I watch Mhara Starling explore Ikea with a hilarious and exuberant wonder. The Witch of Southern Light jokes about the “cursed candy” accusation from Christians. It’s delightful and unserious. “I hope some of these people get comedy writing jobs." Continue reading My Week on WitchTok at The Wild Hunt.

From an early age, my Dad would wake us kids up by singing a bugle call. Even while on vacation, Dad always had a project going. He rarely took time for himself or his family as he was consumed with fixing, raking, shoveling, inventing. Rest was considered a sign of weakness. Intellectually, I understand and … Continue reading Guilt

                                                            Baby It's Cold Outside --Johnny Mercer and Margaret Whiting.  It’s the perfect time to consider another of those pop songs that really have nothing to do with Christmasbut have become staples of holiday play lists.  Among the most enduring of these winter songs is the playful duet Baby it’s Cold Outside.  But lately the perineal favorite has been caught up in controversy. The song had its origin in 1944 when Frank Loesser, a Hollywood lyricist turned composer wrote it as a novelty to sing at cocktail parties with his wife Lynn Garland.  At the time Loesser was in the Army Airforce based in California where he penned songs for war effor...

A short  “ thought for the day” offered to the Cambridge Unitarian Church as part of the Sunday Service of Mindful   Meditation (Click on this link to hear a recorded version of the following piece) —o0o— An important, secondary theme in my piece of two weeks ago was that the visible characters of the Advent stories — namely, Mary and Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah, the Angel Gabriel, the shepherds, the Magians or Zoroastrian priests, and King Herod — obscure from our view the narratives’ two invisible, unborn characters, namely, John and Jesus. But, once I finished that piece — in which I primarily explored what lessons those two (and, indeed, all other) unborn children might be saying to us — I quickly realised th...

Sometimes I wish we could get over the big emphasis on Christmas as being the darkest time of the year. First of all, the latitude of the land of Judea where Jesus was born is about 32 degrees north. (That’s about the same latitude as San Diego, California.) At 32 degrees, the length of night … Continue reading "Rethinking Christmas as the darkest time of the year"

Please join us on Saturday (10 December 2022) from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM for our monthly building and grounds work day. There are tons of leaves and lots of other tasks — indoors and out — for all ages and abilities. Other than basic cleaning and lawn maintenance, all the tasks that maintain our … Continue reading "Building and Grounds Work Day (10 December 2022)"

Please join us on Saturday (10 December 2022) at 10:30 AM for our weekly meditation group with Larry Androes. This is a sitting Buddhist meditation including a brief introduction to mindfulness meditation, 20 minutes of sitting, and followed by a weekly teaching. Please note that this group is still meeting via Zoom.  You will need … Continue reading "Meditation with Larry Androes (10 December 2022)"

If Dionysos could show up uninvited and distinctive in my life, and Darcy Lewis could become a defining characteristic of a fandom where she hardly existed in the main text, why did I only consider one of those a person? I could not find a satisfactory answer, so I turned to the greatest mind I knew. I called Sherlock Holmes. Continue reading Column: Postmark 221B, Baker Street at The Wild Hunt.

                                                      That Spirit of Christmas by Ray Charles.                                           That Spirit of Christmas has flown under my radar despite being a wonderful seasonal song by one of the most influential artists cut of the second half of the 20th Century.   And I am not the only one—it is seldom played on those 24/7 Christmas radio stations or included in holiday compilation album.   A big tip-o’-the-hat to my old friend Sam Jones for posting it on her Facebook timeline. Ray Charles was one of the most iconic and influential singers in historyand was often referred to by contemporaries as the Genius. Among friends and fell...

I have two articles in this month's Fine Woodworking, #301, that arrived here today. I was surprised to find my own hands on the cover, so that was a special bonus. The two articles will be useful to readers trying to hone their box making skills. My thanks to Fine Woodworking for featuring my work (and hands) in their great magazine. Make, fix and create... Assist others in learning likewise.

