WWUUD stream

🔒
❌ About FreshRSS
There are new articles available, click to refresh the page.
Before yesterdayUUpdates

Join us on 3/15 to learn how to combat anti-trans legislation in your state

9 March 2022 at 15:50
Refusing someone affirming care does not make them less trans, it makes them less safe. Trans kids are just kids. They deserve protection and admiration, not legalized bullying from the government.    Trans kids are Divine. Trans kids are God, Godde, Goddess, Love, Life embodied. Trans kids are holy.  -- UU Church of Tallahassee Director of Religious Exploration Helen Cassar Currently, there are approximately 150 anti-transgender bills moving through state legislatures across the country. From banning participation in sports, to so-called "bathroom bills," to legislation that criminalizes providing life-saving gender affirming health care, these bills are deadly for trans and nonbinary people of all ages. To those of you who are trans...

The Struggle to End Title 42 is Far From Over

9 March 2022 at 13:11
Dueling court decisions raise new questions about the future of the harmful Title 42 policy, but one thing is clear: The need is as urgent as ever to fully restore asylum at the border. 

The Mystery Seed

9 March 2022 at 13:07
On March 14th, at 1 p.m. Queer Spirit will broadcast an interview with me, done by Revs. Marvin Ellison and Tamara Torres McGovern. Queer Spirit is a regular feature of OUT Cast, a forum for LGBTQ+ issues broadcast on community radio every Monday. WMPG 90.9 FM from 1:00 – 1:30 p.m. (Livestream: WMPG.org) One of […]

The Defiant Spark

9 March 2022 at 06:24
David Kohlmeier You didn’t earn your worth, and you can’t lose it. Because you exist. Period. Continue reading "The Defiant Spark"

42nd Street—Danced and Sang Its Way into the Heart of Depression America

9 March 2022 at 08:59
Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell, the breakout stars of 42nd Street received fourth and fifth billing respectively on the movie poster. When it premiered at the Strand Theater in New York City on March 9, 1933 42nd Street broke new ground for the American movie musical and struck a chord with Depression-weary audiences.  The reviews were practically ecstaticand when it opened nationwide on Mach 11 there were lines at the box offices.  The movie went on to earn Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Sound.  It became the template for a slew of film and stage musicals down to this day which is why many who see it now for the first time think it is cliché ridden.  It was not—it invented those clichés.  When audience first s...

Neighbors

9 March 2022 at 05:00
Having lived in various environments throughout my life – rural, city, college campus, small town, and now on the road – I have realized that I feel my fullest self when connected to an interdependent community, where I know my neighbors, I am a regular at local businesses, and the people I know show up … Continue reading Neighbors

Mid-Week Email, 3-8-22

8 March 2022 at 23:45

COVID Update March 8, 2022

8 March 2022 at 15:55
Covid metrics, according to CovidActNow.org, which we’ve been using for several months now, have Schenectady County solidly in its “medium” status, which is excellent news! On Feb. 27, we had space for 40 people to attend in-person worship in the Great Hall, ... read more . The post COVID Update March 8, 2022 appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

A general accounting on International Women’s Day 2022

8 March 2022 at 15:38
Women have made strides in many areas but are still grossly under-representied. Our news editor sorts through the numbers and facts. Continue reading A general accounting on International Women’s Day 2022 at The Wild Hunt.

Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – March 8th

8 March 2022 at 16:07
This past week included some real gifts of connection for us. A dear friend has been posting some very clever and funny photos on social media, and many people had commented that the images would make a great book and several of them were funny ... read more . The post Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – March 8th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

RE This Week – March 8th

8 March 2022 at 16:04
In-Person Religious Education programs Coming Your Way! K-6 EXPERIENCES WITH THE WEB OF LIFE: These nature lovers will meet again Sunday morning, 3/20, IN PERSON! We’ll start in the Great Hall with the service beginning at 10:30, and we’ll stay through the Story for All Ages; then ... read more . The post RE This Week – March 8th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

UUSS Social Justice Action Fund

8 March 2022 at 16:00
We are pleased to announce the annual call for applications for grants from UU Schenectady’s Social Justice Action Fund. We will offer grants between $2,500 and $5,500 for social justice initiatives and activities working towards bringing about systemic change. Applications are due by April 30, ... read more . The post UUSS Social Justice Action Fund appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Sunday Multiplatform Worship Volunteering

