Union University Church

July 12, 2020Mark 4:26-29Union University ChurchReverend Laurie DeMott [Jesus] said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, … More The Birdbath

July 5, 2020Matthew 5:1-12Union University ChurchReverend Laurie DeMott The twelve verses which I just read are called the Beatitudes, from the Latin beatitudo meaning blessed.  In these twelve short verses, Jesus describes the full spectrum of human life and if you were to place these verses over the days of your time here on earth, … More The Beatitudes

June 21, 2020Galatians 2:19-21Union University ChurchReverend Laurie DeMott We’ve celebrated our children and youth who participated in the 2019-2020 program year, and now I want briefly to share with you a story from one of my first youth groups way back in the 1980s.  This was a group that included Judy Bowden, Marcia Stevens, Tom … More Faith is Trust

June 14, 2020 John 15:9-11Union University ChurchReverend Laurie DeMott This is the 13th week of Zoom Church.  13 weeks; that’s over 3 months; a quarter of the year.  Back in March, when the state shut down the schools and a wave of closures swept across New York, the church leadership met to discuss moving to Zoom … More That Your Joy May Be Complete

These past months have been difficult for all of us but I know from my conversations with them, that it has been especially hard on our youth and young people.  The pandemic was hard enough as they were suddenly isolated from friends and lost the independence that is so important at their age, but now … More A Letter to Our Young People

Acts 19:1-6May 31, 2020; reflection for Zoom ChurchUnion University ChurchReverend Laurie DeMott While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that … More Pentecost

May 24, 2020Acts 16:11-15Union University ChurchReverend Laurie DeMott Rather than posting full sermons, people have requested that I instead post the reflection from Zoom Church, our virtual service live online. “If you have judged me to be faithful, come and stay at my house.” Lydia may have been a brand new Christian, fresh out of … More Hospitality in a Social Distancing World

Acts 15:1-6 Living in the world of Zoom has been hard.  When the pandemic forced us all to forgo our normal human interactions in exchange for a life shared through a screen, we had to learn new skills, things like finding where the mute button is on Zoom or figuring out the best platform to … More Zoom Church Reflection for May 17, 2020

Acts 16:11-15Union University ChurchMay 17, 2020Reverend Laurie DeMott During these weeks of the pandemic, our church has been meeting through Zoom every Sunday and during those live services, I always deliver a reflection, otherwise known as a bite-size sermon.  Not everyone has access to Zoom church, however, and even among those that do attend, there … More Lydia’s Place

Acts 9:1-19May 10, 2020Union University ChurchReverend Laurie DeMott The poet Maya Angelou wrote about a time as a child when she was agnostic.  She said that it wasn’t that she stopped believing in God, but that God just didn’t seem to be around the neighborhood she lived in.  Angelou writes that she was taking voice … More God’s Grace Right Between the Eyes