In 2012, Minnesota become the first state in the nation to defeat an anti-gay marriage bill – a massive campaign and a watershed victory, won in large part by progressive religious folks having one-to-one conversations about their values with tens of thousands of people across the state. When Karen and I moved to Minneapolis in 2014, however, the new availability of marriage to queer folks meant that if we didn’t choose to get legally married, I (and our soon-to-be-born second child) couldn’t access health coverage through my partner’s job, along with many other legal protections and benefits available only through state-sanctioned marriage.   Photo of the author, Rev. Ashley Horan (left) with Justice of the Peace (center) and ...

          Our winter holidays are a mishmash of many religions and historical events and thought of in general as celebrations of peace and love. Fancy that, given it’s often a time of anything but.           Start with love—as in Barbara Love, a young denizen of Greenwich Village who morphed into a lifelong advocate for lesbians […]

      My friends look at how the Buddhist practice of mindfulness is being packaged and sold as a nostrum for much of what ills. Others are deeply concerned how Hinduism’s yoga has been taken over by gyms. There are too many examples of how the word Zen is coopted to sell products to […]

Join us Saturday, December 24 at 7pm – in person in our beautiful sanctuary – for our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with special musical guest, acclaimed harpist, Felice Pomeranz.  Celebrate the spirit of Christmas in a family worship service that honors the life and teachings of Jesus. Sing your favorite Christ mas carols, enjoy beautiful   [ … ] The post Saturday, December 24 ~ Christmas Eve Candlelight Service ~ 7:00 p.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Sunday, December 18 at 7:00 p.m. Location:  UCMH Knight Room Take a break from the fast pace of the season and join us for a peaceful and contemplative evening enjoying the beauty of candlelight. With meditations and poetry we will celebrate darkness and the return of the light. All faiths are welcome, including atheists. Free to   [ … ] The post Sunday, December 18 ~ Solstice By Candlelight ~ 7:00 p.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Current events will be posted above this entry. Feel free to browse our past events!  [ … ] The post PAST EVENTS appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Facilitated by:  Rev. Alice Anacheka-Nasemann Date/Time:  Wednesday, December 14, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Location:  UCMH Knight Room (tentative) Cost:  Free, donations welcome The holidays are often a time when we most feel the loss of a loved one. Join us for an evening of readings, music, and sharing memories within a community of love and mutual support. You   [ … ] The post SGCC: Wednesday, December 14 ~ Holiday Grief Circle ~ 7:00 p.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Facilitated by:  Nan Rogers, Jody Zolli, Kim Roche Date/Time:  Sunday Dec. 11, 1:30-6:00pm Cost:  $10 suggested donation Location:  UCMH Union Hall The Red Tent movement, inspired by Anita Diamant’s fictional story “The Red Tent,” supports women in reclaiming the gifts of community as we gather together to co-create compassionate, woman-centered, restorative, confidential Safe Space. We practice   [ … ] The post SGCC: Sunday, December 11 ~ Women’s Red Tent: Exploring Self Care! ~ 1:30-6:00 p.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Several years ago I published books and articles featuring an easy way to hinge a wooden box using barbed or kerf hinges. I used a Bosch trim saw blade mounted in the router table to make the slots needed for the hinges to fit. Then the Bosch trim saw blade went out of production and I had to re-engineer my approach using a machine I made myself. This put the use of the hinges out of range of most casual woodworkers. Yesterday I discovered a substitute for the Bosch trim saw blade that's shown in the photo. The use of barbed or kerf hinges is one area of box making that has been of great interest to my students so it is good to once again offer a simple approach that will be accessible to more woodworkers and at a lower cost. The hinges ...

When did taking a nap become decadent? Something that we sheepishly admit we did, apologetically, or don’t admit at all. Anyone who cares for a young child knows how important naps are. Sometimes, oftentimes, it is important for adults too. -Jody Malloy (CLF) When did you last take a nap? How did it recharge you?

The past year has shown the resilience of the human rights movement in the face of setbacks.