8 March 2022 at 14:34
Descriptions of the Volunteer Roles involved in Multiplatform Worship In Person Front Door Greeters (2 people, 9:30–10:35) One person stands outside so they are visible as people approach the building. This person greets people as they arrive, directs them to the contract tracing forms that are in ... read more . The post Sunday Multiplatform Worship Volunteering appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

foreword reviews interview

8 March 2022 at 13:53
My interview with foreword reviews came out today and can be read online.  https://www.forewordreviews.com/articles/article/reviewer-sarah-white-interviews-doug-stowe-author-of-the-wisdom-of-our-hands-crafting-a-life/ I thank Sarah White for an excellent review and for her thoughtful questions. In her introduction to the interview, Sarah notes the following: This week is all about hands so look down and ask yours if they’re happy. What, you don’t know? Well, do you let them play at things? Are they skilled at chopping vegetables or knitting quilts or throwing pots on a wheel or landscape watercolors or working gold and silver into innovative jewelry? Hands like to do things, with our brain’s inquisitive help. We’re not in the Ju...

Thank Trade Unionists and Socialists for International Women’s Day

8 March 2022 at 10:56
Today is International Women’s Day.  Rooted in the international push for women’s suffrage and in the labor/socialist movements, the first celebration was held in 1911 on March 19, a date selected to commemorate the 1848 uprisings when the King of Prussia was compelled to acknowledge the power of the people.  The occasion and date were suggested by Clara Zetkin of the German Social Democratic Party at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen in 1910.  Delegates from 17 countries representing trade unions, socialist parties, and working women’s clubs unanimously approved thecall.  News of the event, spread by the socialist press and word of mouth helped make the first observance successful in much of Eu...

Tending to the Net

8 March 2022 at 05:00
The towering sculptures of Janet Echelman are reminiscent of the Unitarian Universalist 7th principle recognizing that we are all connected in an interdependent  web of existence. These massive webs of netting often span city blocks and weigh tons, but the slightest breeze can send ripples through the entire sculpture, just like the web of existence … Continue reading Tending to the Net

Returning To Festivals – It’s Good To Be Back

8 March 2022 at 04:00
I spent Saturday at Austin Witchfest in Austin, Texas. This was the first large Pagan gathering I’ve attended in two years, and my first time speaking live in almost three years. It was good to be back.

Cedar-of-Lebanon

8 March 2022 at 00:57
The tree of so many Hebrew Bible verses. Native, yes, to the Middle East and Turkey, and planted in the Southeast and along the Pacific coast here.

Baseball and religion are both in decline

7 March 2022 at 21:38
Religion News Service reports: “Tom Johnson loves baseball. And he loves the [Christian] church. Both, said Johnson, a former Minnesota Twins pitcher turned pastor, are in trouble. They’ve lost touch with their past and with ordinary people. They’ve become too much of a show, their leaders too disconnected from their audience, he said. Both religion … Continue reading "Baseball and religion are both in decline"

In the Face of War, Follow Feminist Leadership

7 March 2022 at 18:50
International Women’s Day calls for a dramatic rethinking of the social systems that have led us into crisis.

Supporting Those Impacted by the Crisis in Ukraine

7 March 2022 at 16:41
In response to the outpouring of concern, the UUA shares the most up to date information on how UUs in this country and around the world are responding and amplify the ways that we can all help. Continue reading "Supporting Those Impacted by the Crisis in Ukraine"

Pagan Community Notes: Week of March 7, 2022

7 March 2022 at 16:41
In this week's Pagan Community Notes: International Women's Day, Stevie Nicks, Announcements and more news. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of March 7, 2022 at The Wild Hunt.

Union Organizing at Amazon

7 March 2022 at 16:34
A Q&A with Jonathan Rosenblum | I’m really excited to be in this discussion with Canadian comrades about what’s going on here in the States and the prospects for organizing in the period ahead. I actually started out many decades ago as a rank-and-file union member in the newspaper industry, as a member of the International Typographical Union, which now I think is part of the Teamsters.

