Our Rev. Jan is retiring. Our congregation had a retirement party for her. It was a sad and joyous celebration. Sad because she is leaving. Joyous for the time she was with us and for the beginning of a wonderful … Continue reading →

Seven questions and answers about the Gods and our experiences of Them, Pagan books, spiritual practices, and the concept of grace.

  Note:   We’ve been here before but slightly updated to account In case you hadn’t noticed today is officially Flag Day , a demi-holiday easily overlooked.  It is celebrated by displaying the American Flag.  Veterans groups often organize solemn flag disposal ceremonies .   No other country on Earth makes quite the fetish of its flag as does the United States.  The word idolatry comes to mind.  At its worst it elevates the symbol—the Flag—over the substance—the democratic values espoused in the Declaration of Independence and protected by the Constitution.  It is an absolute truism that those who wrap themselves most in the Flag—and these days that is not just a figurative term—are the most disingenuous and dangero...

I have spent most of the last twenty years working in sexuality education, in one way or another. It’s been good for me. I hope I’ve been able to inspire many teachers and facilitators with the materials I’ve created to work with young people directly. I hope I’ve been able to provide many of the …</p> The post Shifting Focus first appeared on For Parents of Children w/Chronic Illness.

                                            When the rain beats down on the pear blossoms, a butterfly flies up. A Zen koan by way of Dahui Zonggao   Butterflies: Reflections, Tales and Verse by Hermann Hesse Selected by Volker […]

Ouroboros, the ancient symbol of a snake devouring its own tail, is a powerful representation of the interconnectedness of all nature as well  the lifecycle stages of birth, growth, death, and re-birth. Our earlier selves continually feed our later selves as we mature, creating a continual cycle of death and re-birth of self. -Lori Stone … Continue reading Cycle of Becoming

Taken with a Fuji X100V using Anders Lindborg and John Sevigny’s Kodak T-Max P3200 recipe Just click on the photo to enlarge it  

TWH speaks with Robert Schreiwer, founder of the Heathen tradition of Urglaawe, and the livestreamed ritual remembering the desecration of Pagan shrines. Continue reading Remembrance and honoring the deities of desecrated Pagan shrines at The Wild Hunt.

June is many things, including Pride month. This year, we are especially grateful for our many GLBTQ+ ancestors and kin who have worked, danced, played, struggled, lived and loved before us and alongside us. Some of us have been activists for a very long time, ... read more . The post Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – June 13th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Children and youth will be attending the multigenerational service in the Great Hall with their families this Sunday. Come to the Welcome Table to pick up an Activity Bag for your child so they can follow along with the service. Childcare for children 5 and under ... read more . The post Religious Education programming Sunday June 18th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

We’re planning a more robust Religious Education (RE) program for 2023-24, with plans for each grade level. We’d like to offer RE for each age every Sunday that’s not a multigenerational Sunday. We’d like to lighten the load for RE teachers by having teams of 4. That ... read more . The post Plans for Our RE Program Next Year: This Could Be Your Time to Volunteer! appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

As part curricula for the faith development of children and youth next year, we are working to offer the year-long Our Whole Lives (OWL) program at the 8th /9th grade level, and the 9 week programs of K/1 and 5th /6th grade OWL in the ... read more . The post Our Whole Lives: Lifespan Sexuality Education for Children, Youth and Adults appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Chris Chepel , David Stewart UUA Co-Financial Advisors, Chris Chepel and David Stewart, provide a statement about actions following the UUA’s 2014 Climate Divestment Resolution. Continue reading "Co-Financial Advisors’ Statement on Actions Following the UUA’s 2014 Climate Divestment Resolution"

Marking the third anniversary of the COVID lockdown, I'm using this blog to reflect on this time and to point towards the audio archive Doorstep Revolution, a project I was part of putting together as part of Gentle/Radical.The fourth episode features stories of pregnancy and birth. These are stories of two families, living round the corner from each other in Riverside, who reflect on what it was

The Juneteenth—Freedom Day Festival on historic Woodstock Square on Saturday, June 17 from 3 to 5:30 pm has announced a full program for the celebration of the date for the remaining 250,000 enslaved people in Galveston, Texas first heard news of Emancipation.   The commemoration of that event has spread from Texas and now is observed nationally as a day of Jubilee and freedom.   The event in Woodstock represents the first ever such celebration in McHenry County.                                                                       Kenneth Davis, Chicago bluesman of the Ken Davis Group, has been added to the Festival line up. The program will include an invocation and a benediction by the Rev...

