Sermon Notes February 1, 2026

Love: The Power that Unifies - Rev. Sheryl Padgett

• Love is a spiritual power, not just an emotion.

  In Unity, love is a faculty of the Christ within us that draws, harmonizes, and unifies.

  “Love is the great harmonizer and healer… It is the pure essence of Being that binds together the whole human family.”— Charles Fillmore

• Love is how we experience God.

  Whenever love is genuinely expressed, we are participating in divine life.

  “In every moment of genuine love we are dwelling in God and God in us.”— Paul Tillich

• Love binds us into one body.

  Love is the spiritual “glue” that holds us together across differences.

  “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”— Colossians 3:14

• There is no “alpha” in the kingdom of God.

  Spiritual community is not built on dominance or hierarchy, but on cooperation, shared wisdom, and mutual care.

• Jesus embodied unifying love.

  He crossed boundaries of race, class, religion, and gender, showing us that love includes without condition.

• Unifying love is alive and active today.

  Communities in Minnesota are living this love through mutual aid, protection, hospitality, and courage—each person contributing their gifts for the good of all.

• When love governs our inner life, relationships heal.

  When love governs relationships, communities transform.

  When love governs communities, justice becomes possible.

How to Express Unifying Love

• See the Divine in ALL

  Practice the intention: “I behold the Christ in you.”

  Especially offer this practice toward those who are different from you culturally, politically, or socially.

• Move from a consciousness of Alpha to Ally

  Release the need to dominate, control, or be right.

  Ask instead: “How can I stand with you?”

• Listen to the stories

  Listening is an act of love.

  Hear the lived experiences of immigrants, marginalized communities, and those whose stories differ from your own.

• Pray

  Send loving, healing energy to those who feel afraid or targeted.

  Pray for those offering help—and even for those in power—to be guided by divine wisdom and compassion.

• Offer your unique gifts

  Ask: “What do I already know how to do that could help unify and heal?”

  Organizing, cooking, teaching, legal help, listening—every gift matters.

• Speak words of love—not contempt

  Before speaking, ask: “Is it true? Is it kind? Does it build up?”

  Choose words that heal rather than divide.

• Create Beloved Community

  Start small. Pray together. Share resources. Watch out for one another.

  Each small circle of love strengthens the larger web of unity.

Sermon Notes January 25, 2026

Small Daily Practices, Big Inner Shifts - Rev. Sheryl Padgett DDiv

Core Message

Spiritual growth is not instant or dramatic. Faith deepens through small, consistent daily practices that quietly transform our consciousness and our lives over time.

Faith in Unity

• Faith is not blind belief or wishful thinking.

• Charles Fillmore defined faith as the ability to perceive the reality of the invisible.

• Faith is cultivated through practice, not perfection.

Why Small Daily Practices Matter

• They may feel ordinary, repetitive, or subtle.

• They rarely come with emotional highs.

• Over time, they create deep inner shifts that shape how we live and respond.

Daily Practices That Build Faith

Morning Surrender

• Before getting out of bed, release the day to God.

• Let go of the illusion of control.

Affirmation: “Spirit of God, live through me today. Guide my thoughts, my words, and my actions. I trust You with this day.”

Spiritual Reading

• Reading The Daily Word centers the mind in Truth and possibility.

• Starting the day spiritually shapes what follows.

Affirmations During Daily Activities

• Pray while walking, driving, exercising, or doing chores.

• Integrates prayer into daily life.

• Builds focus, embodiment, and rewires thought patterns.

Listening to Affirmations

• Helpful for persistent challenges (fear, forgiveness, habits).

• Fills the mind with Truth instead of anxiety or worry.

Meditation

• Even a few minutes of silence strengthens faith.

• Builds trust in Being rather than doing.

• Each return to stillness deepens awareness of God’s Presence.

Mindful Thought Selection

• Notice fear-based thoughts and gently choose again:

  • Lack → Abundance

  • Unworthiness → Divine worth

  • Resentment → Forgiveness

Respond Instead of React

• Pause before reacting.

• Ask if your response aligns with compassion and love.

