You Can’t Talk About THAT in Church!

Rev. Tony Lorenzen and Michele Alves share thoughts about making church a safe place to talk about love and sex. The Our Whole Lives (OWL) human sexuality curriculum is introduced and Michele and Rev. Tony talk about the benefits of using OWL in the congregation using vignettes from their professional experience working with individuals, families, […]

You Can’t Stop Christmas: A Christmas Eve Homily

Rev. Tony Lorenzen’s Christmas Eve homily explains why neither Nazis nor Grinches can stop Christmas from coming.

Working Class Community

“Working Class Community” – Rev. Tony Lorenzen reflects on how the shrinking presence and influence of unionized labor has affected American community life.

Welcoming, Open, and Affirming

Rev. Tony Lorenzen and Hopedale Unitarian Parish welcome three guests from Speak Out who share their stories and experiences as people who identify as gay, bisexual, queer, genderqueer, and pansexual.

Welcoming the Stranger

Rev. Tony Lorenzen reflects on welcoming the stranger, the meaning of home and family, refugees, immigration and how radical welcoming requires treating new comers as family not as guests.

Walking the Dog

Rev. Tony Lorenzen reflects on what qualities make something a spiritual practice. Discipline, dedication,and depth are among the qualities that differentiate spiritual practices from other activities.

Ultimate Optimism

Rev. Tony Lorenzen reflects on the Adin Ballou, the Hopedale Community, and how religion and resilience are two resources for meaningful change that justify hope and foster optimism in both our individual lives and the life our congregation.

Turn the World Around

Rev. Tony Lorenzen and Dona Neely reflect on the global climate crisis and how what seem to be like small changes in our individual and group behavior can truly turn the world around for the better and help to heal our damaged planet.

Tough Love

“Tough Love” Rev. Tony Lorenzen shares thoughts about how we handle situations where loving someone is difficult. Those who need love most sometimes seem to deserve it least. What we can do when someone is difficult to love?

Through the Other’s Eyes

Rev. Tony Lorenzen reflects on the grace or blessing we receive when we are open to seeing the world through another’s eyes and how privilege affects our ability and inability to hear and accept as valid the experience and perception of “the other.”