In honor of International Migrants Day on December 18, UUSC interviewed Patrice Lawrence, executive director of UUSC partner the UndocuBlack Network (UBN). In her time at UBN, she is steadily leading the charge on what currently and formerly undocumented Black immigrants need by making their demands clear on a local and national level. Patrice is […]

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is pleased to announce they have hired Joy Berry as the Children and Families Faith Development Specialist, starting January 23. The position has been re-established as part of the Lifespan Faith Engagement (LFE) team to fully integrate the needs of... Continue reading "UUA Hires Joy Berry as Children and Families Faith Development Specialist "

Please join us on Saturday (17 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 (17 December 2022)"

“Stillness is our primal becoming: how we live up to ourselves. Makes the most; shapes action. A beating heart rests every chance it gets.” -Atena Danner, from her poem “Divine Right to Rest,” in Incantations for Rest Find some time to be still today.

Compassion for Campers , the organization which supplied urgently needed cold weather survival gear, other supplies, personal hygiene items, and non-perishable food to the McHenry County unhoused and housing insecure, will offer its last distribution for 2022 today at Willow Crystal Lake, 100 South Main Street from 10am to 2am at Community Resource Day.   Snow finally dusts the ground and temperatures will plunge over the days leading to Christmas. Homeless for Christmas.  You can help. To sustainthis critical service next year, please consider making a generous donationto Compassion for Campers while making your end of the tax year qualifying donations.   Gifts can be made by sending a check made out to Tree of Life UU Congregation, ...

Today I start a three day class making Tiny Boxes with 6 students at ESSA. It promises to be a fun class. Nearly all the students in this class have been in my earlier classes, so it should be a great deal of fun... hanging out with friends and making stuff. I'm grateful for the opportunity, and thank ESSA for providing it. We have 9 making days before Christmas. Make, fix and create... 

Over a year ago, I received the nudging from Spirit to set aside enough time on Saturday mornings to go out and sit on the edge of the woods behind our house and just be, just listen, just be present … Continue reading →

Prayer for the Week of December 19, 2022 - Prayer for the Earth Wisdom, as we turn toward the solstices, those halfway points between equinoxes, the deepening of winter or summer, depending on the hemisphere in which we live, may we pay extra attention to our climate choices and how...

                                                         Pedir Posadas,  a traditional Mexican Posadas song with Spanish lyrics. Today is the first day of the traditional Mexican celebration of Las Posadas, a novenario or novena—an extended nine daydevotional prayer observed between December 16 and Christmas EveDecember 24.   The more than 400 year-old custom has spread to other Latin American nations and to the Mexican diasporain the United States. A neighborhood Posada procession in a painting by  Carmen Lomas Garza in the National  Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. Las Posadas derives from the Spanish word posada for a lodging, or inn and during the nine-day period during Advent it re-enactsthe ...

I was talking with one of the elders in our congregation this afternoon. Somehow, we got to talking about classical music. She happened to know a great deal about opera, and asked me if I knew Ileana Cotrubas. I didn’t. She played me a short recording. Now, I tend to prefer mezzo-sopranos to sopranos, and … Continue reading "Voices"

Adrianne Blanks, a relative newcomer to the Asheville area, releases a new Pagan version of a beloved holiday carol. Continue reading “The words didn’t really fit what I believed:” New seasonal music release reclaims Pagan roots at The Wild Hunt.

  A positive change in attitudes concerning sexuality occurred in the opening years of the twenty-first century.  In the year 2000, the little state of Vermont became the first in the country to sanction civil unions - the legal equivalent of marriage – for same sex couples.  Fifteen years later, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that under the Fourteenth Amendment Americans everywhere have a right to marry the person they love.  And now, this month, Congress passed a Respect for Marriage Act guaranteeing (just in case the Supremes change their mind) that the law of the land remains in place.   A generation ago, moralists warned that homosexual unions would mean social breakdown and the end of the traditional family.  Instead, the In...

UUSC Impact Storyteller Deanna Johnson sits down with Luis Enrique Gonzalez, Executive Director of UUSC partner FM4 Paso Libre.

A Japanese hidden Christian wall scroll depicting Mary holding the young Jesus, with two saints looking on (Shimano-yakata Museum, Ikitsuki) (Click on this link to hear a recorded version of the following piece) —o0o— Remaining with the theme I have unexpectedly found myself pursing with you throughout this season (see HERE and HERE), namely, uncovering things within the Advent and Christmas myths that are obscured from our view, this week I’d like to offer you a story about the birth of Jesus that was long obscured from us. It comes from the Kakure Kirishitan community, the so called “Hidden Christians” of Japan who went into hiding following the ban on Christianity imposed by the Tokugawa shogunate at the start of the 17th ce...

