Due to the impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, we have begun to broadcast a livestream video of our Sunday morning worship services. This worship video will be available live and in recorded formats. For our livestream video of our worship services, we are using Facebook Live.  One does not have to log into Facebook … Continue reading "9 April 2023 Worship Livestreaming Video"

Although I never felt confused about my identity as a multicultural Witch, I started to wonder if the language I used would make a difference. I didn’t think the spirits and energies I worked with would care about it, but I do. Language is part of who I am, what I say, the feelings I experience, and there are words that are not completely translated from one to the other. Continue reading The Languages of Multicultural Witch at The Wild Hunt.

Aunque nunca me sentí confundido acerca de mi identidad como brujo multicultural, comencé a preguntarme si el lenguaje que usaba marcaría la diferencia. No pensé que a los espíritus y energías con los que trabajo les importara, pero a mí sí. El lenguaje es parte de lo que soy, de lo que digo, de los sentimientos que experimento, y hay palabras que no se traducen completamente de uno a otro. Continue reading Los lenguajes de un brujo multicultural at The Wild Hunt.

We are delighted to be collaborating with several of our UU neighbors this summer for shared worship services. Worship service on Sunday, July 23, is hosted by First Parish Church in Berlin. Service begins at 10:00 a.m. Photo credit: Facebook First Parish Church of Berlin Meetinghouse 16 Central St, Berlin, MA 01503 We are the   [ … ] The post Sunday, July 23 ~ Summer Worship On The Road Continues! appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

By Fred Pearce | Whatever its moral pitfalls, the production of the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan was a triumph of twentieth-century science. In the aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the steam-powered industrial revolution suddenly seemed quaint. But the arrival of the new atomic age had been very sudden. It was the result of a tidal wave of new science about the structure of atoms, and how unstable these supposed building blocks of matter actually were.

Reposted from February 2, 2014 (almost 10 years ago) In June I started a new job, as a librarian for the Environmental Protection Agency. I work for the Ecosystems Research Division lab in Athens, supporting scientific research that rivals Icarus’ … Continue reading →

Here are a few things I’ve come across recently on the topic of religion and LGBTQ+ issues: 1. A statement signed by some 300 prominent Muslim scholars and clerics titled “Navigating Differences: Clarifying Sexual and Gender Ethics in Islam” interprets the Quran as asserting that “God explicitly condemns sexual relations with the same sex”; and … Continue reading "LGBTQ+ and religion"

The windowsill in my Cambridge office with Imaoka sensei’s calligraphy to the left What kind of “church” is Kiitsu Kyokai? [In Japanese, Kiitsu ( 帰一 ) means “oneness” or “unity.” However, Kyōkai can be written in two ways, 協會 or 協会, and each rendering has a subtly different meaning. The first, 協會, means “assembly” or “association,” whilst the second, 協会, leans more towards the meaning of “school.” The twentieth-century Japanese advocate of liberal, free religion, Imaoka Shin’ichirō (1881-1988), used the second rendering of Kyōkai to foreground the idea of gathering together in order to learn and grow. Kiitsu Kyōkai was the name Imaoka sensei gave to his own post-1948 liberal, free relig...

        Robert Ingersoll died on this day, the 21st of July, 1899. Perhaps an unusual figure to note on the anniversary of his death, which is more commonly done in religious circles. Death being a marker for winning the victory and obtaining one’s reward. Some might sneer, suggesting his reward was hell-fire. […]

When my daughter was a freshman at Columbia University I attempted to contact university president Lee Bollinger to suggest a change to their Core Curriculum. The "Core" is a long standing effort to instill some of the classic literature of western civilization as a common foundation to be faced by every graduate of the institution. Silly me, at the time, I thought some ideas of my own might provide an even better core. Of course the president of a major university gets lots of letters. And one from a woodworker in Arkansas need not be taken seriously. But the strategic implementation of the hands in learning is actually a serious matter for concern.  My simple idea was this: Across the street from Columbia University is the great unfin...

Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation , 5603 Bull Valley Road in McHenry, will host another of it popular Open Mic and Coffee Houses on Saturday, August 19 from 7-9 pm.   It is a showcase for all sorts of performers including musicians in all genres, poets and spoken word artists, magicians, and novelty acts. Tree of Life Open Mic host Lisa Campagnolo. Organizer and host Lisa Campagnolo is issuing a call for acts to sign up.   Performers can sign up on the spot for one of the open 12 slots. Each should be no longer than a firm 8 minutes.   Larger acts will receive ample additional time. Coffee and light refreshments will be available.   The event is free and open to the public but free will donations will be accepted.   F...

