alone. Write in your journal, draw in your sketch book. Yell at God. See a movie. Get a baby sitter and have some pleasure. Take a walk. Know your limits and don’t exceed them. Four, follow the crazy feeling in you that you were made for a purpose for this world. Don’t get caught up in achieving, in binding wealth, in trying to make some one love when you God loves you anyhow anyway. You, your gifts were made for this world. You were made by God, in her image. Add to the creation of the world with your gifts. Be the citizen in the white house, compose a most beautiful song, heal the sick or yourself, or be the Sullivan Square bus driver, but do it for the sake of justice and love. Take up your cross of work and being in the world. You have permission from Jesus. Get to it. Five, trust in God’s presence. Grow deeper into your spiritual lift by being attentive to God’s presence. God is the beginning and the end. Although the world is swirling around you, threatening your equilibrium, though you are wearied by the changes and chances of this life, God’s presence is always available. This does not change. You may lose the frequency, but you can find it again. You can find God in community, all alone, in the bathtub, by the river of Babylon where you hung up your harp. Find God and trust. Six, read your Bible, pray everyday (sing the children’s song). Mary Oliver, the poet who lives near P’town, asks, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” And Rumi, the 13th century Sufi poet answers: This being human is a guest house no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Sunday, August 31, 2008 ~ Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost Matthew 16:21-28 "A Citizen in the White House” Something new is stirring. Something is about to happen. Something old is about to die and something new is about to begin. It always happens this way. Old yin gives way to new yang, then, old yang gives way to new yin. What no longer works, stops working, and a new thing comes into being. Our births were just like this. The old way inside our mothers could not hold – too small, too dark. Gills gave way to lungs and we longed to breathe, not water anymore, but air. “Let me out,” we all said once, “lest I die in here.” Mother’s bodies gave way, and out we came, slipping into a new world, some came screaming and some silent, but those who lived, came out. Jesus had been out with traveling the country with his followers. He had been patiently teaching and healing, using his spiritual gifts on behalf of the community. For three years he gave himself away so that he could be fully alive. But it became time, he could feel it coming, lungs gave way to light, longing to breathe, not dust anymore, but God. Jesus, knowing old was giving way to new, gave this spiritual teaching: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Our country changed, just four days ago, on Thursday, August 26, 2008. We became a country that began to imagine that a black man, a bi-racial man could become the next President of the United States. We began to imagine Michelle Obama, her daughters and her husband in the home of the President, the White House. Can you see the Obamas on the front porch, there between the tall white columns? Can you see Malia, age 10, trying out her first lipstick in a White House mirror, and Sasha, age 7, riding her bike around the rose garden trying not to fall over into some thorny bush? Can you imagine seeing for the first time a citizen who looks like you standing there for the whole world to see, accepting the nomination of the Democratic National Convention to become a candidate for the presidency? Finally it’s not “just us” in the courts, but justice at the highest possible level of participation in our country. Until now, the only folks of color we could imagine in the White House were the servants and the guests. But now we can see it, now we can imagine it, a whole new kind of citizen in the White House. Old gives way. Something new is stirring. We cannot hold it back. We humans change, we do not stay the same. We lift ourselves out of our old miseries and addictions, our histories of trauma and of being left behind. We move out our stuck places and our fears, moving into our new lives – some of us quickly, some of us slowly, but all of us surely and constantly. Sometimes we chose our movement and sometimes the movement is chosen for us. Sometimes our loved ones become ill, new memories flash up, our partners and our idealized lives walk out the door for the last time. Sometimes we are nominated, sometimes we nominate ourselves. We might go into new life kicking and screaming, we might go joyfully or something in between, but the only thing that does not change is change itself. Change can be, as my friend Pam says, “Hell hard.” But pretending all is not in flux is harder than hell. This is what Jesus is teaching us. Something new, something for Christ’s sake is becoming new everyday. Clinging to what does not give us life, clinging to what does not give us peace or peace to the world can kill us way before we die. On the trauma and burn intensive care unit where I worked at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, when it came time to make life decisions, when it came time for a family to decide whether or not to withdraw life support, it was almost 100% of the time true that the least resolved member of the family was the most adamant that life support be continued, regardless of the patient’s condition. The family member most in conflict, with the least degree of peace with the patient, would be the last person to agree to let the patient pass this life, even if the patient was suffering. My work as chaplain was to go to that person to try to help them, if they could, come to peace, to forgive themselves or to forgive the patient. Sometimes it took months. We long to live, to know our purpose, to be free to serve, to love. Even our elders confined to their homes or to beds not their own are able to choose ways to be fully alive. Don’t we want to live fully until our death for our sake, and for the sake of something larger than our little selves. I think we do. I think we do. But how? Here are some ideas for how, for now. One. Show up for community. Sometimes we need to breathe together, for the one who has forgotten to breathe. Two. Notice what your community asks of you. Each of us has a gift for this community, each gift vital for the spiritual survival of us all. Notice what the community asks of you or what you are drawn to do because this may be your divine purpose. Someone in this church waters our plants, someone remembers to pray. Someone give an offering for the poor, and someone receives that offering. Some preach, some sing, some cook, some cry. It is all necessary. Three, take a break from community. Rest and reset. Pray alone. Write in your journal, draw in your sketch book. Yell at God. See a movie. Get a baby sitter and have some pleasure. Take a walk. Know your limits and don’t exceed them. Four, follow the crazy feeling in you that