The Mahayana in a Nutshell: The Four Seals, The Two Truths, and the Three Bodies

7 March 2022 at 13:52
    I find the great gift of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition is expressed within the four seals of existence, the two truths, and the three bodies of the buddha. While I am wary of dogmas, I find these the most helpful pointers to the structures of the human heart of any I’ve encountered in […]

Centennial Awards: Nancy McDonald

7 March 2022 at 11:46
I would encourage each All Souls member to step out beyond the Church and select one of the social justice teams to volunteer. Your experience will broaden your engagement in the larger community and you will make a difference that will make you feel so good about what you are doing. The post Centennial Awards: Nancy McDonald appeared first on BeyondBelief.

Dance

7 March 2022 at 05:00
For as long as I can remember I’ve misspelled interdependence as “interdependance”. Recently I’ve reflected that “-dance” is actually a better way of looking at it since interdependence relies on all of us leading and following one another. Sometimes we know where we are going and need others to follow and other times we are … Continue reading Dance

Same cone, different medium

7 March 2022 at 01:23
I went to lie down for a while between dinner and family game night last night and slept right through until morning. That’s the first time I’ve missed a drawing day since beginning the leaves on January 1. I’m particularly sorry to have missed out on Sushi-Go with the family. So I’m back to it […]

Crafting for the Ukrainian Cause

6 March 2022 at 16:57
Inside and outside of Ukraine, crafters are creating projects to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people as they defend their country against the current Russian invasion. Continue reading Crafting for the Ukrainian Cause at The Wild Hunt.

Weekly Bread #161

6 March 2022 at 15:44
Sometimes a usually easy trail can be very difficult. After spending most of the week in a virtual UURMaPA (Unitarian Universalist Retired Ministers and Partners Association) conference, we were eager for a long hike. We have hiked the Estero trail several other times out to Sunset beach and back, and usually the only issue is […]

Online and Offline Giving Options During COVID-19 Pandemic — Updated 6 March 2022

6 March 2022 at 13:12
Due to the recent COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic and the  restrictions limiting us from having worship in face-to-face settings, we need to find another ways to keep everything happening at All Souls. If you want to donate to All Souls, you can click on the link provided to our secure donations server. On this site, there … Continue reading "Online and Offline Giving Options During COVID-19 Pandemic — Updated 6 March 2022"

The Compass and the Anchor

6 March 2022 at 12:30
Faith. A noun and a verb at the same time. A state of being that requires us to be simultaneously future-focused and grounded in the here and now. Before we renew faith, we need to remember how we got here in the first place.

Elizabeth Barrett and The Great Elopement

6 March 2022 at 10:14
                                             Elizabeth Barrett Browning from the front plate of her Poems. It may have been the most famous—and wildly romantic—elopement since Romeo and Juliette .  The bride was a lovely but disabled spinster who happened to be perhaps the most famous living English poet at the time.  Her dashing beau was six years younger, of an inferior social class and just establishing himself as a poet of note in his own right.  They courted in secret—he contrived to visit her in the sick room to which she was mostly confined—and on September 12, 1846 ran off to be wed at St. Marylebone Parish Church in London then fled to sunny Italy in imitation of two of their mutual heroes

Thinking About Freedom

6 March 2022 at 09:44
      I’ve been thinking a lot about the word freedom, and what it means. Over the past several years we’ve been presented with a number of views on the subject focusing on one’s right not to cooperate in a public health crisis.  Then, abruptly, we’ve found ourselves confronted with a nation being invaded […]

Faith

6 March 2022 at 05:00
Our seventh principle (respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part) has long been my favorite one. I have a vivid memory of learning about how ecosystems work in 9th grade biology class and having a light bulb moment of, “Oh! This is exactly what we talk about in … Continue reading Faith

Spiritual Practice on Vacation: If You Have To Ask, Don’t

6 March 2022 at 04:00
A Christian blogger suggests “bringing God on vacation with you.” His post brought back some old trauma from my childhood. But it raises a fair question: when you do you need to maintain your spiritual practice and when do you need a break?