2023 June The Path of Delight – Playday – Lydia Patrick Like most dogs Millie loves to look out the window. If a car passes she sees it. If an animal runs through the yard she lets us know. If … Continue reading →

According to a recent news article, Vermont, Maine, and Maryland have removed time limits for law suits about sex crimes. Massachusetts, Michigan, and Rhode Island are currently considering such legislation. What this means is that if you were abused by someone as a child in these three states, you have the rest of your life … Continue reading "An interesting development"

People talk about “artificial intelligence.” They get corrected by people who say, It’s not intelligence, it’s “machine learning.” But actually machines don’t learn either. All this false terminology isn’t serving us well. It obscures the fact that the humans who design the machines are the intelligences at work here, and by calling the machines “AI” … Continue reading "Let us name it … ASS"

“I hope we will take one good look at the passingness of things, the precious fragility of everything. A single blade of grass, a much loved coffee mug, a fading photograph, a quick kiss; all speak of the wonder and transitoriness of life-and-death within the interdependent web. There is beauty and wonder in this existence. … Continue reading Fleeting Moments

In this week's Pagan Community Notes: thor's Oak Kindred joins Race Against Hate, Bible banned in SLC, OKC apparently OK with publicly funded religious schools, Elon Musk looking for Witchcraft VP

Elaine McArdle A quick guide to the speakers, events, and business of this year’s Unitarian Universalist Association annual meeting.

Statement from the UUA Board About Proposed Revisions to Article II of the UUA Bylaws Continue reading "Statement from the UUA Board About Proposed Revisions to Article II"

Some of the Tree of Life Woodstock Pride Parade contingent before the rain intensified.  Bottom Row Sam. Ted Funn, Leah Mikkelson, Rev. Jen Gracen.  Top Row Judy Stettner, Jesse Bowen, Julie Huddle, Sandy Ekhert, Judy Beyer, Ron Relic, and Nick Madaus on the tractor.  Well, it was cold—hovering around 50° —with   light rain or drizzle all day yesterday for the annual Woodstock Pride parade and event, but it did not discourage a large and enthusiastic crowd until the last hour.   Judy and Marc Stettner; Julie Huddle; Leah Mickkelson; Ryan, Wendle, and Blossom Broussard; Rev. Gracen, Virgina, and daughter Adie, Carol Ciccotosto, and the Old Man were among those who shivered and shared good news about the   Tree of Life Unitarian...

    Harriet Martineau, British novelist, lecturer, abolitionist and theological thinker was born on this day, the 12th of June, in 1802. She’s always been a favorite of mine. The family were active English Unitarians of Huguenot descent, her father a deacon at the famed Octagon Chapel in Norwich. The family was comfortably middle class. […]

I saw how through these fixed identities and supporting structures, we the people are separated one from another. I suffered then and now because of the identities which separate me from others. Our Covenant brings us back to one another. The post Queering Our Covenants appeared first on BeyondBelief.

  When we understand the role the hands play in human development, in the growth of character, intelligence and creativity, we also begin to grasp the importance of the arts in education and the necessity of bringing an increasing number of artists into schools and applying their hands (and minds) in the education of our children. Understanding the role of the hands in education also provides a clear rationale for woodworking education. Woodworking in schools is still important despite the concerted effort of many school administrators to do away with it. An interesting point is made by American amateur woodworkers, when they call what they do in their woodshops “sawdust therapy.” We humbly note the beneficial psychological effects ...

They show up in my social media from time to time: lions, chickens, lizards, owls, goats, bears, donkeys, kangaroos, deer, cows, ducks, cats, parrots, koalas, pigs, even fish and of course, dogs, so many dogs–all engaged in whatever acrobatics needed … Continue reading →

Medeola virginiana, sometimes called Cucumber Root or Indian Cucumber-root, is in bloom in the woodlands around Cohasset right now. As the name implies, the small root is crunchy and white and tastes like cucumber — but you kill the plant when you dig it up for the root, so I stopped foraging for it many … Continue reading "Tiny flower"

“The tangled things will always be here, in this moment I am living through, right now, whatever comes after.” -from “Tangled,” by Dawn Star Sarahs-Borchelt What are the tangled things you are living through right now?