Side With Love is thrilled to announce 30 Days of Love 2023! Our annual month of spiritual nourishment, political grounding, and shared practices of faith and justice, 30 Days of Love will go from Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 16) through Valentine’s Day (February 14). This year’s 30 Days of Love is a gift to our whole community: a love letter, a warm hug, a spiritual balm for all of the individuals, families, religious professionals, partners and communities that embody our values and work for justice and liberation year round. Each week will feature a spiritual theme overlapping with one of Side With Love’s intersectional justice priorities, and we'll share an array of offerings to help nourish your spirit and give gratitu...

Rest is many things, only some of them “logical.” As someone who lived mostly in my head for much of my life, I had a hard time grasping the rationale of rest; there was always so much to do, and life was so short! I wanted to pack all I could into every moment. Rest … Continue reading Illogical

Researching the confidence tricksters and spies in Maurice Schwabe’s orbit required extreme patience and a lot of record keeping. I had my own version of those boards in the crime films where the cops post photos of suspects and tie them together with pieces of yarn. I created dossiers in a program called Scrivener listing […]

I did not have the opportunity to go to college. I had to work to take care of my family. I do wonder what my life would have been like if I had.  My dream career was to be an … Continue reading →

    Some Apocryphal Psalms in Syriac William Wright I was rummaging around looking for something else when I stumbled upon the small factoid that the Syriac Orthodox Church has, depending on how you count it, four or five Psalms in addition to the generally understood list of 150 collected in Protestant and Catholic churches. […]

                                                                        Simon and Garfunkel's A Hazy Shade of Winter . It’s a mystery. Why do some non-holiday winter songs get included in Christmas music playlists and others don’t?   Is it because they aren’t perky with a catchy hook, full of romance, or a clever novelty tune?   Take, for example, Simon and Garfunkel’s A Hazy Shade of Winter . The 1966 single sleeve for A Hazy Shade of Winter . Despite being the second biggest hit off the duo’s landmark 1968 album Bookends peaking at # 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 after Mrs. Robinson which reached #1, you won’t find the song on Yule radio.   Maybe it’s because it is a rather gloo...

Susan Frederick-Gray Dr. Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, shares a blessing for the holiday season in the final year of her administration.

The controversy over the proposed A303 tunnel continues with costs for the project rising and little agreement on exactly how the project should proceed. Continue reading The latest on the Stonehenge Tunnel at The Wild Hunt.

Sunday, December 18, 10:30 a.m.  “The Light Keeper’s Box” ~ Solstice Pageant Shared Sunday Worship Service at First Parish UU, Northboro This Sunday, UCMH joins with our friends at First Parish Northboro to celebrate the beauty of the season as we approach the shortest day of the year, a time filled with magic and mystery. At   [ … ] The post Sunday Worship: December 18 ~ Joint Service at First Parish Northboro ~ Solstice Pageant ~ 10:30 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

    As it happens it was on this day, the 14th of December in 1782 that the Montgolfier brothers made their first test flight of a hot air balloon. The balloon floated a little over a mile before coming to ground. Surprised onlookers destroyed the remains of the balloon. As it happens, it was […]

Tania Márquez Every time we open ourselves to one another, we become more human. Continue reading "Leading Las Posadas"

I hate naps. I always wake up feeling awful. My mouth is dry, my body feels achy, and I somehow feel more tired than when I went to sleep. But, I rest in other ways. I rest by recharging with loved ones. I rest by watching my favorite TV show. I rest by closing my … Continue reading Recharging

Starlight Starbright First start I see tonight I may, I might, wish upon that start so bright.  And when the sun tells me the day’s begun. I’ll turn to see my miracle appear to me.  The journey’s hard, the night … Continue reading →

The Winter Solstice is more than a single point in time. It’s a season, one with multiple liminal zones where anything can happen. Make good use of it – if you can.

      TWENTY-THREE ZEN BOOKSEssential Reading on the Intimate Way James Ishmael Ford Rolling out, rolling back, how many scrolls of sutras does it recite?It dies here; it is born there;it has several kinds of chapters and verses Keizan Jokin When I first started practicing Zen it seemed possible to read pretty much everything […]

The trend around the world to return to plundered artifacts to their countries of origin continues to gain momentum despite some countries and their institutions exhibiting reluctance to repatriate some artifacts. Continue reading Repatriation of plundered artifacts continues at The Wild Hunt.

