Past Sermons
Did you miss a recent sermon? Or want to share one with a friend? Would you like to get a flavor of the kind of messages you might hear at First Parish? Click one of the sermons below, or browse our video archive on YouTube.
These days, it feels like many of the causes and institutions we believe in are facing devastating setbacks; the values we cherish and the people we love are threatened. How do we find the spiritual and emotional fortitude to persevere in our struggle for the good, when so much we care about seems ‘lost’? Rev. Rob Hardies preaching.
We live in a world saturated with urgency: urgent news, urgent crises, urgent demands. Even our search for self understanding presents with a looming deadline. Yet, the function of urgency persists, so how do we know when urgency is truly necessary—and when it hinders our search for wholeness? Sophia Doescher preaching
Join us for Homecoming Sunday! As we come together to celebrate the beginning of a new church year, we’ll reflect on the importance of community and friendship in our lives. When times are tough, we must nurture our relationships, turning to one another for encouragement and support. Only in relationship, can we discover the meaning of our lives. Preaching: Rev. Robert Hardies
The phrase “Good Morning” may be just about the most universally used set of two words in the English language. For many of us, it is the first thing that we speak on any given day and we repeat it dozens of times. But does “Good Morning” mean that every morning is automatically good? What about mornings that are not good? Join us to reflect on the nature of beginnings, the intentions we put into the world, and the art of connection. Preaching: Valentin Frank
We live in uncertain times filled with both possibility and peril, not to mention the daily joys and challenges of living. What are your hopes, dreams and fears in this moment? What are the urgent spiritual, moral, ethical, and religious questions that are on your heart as we face these turbulent times? Please submit your questions ahead of time to Rev. Rob and on Sunday he’ll answer as many as we have time for. Preaching: Rev. Robert Hardies
Join us for a perfect sermon—which, spoiler alert, might not be perfect at all. Many of us carry a quiet belief that if we just try hard enough, we can get it all right. How can we practice letting go of the temptation of perfection? What might happen if we do? Preaching: Sophia Doescher, M.Div.
The summer months remind us that a vacation can be a beautiful thing. But it has its limits. While we can take a vacation from work and from the routines and stresses of our daily lives, I’ve discovered to my dismay that I can’t take a vacation from…myself! From my imperfections, attachments, insecurities and foibles. How do we learn to accept ourselves for all of who we are? Preaching: Rev. Robert Hardies
