UCCA Sermons
The Pastor's Weekly Sermon
STOP WANDERING, SPEAK UP
August 9, 2026
Jeremiah 50:6 “My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.”
This verse calls those who follow misguiding “shepherds” “wanderers.” A wanderer is one who has lost their way, strayed from the correct path. This is where some derive the phrase “lost in sin.” Sin means not living in a godly manner. This has been true for much of human history and remains so today. We are still lost in our sins, being led astray by our religious leaders and others, roaming through our lives, unaware. We understand this condition when we ask ourselves, “Am I living a truly godly life?” What will you answer?
The problem is that our culture and religious institutions typically do not know how to support the journey of the “Wanderer.” They claim a path to salvation that seldom, if ever, involves a change in how one lives. It’s more of a “join our group,” and all is well, instead of “stop wandering in sin and live in godliness.” It isn’t a creed you recite, a pledge you make, the offerings you give, or your name in the book. Godliness is a way of living that projects the love of God in all you say and do. It is living with the determination that “God’s Love” is your focus, your reason for living, and the source of your being. It is manifest when you look at all others, without exception, conditions, judgments, or condemnations, and love them as God does, not just in words but more so in your deeds. You embrace them with your compassion, empathy, and understanding. You do not have to be as they are; you aren’t supposed to be, but you are to let them know that you accept them as they are and love them in such a manner that they will love you too. Then you join with them and walk the way of righteousness, no longer wandering but traveling through life together as God’s children, one family on one path toward one direction. Have you found your way?
Ezekiel 34:6 “My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.”
Like the sheep in today's scriptures, we are all “Spiritual Wanderers”; we are in search of that “place” where we can put down our “Spiritual Roots, our Spiritual Foundations.” The wandering Spirit isn’t a natural state for us to remain in; we long for a sense of belonging and desire the spiritual presence not only of God but, more so, of the collective spiritual essences of the Spirit of God within us all. We achieve this, in most cases, when we share life's journey with others and "wander life's path" together. Many who share my faith long for a time when we can be with others of like beliefs and share time and fellowship with them, yet we still exist in our solitudes. We grasp at small interactions online in hope of something better, in an effort to fill the emptiness and solitude we endure, but with little solace. Indeed, we live in a world of “wanderers,” existing among “lost and misguided sheep,” speaking softly with the truths God has revealed to us, waiting for a reply, hoping it will come soon. We must stop waiting; it will not be until we make it so, until we tell our world who we are, the truths we hold in our hearts, and boldly proclaim our message. What are you waiting for?
Jesus and all the other “Prophets” and “founders of religions” called the “wanderers” to join together, speak to one another, and invite all others to hear their message, accept it, and turn from the path they had walked to follow the “Way.” Not just a way to anywhere, but a way of living, loving, and true godliness. A way of being together as one family, one species of being, for the good of all, not just a chosen few or the rich and powerful. We hear that call today, but are you listening? Will you answer it, live it, and share it with all others? Godliness is living the love of God; when we do, the world will be a better place, peace will come to our earth, and God will truly reign over all His Kingdom. What will you choose?
Rev. Dr. Shannon Rogers, DDiv
Sr. Pastor and President, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
IT BEGINS WITH YOU
August 2, 2026
Matthew 7:12, “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
This is perhaps the most profound statement Jesus ever made. He was a Jewish Rabbi, a teacher of the Torah. That meant he was an expert in Jewish laws, commandments, and the teachings of the many ancient Prophets. That was what a Rabbi did. He didn’t quote the “Commandments of Moses” or spout the dictates of the Pharisees; he saw the Scriptures for what they were. His teaching was simple and straightforward, and every Jew who heard him understood.
He spoke in absolutes, without exceptions or ambiguous qualifications. He said, “in everything,” which leaves nothing out. It means in every aspect of your life, in all you say and do, with every beat of your heart and every breath you take, treat everyone as you would hope they would treat you. Speak to them as you would have them speak to you. See them as you would hope they would see you. Live with them in peace, unity, acceptance, with empathy, and compassion, just as you would have them live with you. Don’t judge, condemn, reject, or treat them in any way you yourself would not want to be treated. Do you?
Somewhere along the way, we have become lost. We replaced this simple message with cannons, creeds, councils, presbyteries, institutions, and governments that promote the “laws, commandments, rules, and regulations” over the simple truth Jesus taught. We replaced his simple message with a vision of miracles and myths, the veneration of a book we are told was “God’s Word,” and thousands of misguided interpretations. We are people of creeds and memberships, yet we fail to know the truth that would free us to live in godliness. This is the same sin as that of the first-century Jewish leaders, the ones Jesus spoke against, who had to silence him to save themselves and preserve their lies. Things today haven’t improved much. But just as in the time of Jesus, there are still those who know the truth and are passing it on. What message are you following?
This premise is among the clearest pieces of evidence that this is the foundation of what it means to live a godly life, as Jesus taught: it is universal to all humankind. All the major religions of the world proclaim this same message. All the great Prophets, at some point and in some manner, made this same proclamation. This is what Jesus meant by living in the “Kingdom of God.” It was a “way of living” founded on unconditional love, respect for all humankind, and the unity of all of God’s Children, regardless of any circumstances and without exception. Jesus called for change, but only a few heard his message. Will you?