Prayer for Peace in Ukraine

5 March 2022 at 20:31
Spirit of Life and Love,which moves Human hearts,minds, and handsto care for our Neighborsand our Mother Earthfill our spirits with your Peace.Empower us to know our own strengthTo do JusticeTo love MercyTo walk Humbly.May we remember old ways,and create new ways,to be people of Peace in the world.And with blessing,transform the World’s painbefore it can … Continue reading Prayer for Peace in Ukraine

Online All-Ages Worship (6 March 2022)

5 March 2022 at 23:20
Please join us on Sunday (6 March 2022) at 11:00 AM for “Heart of the Storm:  Living Into the Answers” by. Rev. Barbara Jarrell Please join us in the sanctuary at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, 9449 Ellerbe Road, Shreveport LA  71106 if you are able to do so. Our service will also be livestreamed on … Continue reading "Online All-Ages Worship (6 March 2022)"

Online Adult Religious Education — 6 March 2022

5 March 2022 at 23:13
Please join us on Sunday (6 March 2022) at 9:00 AM for our adult religious education class via Zoom. This Sunday’s topic is Anti-Racism Within Islam. In a sermon now known as the Farewell Address, the Prophet Muhammad said: “There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, or of a non-Arab over an … Continue reading "Online Adult Religious Education — 6 March 2022"

Children and Youth Religious Education Updates

5 March 2022 at 23:06
We will continue to watch the local COVID numbers and we feel encouraged by the dropping COVID case rates. Religious education classes for children and youth will resume on 13 March 2022. As before, the children and youth will join us in the sanctuary for the first 15-20 minutes of the worship service and then … Continue reading "Children and Youth Religious Education Updates"

First Sunday Food Pantry Day (6 March 2022)

5 March 2022 at 23:01
Melissa Lewis will be at the church parking lot this Sunday afternoon (6 March 2022) from 2:00 to 4:00 PM to collect food and other items for the Noel United Methodist Church Food Pantry. Items requested this month are Jiffy cornbread mix, canned soups (any brand), and cereal (any brand).

Opinion: Scales of Justice in a Time of Trauma

5 March 2022 at 17:59
"Yet, when the world's events, like the weather, paint a picture that appears to be without hope, I wonder where or how - or even when - Ma'at's scales will balance." Continue reading Opinion: Scales of Justice in a Time of Trauma at The Wild Hunt.

The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice — March 2022 Give-Away-The-Plate Recipient

5 March 2022 at 15:11
Our give-away-the-plate recipient for March 2022 is The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. Each month we dedicate all of our non-pledge income to an organization doing the work that best embodies our Unitarian Universalist principles and values. For the month of March 2022, we selected the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice — an … Continue reading "The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice — March 2022 Give-Away-The-Plate Recipient"

Zoom Lunch Now on Tuesdays (8 March 2022)

5 March 2022 at 14:57
Please join us next Tuesday (8 March 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.

Multi-faith service for Ukraine held at the U.N. church center

5 March 2022 at 12:25
Wiccan priestess and hundreds of faith leaders participate in Global Prayers for Ukraine at a Multi-faith Service for Peace. Continue reading Multi-faith service for Ukraine held at the U.N. church center at The Wild Hunt.

Fredi Washington—A Star Who Refused to Pass for White

5 March 2022 at 11:54
                                                               F redi Washington could have passed for White but wouldn't. Fredi Washington wowed audiences in the first version of Imitation of Life released in 1934 by Universal Pictures.   Starring Claudette Colbert, Louise Beavers, Warren William, and Rochelle Hudson, Washington didn’t make the cut in movie postersreleased for most theaters and was billed sixth despite playing a pivotal role.   Adapted from Fannie Hurst’s bestselling novel the film was a melodrama about the plight of working and single mothers during the Depression, deep friendship between a White widow and a Black mother, and the harsh realities of race in segregated America....

An important article by Volodymyr Artiukh called “The Western Left doesn’t understand Putin – or the world outside the US”

5 March 2022 at 06:52
I have just read through what seems to me to be a very important article by Volodymyr Artiukh for Open Democracy called “The Western Left doesn’t understand Putin – or the world outside the US”: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/russia-ukraine-western-left-doesnt-understand-putin-or-the-world-outside-the-us/ As someone from the Western Left I take what Artiukh says very seriously indeed and I ask you to do likewise.  A friend of mine wrote to me yesterday asking me what I thought about this article and, for what it is worth, I paste below a few sections from my reply: As you know, I've been involved in left politics all my life in one way or another, and Artiukh's words resonate very strongly with me because many of my Britis...

Love as Religious Practice

5 March 2022 at 05:00
“Love as a religious practice extends our compassion, solidarity, and care beyond the personal to seeking the liberation and wholeness of every person. It reminds us of our fundamental interdependence with all of life.” – Rev Susan Frederick-Gray, UUA President How can you practice love today?

