Sermons at UUCFM

Unitarian Universalism is the last stage in the 16th century Reformation of the Roman Church. With Luther and Calvin, we understand that faith is a matter of the heart and mind first and foremost. Further, we are the heirs to the Enlightenment. Thus, the discernment of truth about faith and all matters of life is vital to us.

Correspondingly, the sermon is a central activity within Unitarian Universalist worship. The Minister's task is to speak the truth, without fear or reservation, standing at the "bar of reason" as described by American Unitarian founder, Wm. Ellery Channing. Unitarian, Ralph Waldo Emerson declared that it is the preacher's job to take life experience and forge it into truth by the fire of reason.

Our church identifies itself as "the place where religion and reason meet." Thinking and thinking clearly about life's experience, asking the big questions and trying to enunciate better answers, being honest about self and honest with the congregation is what Unitarian Universalist ministers seek to do when standing in the pulpit.

In the pages that follow, you will find several sermons by our minister and an occasional one delivered by members or guests.

You are welcome to download these sermons for your own use. Should you desire to circulate them more broadly, please obtain permission first. If you have comments and would like to share them, please send an email to Rev. Hurto (minister@uucfm.org) or call him at the church office (239.561.2700).

Sermons by Reverend Kenneth Hurto

• November 9, 2003 -- Unitarian Universalist Ethics
• September 12th, 2004 -- Shall Two Walk Together Lest They Be Agreed
• September 26th, 2004 -- Turning, Turning: The Holy Act of Atonement
• October 3rd, 2004 -- Are There American Values?
• October 17th, 2004 -- M. Night Shyamalan Meets the Grand Inquisitor...
• January 23rd, 2005 -- "You Can't Say That Here"
• April 3rd, 2005 -- The Purpose-Driven Life - or: Why Do You Get Up in the Morning?
• May 8th, 2005 -- How to be a Unitarian Universalist Parent.
• January 8th, 2006 -- The Radical Reformation I - Redefining Christianity: From Savior to Exemplar
• January 15th, 2006 -- The Radical Reformation II — Redefining Community: From Individuality to Mutuality
• January 29th, 2006 -- The Radical Reformation III — Redefining God: From a Puny Theism to Radical Atheism
• February 12th, 2006 -- The Radical Reformation IV — Redefining Our Place in Life — Darwin’s (Still!) Dangerous Idea

Sermons by Allison Farnum

• April 13th, 2008 -- Re-Imagining the World

A note on the Free Pulpit and Free Pew

The covenant or promise between a Unitarian Universalist minister and the congregation is the free and untrammeled expression of sincere conviction. This notion is rooted in a firm respect both for the dignity of speaker and listener, but also in the conviction that only if we freely explore life will we ever know the truth.

The origin of this notion lies in the 16th century as the first Unitarians were exploring openly the new possibilities for faith that the Reformation was encouraging. See the history page for more details. Suffice to say here that it was our only Unitarian king, John Sigismund of Transylvania, who upon calling a council in 1568 to debate the peculiarities of true faith, issued soon thereafter an edict or decree, guaranteeing the freedom for ministers to speak and for congregants to agree or disagree.

The Edict of Torda is named after the small city in what today is northwestern Romania. It says:

"His Majesty . . . reaffirms that in every place the preachers shall preach and explain the Gospel each according to his understanding of it, and if the congregation like it, well, if not, no one shall compel them for their souls would not be satisfied, but they shall be permitted to keep a preacher whose teaching they approve.

Therefore, none of the superintendents or others shall abuse the preachers, no one shall be reviled for his religion by anyone, according to the previous statutes, and it is not permitted that anyone should threaten anyone else by imprisonment or by removal from his post for his teaching, for faith is the gift of God, this comes from hearing, which hearing is by the word of God."

This promise is one of the most sacred agreements between any Unitarian Universalist congregation and its minister.

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