Tag Archives: Role of the Church

Losing, and Finding Your Religion

Posted on July 11, 2022 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

It was 2007 when I could keep it in no longer. I’d avoided the issue long enough. I’d downplayed my feelings, guarded my intuition. I’d kept a lot of my favorite things and even my friendships, on the down low. … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged Change, Church, Faith, identity, Ministry, Open Heart, Progressive Church, Religion, Religious, Religious Identity, Religious Injury, Role of the Church, Sermon, Sermons, Transformation, Unitarian, Unitarian Universalism, Unitarian Universalist, Universalist, UU, Vulnerability | 1 Comment

What We Give Our Children – a sermon for Mother’s Day 2022

Posted on May 8, 2022 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

My first real impression of the Orange Conference came from a text from Eleanor VanDeusen, our Director of Family Ministry. It was a photo of her and Rev. Sean in a giant arena with amazing stage lights and thousands of … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith Formation, Sermons | Tagged children, Church, Evangelicals, Faith, Faith Formation, Families, Family Ministry, Intergenerational, Multi-generational, Orange, Orange Conference, Religious Education, Role of the Church, Sermon, Sermons, Unitarian Universalism, Youth | Leave a comment

Don’t be fooled

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

As February comes to a close, and we head into March and the Fort Collins not-quite-spring spring break, the year is doing what it always seems to do this time of year – flying by. In church-life, we are starting to make … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog Reflections, Theology | Tagged Beginning, Beliefs, Board, Change, Church, Life Reflections, Pace of Life, Role of the Church, Transitions | Leave a comment

Intentions for the New Year

Posted on December 30, 2015 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

While I am a little skeptical about the wisdom or efficacy of new year’s resolutions, I am a fan of what seems to be a new trend for setting new year’s intentions. Though not technically all that different than a resolution, an intention … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog Reflections, Justice, Philosophy of Church | Tagged Beloved Community, Call, Faith, Justice, Mission, Resistance, Role of the Church, Theology | 2 Comments

Expectations, and Resistance

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

There are things I wish I didn’t expect. Like, this not being the last time that news of a heavily-armed man taking aim at a vulnerable group of people, injuring many, killing a few, breaks through an otherwise joy-filled day … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog Reflections, Justice, Philosophy of Church, Theology | Tagged Acceptance, Beliefs, Courage, Expectations, Justice, Martin Luther King Jr., Newsletter articles, Philosophy, Resistance, Role of the Church, Theology, Universalism | 2 Comments

All This, and More, Final Candidating Sermon

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

Final sermon for candidating for senior minister, foothills unitarian church, November 15, 2015 Listen to this sermon here. Reading: Now I Become Myself by May Sarton Sermon: All This, and More “What would you say to those who aren’t sure … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy of Church, Sermons | Tagged Collaboration, Covenant, Covenantal, Ministry, Role of the Church, Sermon, Sermons, Theology, Vision | Leave a comment

What Is Required of Us

Posted on January 4, 2015 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

Readings 1. Martin Luther King, Jr. from “The Role of the Church in Facing the Nation’s Chief Moral Dilemma,” 1957 Our ultimate end must be reconciliation; the end must be redemption; the end must be the creation of the beloved … Continue reading →

Posted in Justice, Sermons, Theology | Tagged Beloved Community, Community, Covenant, Ecclesiology, Justice, Liberation, Role of the Church, Sermon, Sermons, Social Change | Leave a comment

In Shared Ministry

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

Before I went to seminary – despite being very active in my local UU congregation – I remained skeptical about the value of “church” in today’s world. I wondered if “church” was a concept we could do without. Then, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog Reflections | Tagged Beloved Community, Change, Collaboration, Interim, Partnership, Role of the Church, Shared Ministry, Transitions | Leave a comment

Talking Money in Church

Posted on March 1, 2014 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

My very first social hour at Foothills, the one where my family and I were introduced to the community in May of 2012, I declared my unabashed love for stewardship and finance related ministry to a small group of folks … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog Reflections, Theology | Tagged Faith Formation, Money, Role of the Church, Stewardship | Leave a comment

The Limits of Diversity

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

Reading “The Purpose of the Church” In 1948, most congregations and houses of worship in the United States were segregated (separated) by the color of their members’ skin. Some were segregated by law; others by custom or by a lack … Continue reading →

Posted in Covenant, Justice, Sermons, Theology | Tagged Beloved Community, Covenant, Diversity, Ecclesiology, James Luther Adams, Justice, Racism, Role of the Church, Sermon, Sermons, Theology, Unity | Leave a comment