February 8, 2026 · Rev. Dr. Liz Rice-Smith · Isaiah 58:1-9a; Matthew 5:13-20
With Rev. Derek away, Rev. Dr. Liz Rice-Smith turns the sermon time over to the congregation: a few minutes of silence, then anyone who wants to may step up and speak. Members, and a visitor, share what sustains them in difficult times.
Transcript
Derek had listed for us this morning a title for his sermon, his homily. Let your voice be heard. And it occurred to me, rather than trying to come up with something very quickly in forty minutes to preach about, I thought it would be much more important for us to take a few moments of silence together, for each of us to think, what do we speak about that we feel is sustaining and enlivening and encouraging during the very challenging and difficult times in which we live. We know we live in challenging and difficult times. We're also a vibrant, extraordinary congregation of a number of people here and a number of people out there in virtual world, which is your homes and wherever you might be. And let's just all say hello to them. Let our hands wave to them and actually speak out to say hello, hello, hello, hello, welcome, welcome. So just take a few moments and, and then I would really earnestly invite anyone who would like to step forward to come to the mic. I'm not able really to walk around the way Derek can. And I'm very sorry about that. And I can't bring a mic, but if you're willing to step up and speak from the podium, that would be from the lectern. That would be great. And it could be, it could be just a sentence, it could be a song, it could be something from your voice. So let's just take a few moments of quiet, of, of peace and of reflection to think if you'd be willing to let your voice be heard.
From the book of James. Be quick to listen and slow to speak. And I will bring the mic to anybody who would like to add to this. Thank you, thank you, Jim. But let's just take a few moments just to reflect. All right. Let your voices be heard. Know that God is still listening. And so are we.
Amy, you have your hand up. First I'd like to give a paraphrase from Alan Watts, and that is that you will not find an unintelligent ism in an intelligent environment. And I would like to go on from that quote to say that I am noticing a change in myself and everyone, that we are beginning not to see each other in the competitive way where we say of the other, I would have done it a different way, but instead we are all of us, everywhere, beginning to see that we are looking at each other's unique contributions. Amen.
Is there anyone else who would like to. Be heard. I just wanted to say, we were able to to share the voice of Chris Matthews on Friday night at old Sloop Coffeehouse presents. And she, taught us and read to us from Martin Luther King and many people and, and sang songs of justice and ways forward for us in these troubled times and to, to have hope and lead through love. Amen.
Yes. What is your name? My name? My name is Beth. I'm one of the people who has never stood in this sanctuary before. I'm actually here with Rockport Music taking care of this harpsichord today. But what I wanted to say is that for the past several months, I've been doing a journaling activity where I take a feeling that I want to foster in my heart. And every day I try to find some way that that feeling has been a part of my life. And in the month of February, the feeling that I'm trying to foster is one of connection and one of compassion. And I'm just delighted to be here today and to be embraced by this congregation who I don't know any of you. And I feel I feel just like a sense of love from this community and a sense of love from this choir that we just decided we were going to be in today. And I just wanted to give gratitude and thank you and compassion from my heart. So thank you. Amen.
Elsa. Jim. I probably don't need money. You always need to be. Mindful that the body of Christ is the bread of nourishment for each of us. I commend this piece to you that Jillian Hearst has in our bulletin today. It's brilliant, but it's theologically incredibly helpful. And she says, bread here is not metaphor alone. It is nourishment, yes, but also economy, justice and voice. It reveals how communities distribute resources, recognize dignity and take responsibility for one another. In this sense, bread is never neutral. It reflects the values we enact together. Amen. Amen.
Is there anyone else who would like to have your or their voice heard today? Then let us take a few more moments in silence, in the reflection of our hearts and minds to gather and strengthen ourselves in. However we find to. To give ourselves encouragement and hope and a sense of tomorrow. Day by day, during these very challenging times in which we live. Amen. God is still speaking and we are still listening.