A Prayer for Loving Ourselves - Week of July 24, 2023 Quirky, delighted and amazing Grace, may we keep practicing this daily effort of loving ourselves. May we have the wisdom to practice self-compassion when we would offer compassion to others and also notice how much easier compassion for others...

“Humility is the true key to success. Successful people lose their way at times. They often embrace and overindulge from the fruits of success. Humility halts this arrogance and self-indulging trap. Humble people share the credit and wealth, remaining focused and hungry to continue the journey of success.” -Rick Pitino When have you experienced people … Continue reading Success

Wingfoot Express takes off from Grant Park on July 21, 1919. There were many horrific Chicago disasters in the early 20th Century like the Iroquois Theater Fire of 1903 and the Eastland capsize in the Chicago River in 1915 which are not only well documented but they have become iconic in the city’s history.   But an air disaster back in the summer of 1919 is far less remembered. Of course, fewer people died when the flaming Wingfoot Express crashed through the skylight of the Illinois Trust & Savings Bank at in the Loop at LaSalle Street and Jackson Boulevard on July 21.   Seventeen were killed and 27 injured compared to more than 800 drowned on the Eastland.   But you would think for shear drama, nothing could beat an air ship disa...

“Everybody’s been there Everybody’s been stared down by the enemy. Fallen for the fear And longed to  disappear and Bowed…</p> The post A Tender Place appeared first on Taking Up Space.

Archeologists find 2,000 year-old graves in Paris during the building of a train station expansion near Notre Dame Cathedral. Continue reading Archeologists find 2,000 year old graves in Paris necropolis: Part II on Gaulish-Roman burial sites at The Wild Hunt.

          When clergy gather to update the state of religion amid divisions over LGBTQ+, racism and antisemitism, the entire world should turn out. But don’t look for that to happen even if the world were coming to an end.           Still, a goodly turnout met four such panelists the past month and all found it […]

          Rabbi Harold Kushner died this month. His 1981 book, “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” was a #1 bestseller. He said he had been hurt by life and he wrote what he learned, hopefully to the benefit of readers.           I felt the title was better than the book. I had a problem […]

  The world was transfixed by the grainy video from a camera attached to the Lunar Module as Neil Armstrong set foot on the Moon. As Americans and countless others around the world stayed glued to their televisions, Astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the face of the Moon on July 20, 1969, 54 years ago today. Armstrong, the commander of the Apollo 11 mission climbed down a ladder from the Lunar Module Eagle to the surface in the Sea of Tranquility at 10:56 P.M. Eastern Day Light Time.   As he climbed down he repeated a carefully constructed statement on what he knew would be a historic occasion.   Viewers at home heard him say, “That’s one small step for man, one giant step for mankind.”   Armstrong wou...

Reposted from February 11, 2014 It was Christmas Eve, 1968, when the above photo, “Earthrise,” was taken by the crew of Apollo 8. The image caught astronaut Frank Borman by surprise. They were taking photographs of the moon when he … Continue reading →

I have had several jobs in which my predecessors were beloved. It is a humbling experience to come into a new position on the day the denomination renames the award in the field for your predecessor. And what I’ve learned is that the less time I spend trying to be someone else (or to live … Continue reading Be Yourself

“It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.” -Mahatma Gandhi When have you been too sure of your wisdom?

Last week, I led ecology programs for kids, including the “Sanddiggers,” a group of children in preK-K. The forecast on Wednesday was for rain much of the week, meaning we might be indoors. Uh oh. With the help of my librarian sister, I quickly ordered half a dozen nature-themed picture books to use with the … Continue reading "Summer reading: nature books for kids"

The Parliament of Ghana is considering a bill to prohibit the practices of witch doctors and witchfinders as well as preventing the naming or labeling of another person as a witch. Continue reading Ghanaian Parliament seeks to criminalize witchcraft accusations at The Wild Hunt.

A Q&A with Nora Neus | This decision was a key component of the book from the very beginning, and the thing I thought could (and almost did) sink the whole project. Prevailing wisdom from experts in this space say that interviewing and quoting white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and members of other hate groups either (1) gives them a “platform” from which to spew their hateful ideology or (2) minimizes the threat they represent if treating them as just another actor in the story.