On World Genocide Day, the Burmese military is still committing atrocities against the Rohingya ethnic minority

During the first winter of the pandemic, I participated in a Yule gifting activity where individuals sent personally crafted gifts to the name of the person they drew.  I painted this picture of a lone candle burning in the dark … Continue reading →

Prayer for the Week of December 12 - Prayer for Forbearance Gracious Love, grant us forbearance so we may offer ourselves and each other spaciousness to turn again in awareness and responsibility and to make amends. May we make space for ourselves when we’re irritable and stressed, space to rest,...

Our guest contributor, Elyse Welles, covers the first Samhain Athens Fire Festival by the Greek-Irish Society and Inis. Continue reading Greek-Irish Society and Inis hold first Athens Samhain Fire Festival at The Wild Hunt.

          Thanksgiving nears, an iconic time for family and all such traditions supposedly held dear. It was the occasion of another Big Lie many years ago which manifested three quarters of a century later as a demon of our generation—the demon of tobacco, which any thinking person at that time knew to be a killer. […]

I will talk about the main thing that I’m wondering about today and for the next three weeks. This happens every four years. Who will win the World Cup?  I’m sitting here writing this and watching a game at the … Continue reading →

It turns out there’s currently a shortage of children’s over-the-counter (OTC) medications in the U.S., including common medications like children’s Motrin, Tylenol, etc. Why? Because of the large number of children coming down with flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID. Yet another reason to wear a mask in public places. Yes, probably kids are … Continue reading "OTC medicine shortage"

Rest is productive. Full stop. The time I spend healing and renewing myself is just as productive as the time I spend working. We need to re-train our minds to understand that. -Michael Tino (CLF) When have you redefined an important concept in order to be more healthy?

    STAR OF THE EAST A dharma talk Edward Sanshin Oberholtzer High above the Pacific Ocean on an Hawaiian volcano, on a ridge where the California coastal range merges with the Sierras, on a plateau just below a peak in the Andes, at a point in space, far out in the void, in all […]

Merry Christmas Darling  by The Carpenters was one of the greatest Christmas love songs ever recorded. We turn today to the sub-genre of Christmasromance songs.  These days they are ubiquitous and probably make up the bulk of new pop and country songs bidding to become lucrative radio perennials.  A slew of new work by artists like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton, the Jonas Brothers, and others cracked the 2020 Billboard Holiday Radio chart with seasonal love songs.  And, of course, Mariah Carey’s megahit All I Want for Christmas is You , which inspired a stamped of amorous Yuletide tunes was #1 yet again. But it wasn’t always so.  Traditional carols focused on the Biblical Nativity or general merry making.  As t...

A sampling of some of the many and varied events taking place this year across the United Kingdom. Continue reading Winter Solstice Events 2022 – United Kingdom at The Wild Hunt.

Jeff Milchen In Moore v. Harper, the U.S. Supreme Court will make crucial choices regarding limits to partisan manipulation of our elections.

Elaine McArdle UUs support Build Back Fossil Free, Citizens' Climate Lobby

Megan Lloyd Joiner Advent encourages us to be present in each moment of waiting. Continue reading "The Waiting Time"

Sofía Betancourt Beloveds, we are called to communal care like never before. Continue reading "UUA Presidential Candidate Statement: Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt"

Today in the woodshop at the Clear Spring School, students made small boxes to hold the Froebel gift number 4 blocks they made last week. Readers of Fine Woodworking should check their mail to see if the latest issue has arrived. It contains articles I wrote about box making. Make, fix and create... Assist others in learning likewise.

I wrote this song in 1986 when Bob and I were serving a small Methodist church in Alabama. Even then I was questioning the divine ‘ness’ of this Christian holiday. All over the world there are religions and philosophies that … Continue reading →

When I was a kid, every fall my parents would engage in a perennial argument. Dad managed the grain elevator, and during the harvest season, the farmers relied on him to be open late to take their loads for the day.  He would then stay even later to get the grain into the bins where … Continue reading Richest Guy in the Graveyard

“Yeah, and that book was literally just the first Harry Potter, you idiot,” chimed Melanie from somewhere under the pile. “The world only ended ten seconds ago, we all know what you’re talking about.”