There is controversy over the reputed destruction of 39 standing stones, or menhir, in the French village of Carnac. But the accounts of what happened are disputed between the Carnac government and a local archeologist. Continue reading Anger and confusion over destruction of menhirs in France at The Wild Hunt.

Reflections on the 100th anniversary of the flower communion, and the ritual's connection to anti-fascism. The post 100 Years of the Flower Communion appeared first on Colin Bossen.

A sermon about joy and the Unitarian Universalist tradition. The post Joy appeared first on Colin Bossen.

A service to kick off PRIDE week in Los Alamos. Guest Speakers: Luke Eigelbach and Melissa Goldman.

We saw a bobcat this week while hiking. I have seen them before, but other times it was a quick glimpse from a distance. This kitty walked right by us on the trail and seemed more tired than we were. I hope it is OK; it was walking pretty slowly. Bobcats aren’t scary, not like […]

You are cordially invited to join us for a Zen retreat Wednesday Jun 21 – Sunday Jun 25, 2023 A multi-day Zen meditation retreat (Sesshin) hosted by the University Unitarian Church, in Seattle, Washington. We will meet in person and on Zoom. The meditation retreat will be facilitated by the Bright Cloud Zen practice group […]

Despite a shaky claim that the Duryea brothers built the "World's First Real Automobile", an honor usually ascribed to Gotlieb Dahlmer, this post card commemorates the brother's first factory in Springfield, Massachusetts.   Ask an American school child “who invented the automobile?” and the kid will probably say Henry Ford .   Which, of course, is flat-out wrong.   The automobile had many fathers.   Ford was relatively late to the game.   What he did do was revolutionize the manufacture of the machines by replacing the hand-built methods of the carriage makers and bicycle builders who dominated the early industry with the modern assembly line which so greatly reduced costs that cars went from the realm of playthings for the we...

“For all who left a relationship in order to save your heart, may your own heartbeat be your blessing. Its rhythm, its particular kinships, its unique rhythm. May you know your own heart as God’s blessing. “For all who had to set boundaries in order to keep your mind intact, may your own mind be … Continue reading Separation

Luke Babb celebrates a revision to the bylaws of the Troth that will allow for members to conduct rituals in honor of all beings connected to the ancient Germanic polytheistic tradition. Continue reading Hail Fenrir: Celebrating the Troth’s New Position Statement at The Wild Hunt.

One of my many falling-apart maps  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— This piece begins and ends with a reading of a poem by the American poet and pacifist, William Stafford (1914–1993), called “ Course in Creative Writing .” Course in Creative Writing by William Stafford They want a wilderness with a map— but how about errors that give a new start?— or leaves that are edging into the light?— or the many places a road can’t find? Maybe there’s a land where you have to sing to explain anything: you blow a little whistle just right and th...

We’ve had two weeks of very cool rainy weather, and that counter-clockwise low pressure weather system has kept away the wildfire smoke from Canada, while folks to our south are facing orange skies and unsafe air. Still, we’ve paid attention, following the news, and thinking about what might happen if it does come our way. […]

I propose the location for The new Donald J. Trump Presidential Library to be  935 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. It is fittingly designed in the "Brutalist" architectural  style, resembling many of the buildings Trump has had built on his own behalf. As the  J. Edgar Hoover building it currently serves as headquarters for the FBI. It well fits a 4 year presidency marked by an unprecedented degree of graft, lying and corruption. Larger than most presidential libraries, it's eleven stories will be needed for the vast amount of evidence that must be preserved. I'm relaxing today after 5 days of class in which I was blessed with great students who helped each other and took great joy in learning. Three of my students wanted...

A Korean map of the Hermit Kingdom.  The Han is the second major river from the south pictured on the map, the water  way to the capital Hanyang (modern Seoul.) A fat book could be made of forgotten and neglected American foreign wars or interventions. Take the war in Korea, for instance.   No, not the one when Harry Truman sent American forces to try to repel an invasion of the South by the Communist North in 1950, although I know veterans of that conflict have taken to calling it a forgotten war.   No, I have in mind an action nearly 80 years earlier.   Never heard of it?   Well pull up a stool and I will tell you all about it. In American military and naval annals, it is listed, mostly as a footnote, as the United States expedit...