"The world doesn’t change when you expose others’ flaws; it changes when you improve your own." Buddhist Saying
All the religions of the world are fragmented. As in the time of Jesus, there were then and are today several differing Jewish sects. Today we have over 35,000 different Christian denominations around the world, all claiming to be the “only way,” the “correct doctrine,” the “truth and the light,” yet all falling short of true godliness. The same is true for Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and all the others. What a better world this would be if they accepted the simple message Jesus and others taught and taught their followers to make it their way of life. That truly would be heaven on earth. That begins with each of us; that begins with you. How are you doing with this task?
"Those who spend their time looking for the faults in others have no time to correct their own." Buddhist Saying
Your task in life has nothing to do with others; it is up to you and to who you are, how you live, and what is in your heart. Our religious institutions teach us to look at others, examine them until we find faults or invent them, and then to judge, condemn, and hate those who aren’t like what we say they should be. We fail to understand that when we do these things to others, they see us just as we see them. They see us as wrong, sinful, ungodly, and perhaps with more justification than we have toward them. We waste the short time we have in this life looking at others and failing to look at ourselves. We spend our days hating those who aren’t just like us instead of living in godliness and accepting everyone as God created them to be. In doing so, we miss all that God created us to be. Is this you?
Jesus didn’t do anything for anyone except show us how to live in true godliness. He was an example for us to follow and taught truths meant to change our lives. Salvation begins when we decide to turn from our current ways toward a life of godliness, one lived by loving all others as we would want them to love us. It isn’t a creed you can recite or a book you must read, but a path you must choose to walk. Just like Jesus. Will you?
Let this be the day you hear the words of Jesus, accept them for what they truly mean, and make them your way of life from this day forth. And perhaps someone will notice how you are living and ask you to help them do the same. I hope you will.
Rev. Dr. Shannon Rogers, DDiv
Sr. Pastor and President, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
WHAT DID JESUS TEACH
July 26, 2026
Matthew 5:20, For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Look around you. How many “scribes and Pharisees” do you see? Most will say, “none.” But is that true? The scribes and Pharisees Jesus referred to were the religious leaders of his time; we have the same today. Though they aren’t called by the same names Jesus used, many of our religious leaders today act the same way as those Jesus was speaking of. They, too, lack true “righteousness.” The “Kingdom of Heaven” isn’t what you have been told. It is a state of living in which your focus is on exemplifying the love of God in all you say and do. A life centered on becoming all that God would have you be. On being a reflection of “His Essence on Earth” as a help and example to all humankind. Are you?
To Jesus, being righteous meant living in a truly godly manner. It meant doing more than reciting the laws and commandments that many say are paramount and truly living a life that God would approve of. A life that others did not envy but saw as marked by goodness, unconditional compassion, and true concern for all people and all of God's creation; it was so very impressive; all who realized it desired to make it their own. This is what those who saw Jesus saw, why they chose to follow him, and what we today should see as well. Do you?
Most today don’t bother to know the truths of Jesus; they are lost in dogma, creeds, and liturgical recitations, and the “Book” to see or know the truth. Jesus was a Jewish Rabbi, a “Teacher of the Torah.” The difference in his teaching from that of others was that, instead of forcing the laws and commandments that exceeded 600 upon all but themselves, Jesus taught the truth. The Torah is the first five books of the Bible, but they contain much more than just laws or commandments that rule over anyone. The Torah, the Pentateuch, and even the New Testament are collections of ancient writings, and the Torah represents the true intent of these writings. Not to ascribe hard-and-fast rules, laws, and commandments that should govern our lives, but a deeper and fundamental reality: these writings are instructions and teachings to guide us in how to live godly lives, lives that are in a right relationship with our God, and to instill peace, unity, and compassion for all. They do what Jesus tried to do; they teach a way of life not under the demands, threats, and iron fist of laws but within the unconditional love of our Creator, so that when the world saw us, they saw the ‘Image of God” that dwells within.
Today's “scribes and Pharisees,” those who would be our “religious leaders,” are just as misguided as those Jesus spoke of. They seek power, dominion, control, and false respect, as others before them did. They teach false dogmatic doctrines and baseless creeds, recite liturgies, and preach sermons that are hollow of the true, simple teachings God would have us know. Few messages from today's religions teach a way of living in godliness; most do not even broach the subject. Jesus taught the Torah as it was meant to be taught, not as a set of laws and commandments that lacked substance for everyday life, but as a call to live it or not have it. He never said any of the things we are told to conform to, but he offered a simple message of godliness: “love one another.” That didn’t mean just certain Jews, or certain anyone; it meant everyone at any time, without exceptions or qualifications.
Do you?
Psalms 1:1-2, 1 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path that sinners tread or sit in the seat of scoffers, 2 but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night.
What is the “law of the LORD?” That is simple. All the LORD asks of you is to live in a way that reflects the love God has for all humankind to see, so that those who have lost their way might see your light of hope and return to Him. Is this what you do? Or are you lost in the wilderness, wandering through life, believing that following as closely as you can a list of laws and commandments will be your salvation? Those in the days of Jesus did the same; many today still do so. Are you one of them?
