I am a regular guest preacher at congregations across New England, especially the Greater Boston area. I also preach nationally in conjunction with other scheduled events.
Not sure if I’ll travel to your congregation? Ask me. Given notice I may be able to schedule a training in the area and make it a larger weekend trip. I regularly work with local UU congregations to host my trainings. But I need notice.
Service Themes
I am often brought in by congregations seeking an outside expert, trainer, and cheerleader. These services tend to relate to my top areas of expertise:
- congregational growth
- social media
- small group ministry
- community building
I now prioritize preaching in conjunction with programming after the service. This can be programming with an outreach focus or training for congregational leaders.
Example: Offering a service on social media, our growing loneliness epidemic in the United States, and the value of community followed by a 45-minute community building small group session held during coffee hour. We promote that event aggressively to existing members and friends and via paid Facebook ads to people in the area interested in Unitarian Universalism.
Top Preaching Topics
Social Media
“Friendship in the Digital Age” is one of my most popular services. It is designed to orient the congregation to how social media is changing the way people are searching for and connecting with congregations, as well as how they need to be greeted. This service also tends to draw people who have been waiting to visit.
Small Group Ministry
I offer services to support the exploration, development, and revitalization of
small group ministry and other group programs. I co-founded the UU Small Group Ministry Network and have been supporting group ministries nationally for over 15 years. In conjunction with your ministry team, I can facilitate a special “Small Group Sunday” where everyone attending worship tries a sample session during your fellowship time. Together we take over coffee hour and have a community wide small group experience. A powerful way to spark interest in small groups. Can also be used as a more general “connecting event” strengthening your community.
Additional Topics
- Zen, Mindfulness
- Technology, Social Media, and Digital culture
- The Power of Imperfection
- Weird Science, On Quantum Physics and Spirituality
- Unlocking Your Inner Superhero
Messages for All Ages
As a seasoned volunteer religious educator teacher, former teacher, and children’s television producer, I LOVE leading messages for all ages. I use this message time to explore the concept of the service in a fun, helpful and memorable way. Then I go deeper with the adults during the rest of the service. For example, below is a message for all ages shared during a worship service the day after one of my trainings. The host congregation had me preach.
UU PLANET 