Please join us on Sunday (11 June 2023) at 11:00 AM for “Focusing on the Obvious” by Rev. Joy Walker. Most of us get so caught up with information fed to us by our eyes, nose, ears, mouth and hands that we sometimes miss a very promising blessing. Joy suggests that we stop focusing on … Continue reading "All Ages Worship (11 June 2023)"

June 2023 Building and Grounds Work Day — 10 June 2023 2023 Pledge Drive — We Need Your Pledge Now

Please join us on the first of our fun religious education Summer activities for children and youth — Tie-Dye Sunday. The Sunday before Father’s Day is our annual “Tie-Dye for Dads and Other Special People” in the religious education wing. Children and youth should bring a 100% cotton garment to tie dye. More than one … Continue reading "Tie-Dye Sunday (11 June 2023)"

Please join us on Sunday (11 June 2023) for our adult religious education class at 9:00 AM. Our adult religious education class is now a dual-platform class — meeting in person in the church social hall and also on Zoom. This week, we will continue our discussion of Patrice Cullor’s An Abolitionist’s Handbook.  We will … Continue reading "Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education — 11 June 2023"

Please join us next Tuesday (13 June 2023) at 12 noon for our weekly Zoom lunch. Our weekly Zoom lunch is going dual-platform — join us from home using Zoom or in person in the social hall. Bring your lunch and meet up with your All Souls friends, have lunch, and just catch up.

Transitions are difficult for my autistic grandson. His mind, already on sensory overload, finds comfort in a predictable routine. I sometimes have to gently and lovingly convince him that he might enjoy the unexpected, even if it involves a different plan for the day. -Beth Murray (CLF) How might you make an unpredictable transition easier … Continue reading Predictable

I finished my 5 day box making class at ESSA and each student made about 4 boxes of different designs, using different corner joinery techniques. The box shown with keyed miter joints was a design that each of my students made before branching out and exploring their own design ideas. My books, The Box Maker's Guitar Book and Making Classic Toys that Teach have been re-released on Amazon and other sites.  The box is made from ash, spalted sycamore and walnut. With my teaching done for a while, I'll return my attention to my book about designing boxes. Make, fix and create...

This is the perfect time to acquaint ourselves with the spirit of Lobaria pulmonaria, because it offers a perspective that is refreshingly different - an antidote for this era or perhaps simply a balm to soothe. Continue reading Exalting the Strange at The Wild Hunt.

Board Statement on the Prioritization Process for Amendments to the Article II Proposal Continue reading "Board Statement on the Prioritization Process for Amendments to the Article II Proposal"

"All those qualities, capacities and tendencies which do not harmonize with the collective values – everything that shuns the light of public opinion, in fact – now come together to form the shadow, that dark region of the personality which is unknown and unrecognized by the ego." --Carl Jung "Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. At all counts, it forms an unconscious snag, thwarting our most well-meant intentions.” --Carl Jung “This day our days are diminished by one” a line from a Zen gatha reminds us. The time is precious: every moment of it. In particular, our time together grows short. I’ll be officially your minister until July 31, tho...

    Jeanne Guyon died on this day, the 9th of June in 1717. Her life was complex, involved a very unhappy marriage, numerous deaths, and a lifetime of illness. She was also a mystic and author of a controversial text, A Very Short and Easy Method of Prayer. Madame Guyon’s treatise was an elaboration […]

The centerpiece of Biden’s border policy is more of a problem than a promise delivered.

A Q&A with Sarah Rose Cavanagh | I was drawn into this topic for a few different reasons. First, I was watching the news and reading articles warning about a growing mental health crisis in our youth—and this was even before the beginning of the pandemic. As a college educator who studies psychology, and as the parent of a teenager, this news was of high concern to me, both personally and professionally. Second, I was observing these battles taking place in higher education, where one side argues that youth need more compassion, care, and flexibility, and the other side says that we’ve already given too much, and that young people need more challenge, exposure, and risk-taking.