Deodar cone

5 March 2022 at 01:43
They are tight, ovoid cones in the trees, but when they fall to the ground they often look like tiny, wizened roses.

Meditation with Larry Androes (5 March 2022)

4 March 2022 at 21:48
Please join us on Saturday (5 March 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. The group is free and open to all. For more information, contact Larry … Continue reading "Meditation with Larry Androes (5 March 2022)"

Column: In Praise of Child-Rearing

4 March 2022 at 17:49
Then, almost all of a sudden, the convulsions become overwhelming and a nurse helps place my wife in a sitting position, before telling her to push. It is all fused in my memory as a short and intense blurb, but it actually took a good half an hour before, from under my wife, a small, mostly hairless mammal appeared. The nurse grabbed it, showed it to me, shouted “it’s a girl!” before depositing it onto my wife’s chest. We had just become parents. I had just become a dad. What the actual f--k? Continue reading Column: In Praise of Child-Rearing at The Wild Hunt.

Government Targeting Transgender Youth in Texas

4 March 2022 at 12:00
Now more than ever it is important for UUs to live their values by supporting the trans community.

“Love the hell out of this world”—a further lesson to be learnt from the Russian invasion of the Ukraine

4 March 2022 at 12:29
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— I begin by reading the poem “Past and Present” by the Slovenian poet, Boris A. Novak. The past is ever changing.  Only the future stays the same.  No one’s. It’s blank and strange,  mysterious, an empty chamber.  Whose portrait is this? Whose steps are these?  Amidst the leaves, whose names on graves?  After the leaves fall, rulers rend memories,  to brush them away.  The past is ever changing,  shaded in by memory’s brush,  but future’s sky is clear.  It can’t be rearranged.  Completely mine and ...

Sunday, March 6 ~ Stories of Awakening Faith ~ 10:30 a.m.

4 March 2022 at 12:22
Sunday, March 6, 10:30 a.m. Stories of Awakening Faith An in-person Multigenerational Storytelling Service with Rev. Alice Anacheka-Nasemann and Cynthia Menard   Our theme for March is Awakening Faith. Who or what are we awakening our faith in? Ourselves? Community? God? How can that faith sustain us in difficult times? Join us this Sunday, March 6,   [ … ] The post Sunday, March 6 ~ Stories of Awakening Faith ~ 10:30 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Faustus Socinus and a Naturalistic Christianity

4 March 2022 at 09:59
      Faustus Socinus, also known as Faust Paolo Sozzini and sometimes as Faust Socyn died on this day, the 4th of March, in 1604. It’s fair to identify him with a naturalistic current within the Christian tradition, with Socinus focusing on the pure humanity of Jesus, and a religion that arises with that […]

Garry Knox Bennett on Education

4 March 2022 at 10:35
I have an interview today with Kyle Kellams from Ozarks-at-Large, a radio program with our local NPR affiliate station. It will be aired sometime closer to the release date of my new book, and the interview will be held at the Eureka Springs School of the Arts, giving Kyle a chance to visit the ESSA campus. Then later in the afternoon I'll participate in a zoom call podcast with WoodworkingNetwork.com. The site, woodworkingNetwork.com is one that will certainly interest other woodworkers as it has useful features and reports including  a remembrance of Garry Knox Bennett in the current edition.  https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/remembering-garry-knox-bennett The annual Spring Fling fundraiser for the Cl...

Reformer Frances Perkins Stepped Up for Labor

4 March 2022 at 09:09
                                   Frances Perkins--Madam Secretary. On March 4, 1932 Franklin D. Roosevelt, the day of his first inauguration, nominated Frances Perkins as Secretary of Labor.  She was the first woman elevated to cabinet rank.  If anyone was expecting a docile figurehead, they were in for a big surprise.  Not only was she a key player in the New Deal and a key backer of a wide range of labor reforms, she held down the job for twelve years through FDR’s first three terms despite efforts to unseat her. Born into a respectable Republican and Congregationalist New England family in 1880, she was radicalized by exposure to the yawning class dividewhile attending Mt. Holyoke Collegewhere she read Jaco...

today

4 March 2022 at 07:59
I have an interview today with Kyle Kellams from Ozarks-at-Large, a radio program with our local NPR affiliate station. It will be aired sometime closer to the release date of my new book, and the interview will be held at the Eureka Springs School of the Arts, giving Kyle a chance to visit the ESSA campus. Then later in the afternoon I'll participate in a zoom call podcast with WoodworkingNetwork.com. The site, woodworkingNetwork.com is one that will certainly interest other woodworkers as it has useful features and reports including  a remembrance of Garry Knox Bennett in the current edition.  https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/remembering-garry-knox-bennett The annual Spring Fling fundraiser for the Cl...

