This week’s book selection is Mama, Do You Love Me?by Barbara M. Joosse. Anyone who has children, or has been a child, should recognize the sentiments in the book. And if that doesn’t pull at your heartstrings enough, try Love You Foreverby Robert Munsch.

In honor of Margaret Fuller, our book choice this week is “The Lives of Margaret Fuller: A Biography” by John Matteson.  In this work Matteson captures Fuller’s longing to become ever better, reflected by the changing lives she led.The title refers to the “lives” of Margaret Fuller because, he explains, she continually reinvented herself over the course of her lifetime.

In his sermon of May 6, 2012, the Reverend Danny Reed asks us to consider that still small voice and consider what it may be screaming for.

With respect to Janet Watts and our children’s time, this week’s book selection is Yertle The Turtle by Doctor Seuss. Yet more wisdom cast down from high atop Mt. Seuss, this cheerful trio of tales teaches some valuable lessons in humility–thanks to a sharp-eyed worm, a bragging bear and rabbit, a fuzzy-tailed bird, and a couple hundred turtles led by their foolish King Yertle.

Be sure to check out one of her major causes, which she refers to in this message, Charleston Moves.

In honor of Stephanie, our book pick for this week is The Circular Church: Three Centuries of Charleston History by Joanne Calhoun. The Circular Congregational Church reflects the independent spirit of its founders. To tour the church and wander in its graveyard is to feel the presence of people who settled the colony of Charleston, amassed and lost fortunes, plotted the Revolution, framed the Constitution, formed the Union, split the Union, survived the Civil War and coped with its aftermath. With detailed research and a rare collection of vintage photographs, this book traces the history of one of Charleston’s most famous landmarks, and one of the city’s oldest congregations. Of course, we have a shared history with The Circular Church. Please remember that all purchases made from Amazon.com through these links help to support the church.

This Earth Day service on May 22, 2012 was led by Reverend Reed and the Green Sanctuary Committee.

The book recommendation for this week is Earth Bound: Daily Meditations for All Seasonsby Brian Nelson. Earth Bound is a daybook of 365 meditations culled from the worlds of spirituality and science, philosophy and art. These daily musings remind us of both the responsibility and the humanity we share on Earth—and within the embrace of the cosmos. Please remember that all purchases made from Amazon.com through these links help to support the church.

Service delivered on April 16, 2012 by Rev. Danny Reed.  Introductory song Anthem by Leonard Cohen and sung by Jean Pendleton.

This week’s book recommendation is Peace a Day at a Time: 365 Meditations for Wisdom and Serenity by Karen Casey. Karen Casey’s daily meditation books have guided millions through their recovery and daily lives. She has written eloquently about almost every facet of recovery and how to live a sober, balanced life by trying to live in the present, one day at a time. Please remember that all purchases made from Amazon.com through these links help to support the church.

In addition to the sermon, this podcast also includes a bit more of the service including some of the music and a poem read by our beloved Director of Religious Education, Janet Watts.

Thank you to all who participated in this wonderful occasion – from the folks who cooked and server breakfast, to the springtime dancers, to those who hid Easter eggs, to the youth looking after the the much younger youth. It was a wonderful day made possible by the giving and joyful spirit of everyone involved.

The book selection for this Easter week is Love & Death: My Journey through the Valley of the Shadow by the late Reverend Forrest Church. On February 4, 2008, Forrest Church sent a letter to the members of his congregation, informing them that he had terminal cancer but promising to sum up his thoughts on the topics that had been so pervasive in his work-love and death. The goal of life, Church tells us, “is to live in such a way that our lives will prove worth dying for.” This moving book is imbued with ideas and exemplars for achieving that goal. Please remember that all purchases made from Amazon.com through these links help to support the church.

Sermon delivered April Fool’s Day, April 1, 2012, by the Reverend Danny Ray Reed.

The book selection for this week is The Best Ever Book of Unitarian Jokes: Lots and Lots of Jokes Specially Repurposed for You-Know-Who by Mark Geoffrey Young. If you don’t burst out laughing from at least one Unitarian joke in this book, there’s something wrong with you. This book has so many Unitarian jokes, you won’t know where to start. For example: Why do Unitarians wear slip-on shoes? You need an IQ of at least 4 to tie a shoelace. *** An evil genie captured a Unitarian and her two friends and banished them to the desert for a week. The genie allowed each person to bring one thing. The first friend brought a canteen so he wouldn’t die of thirst. The second friend brought an umbrella to keep the sun off. The Unitarian brought a car door, because if it got too hot she could just roll down the window! *** Did you hear about the Unitarian who wore two jackets when she painted the house? The instructions on the can said: “Put on two coats.” *** Why do Unitarians laugh three times when they hear a joke? Once when it is told, once when it is explained to them, and once when they understand it.” If we can’t laugh at ourselves, who can we laugh at?! Please remember that all purchases made from Amazon.com through these links help to support the church.

This sermon was delivered by Mac Adams to the Unitarian Church in Charleston, a welcoming congregation, on Sunday, March 25, 2012.

In this way, we hope to recognize human brokenness even as we celebrate the profound range of human ability, compassion, and insight. How can one congregation attract and honor such a wide continuum of members? What do we have to learn from both our diversity and our unity?

A graduate of the Univ. of Wisconsin and Meadville Lombard Theological School, The Rev. Dr. Stephan R. Papa is Special Assistant to the President for the Growth Fund of the UUA in Boston, MA. Ordained in 1975, he has served congregations in Devon, PA, Denver, CO, Fort Lauderdale, FL, and Buffalo, NY. We look forward to welcoming him to the Charleston pulpit.

In this sermon the Reverend Doctor Papa reflects on the fiftieth anniversary of the coming together of the Univeralist Church of America and the American Unitarian Association to form the Unitarian Universalist Association.

If you are interested in learning more about this history, you might consider reading either Universalists and Unitarians in America: A People’s History by Rev. John A. Buehrens and / or An Introduction to the Unitarian and Universalist Traditions by Andrea Greenwood and Mark Harris.

In this sermon delivered on March 4, 2012, the Reverend Danny Reed addresses the concerns of chaos in our lives.

February 26, 2012. This is a Worship Services Committee Sunday, and the message was delivered by Judge Alex Hild.

“May we be reminded here of our highest aspirations, and inspired to bring our gifts of love and service to the alter of humanity.”

Love can be sentimental and sweet. Love can be unexpected and redemptive. Love can stand witness before hatred. Love can sometimes be the thing that makes the biggest difference. A sermon for Valentine’s Day.

This is the first sermon Reverend Reed delivered in the new year of 2012.

Please note that unlike the past recorded sermons, this recording actually starts with the offertory music, which in this case is the song “Something Is Wrong With My Baby” performed by The Blues Buckets with backup signers the “Buckettes” aka Susan Findley and Jean Pendleton. Also, unfortunately the very end of the service is cut off on this recording. The service ran a bit long, and the disc ran out of space. We apologize for that very short missing-tape.

As a side note, this is home to the famous “Pray Where You Park” message.

Please note that the texts of many sermons, though not all, are available on the website of the Unitarian Church in Charleston.

In this special service, we were joined by Rev. John Buehrens, Senior Minister, First Parish, Needham, MA and President of the UUA 1993-2001, who offered the Installation Sermon. Other special guests included Rev. Earl Holt, formerly of the First Unitarian Church of St. Louis, MO, and King’s Chapel in Boston. This important ceremony reminds us of the ministry we fulfill together and the freedom we exercise in choosing one another.

Please note that the texts of many sermons, though not all, are available on the website of the Unitarian Church in Charleston.