Rev. Dr. Shannon Rogers, DDiv
Sr. Pastor and President, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
Psalms 1:1-2, 1 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path that sinners tread or sit in the seat of scoffers, 2 but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night.
What is the “law of the LORD?” That is simple. All the LORD asks of you is to live in a way that reflects the love God has for all humankind to see, so that those who have lost their way might see your light of hope and return to Him. Is this what you do? Or are you lost in the wilderness, wandering through life, believing that following as closely as you can a list of laws and commandments will be your salvation? Those in the days of Jesus did the same; many today still do so. Are you one of them?
Rev. Dr. Shannon Rogers, DDiv
Sr. Pastor and President, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
THE DECISION
July 19, 2026
"Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean."
Ryunosuke Satoro, Japanese author, (1892–1927)
I revisited this quote this week after being reminded of the divisions emerging among people in my life, across our nation, and around the world. We are indeed a “sea of individuals.” A vast “ocean” that is rising and falling in a tide of hope, yet refusing to join ourselves into that endless expanse that defines humanity. We complain about our progress as a people and wish for more success, but fail to realize that we are what holds us back. Our greed, selfishness, wantonness, and lust for wealth and power cloud our vision of all that we could be. We fail to look past ourselves and accept others’ differences, demanding that they change and become, as we say, as we are, or be ridiculed, shamed, judged, and condemned. We place ourselves upon the “Thorn of God” and declare our self-righteousness and conceded glory.
I am reminded that the vast number of religious teachings, when properly understood, all reflect a purpose of unity for all humankind. They all teach the same lessons, lost within the stories, myths, mysteries, and supernatural tales that defy logic and reason. They all serve as a guiding light toward a reality that, from our beginning, the creation of humanity itself, our Creator has guided us to become a united species. Like the drops of water that form an ocean, all are individuals, all are different, but all are unfulfilled until united. God is still waiting for His creation to become what they were created to be. Waiting for us to put our differences aside, join together, accept each other as they are created, and move forward in unison. How much longer will you make Him wait for you?
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968), Baptist Minister
These words from the great preacher ring truer today than ever before. Just look at the news, listen to our leaders and those who would be so. We can even hear the rejection of these truths from those who call themselves our “religious leaders.” Families are divided and growing more so each day. Old friendships are no longer what they once were. Neighbors no longer know or even recognize one another. And countrymen no longer share the same sentiments, visions, or hopes. Will you be one of the “fools,” or will you come together as we are created to do?
“You are never alone. You are eternally connected with everyone.”
Amit Ray (1960-), Indian author
Another non-Christian making a truly godly declaration. Many will ignore and reject such a declaration simply because he isn’t “one of them.” They all fail to understand that God will use whomever He chooses, and most often it will be the “least of these,” meaning the ones you would selfishly reject. God will let you falter alone if that is what you choose to do, but that isn’t God’s plan. We are indeed “eternally connected” to everyone else, regardless of how much you reject them, dislike who they might be, or look down on them. God loves them just as they are, just as He created them to be, and will bless them even though you won’t. Ask yourself, who is right?
"Remember, upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all."
Alexander The Great (656 BCE-323 BCE), King of Macedon
The great king lived up to his name. He saw beyond individualism and envisioned the reality that would shape the future. He emphasized the unity needed for a society, a people, a nation to be all it could be, and accepted that it could not exist without each member living as they should for the good of all. This is seen in the accounts in the Book of Acts, which record that all the followers of Jesus came together as one and shared what they had for the good of the many. History records the successes of people who set their differences aside and united as one to overcome the hardships they faced. And over and over, we fail to see that without the unity of the diverse people who came together, none of us would be here. This is most obvious in this place I call home today. When you look around at the life you are living, what do you see?
Psalm 133:1, How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
This verse of Scripture was written centuries ago. Sadly, God is still waiting for His children to learn to live together in unity, waiting for a time when He will look upon our earth and say, “How good and pleasant” it is. God is waiting for us to learn the lesson, accept the truth, embrace our differences, and unite as one family. When will you learn? When will you accept the truth and decide to live as God created us to live? That decision is yours alone; no one can or should be allowed to make it for you. It begins when you accept God’s love as your own and determine to let that love guide your every thought, word, and action. What will your decision be?
Rev. Dr. Shannon Rogers, DDiv
Sr. Pastor and President, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
IT’S A DECISION YOU MAKE
July 12, 2026
Matthew 15:8-9, 8 ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.’”
This passage contains a quotation from Isaiah 29:13. Just as Isaiah spoke to the Jews of his time, Jesus did the same. He had to, because they were living in the same sins as their ancestors. This passage rings true today just as it did then, and the warning remains the same.
Churches, places of worship, and our lives are filled with people, even our spiritual leaders, honoring God with their words. They teach that membership is the same as righteousness and that all that needs to be done has already been accomplished. And just as they did in the times of Isaiah and Jesus, the people worship in vain, living the precepts as doctrines and not realizing that their hearts, indeed their souls, were far from the truths of God’s love.
Jesus and the Prophets tried to lead the people to the path of righteousness and to the salvation of their lives, which can only be found in living a godly life, but the people ignored them, just as they do today. They sought teachings that fed their selfishness and lust for wealth and power over others. They left the “Way of God” for the “ways of the world.” They believed the lies of those they followed, the reports of the misguided, and chose the ungodliness of a life without the truth of godliness and love.