A brief reflection on my time at Harris Manchester College and the nascent effort to establish a Centre for Unitarian and Dissenting Studies. The post A Centre for Unitarian and Dissenting Studies appeared first on Colin Bossen.

 As one of my students helped me to understand, we all love learning but may not feel so hot on being taught. Being taught involves power dominance of one person over another, fails to acknowledge what's already known and assumes the ignorance of one party or the other. Learning at its best is self-motivated and driven by a desire to understand. The Arkansas State Legislature, driven by Trump's former press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders passed the "Arkansas Learns Act" which is considered one of the most radical legislative actions in the history of Arkansas education. It purports to increase teacher salaries, but makes no recognition of the value of long time teachers and the learning that takes place in their careers. Teachers str...

Reposted from February 21, 2014 Similar to arguments against evolution, the Bible is often cited as evidence behind the attitude that man is the “ecological dominant” over all other species of beings on the planet. Genesis 1:26 has been used … Continue reading →

Somewhere, growing out of the crack in a sidewalk, is a dandelion. Somewhere, laid where people are liable to step over it and miss it, is a delicate bunch of flowers. Somewhere, there is beauty nearby you that you have overlooked. Notice small wonders of beauty today.

Mrs. Stanton reads the draft of the resolution. Note:   This celebration of the Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention has been noted here several times before.   And it deserves to be.   It is also a reminder of how powerful just a handful standing up to all of the norms and expectations of their society can spark kindling that over time becomes a roaring bonfire.   Change is possible—even deep, fundamental, and revolutionary change.   The actions of a few, sustained over time and adversity, can lead to the paradigm shifts that seem to transform societies overnight.   Our own lonely collaborations around kitchen tables and in church basement meeting rooms may at this very moment be igniting that change. 1848 was the year of re...

Taken with a Fuji X-T2 (with a SMC Pentax-M 1:1.7 50mm lens) using Kevin Mullin’s “Parr” simulation Just click on the photo to enlarge it

Research published yesterday describes evidence of necromancy performed by witches in an ancient cave site near Jerusalem Continue reading Archeologists announce necromancy site near Jerusalem echoing the story of the Witch of Endor at The Wild Hunt.

Pausing to reflect, we gather strength and insight to face tomorrow. We are so grateful to the lay folks who are leading worship this summer. They are offering their gifts with open hearts, reflecting on their lives on the adventure of a free and responsible search for truth ... read more . The post Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – July 18th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

  British Regulars engage forces of the Sultan of Mysore during the Siege of Cuddalore. What might   be considered the last battle of the American Revolution came to an end on July 25, 1783 when the combatants got preliminary notice that a Peace Treaty   had been signed.   The British forces including Hessian mercenaries and native forces lifted their 48 day siege of the strong point citadel of Cuddalore which was known to the French as Gondelour and defended by a recently reinforced French garrison and their native allies.   You scholars scrambling to find the fortress on a map of North America or even a map of the New World will be frustrated. Cuddalore was a port on the far southeast coast of India. Huh !?!   Let me explain. The...

Reposted from February 14, 2014 Where in our lives do we consume nature’s resources?  Where in our lives do we allow nature to provide us with renewable resources?  These are the fifth and sixth principles of permaculture–principles which we can … Continue reading →

Sometimes, things happen in our lives that bring us back to some healthier sense of who we are. We are beautifully imperfect, each of us, and it’s good to get that reminder regularly. When have you been reminded of the beauty of your imperfection?

In this week's Pagan Community notes, new research suggests colleges lack religious accommodations, announcements , events, and Rufus. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of July 17, 2023 at The Wild Hunt.

You climbed how many flights of stairs today? What’d you do, walk up the Eiffel Tower? Why, yes we did. That’s 674 steps from the ground to the second floor, from which point those who want to go to the summit must take the elevator, so we did. The view was gorgeous. If not for […]

It’s difficult to believe, but we’re preparing for the start of the new church year, with Homecoming (September 10) on the horizon and a plethora of retreats and gatherings planned in the months ahead. Here’s a quick look at some of what’s coming up. (Please watch your email for the latest information, as details are subject to change.) July LGBTQ+ Meet-up Tuesday, July 25 | 6:30 pm | White Lion Pub All Souls LGBTQ+ will reconvene in person! Join us at the White Lion Pub, 6927 S. Canton Ave. for a casual get-together, featuring complimentary appetizers.  Foundations of Unitarian Universalism Sundays, July 30 […] The post Upcoming Events at All Souls appeared first on BeyondBelief.