On Monday I made two beer bottle openers, a meat turner, and a practice piece of hardware for a rustic box. The pull for the lid of a box will take some additional refinement. It was easy to make under the guidance of an experienced blacksmith, and now that I've made one, I can make more. And as I practice, they'll get better and easier to make. There's some speculation these days that the United States will return to the glory days of American manufacturing. The thing that leaders had failed to note in the past is that making beautiful and useful things, builds character in the maker as well as value in the product. Make, fix and create. Assist others in learning lifewise.

I'll Be Home for Christmas , Bing Crosby's war time hit, was re-released on the LP version of his classic holiday album in 1949. Eighty-one years ago today the Japanese launched their devastating surprise attack on Pearl Harbor thrusting the United States into a bloody worldwide conflagration and forever altering the lives and destinies of millions.  It also cast a somber pall over Christmas festivities getting underway statesidejust as the last vestiges of the Great Depression were being shaken off and folks had money to spend for a change. The  USS Arizona  going down after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1949. With a long war ahead with families and sweethearts wrenched by separation and fear, people turned to musi...

Taken with a Fujifilm X100V   Just click on the photo to enlarge it   Straight out of camera (though cropped to 4:3) I took this photo of a gravestone in the Ascension Parish Burial Ground off the Huntingdon Road in Cambridge in June 2022. Its base, where I presume I’d find a name, some dates and perhaps a line or two of text, is now so overgrown that it’s no longer possible to see over whose body it is raised. I’m certain I could find out but I have not yet done so and, I suspect, I never will but, every time I pass it, I wish the person well and often find myself recalling the following words I nearly always use when conducting funerals: When a wo/man’s life is over, it remains true that he/she has lived; it remains true that...

Spiritual and mystical experiences happen in their own time – they cannot be programmed or commanded. But there are things we can do to facilitate these experiences: to put ourselves in a position where they can happen and are more likely to happen.

God is everywhere - The Great Whatever-The-Fuck-Keeps-Us-Going Doesn’t care what you call it.

By Edward McClelland | The heat wave begins on the Great Plains, in the Dust Bowl, that dead, dry land whose barren fields have transformed it into a furnace. The summer of 1936 is the hottest anyone can remember. After killing the meager yield of crops in the farm states, the dome of heat spreads north and east, smothering the Great Lakes. In the second week of July, every afternoon, workers preparing for second shift at the General Motors plants in Flint, Michigan, look out the kitchen windows of their company-built Cape Cods and slope-roofed bungalows, at the thermometers bolted to the walls.

This month our theme is Risking Joy. How can joy be risky? Well, if we believe that we aren’t worthy of joy, and/or if we have experienced huge losses, it can feel like a huge risk to allow our hearts to be happy. Is joy ... read more . The post Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – Dec. 6th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

There will be holiday crafts workshops for all the children and youth. Pre-k through 6th grade will be in the pre-k-3rd grade room in the main building 7th – high school will be in the dining room. And the Nursery will be open Many hearty thanks those who have ... read more . The post This Week in Religious Education (Sun. Dec. 11th) appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

The Music Team is hosting a Holiday Sing-Along on December 18th after the service. There will be singing ‘round the piano at the back of the Great Hall, and cookies, mulled cider and punch in the dining room. Stay after the service to join the festivities! ... read more . The post Holiday Sing-Along & Snacks on December 18th! appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

This past Sunday we explored grief, loss, and depression during the holidays. Here are some resources to learn more for yourself, a loved one, a neighbor…</p> National Institute of Mental Health www.seizetheawkward.org friend support www.adaa.org Anxiety & Depression Assoc. of ... read more . The post Emotional and Mental Well-being Resources appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

New discoveries of more mummies with golden tongue amulets; and a new theory regarding the purpose of mummification explained in a new exhibit at the Manchester Museum. Continue reading Golden tongue amulets found in mummies at The Wild Hunt.