As Isaiah and Jesus did in their day, I will do the same today. I ask you to examine your life and take a long, hard, and honest look at who you truly are and what you present to the world. Are you reflecting the godliness that is the “Image of God”? Are you living a life of righteousness, and does the world see the love of God in you? Do you have the courage to look into this mirror and see the truth of the reflection that looks back? Or will you continue to wear the mask you want others to see and be unwilling to accept the truth that God already knows? Are you living the dogma you are told to believe blindly, or is your life filled with the fruits of the Spirit of God, the life force within you, and the true purpose of your being?
Galatians 5:22–23, “22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things."
The teachings of Jesus and all others who have tried to guide humankind convey the same message. There is a “Spirit” within each of us. The “Image of God” we are to project in our lives is rarely seen. When we live in a godly manner, the “Fruits of the Spirit” become the fruits of our being and are known by all the world. Not that we might exalt ourselves, but that God and His Love are exalted and passed on to others, compelling them to do the same. What does the world see in you?
Look at your life. What fruits does it bear? When the Spirit produces love, it has no qualifications or exceptions; it is unconditional. When we live in true godliness, our lives are filled with peace, and we have patience for all that comes our way. When we live as the Spirit of God compels us, our lives are marked by kindness, generosity, gentleness, and self-control. The chaos that drives the world we live in is replaced by faithfulness that surpasses and overcomes all the lies and turmoil we must face. Is this you?
As long as divisions, bigotries, judgments, condemnations, and hatred remain in our lives, our Spirit is incomplete, and we have fallen short of what God intends for us to be. As long as we refuse to accept that we are designed and created to be one people, God’s Children, His family, and make that our way of life, we will continue to follow the lies, chaos, divisions, and hatred that are the foundation of sin and are against all that God wants us to be. It’s a decision you make. What will yours be?
Rev. Dr. Shannon Rogers, DDiv
Sr. Pastor and President, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
ARE YOU WILLING
July 5, 2026
2 Timothy 3:1-5, 1You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unfeeling, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid them!
These are words Paul used to warn those of his time that godliness is everything. He says there would be “distressing times,” and indeed we are living in them today, as other generations have in the past. I don’t understand the “last days” as a prediction of the “end of time”; it is obviously the days we are living in, the mess we call life, and how it has devolved into what it is. The predictions made long ago are blatantly obvious in our lives today.
Truly, we have become lovers of ourselves, money, and arrogance; boastful, abusive, ungrateful, unfeeling, implacable, slanderous of others, treacherous, reckless, filled with conceit, lovers of pleasures, unholy, filled with hate, and blinded by our greed and lust for more and more power and wealth. We have replaced our godliness with ourselves and the obsession that “me, myself, and I” are all that matter. We fail to see our sins, fail to live as we were designed and created to do, fail to project godliness in our lives, and fail to see that each day we have might be that “last day” God gives us to fulfill His commandments. Is this you?
We are designed and created by our God to live in godliness and to let “its power” touch our lives and those of all others. We are to project godliness in all we say and do, so that God’s loving presence might manifest across His creation. Our godliness is God’s way of being with us and with His creation. When we fail to do our part, when we fail to live in godliness, we fail to fulfill the purpose God gave us life to do. Our time on Earth is limited; why do we waste it pursuing our “ways” when it is “God's Way” that brings us true happiness and is the salvation our lives seek? It is ours for the doing, not for the taking. God has instilled in each of us the ability to live in true godliness and to love as God loves. We all have the ability to put aside our judgments, condemnations, hatreds, and divisions and accept that we are all members of God's family. One people, all reflecting God's image, all filled with the same Spirit, all walking the same path. We will never be all that we can be, do all we can do, or fulfill God’s plan for humankind until we set ourselves aside and resolve to live the rest of our time in godliness, reflecting a love for all God's children and His creation. Doing His will above our own to show the world a love unspeakable and filled with His glory. Will you?
This isn’t something any particular “religion” leads us to do. One doesn’t even need a “religion” to live a godly life. All the great world religions teach this way of life when their teachings are properly understood. They all teach the same thing. It is “godly” to live in acceptance and peace with all others, to see others not as enemies or “different,” but as “other human beings,” though different in many ways, still the same in essence. For the “Essence of God” is the lifeforce that gives every human being their being, causes us to have life, and longs to be manifest in who we are. When we reject that truth and follow another path, we have strayed from the “Path of Righteousness” God desires us to follow. God designed and created us to live in a “right relationship with Him.” When we do, the love of God leads our every moment; that “Way of Righteousness” is planned and laid out before us. Until we accept this, we will continue to struggle, stumble, and fail. What path is your life on?
“When we discover the reality of Jesus of Nazareth, we see a living vision and example of true godliness.”
I don’t proclaim “I am a Christian” because of what any institution says I should be, nor do I condone any oaths taken or rites observed. I do as Jesus himself did and do my best to live in true godliness. I am not perfect; no one is, but my righteousness is found in the trying, in the effort, in not giving up or caving in. It is in looking around me at a people who are truly “lost” and in need of saving. Not because the “church” tells me to, but because God placed His love in my heart and told me to share it with the world. That is my message for today. If you read this far, I hope you will comment and let's have a little talk and ask Jesus to join us. And perhaps we can each find our way to a life of godliness that tells the world that “God is Love,” and that we should be too.