Sometimes joy can come from small simple things, like a favorite ornament, Grandma’s latke recipe, time to put together a puzzle, sitting quietly in the dark, or a walk in the snow. One of Lynn’s little joys each December is seeing Edna the Solstice turtle, and ... read more . The post Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – Dec. 13th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

It’s our multigenerational Solstice Service at 10:30 in the Great Hall. This is big energy service with elements geared towards children and youth of all ages: imagery, music, and storytelling. Both the adult choir and the children’s choir will sing. Afterwards there will be snacks ... read more . The post This Week in Religious Education – Dec. 13th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

    TWENTY-FOUR ZEN BOOKSEssential Reading on the Intimate Way James Ishmael Ford When I first started practicing Zen it would be possible read pretty much everything on offer in a week or two. Today, every year more books are appearing than can be read. So some sorting becomes necessary. And with that people offer […]

The UUA supports the recently-passed Respect for Marriage Act and also emphasizes the need to go further in protecting the full rights of people across the spectrum of gender and sexuality. Continue reading "UUA Supports Strengthening Legal Foundation for LGBTQIA+ Marriages While Calling for Greater Protections: Respect for Marriage Act, Signed by President Biden, Will Provide Basic Legal Recognition for Marriage Regardless of Future Supreme Court Decisions"

All taken with a Fuji X100V and are straight out of camera. For the colour photos I used Øyvind Nordhagen’s “OWH Daylight” recipe and, for the black and white shot, Marcel Fraijs’s “Acros Dark” recipe. Just click on a photo to enlarge it.     

Once when I described myself as “lazy” someone said, “Whose word is that? Is that your word?” And I realized it wasn’t my word. My words would be rested, thoughtful, cozy, rejuvenated. -Marin Smith (CLF) What other good words can replace the negative language we sometimes use about ourselves when choosing to rest?

Today I'm finishing the installation of Brusso hinges in boxes made for an article in Popular Woodworking magazine. To cut the mortises for the hinges to fit I demonstrated my "flipping story stick" technique on the router table. It is gratifying when it comes out perfect, as shown in the photo. Yes, it takes practice. Do it a few times and you get better at it. The wood is ash. The hidden spline corners have contrasting walnut splines that are only visible when the box is opened. The splines, with grain running in the same direction as the grain in the sides provides a joint that can last centuries if the box is valued by its owners. Make, fix and create... Assist others in learning likewise.

A friend, Tim, brought a great book to my attention and sent me a youtube link to an interesting presentation by British author Raymond Tallis. His 2003 book, The Hands: A Philosophical Inquiry into Being Human was one I’d never read. The video is worth watching.  https://youtu.be/gsfP4Miwpfw A point that should be made about my book, the Wisdom of Our Hands , is how it differs from previous explorations in the same field.  Where books like Tallis’s (also Frank Wilson’s the Hand , and Sennett’s t he Craftsman) explore from a philosophical and scientific angle, mine explores from a foundation of personal experience and thereby attempts to illustrate the same points from a more personal (and hopefully accessible) perspective. It ...

I grew up when color televisions were the new thing. My father was a salesman, and one year he won a new color television set as a reward for his performance at work. He unpacked his prize with excitement. Here … Continue reading →

                                                                                Sankta Lucia  sung in Swedish at a Church observation in Gothenburg ( Göteborg). Another day, another Saint.  Today we consider how a Sicilian virgin martyr and a Neapolitan song, became central to a Scandinavian folk custom that looks suspiciously pagan. In point of fact, no one is exactly sure, but the Feast of St. Lucy—Santa Lucia—observed annually on December 13, is ancient on one hand and surprisingly recent in its Norse guise. Almost nothing is known about St. Lucy.  She was reported to be the daughter of a wealthy and/or noble family from Syracuse in Sicily in the early Fourth Century.  Syracuse...

On Mastodon, a number of people have been commenting on John Scalzi’s recent blog post calling for an “Artisanal Web.” Blogger Amod Lele also comments on Scalzi’s post. Let’s go back to hosting our own websites, says Scalzi, and interacting with other people’s websites. In other words, he’s calling for a return to blogging. (I … Continue reading "Blogging"

Look how fast holiday season crept up on us. Where did 2022 go? Well, now’s the time to hunt for gifts for the loved ones in your life. Save 30% on everything at beacon.org through December 31 using code SPARKJOY30! Scroll down and you’ll see some selections to give you ideas.

TWH – Today is the United Nations (U.N.) International Day of Neutrality 2022, was first adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in February 2017. The U.N. defines neutrality as, “…the status of a country in which it declares itself as a non-participant in war or conflict between belligerent states.” The theme for this year is to, “Promote peace and avoid violence: war is not the answer to any challenging situation.” The U.N. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of December 12, 2022 at The Wild Hunt.