 Son #2, BMX Failure When my sons were adolescents, and devoted to skateboards and BMX bikes, we visited a skateboard shop called "Failure". I can only guess that the young adults owners' parents told them it would be a failure, or they would, so they embraced the name. I got a bumper sticker, and it lived on my Toyota Camry for about 400,000 miles. That was about 25 years ago, and I'm still learning to embrace the idea. It's one of the most valuable disciplines I can practice. Seen in D.C. Kavanope Last week, as the Senate moved toward confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh in spite of numerous accusations of sexual assault and his own partisan display, not to mention his erratic and unseemly behavior, my family and I were in Washington, DC. ...

Reposted from February 19, 2014 The physical and spiritual resources the earth provides are evident everywhere around us, but it is nature’s living example of growth and survival – it’s ability to sustain itself – from which we have much … Continue reading →

                          Beloved, we have existed within you for all of our days. Before the earth was formed and the mountains arose, before stars and dreams, before any beginnings and all the endings, it is holy. You are holy. Even in the midst of […]

At my ordination, a friend and colleague gave me a peacock feather to remind me that there would be times in my life when I had to unfurl my beautiful self in all of its fullness. -Michael Tino (CLF) When have you had an opportunity to unfurl the beauty and wholeness of who you are?

Cheyenne's 16th Street a/k/a Lincolnway/U.S. Highway 30.  My destination most Saturdays when I had money to spend.  That Army surplus store on the corner was a favorite. Note —Look for this in an adapted version in my forthcoming memoirs. It will be a sunny, warm day in McHenry County , Illinois .   A haze from wildfires scorching the Canada will keep the sky from its most perfect blue .   But a lazy day break encourages the mind to wander to other summers long ago and far away. Take those in Cheyenne, Wyoming 60 years ago. Which one to pick?  Each was a little different as I drifted from childhood into my early teens .  Let’s pick, say, 1963 for no good reason other than it popped into my headfirst .  I would have been 14 yea...

Climate change has changed summer reading. It used to be that you’d find a book to read while you sat in the sun on the beach. In this climate-changed world, now you might find a book to read while you sit inside hoping that your house doesn’t flood. So today, while rain pounded on the … Continue reading "Summer reading: books about bookstores"

                        I’ve been working on a brief reflection to mark my seventy-fifth birthday tomorrow. After a ton of writing, I’ve done three quarters of a ton of cutting. This I couldn’t just leave as scattered pixels into the universe. A bit of a reading […]

Reading: Jesus At The Gay Bar by Jay Hulme Before images of God, I had white Jesus. Hung in a picture frame in my childhood home. You can see his perfectly groomed beard and goatee, his long brown hair with soft … Continue reading →

TWH speaks with Heron Michelle, owner of The Sojourner Whole Earth Provisions and author of Elemental Witchcraft, about her Pagan path and the challenges of creating and running a store that caters to "the paths less traveled." Continue reading “Equipping the paths less traveled” – an interview with Heron Michelle at The Wild Hunt.

SERVICE PARTICIPANTS Rev. John Cullinan, Pastor Nylea Butler-Moore, Director of Music Vocal Trio: Kelly Shea, Tamson Smith, & Jenni Gaffney Renae Mitchell, Mike Begnaud, Patrick Webb, Galen Gisler, and Rick Bolton, AV techs WELCOME!  New to our church community?  Sign our guestbook and let us know if you’d like to get more connected. If you …<p> What Is a Minister, Anyway? Read More »

It was a sad day on July 6th when our neighbor’s huge pine tree was taken down. It had been the target of woodpeckers for a few years, so that was a sign that it was likely distressed–and in fact the tree company later confirmed the core had rotted. Situated so close to both our […]

This week we celebrated the 10th anniversary of our legal marriage. This picture is from that wedding day. For the time being anyway, our relationship is still recognized by both God and Country. 10 years ago the country finally caught up with God who clearly had blessed us back in January of 1975. We were […]

Conservatives who complain that the U.S. is becoming Pagan show their ignorance about Paganism. What they mean is that their version of Christianity is losing its cultural dominance. But what if they were right? What would a truly Pagan culture look like?

