When a tragedy strikes, whether it is personal or distant, the deep emotions of grief get triggered.

When nine Black people are murdered in their sanctuary, their safe haven, their spiritual home, anger, sadness, fear, and utter despair come rushing to the surface.

When we are submerged in grief as a community, we realize that we are all connected in this vulnerable world. No one is immune from the grief of the loss at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston South Carolina.     

Read Laura Biddle's article here

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Rev. Reed Baer
West Parish of Barnstable
"He Said Blacks Were Taking Over"
June 21, 2015

A noted theologian once said that a good preacher needs to be two-handed, preaching with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper of record in the other. 
The newspaper this past Thursday, which I am holding here, had ample materials for a sermon.  

Read Reed Baer's sermon here.

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Molly Phinney Baskette
First Church Sommerville
"Standing Naked Before God"
June 21, 2015

It wasn’t supposed to end that way.
When they let him into their church, the young white man, who looked so strange and wild, when they let him into the sanctuary of the Lord, it wasn’t supposed to end that way. They let him in, and they sat with him. They talked for an hour. We don’t know everything they talked about, but we can imagine. Three ministers, 9 others, steeped in scripture, well-schooled in the Word. The Lord would have given them many things to say to that young man, that boy who had just passed his 21st birthday, that stripling who was leaning into becoming a man. What is the measure of a man?

Read Molly Phinney Baskette's sermon here.

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Sarah Weaver
Rehoboth Congregational Church
Rehoboth, MA
"Letting Go of our Fear"
June 21, 2015

"A white gunmen opened fire Wednesday night at a historic black church in downtown Charleston, SC, killing nine people before fleeing and setting off an overnight manhunt.”
The headline of the New York Times alert was chilling to read; the details that soon emerged from the shooting were devastating.
It is always extremely challenging to talk about stuff like this from the pulpit. But Wednesday’s incident was simply too gut wrenching for me not to mention it here today.
This happened in a church.
A church.
A place that is supposed to be a safe space for all to go and seek God’s love and wisdom.

Read Sarah Weaver's sermon here.

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Judy Hanlon
Hadwen Park Congregational Church
Worcester, MA
"In Light of Being One in Jesus' Name"

I would like to talk tonight about a theme that has been in Christendom for centuries, “That we all may be one.”  The gospel we read (John 17:20-26) is a short segment of a long monologue where Jesus tells his friends that he is going to die.  It is actually in the form of a prayer--- it seems that is overheard by the disciples.  The prayer is about fundamental unity.  Jesus prays to link those in his inner circle and those in the outer circle.  The unity is part of a metaphor; humanity is to be one in the same way that God and Jesus are one.

So, how are we doing?

Read Judy Hanlon's sermon here.

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If you wish to submit a sermon or article on this topic, please email to Karen Methot at methotk@macucc.org.