Michael S. Hogue In place of resignation in the face of climate change, the path of spiritual resilience opens us to a fuller life.

I want you to know that you are loved beyond your wildest imaginings by the spirit of creation. Every bit of you is holy—even the embarrassing parts, even the thoughts you wouldn’t tell your best friend. God is in your every cell, calling you to live a loving, joyful, boisterous life. To go easier on yourself. To accept that you are a blessing. To spread the word that there is no original sin, that we are all glorious gifts to a world that desperately needs us. I want you to know that you are a strand in the web of […] The post You Are Loved appeared first on BeyondBelief.

“Even at rest, tucked within the One, little brown [bats] cannot sustain their usual inner life. Each bat must reset its normal–drastically. Together, hanging very still, they slow their resting hearts from four hundred beats per minute to twenty…” -Gayle Boss, from “Little Brown Bat,” in All Creation Waits How might you reset your normal … Continue reading Resetting

When working on several boxes, it makes sense to do a few things before the sides are mitered to form the corner joints. The photo shows material for several boxes  with grooves already cut for the bottoms to fit, a light chamfer along the inside bottom edge, and a Danish oil finish applied. Now the miters can be cut. We have 12 making days left before Christmas. If shopping for a loved one, think tools. They empower long after the holidays are over. Skills are transformational. Want to buy stuff instead? Here's my etsy site: https://dougstowe.etsy.com Make, fix and create... Assist others in learning lifewise.

This morning Susanna (my wife) and I took a stroll around Jesus Green and Midsummer Common in the snow. Along the way I took a few photographs and paste them here for your pleasure. The first thirteen were taken on Jesus Green; the last four on Midsummer Common. Enjoy! All taken with a Fuji X100V and are straight out of camera.  For the colour photos I used Øyvind Nordhagen’s “OWH Daylight” recipe and, for the black and white shot, Marcel Fraijs’s “Acros Dark” recipe. Just click on a photo to enlarge it.       

                                                                                Le Canta a la Virgen de Guadalupe  sung by Beatriz Adriana. Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe , Queen of Mexico and Empress of the Americas , Patroness of the Americas , and most recently Patroness of the Unborn .   An image of her preserved on cloth in a Mexico City Basilica is the object of almost universal adoration in Mexico and among the large Mexican diaspora in the United States.   She has been called the “rubber band which binds this disparate nation into a whole.”   Mexican literary icons have attested to her importance.   Carlos Fuentes said that “you cannot truly be considered a ...

“When I was a little baby down in Georgia,  Wondered how my life went round! Felt the sun shine down in Daddy’s Garden, Had my both feet right on the ground!”   …a song I wrote 35 years ago. I … Continue reading →

 As you may have seen in my last post, following this morning’s service of mindful meditation I had a quick wander around Christ’s Pieces, the park opposite the church, and took a few photos of the wintry scene. Then, just before going to bed it began to snow. So, I wrapped up very warmly, and went out again into the park to take a few more photos. I hope you enjoy them! All taken with a Fuji X100V and are straight out of camera.  As in the previous set, for the colour photos I used Øyvind Nordhagen’s “OWH Daylight” recipe and, for the black and white shot, Marcel Fraijs’s “Acros Dark” recipe. Just click on a photo to enlarge it.

Louis Armstrong with the Benny Carter Orchestra on Christmas Night in Harlem. Louis Armstrong was the acknowledged King of Jazz when he laid down the track Christmas Night in Harlem with Benny Carter and his Orchestra for the Verve label.  He had been practically present since the birth of jazz as a young cornet player in New Orleansand had come North to Chicago to play with the King Oliver Band at Al Capone speakeasies in the ‘20s then switched to trumpet to play with Fletcher Henderson. He fronted his own combos and even a Big Bandfor a while in the 30’s, became a radio star performing with pals like Bing Crosby and in the post-World War II era led the Esquire Jazz All-Stars at annual Carnegie Hall concerts.  In 1953 he was at th...

I feel like I’ve been dreaming a lot recently. Mind you, I’m not sure. Many years ago I would get up in the middle of the night if I had a really interesting dream, and I would write it down. Then one day I re-read one of my descriptions of one of these dreams. The … Continue reading "Thoughts and dreams"

In today's Spotlight on Traditions post, SianLuc Asha Merlyn Heart introduces readers to the totemic beliefs present in ancient Celtic paganism. Continue reading Spotlight: Totemism in the Celtic Tradition at The Wild Hunt.