It happens quite often that I end up loving a show that I won’t recommend to everyone.  Because it is particularly gory, explicit, or just plain weird, or really heavy in one genre (esp sci-fi or fantasy) that some people … Continue reading →

The movie version we all remember and treasure. Ten years ago, as I was getting ready for bed.   It was late.   I was idly flipping through channels while finishing a late night snack.   Then there it was.   On Turner Classic Movies (TCM)— The Maltese Falcon.   And I caught it only minutes after the opening credits rolled.   I was hooked.   John Huston ’ s 1941 directorial debut is one of those films you can watch over and over and it is fresh every time.   So, I watched.   Who needs sleep? Then in the wee small hours, after Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade delivers the classic closing line to Ward Bond ’ s befuddled detective, “That’s the stuff that dreams are made of,” before I can finally pack it in I discover that ne...

A Prayer for Compassion in Harsh Times Beloved, settle us down for some honest reflection on how we are with each other and ourselves. Help us take time to face what is true and real and how much we may be aiding and abetting a culture of fear and harm...

More than once in a high school classroom, I used the word “delightful.” To me, it was just a way of expressing an experience I had had.  I remember once commenting to a class that had just come into the … Continue reading →

  Peonies by Mary Oliver                     This morning the green fists of the peonies are getting ready to break my heart as the sun rises, as the sun strokes them with his old, buttery fingers and they open --- pools of lace, white and pink --- and all day the black ants climb over them,  boring their deep and mysterious holes into the curls, craving the sweet sap, taking it away to their dark, underground cities --- and all day under the shifty wind, as in a dance to the great wedding,  the flowers bend their bright bodies, and tip their fragrance to the air, and rise, their red stems holding all that dampness and recklessness gladly and lightly, and there it is again --- beauty the brave, the exemplary,  blazing open....

Delight is like the butterflies flying around and landing on the thing that is joy. Ross Gay Isn’t the word delight delightful? Just try saying the word delight without smiling. Oh I know, there are all these quotes about delighting … Continue reading →

The transition of “immigrant” to “citizen” is seldom any one feeling. There are feelings of loss and grief so painful it takes your breath away. Feelings of security and pride in being able to cast a ballot. Feelings of anger at colonial borders which crossed you and not the other way around. In these ways … Continue reading Citizenship

The Southern Poverty Law Center has released its annual Year in Hate & Extremism report that includes several groups in the broad umbrella of Paganism Continue reading Pagan Neo-Völkisch groups included in Civil rights watchdog 2022 hate list at The Wild Hunt.

A copy of the original covenant of Second Parish in Hingham — since 1770 called the First Parish in Cohasset — appears in the ministry record book used from about 1741 to about 1796 by ministers of the congregation. Those ministers were Rev. John Fowle (minister from 1741-1747), Rev. John Brown (minister from 1747-1791), and … Continue reading "An 18th century covenant"

As we approach the one-year anniversary of the Dobbs Decision (June 24) overturning Roe v. Wade, Side with Love offered this webinar to highlight reproductive justice and faith organizing on the ground in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Our speakers shared their proactive ongoing work, reactions to the new environment post-Dobbs, and what support and partnership looks like for them. Facilitated by Rev. Ashley Horan, Director of Side With Love Organizing Strategy Team; and Rev. Rob Keithan, Interim Steering Committee Co-Chair of SACReD, the Spiritual Alliance of Communities for Reproductive Dignity and Minister of Social Justice at All Souls Church Unitarian in Washington, DC. View the recording We're especially grateful to guests Beulah Osueke, D...

A series on UUSC’s partners in Eastern Europe.

Woodstock Pride Fest is back this week and better than ever.   Recently named one of the best Pride Fests in Illinois, a full schedule of activities is already underway leading up to the colorful Parade and Festival on the Square this Sunday, June 11. With LGBTQ+ rights and safety under siege by reactionary forces, hate mongers, and opportunistic politicians around the county, Illinois has remained a bastion of unwavering support and the Woodstock Pride Fest as a beacon in once deep red McHenry County.   This year drag performances and vulnerable transgender youth have both been special targets and both will celebrated at the Fest sponsored by Woodstock Pride   supported by many community groups, welcoming communities of faith, busine...