Come sing! Rev. Erika Hewitt and Paul Vasile, Executive Director of Music That Makes Community, invite you to come play and learn with us on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 for a live webinar beginning at 1:00 p.m. Eastern (noon Central; 11 a.m. Mountain; 10 a.m. Pacific). In this Zoom event, we'll... Continue reading "Special Event: Singing for Liberation"

Sunday, December 11, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon Sharing Circle sUUndays! (This circle will be held monthly in lieu of or following our traditional worship services; please join us in our beautiful sanctuary the rest of the month for regularly-scheduled worship!) Sunday Dec. 11, 2022 10:30am – Noon Unitarian Church of Marlborough & Hudson 80 Main   [ … ] The post Sunday, December 11 ~ Sharing Circle sUUnday ~10:30 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Looking at these gives me the same feeling in my gut as the feeling I’m trying to express. That tells me I’m going in the direction I want to go.

Yesterday in the iron studio at ESSA I had the privilege of making two beer bottle openers and a meat turner for the grill, all while learning basic blacksmithing skills. Dale Custer was our guide, and the important thing to learn was to strike while the iron is hot. Make, fix and create. Assist others in learning likewise.

A person needs to be rested to be at peace with themselves and with the world around them.  Rest helps a person think more clearly.  Someone may feel a need to be busy all the time to be “productive” but a rested mind is a clearer mind. -Judy DiCristofaro (CLF) Take a moment today to … Continue reading At Peace

One year after the historic election of Honduras’ first female president, there are signs of progress. But grave human rights challenges persist.

                                                                                   Jolly Old St. Nicholas  by the Ames Brothers. This is St. Nicholas Day, a day when childrenin the Netherlands and across much of Northern Europe awake to find their stockings or shoes filled with candy, nuts, oranges, and small toys left behind in the night by the sanctifiedBishop.  It is also still observed in some American families, though the practice seems to be fading.  Our three daughters always found their stockings filled until they were adults.  It is also a good day to trot out Jolly Old St. Nicholas , America’s oldest secular Christmas song—if you discount Jingle Bells which was not inten...

My daughter lives in Arizona. She loves the dry, hot desert climate and its prickly landscape. The first year I went to visit her beloved habitat, I was skeptical. How could the desert compete with all our lush southern greenery? … Continue reading →

        The incomparable Evelyn Underhill was born on this day, the 6th of December, 1875, in Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands, England. Her father Sir Arthur Underhill was a successful barrister with a practice in London. Her mother, Lucy, was the daughter of a justice of the peace. An only child, Evelyn […]

I said I wasn’t going to post most of the art I was doing because I didn’t want the performance pressure. It turns out that the lure of publishing works-in-progress is important. It keeps me accountable to someone besides myself, without which I can go weeks without making art. So I’ll start posting daily again, […]

John Kaag is a philosophy professor who published a book a few years ago with the intriguing title, How William James Can Save Your Life. It’s not my favorite book on James, but Kaag is onto something with that title.  William James was born in 1842 and died in 1910. He has been called the […]

There’s a growing movement to get people to wear masks at public events. The motivation? Maskless events post a risk to people with certain disabilities, and/or with chronic illnesses, and to their caregivers. In other words, this is an issue of disabilities rights. Of course, it’s not just masks. Ideally, all the events that we … Continue reading "Masks redux"

Roger Santodomingo The religious scholar argues that religion has fueled humanity’s denial of climate change and that—even in knowing ours may be a finite future—there are still places to find hope.