Living in a tree has been a fantasy of mine for a long time. Right up front, I should say that it’s the kind of fantasy I never seriously thought I’d enjoy making real. I don’t like roughing it. I like my creature comforts: a shower at least once every couple-three days, hot water to […]

When I searched for examples of humility in nature, I was offered this picture of a “humble bee,” which I think was a typo, but it made me think. I’m not sure that bees know their importance to all of life–that the things they do going about their daily lives make possible the food that … Continue reading Bees

                                        A poster for the widely anticipated new film Oppenheimer . The story of Robert Oppenheimer, the development of the Atomic Bomb, and his downfall has long fascinated story tellers across media.   That interest is bubbling over again with the widely anticipated release of a new film, Oppenheimer , which will open in American cinemas on July 21.   Directed by Christopher Nolan it stars Cillian Murphy in the title role, Emily Blunt as the scientist’s wife, Matt Damon   as General Leslie Groves , and Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss . The story has also been told in American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer (2005) by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherw...

Walking back to our campsite, I came across this beautiful garter snake. It was willing to sit still while I took a portrait photograph.

This is the first place that has been entirely mine, where every piece of art or display has been chosen because it represents something important to me, something that makes me happy. Trying to see it with another set of eyes feels distancing, like a particularly unpleasant magic trick. I suppose that’s fitting. Continue reading Far from the Mainstream at The Wild Hunt.

It is good to sing praise to you, my heart. To give thanks for the blessings of life,To notice love coursing through my body in the morningAnd faithfulness through the night.I hear our human voices as music,And silence as melody.I delight in your world;You make my body sing with joy. How great is your goodness.How unfathomable […]

Please join us on Sunday (16 July 2023) at 11:00 AM for “Schadenfreude, Freudenfreude.  Afraid of ‘Freude,’ Freed in ‘Freude.'” 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 … Continue reading "All Ages Worship (16 July 2023)"

During the summer, our children and youth participate in various fun artistic and creative activities. On this Sunday (16 July 2023), the brilliantly creative Maggie Molisee is back to continue with the new painting project they started last Sunday. Kids should wear clothing that can risk getting some paint on them — this is a … Continue reading "Painting Project, Part II — Summer Activities for Children and Youth (16 July 2023)"

Please join us on Sunday (16 July 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. For that week, we will continue our discussion of Patrice Cullor’s An Abolitionist’s Handbook.  We … Continue reading "Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education — 16 July 2023"

Please join us next Tuesday (18 July 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.

“An Angel Leading a Soul into Hell”—a follower of Hieronymus Bosch (c.1450–1516)    Given that I have a number of Italian and French friends who are currently suffering badly as a consequence of, firstly, the fierce anticyclone called Cerberus (named after the gruesome three-headed dog who turns up in Dante’s Inferno) and now thanks to an even more severe one called Caronte , or Charon , who was the ferryman of the dead for the Ancient Greeks, it seems only appropriate to repost a piece I wrote last year just after the UK experienced a couple of days of 40 degree celsius heat. Kicking the can into hell?—A meditation written during the extreme heatwave in the UK during 2023 A short  “ thought for the day” offered to the...

A week ago we finally made it to the beach. We’ve had so many rainy days this summer, alternating with a few very hot muggy days. That day was hot and muggy, but less so at Crescent Beach, so we got ourselves over there. The water was totally full of seaweed, and somehow that dampened […]

Last night we opened the new Museum of Eureka Springs Art space to the public for a preview,  and were pleased by the response. There were far too many people to accurately count. The response tells us us what we already know. Eureka Springs is a city of the arts in which the arts matter. Many of the guests in last night's affair, have collections of works by local artists, things treasured for years, that they hope to share with others. The museum will provide the means for that. Some guests asked about becoming docents.  Others were offering works from their own collections. The level of enthusiasm was great and all were wanting to find ways to help. And there will be ways. Next week the floors in the museum will be stripped and poli...

The most iconic photo of Trayvon Martin in a hoodie. It is hard to believe that it has been   more than eleven years since 17-year old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by a self-appointed vigilante on a drizzling Florida night and ten years since his killer George Zimmerman was cleared of a second degree murder charge by a Florida jury on July 13, 2013.   The shooting of the unarmed teen who had committed no crime, sparked national outrage and protests by the African-American community and social justice activists that only intensified after the verdict .   Trayvon’s death and a spate of police involved killings that followed became catalysts for the BlackLivesMatter movement . On the other hand , the gun lobby and their slavish m...

