Past Sermons

From FOMO to Freedom
We’ve all fallen for FOMO, haven’t we? The Fear Of Missing Out. Fed an endless stream of possibilities, opportunities, products and desires, we’ve been driven to distraction. Left feeling lonely, anxious, envious and inadequate. What if we freed ourselves from all of that by taking back our attention and living boldly with intention and purpose? How do we move from FOMO to Freedom? Rev. Rob Hardies is preaching.

‘Sorry’ Seems To Be the Hardest Word
‘Sorry’ makes the world go ‘round. Without it we’d all be alone. But a sincere apology is more than a tool in our relational toolkit. Properly understood, ‘sorry’ is an entire theology, a spirituality, an ethic. It contains multitudes. So why do the words ‘I’m sorry’ so often get caught in our throat? Why is it so hard to give and receive apologies? Rev. Rob Hardies is preaching.

It's More Than Just Showing Up
It's about showing up in the ways that are life-giving to both ourselves and one another. But so often we are pushed to our limits and we just need a place to show up that can accept us exactly how we are. How do we make sure First Parish is a place where we do both? Rev. Sophia Doescher preaching.

Walk Together, Children
Religious wisdom can enrich our lives in many ways. But if religion had just one vital message to offer the world today, it might be this: Don’t go it alone. From slave songs to old New England church covenants, a chorus of religious voices has celebrated the life-giving and liberatory power of human connection and community. At a time when our freedoms are in jeopardy and loneliness has reached epidemic proportions, how do we create joyful and liberating religious community? Rev. Rob Hardies is preaching.

Becoming a Connoisseur of Silence
There are many different flavors of silence. You can have an awkward silence, companionable silence, lonely silence, reverent silence, and many more. Sometimes it's obvious which kind of silence we have and sometimes it's not, but in either case, it invites us to be open to everything that the silence makes room for: the thoughts that come up, the things we notice, and everything that is going on in the background. Come join us on Sunday morning for a worship all about the quieter moments in life and what they invite us to hear. Ministerial Intern Valentin Frank is preaching.

Faithful Questions in Turbulent Times
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 at (rhardies@firstparishcambridge.org) and on this Sunday he will respond to as many as time permits. Rev. Rob Hardies preaching.

Advice for the Time Being
As we transition from the expansive, sunny time of Summer to the reflective time of Fall, a time of new beginnings and midterm elections, what advice do you need to hear? Is there anything we can actually do to make things feel better, for the time being? Rev. Sophia Doescher is preaching.

Return to the World with a Gift
The world asks much of us. But in order to meet the demands of our lives and of these unprecedented times, there must also be opportunity for rest, reflection and preparation. After that, we can return to the world with what Zen monks call “gift-bestowing hands.” What gift will you offer to our world, so in need of healing? Rev. Rob Hardies preaching.