No one told me after graduation I might feel depressed. After attending my last class, meeting all the deadlines for finals, joining my classmates in celebration for the occasion, there was an absence. I was happy to have my schedule a little more open, but I also felt an emptiness. A friend who has already … Continue reading After Graduation

By Christian Coleman | Ah, Florida! The hottest tourist getaway where you can refine your tan, stoke your adrenaline on Disney World rides, and soak up state-sanctioned prejudice and ignorance under the sun. Joining fellow civil rights groups League of United Latin American Citizens and Equality Florida, the NAACP issued a travel advisory for the Sunshine State to warn tourists about the laws and policies that are “openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals.” If Stefon from SNL were in charge of promoting DeSantisLand—gawd forbid!—he’d say this hot spot has everything.

TWH reports on a viral story about trail camera footage that purportedly captured "witches" eating a dead deer that seems to be severely lacking in crucial facts or verifiable information yet may still impact our community. Continue reading The viral deer-eating “witches” that aren’t at The Wild Hunt.

Nourish Your Body & Spirit at Dinner Church! Join us for Dinner Church on  Wednesday, June 14 . All are welcome to this family-friendly opportunity to share food for the spirit as we enjoy time together in community. We’ll have build-your-own burrito bowls (suggested donation $15 to cover the cost of the meal, $20 to help   [ … ] The post Wednesday, June 14 ~ Dinner Church! ~ 6:00-8:00 p.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

I just finished re-reading Jean Grondin’s Hans-Georg Gadamer: A Biography (trans. Joel Weinsheimer, part of Yale Studies in Hermeneutics series, 2011). I read this biography not long after it came out, but decided to re-read it due to the rise of fascism and totalitarianism in the United States. Gadamer lived through the Nazi Party’s rule … Continue reading "Reading list: Hans-Georg Gadamer"

Zeb Green I would have loved it as a kid to have a church that encouraged us to listen to our heartfelt yearning of self. Continue reading "The Sacred Truth"

The first job of education, job one, should be to enable students to achieve and support their own mental health. We see the failings of American education in the dramatic rise in teen anxiety, depression and suicide. The fact that so much gun violence is directed toward  schools, might also be telling us something important.  While a primary purpose of Froebel's Kindergarten was to give children an understanding of their interconnectedness with nature and community, our increasing pressure on test scores and academic competitiveness leaves children estranged from the very fabric of real life. To restore education to its rightful place in the scheme of things requires a massive reorientation toward the arts. Quite a few years ago, Davi...

Delight to me is a tricky word. Is delight just another word that expresses joy? Maybe, it’s a softer joy. I often say, tears of joy not tears of delight. Delight does not express deep emotions for me. A dear … Continue reading →

Two photos were somewhat clumsily put together for this panoramic view of a 1948 performance of the Lux Radio Theater in front of a large audience.  Jane Wyman and then husband Ronald Regan at the center microphone.  The final curtain went down on a dazzling era when the last broadcast of the Lux Radio Theater signed off on June 7, 1955.   The final program was an adaptation of MGM ’ s 1949 melodrama Edward My Son with Walter Pidgeon in the part played by Spencer Tracy on the big screen.   For more than twenty years the show had brought the biggest stars first of Broadway and then of Hollywood into American living rooms.   At the peak of its popularity that star power attracted audiences on a par with the hyper-popular radio comed...

Taken with a Fuji X100V using Anders Lindborg and John Sevigny’s Kodak T-Max P3200 recipe Just click on the photo to enlarge it

As another year moves towards a close, let’s reflect on where we’ve been, where we are, and where we are going. There are many transitions that happen in June so let’s be gentle with one another as sometimes change is hard. What kind of metaphorical ... read more . The post Theme for June 2023 appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Imagine a world without bridges. They are such important structures that allow us to cross from here to there, safely, more efficiently, or even at all. Maybe the first bridge happened accidentally; a tree fell across a river, creating a solid path, or someone laid down ... read more . The post Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – June 6th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Children and youth will be attending the multigenerational Volunteer Appreciation and Celebration service. Please come to show your support for our awesome RE teachers and other UUSS volunteers. It’s also our bridging ceremony for youth who are leaving the RE program this June, and everyone ... read more . The post Religious Education on Sunday June 11th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Paddling will occur in the evenings on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays during the months of June, July and August. Join UUSS members as we honor the interconnected web of life, while enjoying fellowship on local waters. All kayakers, canoeists and paddlers welcome. (If you don’t own watercraft ... read more . The post UUSS Paddles! appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