Are you willing?
Rev. Dr. Shannon Rogers, DDiv
Sr. Pastor and President, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
WHAT WILL YOU DO
June 28, 2026
Genesis 9:12, God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations.”
This passage from the Hebrew Bible records the covenant God made with Noah and reflects the scope of God’s intent. Note that God speaks to Noah, saying this covenant is between Noah and God, but then states that it also includes “every living creature that is and all generations to follow.” That means you and me.
God's concern and love extend to all humanity. It has always been this way. There is no one “chosen” person or group, only God’s family. One family, all children of the One Creator. That is who each of us is. We create the divides, we build the walls between us, we divide the family, and we fuel the discourse that feeds the chaos we face daily. It has always been our choice, and we have always chosen ourselves over God's will, our way instead of God’s way. That is what is wrong with our world and our lives, and why we are not what God designed and created us to be.
Jesus said in Matthew, Mark, and Luke: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” He said that among all the commandments we have, this is the greatest. He said it for a reason, and even after all these years, we still don’t live it. You call yourself a “Christian,” but do you live this truth? You say you believe in God, but do you do as He commanded? If you kept this one Commandment, you would not have to be concerned about the others, for the love it requires would guide your life toward the righteousness that God wants to see in you. How are you doing with this?
"If you want to love God, you must love people. They are His children. You can be helpful materially by giving to the needy; and mentally by giving comfort to the sorrowful, courage to the fearful, divine friendship and moral support to the weak". Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952), Hindu monk
“They are His children.” Let that sink in for a moment. “All” are His children, which means you and everyone else. We don’t love as God wants us to until we love as God loves. Without conditions, without exceptions, without all the things we use to reject those who are not “just like us.” God loves you just as you are, with all your faults, the mistakes you’ve made, and regardless of what you’ve done. You don’t truly love until you do the same. Do you?
“Believe not because some old manuscripts are produced, believe not because it is your national belief, believe not because you have been made to believe from your childhood, but reason truth out, and after you have analyzed it, then if you find it will do good to one and all, believe it, live up to it, and help others live up to it.” Gautama Buddha
Our religions are not doing what God wants them to do if they are dividing God’s children. You are not living a godly life when you refuse to accept others because they are not just like you or because you are following a divisive teaching. In the love of God, there is no room for divisions, judgments, condemnations, or hatred. There is no love in such things; thus, they are ungodly. Which path will you take?
"Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have." Margaret Mead (1901-1978), anthropologist
Margaret is right. We need a few “caring people” because our world is crying out and begging for change. And now we stand at the crossroads. Do we pick up our cross and follow the love Jesus directed us to, or do we turn and walk away? Do we wait for someone else to do it for us, believe in old manuscripts, in dogmatic theologies that have never worked, in beliefs that leave out the love of God for empty hopes of nothing? Or do we accept our part in the covenant God called us to and decide to live loving all, just as God loves us? What will you do?
Rev. Dr. Shannon Rogers, DDiv
Sr. Pastor and President, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
THESE TRYING TIMES
June 14, 2026
“These are the times that try men's souls.”
Thomas Paine (1737-1809), Founding Father & Political Philosopher
I have seen and heard this same statement many times recently. Just as it was true at the birth of our nation, it is true today. These truly are “trying times.” We are a divided people, not just within our political spectrum but across our society as a whole. Our people are divided and in chaos. Our faith institutions are attacking one another and taking radical, divisive positions. Our government, commerce, industries, and even our families are rapidly becoming divided and moving further apart. These are indeed trying times.
But take heart. Just as the “Faith of our Fathers” brought us together and created our nation, we too can persevere if we do what we must and want it enough. But this will require us to come together and use our unity to rebuild all we have lost. Our “Founding Fathers” had faith that we could be a great nation, a great people, and a witness to the world of what unity of purpose and vision can achieve. For a while, we did just that, and God truly blessed us all. But today we find ourselves being “tried” once again.
The answer to these times is not found in the dogma of a religious institution that teaches rejection, judgment, or condemnation of others. That is not “godly unity.” It isn’t found in looking down on those who are different from us; that is not “godliness.” It is only found when we, as a people, a great nation, an example to all nations, come together and work as one to make our differences our strengths. We have done so before; we can do so again if we “repent,” turn from the ways we are on, and return to the way of righteousness. To live in a right relationship with our God is to live in a right relationship with all of God’s creations, including all humankind.
“This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), Author & Philosopher, Unitarian
Emerson is still correct. But the key is “what to do with it.” Ask yourself, “What am I doing with the time God has given me?” Look at your life and take inventory. Look not just at your position, status, or wealth, but, more importantly, look within. Are you living a godly life? A life that attracts others to do the same for the good of all, not just yourself? Most are not, if they are honest. We live for today or for the lust for wealth and power over others, which gives us false pleasures and blind hopes. When humankind understands that we are designed by our Creator to come together and learn to live in peace, harmony, and unity as “God’s Family,” each one working for the good of all, we can be all we are created to be. Until then, we are fighting the purpose we were created to fulfill. How are you doing with this issue?