Flourishing

4 March 2022 at 05:00
“If one tree fruits, they all fruit—there are no soloists. Not one tree in a grove, but the whole grove; not one grove in the forest, but every grove; all across the county and all across the state. The trees act not as individuals, but somehow as a collective. Exactly how they do this, we … Continue reading Flourishing

Deodar cedar

4 March 2022 at 01:52
Maybe tomorrow I’ll depart from the leaf-a-day plan long enough to draw the cone of a deodar, because I love them. But tonight, the leaves.

Visiting the Ukrainian embassy

3 March 2022 at 21:58
I was restless after work and needed exercise. Before I knew it, I was walking the mile or more to the Ukrainian embassy in Georgetown. As I am sure with many of you, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has worried and upset me deeply. But I am also emboldened to see the people of Kyiv, … Continue reading "Visiting the Ukrainian embassy"

Learning Passamaquoddy as a Non-Native

3 March 2022 at 18:19
What a beautiful dawn the other day, all the branches coated with light snowy adornment! I’ve been feeling grateful these days. In particular, I’ve been thinking about how lucky I have been to study the Passamaquoddy language with Roger Paul during the last 3 1/2 years. I recently saw an article published a few years […]

Problems posed by the PPE pandemic litter

3 March 2022 at 17:00
While the immediate health impacts of the pandemic appear to be waning, the protective single-use gear presents a longer term issue in dealing with the waste. Continue reading Problems posed by the PPE pandemic litter at The Wild Hunt.

Pagan responses to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine (Continuous Updates)

3 March 2022 at 15:43
Pagan, Heathen, Witch, and polytheist organizations and individuals have been releasing statements on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. This is a current list of statements that will be continuously updated. Continue reading Pagan responses to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine (Continuous Updates)

Sowing Justice: Justice Jackson Nomination Deserves Celebration

3 March 2022 at 12:00
Jeff Milchen We often miss how far we’ve progressed unless we stop to look back and count our blessings.

Bold New Militancy Launched Washington Woman Suffrage Procession of 1913

3 March 2022 at 10:06
The stunning program cover for the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession in Washington. The giant Women’s March on Washingtonand sister marches across the country that greeted Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2017 and they-said-it-couldn’t-be-done even larger marches a year later were seismic events that brought a broad, united, new intersessional feminism to the forefront of American social and political life after years on the defense as hard-fought gains once thought secure were under attack atevery level. Mass demonstrations no matter how large, critics maintained, had lost their power as the media lost interest in them and the public became bored.  Huge anti-war demonstrations that broke all records were barely covered by the ...

a lovely day in the woodshop

3 March 2022 at 08:12
Yesterday my Rainbow group (kindergarten) finished work with gluing blocks. They loved it and were proud of the various things they made. Later we installed bluebird houses on campus where they can be monitored and maintained.  Of greatest excitement for the students was finding an old wheel barrow tire and rim buried in the muck in the ditch that separates our hands-on learning center from the field where the birdhouses have gone up.  The students dug the wheel and tire out of the dirt (a thing that took some effort and strategy), and decided it should also become an instrument for their study of birds. It is now being converted to a bird feeder. This tells the story of how a bit of youthful imagination (and allowance for it) can faci...

Orchestra

3 March 2022 at 05:00
I have often thought how many musicians playing together highlights woven melodies and harmonies, creating a magical experience of interdependent voices. An ensemble of words can do the same. -Beth Murray (CLF) When have you experienced multiple voices together creating a stronger message?

Atlas cedar

2 March 2022 at 21:38
Not a native. The names say it all: Atlas cedar, from the Atlas mountain range in Algeria and Morocco, and Cedrus atlanticus for the same reason. But it has been planted along the Pacific coast of the US. It is said that we have a Mediterranean climate, so maybe the Atlas cedars planted as ornamentals […]

March 3 Ohio Rally Will Demand Urgent Action on Immigration

2 March 2022 at 18:00
Dayton gathering will call for Biden Administration to shut down detention centers, end deportations, and release all people in immigration detention.