Join us on Sunday, Dec. 11th, 2:30 – 4:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall for Gingerbread House Making! We need you to RSVP for this event so that we will have enough gingerbread house kits. Please fill out a short form (link below) for your party: you, your child(ren), and any other family or friends. …<p> All-Ages Gingerbread House Workshop Read More »

A sermon on what is permanent and what is transient preached at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston.

The shelter seeks to prevent homelessness and to provide our homeless community with access to viable pathways, shelter, and essential services towards meeting their personal goals. Chief Executive Officer, Christian Madrid-Estrada, will provide an update on the current status of the shelter and how we may be able to aid in their future success.

      WE ARE NOT IT. BUT IN TRUTH. IT IS US. IT IS YOU. IT IS ME. James Ishmael Ford A Facebook friend invited people to share their favorite brief quote from scriptures. Something that touches the heart deeply. While he is a Christian minister, he explicitly made sure the invitation extended to […]

Our theme for December is "The Path of Wonder." It's a state of being often relegated to childhood, especially at the holiday season. But wonder is not something fleeting or frivolous. Instead it is the one spiritual tool that helps us regain focus on the things that truly matter.

The tree mimicked the shape of the cloud, both of which were hiding the sun. It was a dark day after some rain and before the next storm. The trees and clouds were amazing though, even, maybe especially, when they blocked the sun. “Enjoy the journey”, I tell myself that often, and mostly it works. […]

Following this morning’s service of mindful meditation I had a quick wander around Christ’s Pieces, the park opposite the church, and took a few photos of the wintry scene.  All taken with a Fuji X100V and are straight out of camera.  For the colour photos I used Øyvind Nordhagen’s “OWH Daylight” recipe and, for the black and white shot, Marcel Fraijs’s “Acros Dark” recipe. Just click on a photo to enlarge it.

When was the last time you slowed down to listen?  Did you know you can hear the chattering of grasshoppers at dusk? Have you ever felt the hum of cicadas fill your ears until it drowned out all other sounds? When you take a bite of your favorite food, can you feel the texture of … Continue reading Slowing Down

An interesting alternative for the Swedish Sloyd knife can be found in the Japanese Kiridashi knife. Not only does it allow the woodshop culture to grow beyond its European roots, it has a single side grind that will present teachers less challenge in keeping the knives sharp. In fact older students could be taught to do it themselves. One of the problems with many knives is that being ground on both sides requires them to be sharpened equally from both sides of the blade to maintain symmetry. The Kiridashi knife is ground only on one edge, and that edge alone requires sharpening attention.  With the grind only on one side, the surface of the grind is broader presents a more stable face to the sharpening stone. Kiridashi knives are also...

It’s getting close to the fine old tradition of making New Year’s resolutions – followed by the equally old tradition of breaking New Year’s resolutions. Here are five of the most common reasons people break New Year’s resolutions – and what we can do instead.

                                                                      People Look East by the  Boy Choristers of Ely Cathedral Choir in England. Today is the Third Sunday in Advent and time to share another true Advent Carol.  As you might recall churches that honor the liturgical calendar traditionally did not sing Christmas hymns and carols until Christmas Eve and continued singing them until the Feast of the Epiphany.  The Advent season had its own songs, the best known of which is O Come O Come Emanuel .  In practice many American churches blur the distinction these days. Each Christian denomination has its own selection of Advent carols in their hymnals, some widely shared with others, s...

Please join us this Sunday (11 December 2022) at 11:00 AM for Waiting in the Growing Light — An Advent Service for Unitarian Universalists On the Christian liturgical calendar, this is the season of Advent (from the Latin adventus “to arrive” or “come to”). It is a time of quiet, of waiting — at a … Continue reading "All-Ages Worship (11 December 2022)"

The Mitten Tree for Maggie Lee’s Closet returns. The tree will be up in the sanctuary this Sunday — so bring new mittens, gloves, scarves, hats, and coats for children to decorate the tree. They will later go to Maggie Lee’s Closet at Highland Center Ministries — a children’s clothing closet that is free to … Continue reading "Mitten Tree for Maggie Lee’s Closet"

This Sunday (11 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 3 — The Birth Stories of Jesus If our discussion of the Binding of Isaac is … Continue reading "Middle and High School Youth Religious Education (11 December 2022)"

This Sunday (11 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 (11 December 2022) as we continue our adult religious education class at 9:00 AM and discern where want to go as a group in the next several weeks.  Our adult religious education class is still meeting via Zoom. Earlier this week, we sent out the reading from the Introduction in … Continue reading "Online Adult Religious Education — 11 December 2022"

Please join us next Tuesday (13 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.

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.