Matthew 6:34, "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today."
We waste our time worrying about everything, from our past to our future, when we should be focused on the troubles we face today. When we do, we find solutions, and our lives change for the better. When we worry about the future or the past, we can’t focus on what we are to accomplish today. God will guide us to the answers we seek, direct the paths we are to take, and bless our lives if we choose to let “His Love” be our guide. The trying times will fade away when our faith is founded in and reflected by the Love of God, the love we live. Is this how you are living?
Micah 6:8, "He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?"
I will close with this final verse of Scripture. It tells it all. If we lived in this manner, we would be living in God’s Kingdom. If we lived in this manner, we would be what God designed and created us to be. When we, as a people, each of us and collectively, learn to live by these standards, humble ourselves in our walk of life, do justice for all, and live in loving kindness toward everyone without exception, these trying times will fade, the path will be found, and the way will be clear for each of us to be all God created us to be. That decision is one each of us must make for ourselves. No church or other institution can do it for you. It’s a way of living, not a way of believing. How are you living?
Rev. Dr. Shannon Rogers, DDiv
Sr. Pastor and President, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
TIMES LIKE THESE
June 7, 2026
2 Timothy 4:3 – “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”
The times we live in can seem trying, but it was the same in days gone by and will be in times to come. I view these as just more “trials of life” we are to face and deal with. We either take control and conquer them or they conquer us. Either way, the choices, decisions, and directions we take will carry us to another day. In the end, we win some and lose some, but time marches on.
When I look at where we are today, especially in this nation, it is clear we are at a crossroads. In many ways, we are repeating the mistakes others made in other times, yet we don’t seem to care. We have lost our focus on life as it should be and narrowed it to a vision of wealth, power over others, and illusions of things just out of reach. We have lost our compassion for one another, the respect we should have, and the unity that allowed us to become blessed as we have been. In short, we let go of the “Hand of God” and embraced our greed and self-righteousness instead.
We are too busy feeding the lusts of “Me” to understand and accept the need to nurture the “We.” All creation is sacred and precious to God and should be equally so to each of us. Yet we turn from those truths; we embrace those who cast visions of success and wealth and promote power over others, usually the less fortunate or those who are simply “not just like me.” We replace “love” with “lust” and live accordingly. The very purpose of spiritual or religious beliefs has always been to bring humankind together and enable us to live in peace and compassion for all. They were never meant to divide us but to unite us as one.
God wants us to turn from our wicked ways and return to a time when God’s love was the witness of those who loved God. Not a time of church, but a time of “a living faith,” a faith that is our very existence. When we learn to love as a people, when we learn to live that love without conditions, then the tragedies will stop, and we will replace those “thoughts and prayers” with a “living faith” that will heal our land, its people, and the world we all live in.
The solution lies with each of us. When we realize that we all need each other to come together as one. When we accept that God has made each of us the individuals we are, and that no two are meant to be alike. When we embrace that we are to love the Lord our God with every ounce of our being. And the only way to prove that love is to love all others and all creation more than ourselves. When we accept these truths and make them our way of life, then we will be a living witness to the world and a blessing to all.
It is the work of the ministry, even its inherent purpose for humanity, that, as a minister, I must speak to you words of simple truths. I should not seek to say what your itching ears want to hear, but rather what I believe God gives me to say to you. I must carefully and without bias or indoctrination speak to you, words that lead, guide, and direct you to a path of a right relationship with God and all of God’s creations. This is the vocation I am called to, the ordination I have received, not of man or institution, but of the “Living God” who wishes to show His love to His children and wishes for those children to live that same love in all they say and do. The question is, ”Do you?” God knows the truth.
Isaiah 6:8-10, 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9 He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ 10 Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
In times like these, as it has always been, each of us must answer as God calls once again. “Whom shall I send?” Will your answer be, “Here am I. Send me!” or will you be silent? God knows your heart. What will He see in you?
May you always be mindful of God’s love and presence in your life. May you allow God’s love and presence to be reflected in all you say and do, and may you be a witness to the world and to God through the love you have for all. You are either the “healing” or the “hindrance.” Which will you choose?
Rev. Dr. Shannon Rogers, DDiv
Sr. Pastor and President, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
WILL YOU TRY?
May 31, 2026
“It is in those times of hopeless chaos when the sovereign hand of God is most likely to be seen.” - Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847), Scottish minister and theologian
My memories take me from the mid-1950s to today. I remember a time when racial and ethnic divisions were prominent, and, sadly, for many, they still are. I remember when we looked at each other and felt something other than contempt, distrust, or hate. A time when, as a small boy, I roamed freely throughout our town and listened to the instructions of those who were older. I remember having respect for the authorities and trust in their judgments. A time when political parties didn’t cause divisions, but once elected, they worked, for the most part, for all. But mostly, I remember the churches, how they helped those in need and served the community. I miss those times.
As I look around today, it is sad that the lessons we learned back then are long lost, and our world is a different place. It’s sad to see the lust for power and wealth take over and corrupt the hearts, minds, lives, and souls of those around me and across our world. Ancient Scriptures warned us about these times, but the clergy is silent, and the liturgies speak of anything but how to live in unity, peace, and love. Too many of our religious leaders are lost in the clutches of job security and the preservation of their positions, so they do not speak out as the true evangelists of old would. They fear something other than our God and bow to that fear. If any generation needed a true spiritual awakening, a revival of faith, or a new dispensation, this one truly does.