Capo in New Orleans: Thoughts on Mardi Gras

2 March 2022 at 17:00
Martha Kirby Capo shared her thoughts and experiences from her recent visit to New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Continue reading Capo in New Orleans: Thoughts on Mardi Gras at The Wild Hunt.

Fannie Lou Hamer Embodied Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Vision of Courageous Black Leadership

2 March 2022 at 14:55
By Keisha N. Blain | In 1957, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech on the power of voting. King argued that access to the ballot would allow Black Americans to remake society without having to wait for federal support. He argued that voting was a solution for the many challenges Black Americans faced. King’s speech also addressed the 1954 Brown Decision. In the aftermath of Brown, local school districts and politicians continued to resist the attempts to desegregate schools nationwide.

Ash Wednesday with George—Murfin Verse

2 March 2022 at 09:55
Note— Back in 2012 by calendar happenstance George Washington’s Birthday and Ash Wednesday coincided.   As regular denizens of this refuge for flying electrons knows that sort of thing often inexplicably moves me to commit poetry.   This year his birthday has passed, but today is Ash Wednesday—close enough for hand grenades, horseshoes, and Patrick poetry I say. Since the entirely spurious story of the Vision at Valley Forge was reportedly made in 1859 reminiscences by 99-year-old Anthony Sherman, who was supposedly present with Continental Army at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777 and overheard Washington tell an officer that an angel had revealed a prophetic vision of America to him.   There is no other confirmation of th...

Asking for Help

2 March 2022 at 01:04
Quinn Gormley Happy kids are safer kids, because happy kids have adults they can ask for help. Continue reading "Asking for Help"

Visioning is Coming

2 March 2022 at 07:44

Mid-Week Message, 3-2-22

2 March 2022 at 07:41

Dust to Dust

2 March 2022 at 05:00
Today, throughout the world, Christians celebrate Ash Wednesday. With the blessing of ashes upon their foreheads, they are reminded of human mortality and the need for reconciliation and repentance. And yet, the notion that we all come from dust and will one day return to it is also a profound statement of interdependence: our origins … Continue reading Dust to Dust

Leaf length to fit the need

2 March 2022 at 04:08
The search for a good photo of subalpine larch needles led me to this article by Michael Kauffmann, an ecologist whose CV reveals a body of research on conifers of the western North American continent. These particular needles are so short that I thought I was looking at newly emerged leaves–baby needles–but Kauffmann says something […]

UUSC Response to Biden’s First State of the Union

2 March 2022 at 00:34
The President’s speech had its uplifting moments—but we need bold follow-through to advance human rights.

March Theme – Paradoxes and Polarities

1 March 2022 at 17:04
This month we explore polarities, two things that are both needed, and that exist in tension with one another, such as activity and rest, or an inhale and an exhale. We can’t really choose just one. A paradox is a statement that seems absurd at ... read more . The post March Theme – Paradoxes and Polarities appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – March 1st

1 March 2022 at 17:03
This month, as we explore March’s theme of polarities and paradoxes, we recognize that congregations need both tradition and innovation. We need the comfort and familiarity that comes with rituals of tradition and we need to be able to respond to an ever-changing world with creativity and ... read more . The post Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – March 1st appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

RE This Week – March 1st

1 March 2022 at 17:02
Upcoming RE Classes: K-6 Experiences with the Web of Life: These nature lovers will meet again Sunday morning, 3/6, from 9:30-10:15. A couple of activities for the children to do before our 3/6 class were emailed last week and will also be included in this week’s parent email. ... read more . The post RE This Week – March 1st appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

March book discussion: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, by Deesha Philyaw

1 March 2022 at 17:01
BIPOC Book Discussion – Monday, March 28, at 6:30pm Read on with us in the next book — The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw — and join the book discussion led by Tom Comparin on Monday, March 28, at 6:30 pm. A book of short ... read more . The post March book discussion: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, by Deesha Philyaw appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Interfaith Seder – Save the date: April 7th

1 March 2022 at 17:00
Sponsored by Schenectady Clergy Against Hate, the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Scotia, & Congregation Agudat Achim in Niskayuna. Thursday, April 7th, 5:15 – 8:30pm on Zoom For more information, to register, the link and to order food, CLICK HERE The post Interfaith Seder – Save the date: April 7th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Occult practitioners prepare for global ritual to aid Ukraine

1 March 2022 at 17:00
A new global magical working designed to end Putin's reign of terror and protect the Ukrainian people is set to take place tomorrow. Continue reading Occult practitioners prepare for global ritual to aid Ukraine at The Wild Hunt.