The UUSS BIPOC Authors book group read for July is The Girl With the Louding Voice, by Abi Daré. This novel, set in Nigeria, is about a girl determined to get an education. We welcome all newcomers to the book read and discussion. If you’d like ... read more . The post Book discussion for July: The Girl With the Louding Voice, by Abi Daré appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

As they rise to cross the stage in front of family and peers, students become the masters. A piece of paper is bestowed upon them in this ritual reminding the world of their accomplishments, and then what? Time to start learning in the school of life! Every ending gives rise to a new beginning. -Lori … Continue reading Graduation

Another cheese roll and wake is behind us. Our UK correspondent, Liz Williams, reports from Cooper's Hill and raises some hypothesized Celtic origins of the festival. Continue reading Cheese rolling: an ancient Celtic rite? at The Wild Hunt.

The UUA Board has stated its position against the amendment to the General Assembly 2023 Rules of Procedure reinstating the procedural microphone. Continue reading "UUA Board Position on the Rules of Procedure Amendment Reinstating Procedural Microphone"

The text of the prayer I offered at the Harris County Commissioners Court, as prepared. The post Prayer at the Harris County Commissioners Court, June 6, 2023 appeared first on Colin Bossen.

“The plant people have taught me to be generous and not be shy about blossoming, that it is our nature. I think when others see us, it can inspire them to open up and blossom too and we can be a field ablaze with dignity and beauty together.” —Brenda Salgado (Photo by Leslie Cross on Unsplash  [ … ] The post Sunday Worship: June 11 ~ Multigenerational Flower Communion Ceremony ~ 10:30 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

The first week of June is National Garden Week. I can remember spring as a child watching my Dad plant tomatoes in our back yard. I didn’ see the fascination at the time but he was so proud of them … Continue reading →

Several years ago, while working with the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color through PolicyLink in Oakland, California, I had a front row seat to the inner workings of one of the most exciting times in California politics.  This meant that I got to cross paths with everyone from both Governors Jerry Brown and […]

  Note:   Ever relevant as we face domestic Nazis, Fascists, and White Supremacists at home and the Russian invasion of Ukraine reminds us that naked aggression and war crimes are no longer unthinkable in Europe today.   We revisit this annual reminder. When it comes to World War II, certain dates are etched indelibly into the American consciousness, even occasionally piercing the historical unawareness of young people now generations removed from the events.   December 7, Pearl Harbor Day is one.   August 6 when the U.S. dropped the first Atomic Bomb making the end of the war with Japan inevitable is another. So is June 6, known without further explanation as D-Day.   American troops pinned down on Omaha Beach, June 6, 1944. On Ju...

The moment I saw this picture, taken by my friend Nancy Palmer Jones, I said “I want to paint that!” Nancy said, “Go for it!” I want to document the stages, because it’s so heartening to remind myself how the painting went from blank to visual gobbledygook to “hey, that looks like something” to “that’s […]

Crosswalks are designed to make crossing the street safer. When everyone–drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians–is paying proper attention to the crosswalk, it does its job remarkably well. When people show each other courtesy and patience, crosswalks get us to the other side of even the busiest street. What are things that have made transitions safer for … Continue reading Crosswalks

In this week's Pagan Community Notes: Vodou temple attacked in Haiti, Haystack monument vandalized, Hocus Pocus 3 announced, Events, and more news. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of June 5, 2023 at The Wild Hunt.

The Burmese military’s brutality created the conditions for preventable deaths and the disproportionate impacts of Cyclone Mocha.

"All those qualities, capacities and tendencies which do not harmonize with the collective values – everything that shuns the light of public opinion, in fact – now come together to form the shadow, that dark region of the personality which is unknown and unrecognized by the ego." --Carl Jung "Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. At all counts, it forms an unconscious snag, thwarting our most well-meant intentions.” --Carl Jung “This day our days are diminished by one” a line from a Zen gatha reminds us. The time is precious: every moment of it. In particular, our time together grows short. I’ll be officially your minister until July 31, tho...

I move through spaces and skim over them with my senses, and I think I’m pretty typical in that. When we are in New York City, the energy and pace of the city sweeps me up and before long, I … Continue reading →

This is my favorite time of year for the roadside garden. The flowers are in contrasting colors of bright yellow, purple/blue, and white, with lovely green leaves of all shapes and sizes. Despite the cold and rain of the past week, it seems to send off a glow into the gloom. It was a garden […]