Two hundred years ago, Rev. Chalmers spoke in our opening quote, but his message could be the headline of today’s news. Are these “hopeless times”? In many ways, and in the minds of some, yes, they seem to be. Chaos seems to be the norm, and it is even welcomed by many. But in this upside-down world, some of us still long for the unity, peace, and compassion that are more than childhood memories. We long to see that “sovereign hand of God” reaching out across our land, with all God’s children reaching back to touch Him. We long for an awakening among all the people as never before. A revival that sets our differences aside and causes us to embrace each other as brothers and sisters of one Father, the Creator of all that is.
We have given ourselves over to wantonness and lust for whatever we think will make us more, and have lost our peace, unity, and our souls. Our divisions are created by ourselves and by those who seek to control us; they are not God’s Plan for Humankind. From our beginning, unity, cooperation, and compassion have nurtured us and brought us forward. From time to time, we have lost our way, but each generation has found its direction, looked into the face of God, and taken His hand. We may have let go of God’s hand for a while, but be assured, He awaits our return and never will forsake us. We may wander in a wilderness of our own making or allow others to lead us astray. But the love of God will prevail, and it can be ours once again. All we have to do is want it more than we want to feed our lusts and pad our pockets, and to hate those who are not just as we say they should be. God loves each of us as He created us to be, but God expects us to live as the creation He designed us to be. Are we?
Each of us is God’s creation, a “child of God.” It is time we began living as such. For centuries, God has brought us forward, increased our awareness, revealed His Reality to us, and blessed us more than any generation before. Why do you forsake Him? Why do you choose to embrace the past, follow the blind, and lose it all? We are each called in our own time to be “all God created us to be.” Isn’t it time you did your part? When the love of God is the purpose and foundation of our lives, we live in true godliness, marked by acceptance, understanding, and compassion for everyone. The chaos will subside, the hand of God will be seen, and you can take it and walk in righteousness, not before. No church, religion, or faith can do it for you; no one can or ever did do it for you. It’s something you must understand, accept, and make the purpose of your life. Then the “Kingdom of God” will be ours. Will you try?
Rev. Dr. Shannon Rogers, DDiv
Sr. Pastor and President, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
PENTECOST
May 24, 2026
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw
Some people have dubbed the age in which we live, “The Communication Age.” We carry devices in our pockets that can instantly send our words across the world. Likewise, we have nearly unfiltered access to the messages and opinions of millions at the tap of a finger. We can text, post, email, and comment at any moment, and so can others. However, many of us would say that despite all of these communicative capabilities, mutual understanding may very well feel harder than ever.
We all know the experience of saying something and feeling certain we’ve made ourselves clear, only to discover that another person has heard something different entirely. The words reached their destination, but the meaning did not.
In Christian tradition, Pentecost Sunday remembers a moment in the book of Acts when people from many nations began to hear a message in their own languages. Christians have understood this event in many ways throughout history, some metaphorical and others miraculous and literal. But perhaps one truth beneath the story remains timeless: people long to be understood, and also to understand, to be spoken to in a way that reaches their hearts.
Jesus’s words were often both enigmatic and relatable at the same time. We often see Jesus saying, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen.” On one hand, Jesus was speaking only to those “with ears to listen,” those paying attention. On the other hand, he spoke in relatable terms instead of elaborate theological systems. He talked about seeds, lamps, birds, bread, vineyards, lost coins, and family tables. He spoke in stories that the people who were listening already knew how to enter. And anyone who did not understand and took the time to ask, Jesus explained readily. He wanted to reach people.
Religion can sometimes develop its own vernacular. So can institutions, communities, and even families. We can become fluent in words that make perfect sense to us and the “inner circle,” while becoming increasingly difficult for others to understand. Sometimes we assume that because we have spoken, we have communicated. But maybe we can allow Pentecost to remind us of something else. Love does not simply speak. Love translates, especially to those who are eager to take part in the communication.
A loving communicator might ask, “How can I say this so that another person can receive it.” A loving communicator might also ask, “How can I listen carefully enough to hear what another person is truly saying.”
To me, that’s the real miracle of the Pentecost. It isn’t strange, unintelligible speech or a magic Google Translate that suddenly appeared in the minds of first century Palestinians. Perhaps the miracle we’re supposed to get from this story is the miracle of effective communication, of understanding.
I hope that we can all learn to be better communicators, and to communicate using godly principles. May we learn to speak with kindness, listen with patience, and hear one another more deeply, caring more about what message someone is trying to convey than about formulating our own responses.
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” – Psalm 19:14
Rev. Dr. Brian J. Kelley
Executive Pastor, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
POPULARITY CONTEST
May 17, 2026
“Avoid popularity; it has many snares, and no real benefit.” – William Penn, Quaker theologian, religious freedom advocate, and founder of Pennsylvania.
What a statement from a man who was expelled from Oxford for protesting compulsory chapel attendance and arrested for practicing Quakerism and speaking against the doctrine of the trinity. He spent his life advocating for freedom of conscience and the dignity of the individual soul, and he suffered much for his unpopular ideas. His contemporaries, on the other hand, didn’t suffer for their popular ones.