“May the mantle of humility give courage to admit when we are wrong. May compassion’s loom weave in us the discipline to forgive. May patience help us bear in mind that ours is not the only scale of time.” -from a prayer by Maureen Killoran How can you exercise patience in order to cultivate humility … Continue reading Patience

Please join us on Saturday (15 July 2023) 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 (15 July 2023)"

It’s no surprise then that the ibis has made it into our religions from the very earliest times, manifesting as Thoth in ancient Egypt with the sacred ibis, close relative of the white ibis. Continue reading Ibis Incantations at The Wild Hunt.

The final installment in this three-part series examines climate change impacts in Alaska.

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— On Friday morning, under the featured post of this blog, namely, my 2016 talk to the Sea of Faith Conference at Leicester University called, “The freedom to be tomorrow what we are not today,” the following comment was posted: Hello! My name is Benedict and I’m a teenager. I’m establishing a personal belief system/religion for myself and I was wondering if you could say a blessing for me to become the first priest of my religion. I ask you because I would like to have a Unitarian bless me. Also, can you create ...

Part two of this three-part series examines climate change impacts in Louisiana.

A series on UUSC’s partners in Eastern Europe.

Today we've invited the community to come to visit our new, fledgling Museum of Eureka Springs Art. We will have a few works on display and show off the space at the Eureka Springs Community Center complex that will serve as the starter home for a unique museum. While most museums feature the works of individual artists and highlight their work, we are a community of artists and art lovers and the museum will not only celebrate the the individual artists from our past, it will celebrate the relationships between artists  and art patrons that has made our city a unique haven for the arts. Please join us if you can. If not able, then celebrate and build the arts in your own community. What we have here can be replicated. Make, fix and cre...

We have two weeks in which to relish Paris, and have been relishing away. Munchkin would like to go to college in French–not just in a French-speaking country, and certainly not just for a semester–so she has been exploring universities, first in Geneva, now here, and next week, in Lyon. Joy and I have no […]

A Prayer For Wonderment Alongside Brokenness Gracious Love, may we pray ever for the wow and wonderment when we meet loss, challenges, and these judgments called brokenness. What are we breaking into? What are we remaking as? When we ravel and ravel and ravel into new fibres, shapes, colors, dreams...

  The sea is calm tonight. The tide is full, the moon lies fair Upon the straits; on the French coast the light Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand, Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay. Come to the window, sweet is the night-air! Only, from the long line of spray […]

Many popular images of the storming of the Bastille are highly romanticized like this English school text illustration.  In reality there was relatively little fighting and only seven inmates were freed including common criminals. It’s  Bastille  Day , of course, commemorating the day in 234 years ago in 1789 when the Paris Mob set off the French Revolution by storming the Bastille, a fortress prison traditionally used by the monarchy to detain its political enemies without benefit of civil appeal.  The French make a big deal of it.  In the United States it is marked by an exceptionally busy evening in French restaurants.  In recent years the long-time loathing of all things French by the right wing stre...

“The example of the humble is also before us. Indeed, humility has seldom looked so wise. So many people in positions of public trust and responsibility, who otherwise would not attract our notice, have gained authority and our confidence by unspectacularly acting with honor. They persist in seeking truth, being accountable, stepping up to their … Continue reading Leadership

For the Traveler Every time you leave home, Another road takes you Into a world you were never in. New strangers on other paths await. New places that have never seen you Will startle a little at your entry. Old places that know you well Will pretend nothing Changed since your last visit. When you travel, you find yourself Alone in a different way, More attentive now To the self you bring along, Your more subtle eye watching You abroad; and how what meets you Touches that part of the heart That lies low at home: How you unexpectedly attune To the timbre in some voice, Opening in conversation You want to take in To where your longing Has pressed hard enough Inward, on some unsaid dark, To create a crystal of insight You could not have kno...

Scientists have proposed a small Canadian lake near Toronto has having the necessary evidence that may mark the era of humanity's impact on the Earth. Continue reading Canadian Lake may provide evidence of the start of a new Human epoch at The Wild Hunt.