Gruß vom Krampus! Tuscumbia Yule celebration, more solstice and Yule events, and more news. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of December 5, 2022 at The Wild Hunt.

as preached at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, December 4, 2022 In the Jewish tradition there is a midrash, an interpretation, of the Torah, the sacred text, about twilight. It points to a spiritual practice that is essential for many Unitarian Universalists. The midrash has to do with what once happened at the […]

Information, updated regularly, on the 2023 election for UUA President. UUs, through their congregational delegates, elect the UUA President. Voting begins in June and culminates at our General Assembly. Continue reading "2023 UUA Presidential Election"

as preached at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, November 6, 2022 We are in the midst of one of liberal democracy’s great civic rituals: the country’s biennial elections. Their stakes seem to be much higher than usual. In the past weeks, I have talked with more than few of you who have reported […]

as preached at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, October 30, 2022 From age to ageOh! I have slipped the surly bonds of EarthLove ends. But what if it doesn’t?Be Thou with us, now and alwaysI have only one picture with him.We will not see it, none of us.Behold, peace shall extend to thee […]

Researching Wilde Nights & Robber Barons gave me the opportunity to play historic detective. Now that the book is available, I thought I would share a few of my favorites with you. This image of Fred Atkins Fred Atkins was a young sex worker who had a close relationship with Maurice Schwabe. Rupert Croft-Cooke said […]

I woke up this morning thinking about Curly from the 1991 movie City Slickers with Billy Crystal and Jack Palance. If you haven’t seen it, Crystal and his friends go to a Dude Ranch (I don’t remember why) and end up facing mortality under the tutelage of the rugged old trailhand, Curly Washburn, played by … Continue reading One thing

  (After a mindfulness eating exercise with a strawberry, I begin) What I wonder is what is wonder. The word has many definitions and I would guess means different things to different people.   As we explore wonder today take a few seconds to choose which definition you will ground yourself in.   The definition I’m using for myself today—and this may or may not be change on other days are these: wonder is curiosity—“a strong desire to learn more” (Oxford Dictionary), wonder is mystery—“ something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain” (Oxford Dictionary) and wonder is awe-- “…the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that challenges our understanding of the world.” (researchers at Be...

“Level Two is where you become privy to the giant mystery, the fabulous conspiracy that is Santa. You are entrusted with the secret, that Santa is SO much bigger than you imagined, that you, in fact, get to be Santa, too.” —Rev. Joanna Fontaine Crawford One year—but not the year the Christmas tree fell on me at midnight, causing me to weep with self-pity and exhaustion—I was so happy with how the tree looked, with all the presents underneath it, including the ones that “Santa brought” in their different-than-the-others’-wrapping-paper, that I took a photo before going to bed, wanting to […] The post Leveling Up appeared first on BeyondBelief.

There is always time to rest. To acknowledge that every waking moment does not have to be filled with activities and striving. We need to be able to rest often. We need to be able to take a step back before things are overwhelming. Rest is how we grow. Rest is how we learn. Rest … Continue reading How We Grow

Today we raise awareness for the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and the humans that defend our lands.

When I was around 10 or 11 years old, December always brought a sense of wonder. A magical tree was lit, Christmas songs and carols played, gifts and decorations were displayed on the oriental rug in the living room, and … Continue reading →

                                                                           The Merry Christmas Polka --The Andrews Sisters with Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians. You won’t find The Merry Christmas Polka on the short playlists of those radio stations that switch to holiday music for the season.  You certainly won’t hear it pipedinto the remaining brick-and-mortar mallsand big box stores.  But it is just the kind of stuff that we thrive on at the Murfin Winter Holidays Music Festival.  We aim to find holiday music across styles and cultures.  And for modern Americans, especially the hipsters, no music is more alien than the polka. In the post-World War II era, Americans were searchin...

    WHAT DO YOU SAY AFTER YOU RUN OUT OF SERMONS ON LOVE?The Vision of the Liberal Church James Ishmael Ford When two individuals meet, so do two private worlds. None of our private worlds is big enough for us to live a wholesome life in. We need the wider world of joy and […]

The 2023 Pirelli calendar has much Pagan imagery while highlighting women's empowerment. Continue reading The 2023 Pirelli Calendar tarot-like, Pagan imagery at The Wild Hunt.

What hope isn't, what it is, and where to find it. A sermon drawn from MaryAnn McKibben Dana's new book of the same title.