• Conscious response builds spiritual maturity.

Gratitude

• A powerful daily faith practice.

• “Thank you” shifts perception and opens insight.

• End the day by recalling moments of gratitude.

Why Consistency Matters

Small daily practices:

• Build habit

• Change perspective

• Rewire the brain

• Increase focus

• Deepen connection with God

The Quiet Work of Faith

• Over time we become calmer, more resilient, and more trusting.

• Deep inner shifts show up in how we live, not in dramatic moments.

Closing Invitation

Focus on what you can practice daily:

• One prayer

• One moment of stillness

• One loving choice

Small daily practices build faith.

Faith, practiced daily, creates deep inner shifts.

Affirmation

Through small daily practices, my faith grows strong. I trust the Presence of God guiding me, sustaining me, and unfolding good in my life. And so it is. Amen.

Sermon Notes January 18, 2026

Faith That Moves Us Toward Justice - Rev. Sheryl Padgett DDiv

1. Faith Begins with Honest Examination

• Faith is not blind belief or inherited doctrine

• Faith requires courage to question beliefs that no longer reflect:

  • Love

  • Truth

  • God as Good

• Releasing fear-based beliefs is essential spiritual work

Remember: Faith grows when we let go of what no longer aligns with Truth.

2. Deconstruction Must Lead to Action

• Deconstructing beliefs is only the first step

• True faith does not end with “better ideas”

• Faith becomes complete when beliefs shape how we live

Key Insight: Private beliefs must become public practice.

3. Self-Awareness Is a Spiritual Responsibility

Ask Yourself:

• If God is present everywhere, how do I respond to injustice?

• If every person is a child of God, how do my words reflect that?

• If consciousness shapes experience, where is my thinking rooted?

• If prayer is my practice, does it lead me toward love and responsibility?

• If Truth must be lived, what is mine to do?

Remember: Awareness precedes right action.

4. Jesus as Way-Shower

• Jesus and other enlightened masters demonstrates how to live awake to God

• Faith is living as Jesus lived:

  • Love

  • Compassion

  • Courage

  • Nonviolence

  • Integrity

Key Teaching: Faith moves from belief to embodiment.

5. Love of God and Love of Neighbor Are One

• Loving God cannot be separated from loving people

• Love is not abstract - it has social consequences

• Our neighbor is anyone in need of compassion

Remember: Spirituality without love in action is incomplete.

6. Faith Responds to Human Suffering

• People of faith must consider the human impact of fear, injustice, and instability

• The spiritual question is not only “What do I think?”

• The deeper question is:

  • How do I love my neighbor at this moment?

7. Mindful Action Is Faith in Motion

Faith expresses itself through conscious, ethical action:

Right Speech

• Speak truthfully and compassionately

• Avoid dehumanizing language

• Ask:

  • Is it true?

  • Is it kind?

  • Is it necessary?

  • Is it helpful?

Non-Harming

• Oppose injustice without becoming violent or hateful

• Choose compassion over retaliation

• Let your presence de-escalate fear

Guarding the Mind

• Avoid addiction to outrage and fear

• Limit exposure to information that fuels despair

• Ask:

  • Does this help me act wisely and lovingly?

8. Nonviolence Is Spiritual Strength

• Justice rooted in faith does not dehumanize

• Nonviolence heals rather than wounds

• Love remains the guiding force, even in resistance

Remember: How we seek change matters as much as the change itself.

9. Faith Requires Alignment

• Faith is not about heroic acts

• Faith is about inner and outer alignment

• When consciousness aligns with divine love:

  • Right action naturally follows

Key Truth: Justice is part of the good God desires.

10. Living the Faith

• Faith invites us to notice where belief calls us into action

• Actions may be:

  • Small

  • Quiet

  • Unseen

• When rooted in love, they matter

CONGREGATIONAL AFFIRMATION

Let us affirm together:

We affirm that love and justice go hand in hand.

We see every person as a beloved child of Spirit.

We stand for dignity, compassion, and accountability for all.

We act with courage, wisdom, and mindful love in the world.

And so it is. Amen.