Below is a selection of Reverend John Young's recent sermons, organized by
topical category -- also sermons by guest speakers when available.
Click on a sermon title to open in another page to read, print, or save.
The list of sermons will be updated as documents become available.
Spirituality
Sermons associated with one's personal journey toward greater spiritual insight.
Limits of Modernism (10-28-07)
Our Shared Spiritual Paths (8/12/07)
Growing up Spiritually (5/21/06)
Social Action
Our congregational covenant, which we recite in unison at the end of every service, contains the phrase "service is our prayer." Sermons in this category demonstrate how to put the concept of service into action for social change.
Arms Control, Nuclear and Personal (12-2-07)
Making a Difference (8/26/07)
Earth Day - Toward Sustainable Lives (4/29/07)
Paying It Forward (2/11/07)
Victims, Dependence, & Empowerment (1/21/07)
Facing America's Problems (11/5/06)
Altruism (6/18/06)
Economic Justice (3/26/06)
Stages and Models of Civic Activism (3/12/06)
Personal Growth
We all desire to be good and do good in the world, but sometimes personal habits and elements in our daily lives prevent us from being all that we can be and reaching out to help others. In this category are sermons to help you overcome these limitations.
Ecstatic Liberalism (12/09/07)
Relationship Preservation (2/4/07)
Rapid Cognition (1/1/07)
Thinking Differently (12/10/06)
Excess Is Not Success (9/3/06)
Habits (8/27/06)
Lying and Honesty (8/20/06)
Habits of the Heart (5/28/06)
Parenting is a Vocation but not a Career (5/14/06)
In Praise of Slowness (4/30/06)
Choices and Commitments (4/23/06)
Humanism
Unitarian Universalism is strongly based on the belief that each person has significant control over his or her own destiny, and that we can discover the wonders of this world by direct experiences and with the help of modern science.
Scientists and Religion (5/27/07)
Scientists on Altruism (5/13/07)
Einstein and Religion (5/6/07)
21st Century Humanism (3/4/07)
Spiritual Practices & World Religions
No one religion can answer all the questions that arise when searching for religious knowledge. Addressed in these sermons are some of the practices various world religions have embraced in their unique spiritual journeys throughout the ages, as well as examples of how Unitarian Universalism integrates them into its spiritual practices.
Embracing Jesus and the Bible (11-04-07)
Jesus, Alive and Well or Evaporated? (4/8/07 - Chapel Service)
Experiencing Scripture (11/12/06)
Schindler, Gandhi & MacArthur (10/28/06) Guest Speaker: Neal Stannard
Jesus and Prophets (9/17/06)
Francis of Assisi (8/13/06)
Misquoting Jesus (3/5/06)
Integrating Hindu Elements into UU (1/22/06)
Unitarian Universalism
The Unitarian Universalist denomination has existed since the 16th Century and continues to provide a spiritual home for those who desire to "grow together in peace and seek knowledge in freedom." Sermons in this category may help to answer some of the questions you may have about the UU denomination and some of its practices.
What We Stand For (8/19/07)
Guest Speaker: Munsell McPhillipsUUs on Ethics and Action (10/1/06)
UUs on Reality and God (9/10/06)
Myths of a Free Religion (2/5/06)
The Almost Church (1/29/06)
Holidays & Special Occasions
Unitarians pull from all religions and routinely observe many of the celebrations you find in other religions, as well as honoring our universal human life-cycle experiences.
Shed the Shell & Share the Juice (4/8/07 - Beach Service)
A Jacksonville Christmas Carol (12/24/06)
Autumn Celebration with Joyful Singers (10/15/06)
Anniversaries Service (9/24/06)
What's Love Got to do With It? (2/12/06)