I'm making some small walnut book holders to display a collection of small volumes printed by a good friend who is a letterpress artist. It will be a great place to display our growing collection of his works. I had done similar sliding book racks years ago with my students at the Clear Spring School and for an article in Woodwork Magazine. Those, being for full sized books would have been way too large for these tiny printed volumes. In the meantime, I'm working on the table of contents for a new book about designing boxes. That means also that a variety of new designs are floating through my mind. Make, fix and create. Assist others in learning likewise.  

I am noticing the madrones lately. Maybe it is the time of year. They have lost most of their leaves and the bark has peeled leaving that gorgeous red-orange color. But it is their trunks that are drawing my attention. Gnarly and battered though they are, they keep sprouting new growth. I am feeling my […]

“It takes courage to say yes to rest and play in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol.” -Brene Brown   Say yes to rest today.

I’ve been trying to find out if the Quonahassit people, when they were pushed out of Cohasset, Mass., joined up with the Wampanoags or the Massachusett, or some went to each. I started out assuming that since they were Massachusett, they would have joined up with that nation. But I can’t find a definitive answer. … Continue reading "Land acknowledgements"

                                 Come Thou Long Expected Jesus  performed by the Geneva International Christian Choir and Orchestra.   Today is the second Sunday of Advent and we celebrate with one of the loveliest of the Advent carols, Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus featuring words by the hymnist Charles Wesley. Today’s song is one of the oldest in the English Protestant tradition.   It was one of literally thousands of hymn lyrics written by Charles Wesley (1707-1788), the brother of John Wesley, founder of Methodism.   The prolific hymnist almost single handedly established the tradition of congregational singing among Methodists and by osmosis much of the rest of English languageProtestantism.   Prolific hy...

The last full moon of the year is this coming Wednesday, December 7. If you have any 2022 goals or projects that need an extra magical push to get them over the finish line, here’s your chance.

Please join us this Sunday (4 December 2022) at 11:00 AM for “Would You Believe?” by Rev. Barbara Jarrell. We will be meeting in the sanctuary for this worship service.  Please join us in person at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, 9449 Ellerbe Road, Shreveport LA  71106 if you are able to do so. Our service … Continue reading "All-Ages Worship (4 December 2022)"

This Sunday (4 December 2022) — “Understanding the Bible” Adapted for this age group from a curriculum based on the book by John Buehrens (Understanding the Bible: An Introduction for Skeptics, Seekers, and Religious Liberals). This week — Session 2 — “The Akedah” We will discussion the story of the Binding of Isaac. What does … Continue reading "Middle and High School Youth Religious Education (4 December 2022)"

This Sunday (4 December 2022) — Moses and the 10 Commandments This week, the class will hear the story of Moses and the 10 Commandments. They will talk about the Commandments as a covenant and work on a “translation” of the commandments that works for their classroom.

Please join us on Sunday (4 December 2022) as we continue our adult religious education class at 9:00 AM for “WhUU Dat” via Zoom and facilitated by Susan Caldwell and Barbara Deger and continuing our discussion of the Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide. This week’s reading will be the final chapter of the pocket guide — “Our … Continue reading "Online Adult Religious Education — 4 December 2022"

Please join us next Tuesday (6 December 2022) at 12 noon for our weekly Zoom lunch. Bring your lunch and meet up with your All Souls friends, have lunch, and just catch up.

Each month we dedicate all of our non-pledge income to an organization doing the work that best embodies our Unitarian Universalist principles and values. For the month of December 2022, we choose North Louisiana Interfaith. Interfaith is a non-partisan political organization made up of member institutions of which All Souls is one of many institutions. … Continue reading "North Louisiana Interfaith — December 2022 Give-Away-The-Plate Recipient"

I love December because it is a fresh way to stop being shackled to the past. Choosing to have difficult conversations with yourself allows a freedom to reassess a true sense of  who you are and your own memories. Continue reading The Importance of December at The Wild Hunt.