you were made for a purpose for this world. Don’t get caught up in achieving, in binding wealth, in trying to make some one love when you God loves you anyhow anyway. You, your gifts were made for this world. You were made by God, in her image. Add to the creation of the world with your gifts. Be the citizen in the white house, compose a most beautiful song, heal the sick or yourself, or be the Sullivan Square bus driver, but do it for the sake of justice and love. Take up your cross of work and being in the world. You have permission from Jesus. Get to it. Five, trust in God’s presence. Grow deeper into your spiritual lift by being attentive to God’s presence. God is the beginning and the end. Although the world is swirling around you, threatening your equilibrium, though you are wearied by the changes and chances of this life, God’s presence is always available. This does not change. You may lose the frequency, but you can find it again. You can find God in community, all alone, in the bathtub, by the river of Babylon where you hung up your harp. Find God and trust. Six, read your Bible, pray everyday (sing the children’s song). Mary Oliver, the poet who lives near P’town, asks, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” And Rumi, the 13th century Sufi poet answers: This being human is a guest houseUCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, August 10, 2008 ~ Thirteenth Sunday in Pentecost Matthew 14:22-33 "Lure" no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, August 10, 2008 ~ Thirteenth Sunday in Pentecost Matthew 14:22-33 "Lure"UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 This is not a sermon about whether or not you should eat meat. This is a sermon about compassion and the choice of compassion. no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)This is not a sermon about whether or not you should eat meat. This is a sermon about compassion and the choice of compassion.UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, June 8, 2008 ~ Fifth Sunday in Pentecost Genesis 12:1-9 "Mothering Fathering" no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, June 8, 2008 ~ Fifth Sunday in Pentecost Genesis 12:1-9 "Mothering Fathering"UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, June 1, 2008 ~ Fourth Sunday in Pentecost James 1:22-27 "Stained by the World" no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, June 1, 2008 ~ Fourth Sunday in Pentecost James 1:22-27 "Stained by the World"UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 25 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, May 25, 2008 ~ Third Sunday in Pentecost Numbers 1:1-19 and Matthew 1:1-17 "Numbered" no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, May 25, 2008 ~ Third Sunday in Pentecost Numbers 1:1-19 and Matthew 1:1-17 "Numbered"UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 18 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 11 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, May 11, 2008 ~ Feast of Pentecost Acts 2:1-21 "Burned By God" no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, May 11, 2008 ~ Feast of Pentecost Acts 2:1-21 "Burned By God"UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 04 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, May 4, 2008 ~ Ascension Sunday Acts 1:1-11 "Mean Time" no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, May 4, 2008 ~ Ascension Sunday Acts 1:1-11 "Mean Time"UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 27 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, April 27, 2008 ~ Sixth Sunday in Easter John 14:15-21 “A Wound On The Body of Christ” no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, April 27, 2008 ~ Sixth Sunday in Easter John 14:15-21 “A Wound On The Body of Christ”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, April 20, 2008 ~ Fifth Sunday in Easter John 14:1-14, Psalm 104 "Beyond Belief in Jesus" no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, April 20, 2008 ~ Fifth Sunday in Easter John 14:1-14, Psalm 104 "Beyond Belief in Jesus"UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 06 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, April 6, 2008 ~ Second Sunday in Easter Psalm 118: 1-9, Luke 24 "Is God Good?" no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, April 6, 2008 ~ Second Sunday in Easter Psalm 118: 1-9, Luke 24 "Is God Good?"UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Laura Ruth Jarrett ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, March 30, 2008 ~ Second Sunday in Easter John 20:19-31 “Until I Touch” no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Laura Ruth Jarrett ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, March 30, 2008 ~ Second Sunday in Easter John 20:19-31 “Until I Touch”UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, March 23, 2008 ~ Easter Sunday John 20:1-18 "Message in a Bottle" no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, March 23, 2008 ~ Easter Sunday John 20:1-18 "Message in a Bottle"UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 09 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 24 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev Laura Tuach firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 no no Stephanie Haskins firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 no no Rev Laura Ruth Jarrett firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 03 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, February 3, 2008 ~ Fourth Sunday in Epiphany Matthew 4:1-11 "Patriotism" no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette ~ First Church Somerville Sunday, February 3, 2008 ~ Fourth Sunday in Epiphany Matthew 4:1-11 "Patriotism"UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 08 Feb 2004 00:00:00 -0500 Reverend Molly Baskette First Congregational Church of Somerville February 8, 2004 "XOX" no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Reverend Molly Baskette First Congregational Church of Somerville February 8, 2004 "XOX"UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Sun, 01 Feb 2004 00:00:00 -0500 Reverend Molly Baskette First Congregational Church of Somerville February 1, 2004 "Newbies" no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Reverend Molly Baskette First Congregational Church of Somerville February 1, 2004 "Newbies"UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming Full 8pm CHristmas Eve service - Rev. Karen Case (?) Preaching message.  no no firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)Full 8pm CHristmas Eve service - Rev. Karen Case (?) Preaching message. UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming [notes version of an extemporized sermon] no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)[notes version of an extemporized sermon]UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming no no Rev Molly Phinney Baskette firstchurchpodcast@gmail.com (First Congregational Church of Somerville)UCC,Boston,MA,Christian,Progressive,LGBTQ,Somerville,MA,Open,and,Affirming