Sunday, July 16, 10:00 a.m. “Poetry Share” at UUCSW Summer Worship On The Road Continues! On this midsummer Sunday, Phyllis Barrett and Sheila McPharlin will invite those who attend to share poems which give them a feeling of delight. Jane Gates will be providing music. “He who draws noble delights from sentiments of poetry is a   [ … ] The post Sunday, July 16 ~ Poetry Share at UUCSW ~ 10 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

By Jane Strauss | One of the things that many parents seem to be unhappy about when their child is labeled “Autistic” is this: “But they will not have play dates.” Friendship, “socializing,” and human interaction are seen as central to our very humanity. Females often fly under the radar for being labeled on the autism spectrum because their social development is different from that of males, generally resulting in more social orientation, better imitation skills at a younger age, and earlier speech, of whatever kind, than their male counterparts.

The mitered finger joint is a very strong joint for box making, offering rhythm in the corners through the contrast of end grain vs. side grain. The mitered portion of the joint allows for a seamless movement of grain traveling around corners of the box, allows the easy use of floating panels on top (as used in this box), and also offers the possible use of decorative inlays along the top edge of the box. This box shown will have the lid cut free from the body of the box, and then a base, feet, and hinges will be added. Do not forget the soft opening of the Museum of Eureka Springs Art tomorrow evening 5-7 PM at the Eureka Springs Community Center. We have a very long ways to go in building our museum, and you're invited to help. Ozarks-...

                                          “An enlightened person who loves alcohol, when they pass the liquor store, their head will still turn.” I spent some time recently pursuing that quote. While one version of it or another is a […]

  After the outbreak of violence against the Draft in New York city rioters attacked the Provost Marshall's office--the small wooden building.  Police Superintendent James Kennedy tried to rally his overwhelmed men standing on the roof and was captured and nearly beaten to death. In the eyes of anti-war folks opposition to the Draft is a matter of principle.   I fully understand.   After all, I was a Vietnam resistor and did my time in Federal custody.   The active draft was allowed to expire un-mourned though a rusty Selective Service System remains in place if needed.   Our recent wars of choice—the Gulf War, intervention in Bosnia, and the tandem wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—have been fought by an all-volunteer professional ...

Sometimes I make assumptions that are incorrect. Humility to me is when I take the time to pause. Stop. Listen. Then ask questions, without assuming I know the answer. -Beth Murray (CLF) When has a humble moment in your life led you somewhere unexpected?

A Canadian senate report released last year outlines the ongoing incidence of forced sterilization of Indigenous women within the Canadian healthcare system. Continue reading Report on Forced sterilization of Canada’s Indigenous women: “horrific practice is not confined to the past” at The Wild Hunt.

Canadian Unitarian Universalists Mourn the Death of Rev. Rodrigo Emilio Solano-Quesnel July 12, 2023 Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the tragic death of Rev. Rodrigo (“Rod”) Emilio Solano-Quesnel, who died at age 42 in a traffic accident early on the morning of Tuesday, July 11. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and […] The post Canadian Unitarian Universalists Mourn the Death of Rev. Rodrigo Emilio Solano-Quesnel first appeared on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada. The post Canadian Unitarian Universalists Mourn the Death of Rev. Rodrigo Emilio Solano-Quesnel appeared first on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada.

I speak daily with God. She loves me and wears great shoes. She said I can set the past down It’s really heavy and not getting me anywhere. It’s time to pack the wound and commit to the healing of it instead of letting it fester. We got coffee once. She checked her email while […]

                                   John Quincy Adams presidential portrait. The years of the Monroe Administration were already being called the Era of Good Feelings because following the War of 1812 the Federalists had all but disappeared making the Democratic Republicans the single major political party.   But it was now unwieldy and had lost the ideological cohesion of the heady days of the Revolution of 1800 when Thomas Jefferson and the party had swept into office, crushing John Adam ’ s hopes for a second term. The orderly system of party caucus which anointed the favorite of the sitting President had broken down and the era of Revolutionary Founders had run out.   Despite the advantage of being Monroe’s ...

I receive your “Ouch” with openness and curiosity. I receive your “Oops” with acceptance and empathy. I offer my “Ouch” with hope and trust. I offer my “Oops” with humility and courage. I release my “Ouch” with immeasurable faith. I release my “Oops” with purpose. I release your “Ouch” with promise. I release your “Oops” … Continue reading Oops and Ouch