We are all Jonah sometimes. There are moments when we make choices that we know are not guided by truth or love or whatever leads us to act as our best selves. The experience of having insight into moral clarity and wandering in the opposite direction anyway is very common. That’s a human thing. Maybe we have a fish-belly experience to help…
Our administrative office is a place of wonder, discovery, and spiritual growth. Really. The other day, our beloved and highly valued congregational Treasurer, Olivia, was opening the mail. She wondered out loud if anyone wanted to respond to our insurance company about their offer for a free wall calendar that includes safety tips for religious communities and contact information for the insurance…
I tried growing a different variety of cucumbers in my garden this year. The kind I usually grow in containers were all right, but I decided to grow cucumbers in a raised bed this year where they had a little more room. I chose climbing cucumbers. They didn’t seem that different at first. They climbed on the A-frame trellis and spread out…
Once upon a time, when Unitarian congregations in America were coming to terms with a post-Civil War society, when they were both overwhelmed by the social impact of industrialization and intrigued the modern conveniences made possible by it, there arose a new way of describing their faith. It was nicknamed the Unitarian covenant, and was drawn from a sermon by James Freeman…
Changing Course “But can I not remain the same stream that I am today?” I can relate. When faced with a bend in the path of my life, or a challenge that requires new skills or a new way of thinking, or a time that calls me to let go of who I thought I was, I wonder: Why can I not…
Perhaps more than anything else, we Unitarian Universalists take pride in our history of working for social justice. While we’ve made our share of stumbles, UU’s have been, and continue to be, on the front lines of some of the most important social justice issues in our nation’s history. From the struggle against slavery and for marriage equality, to current campaigns for…
I. Introduction: The Challenge “The heart knoweth”, says Emerson. “The whole human family is bathed with the element of love like a fine ether.” Joys and sorrows, injustices and reconciliations, all together form this world, “in which our senses converse.” It surprises me that I am inclined to agree, given that I was almost destined to be a cynic. I was born…
Service at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church It is good to be together. Gazing out at people from different Unitarian Universalist congregations, maybe two congregations, maybe some UU’s from other congregations who snuck in here to see what this Friendship Day thing was all about … embracing this atmosphere of meeting and collaboration, one might wonder, “How did this happen?” Back in…
It is a privilege and a blessing to be among you after a short time away. Since the last time I preached here, I’ve been to our annual Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly, taken a week or so of vacation, and had a few weeks out of the pulpit while I focused on some other aspects of ministry here. Life keeps happening…