Sermon of the Month March 2022

1 March 2022 at 13:54
American society has acculturated us to ideas about how our bodies should look and function. Continue reading "Sermon of the Month March 2022"

CUC Releases Statement On A Call for Peace and Compassion

1 March 2022 at 12:04
CUC Statement on A Call for Peace and Compassion – March 1st, 2022 – As Canadian Unitarian Universalists (UUs), we are deeply concerned about the state of unrest, aggression, and violence in the world. “It is understandable to feel saddened, outraged, or helpless as we read or watch the news,” says Anne Barker, President of […] The post CUC Releases Statement On A Call for Peace and Compassion appeared first on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada.

Oh, my! It’s Fat Tuesday

1 March 2022 at 11:45
        One of my favorite not exactly religious holidays is upon us! Today, Tuesday, is the day before my liturgically minded Christian friends observe Ash Wednesday, and launch into their long “fast.” (Scare quotes because, hey, its not really a fast, is it?) Fat Tuesday, I gather, in French is Mardi Gras. […]

UU Nations: Why Was Russia Allowed to Veto the UN Resolution on Ukraine?

1 March 2022 at 12:30
Bruce Knotts If Russia abstained—as Article 27 of the UN Charter requires—the resolution would have passed.

Tossed Like Beads—Fat Tuesday Mardis Gras and Murfin Verse

1 March 2022 at 10:15
Note— In 2020 Mardis Gras went on in New Orleans just as the Coronavirus pandemic was picking up steam.   The predictable outcome was a massive outbreak which also spread the disease to the communities from which reveling tourists returned.   Last year the Big Easy like most Carnival celebrating cities, was a virtual ghost town.   This year it is pretty much back to businessas usual and the pent-up energy might make things wilder than usual. Revelers are crowding the French Quarter again in New Orleans. There are a downsidesto having been raised vaguely Protestant and residing in sometimes inhospitable northern climes.  Perhaps the biggest is regardingwith wistful envy the liberating extravagance of Carnival and Mardi Gras.   It i...

Interdependence

1 March 2022 at 05:00
“We covenant to affirm and promote respect for the interdependent web of existence of which we are a part.” (UUA Seventh Principle) What does interdependence mean to you?

Religious Authenticity: What Works, Not What’s Oldest

1 March 2022 at 04:00
Too many people look for religious and spiritual authenticity in the past. There are reasons why they do that, but in the end, either we will find our authenticity in the present, or we will not find it at all.

Western larch

1 March 2022 at 03:12
Wikipedia summarizes a few points this way: “With its thick bark, nonflammable foliage and protective cones, the species is very fire resistant. In the late 20th century, after wildfires had been suppressed for almost a century, larches at Seeley Lake and Glacier National Park were endangered by major fires enabled by fuel ladder; normally smaller […]

Carol encounters Bike life

1 March 2022 at 02:12
Carol is a local bike activist, and she’s been working with MoveSanMateo to promote bike lanes in North Central, our old neighborhood in San Mateo (which we got priced out of when our landlord sold the building we lived in). So when she heard that bo2focused was organizing a bike ride in North Central, the … Continue reading "Carol encounters Bike life"

Pagan Community Notes: Week of February 28, 2022

28 February 2022 at 18:12
In this week's Pagan Community Notes, more groups respond to the Russian attack on Ukraine, Cherry Hill announcements, and more news. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of February 28, 2022 at The Wild Hunt.

A Disability Day of Mourning Reflection: March 1 is Disability Day of Mourning

28 February 2022 at 13:40
Jessi Sadaka Today we grieve for disabled people who have been murdered by the same people who should have loved and supported them: their family members. For me, a broader pain accompanies this grief, about how strong ableism is and how deeply it is engrained throughout our society. Continue reading "A Disability Day of Mourning Reflection: March 1 is Disability Day of Mourning"
❌