We now live in a culture even more fascinated with popularity. Social media teaches us to measure value in likes, shares, followers, and applause. The louder voice is often treated as the truer one. The more popular opinion is framed as the better opinion. Even small things become battlegrounds for approval. Mention liking an unpopular movie, book, or perspective online, and you’re apt to see some ridicule following quickly. Many people learn to remain silent to avoid becoming targets, or find themselves changing their views, maybe unconsciously, to match the ones being pushed on them.
But popularity has never been a reliable measure for truth or goodness.
History reminds us of this constantly, even outside of Penn’s story. Harmful ideas have often become popular because they were backed by power, fear, wealth, or coercion. So many religious movements have spread, not through love or understanding, but through force and intimidation. Look at the pattern of conquest, crusade, and suppressive legislation! Even today, some voices maintain influence by warning people what will happen if they leave, question, or disagree, or indeed if they do not accept and join. Fear has a way of gathering crowds. Condemnation has a way of creating conformity. But neither necessarily produces goodness or truth.
The early Christians pointed us toward something different.
In the First Epistle of John, we read, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” Fear and love are entirely in contrast, according to the early followers of Jesus. Fear may control people for a time, even a long time, but love is what transforms them. Fear narrows the soul. Love opens it.
Jesus himself even warned about the dangers of universal approval and popularity. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is quoted as saying, “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.” What a statement by our teacher! It reminds us that popularity and righteousness are quite often not companions at all. Sometimes, the voices most celebrated are simply the voices telling people what they already want to hear, “tickling their ears” as it were.
The call of faith is not to chase approval, dominance, or influence. It is not to win popularity contests. It is not to abandon our goodness when the world demands fear, hate, and harshness in the name of our teacher Jesus. The call of faith is to love God and love our neighbors. Period.
Sometimes that path may be applauded, it’s true. But that will not consistently be the case. I’d venture to say that most times, this path may seem quiet, overlooked, or even downright unpopular. But kindness does not become less true simply because it is unfashionable. Compassion does not become less sacred or less of a calling because it lacks a crowd. Freedom of conscience does not become less holy because others mock it.
The measure of faith not in how loud it can shout, nor in how many people it can pressure into agreement. The measure of faith is whether it produces love, peace, humility, and freedom in the heart.
Those are not things that need to be forced upon anyone. They simply need the ice around them to melt away.
“The fear of others lays a snare, but one who trusts in the LORD is secure.” – Proverbs 29:25
Rev. Dr. Brian J. Kelley
Executive Pastor, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
MOTHER’S DAY 2026
May 10, 2026
“Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.” – Stevie Wonder
“From my mother, piety and beneficence, and abstinence, not only from evil deeds, but from evil thoughts; and further, simplicity in my way of living, far removed from the habits of the rich.” – Marcus Aurelius
“My mother is my root, my foundation. She planted thee seed that I base my life on, and that is the belief that the ability to achieve starts in your mind.” – Michael Jordan
There seems to be a consensus among high achieving people on the importance of the contribution of mothers. On this Mother’s Day, I’d like to slightly change things up and focus on honoring the women whose love, patience, strength, and compassion help shape so many of our lives in ways both large and small.
Long before we can explain goodness, or understand the lessons of Jesus, many of us first encounter goodness through the care of a mother. Through encouragement. Through comfort. Through guidance. Through quiet sacrifices made every single day without recognition. Mothers are often our first teachers, especially in the lessons of kindness, resilience, forgiveness, and love.
It is perhaps no surprise, then, that scripture itself sometimes uses the language of motherhood to speak about God.
Consider Isaiah 66:13, where God is quoted as saying, “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.” What a beautiful image that is.
We often speak of God as Father because that is the language used by the ancients, who admittedly lived in patriarchal societies, when they described how they understood God. It’s a language we inherit through tradition and Scripture. Yet the Bible also recognizes something deeply sacred and divine in the nurturing and compassionate love of a mother. When the prophet Isaiah wanted to describe divine comfort, he reached not for the image of a father, but for one of the most tender human experiences imaginable: a loving mother comforting her child.
Elsewhere, Scripture speaks of God in that motherly role, carrying, sheltering, feeding, protecting, and refusing to forget His people. In Isaiah 49:15, we read, “Can a woman forget her nursing child or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these might forget, yet I will not forget you.” The message is clear. Divine love is not cold, not distant, not merely authoritative. It is compassionate, protective, patient, steadfast. The love of God includes the same nurturing spirit that we so often see reflected in mothers, except to an inexhaustible degree.
A good mother teaches with love more than she rules with an iron fist. She teaches reassurance and courage. She teaches us how to care for others and how to rise again after hardship. She reminds us that gentleness must not be seen as weakness, and that love is perhaps the strongest force in the world.
Today, we give thanks for mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, adoptive mothers, those who wish to be mothers, and all those who have shown the world a mothering spirit through their care and compassion. We want them to know that their influence reaches farther than they may ever know. And, perhaps, in their love, we may all catch a glimpse of the very heart of God.
“But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother.” – Psalm 131:2
Rev. Dr. Brian J. Kelley
Executive Pastor, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)