Rev. Jim Magaw

Founders’ Day 60 Years of Sunnyhill

This Sunday we will celebrate the founding of Sunnyhill 60 years ago in 1965. What has changed, and what has remained constant? And what might the next 60 years look like?  

Pirates and Promises

While we often trace our Unitarian Universalist concept of covenant back to our Puritan forbears, are there other ways of conceptualizing covenant that might be helpful as we create our own covenant? This sermon will consider pirate covenants of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Theology of Pumpkins

As we prepare for our Sunnyhill Pumpkin Patch, what are the implied theological underpinnings of this task that builds community within the congregation while also reaching out into the larger community? How might this undertaking represent building alternatives to the dominant culture of self-centeredness and despair?

Power of Belonging

In an era of distrust of virtually all organizations and institutions, what does it mean to belong? How can a sense of belonging strengthen us as individuals and as members of a larger community?  

Covenant of the Ark

In the Bible, when Noah built the ark and set out on the journey of a lifetime, what were the promises that were made among those who were on board? In our journey through the stormy seas of life in the 21st century, what are the most important promises we need to make, and how … Continued

Building a Boat

According to theologian Timothy Gorringe: “[I]n the face of the present global emergency, ark-building might be the task to which theological ethics leads us.” Building an ark, in this context, does not mean giving up on addressing our current problems and simply floating away. Rather, it means making space “for the flourishing of those who … Continued

What is Unitarian Universalism?

Unitarian Universalism is sometimes wrongly described as not having its own theology. Although it’s true that there is a great deal of theological diversity within our congregations, we do have our own unique theology—both historically and contemporarily. This service will provide an overview of Unitarian Universalist theology and why it is important to us and … Continued

Why Going to Church Is Good for You

In a bygone era, it was assumed that almost everyone would belong to a religious community of one kind or another, but that assumption no longer holds, as more and more people are unchurched.  What are the real benefits of going to church and what does it mean to belong to a church in our … Continued

Let America Be America

Langston Hughes wrote a poem with this title in 1935 as a rallying cry for greater freedom and inclusion. 90 years later it has lost none of its power in calling for an as-yet unborn America that makes real the dream of justice and liberty for all. How can we help make this dream a … Continued

Why I Am a Christian (and a Humanist and Maybe a Heretic)

Being a part of a non-creedal faith, does not mean that we can believe whatever we want—nor does it mean that we believe nothing at all. Rather, it means that we arrive at our own beliefs and religious identities through what Ralph Waldo Emerson called “life passed through the fire of thought.” In this sermon, … Continued