WWUUD stream

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

Earth Day 2022 – The state of things

21 April 2022 at 17:00
With Earth Day tomorrow, TWH takes a look at some of the environmental events happening and some of the actions that offer hope for the future. Continue reading Earth Day 2022 – The state of things at The Wild Hunt.

Action Alert: We Must Support Children’s Mental Health

21 April 2022 at 13:46
  “The Supporting Children’s Mental Health Care Access Act and the Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Act would increase access to mental health care services and provide direct funding to schools for mental health promotion and suicide prevention. These bills are bipartisan efforts, and they are gaining momentum. Let your elected representatives know you support them. It takes everyone to address this mental health crisis.” — Dr. Deanna Behrens, Pediatric Intensive Care     The Surgeon General has sounded read more... The post Action Alert: We Must Support Children’s Mental Health appeared first on Promise the Children.

Emerson on reparations

21 April 2022 at 13:19
On January 1, 1863, in celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation, Ralph Waldo Emerson read a poem to a Boston audience. In that poem, Emerson considered the then-current idea that slave-owners should be compensated for having their slaves taken away from them. To this ethically bankrupt notion, he replied: Pay ransom to the owner,And fill the … Continue reading "Emerson on reparations"

Sowing Justice: UU the Vote Rises Again

21 April 2022 at 10:00
Jeff Milchen As threats to democracy grow, we’re determined to make 2022 the year love and justice regain the upper hand.

play with blocks

21 April 2022 at 09:01
The kids at Clear Spring School set up the big Froebel blocks as a playfield and obstacle course as you can see. Every school should provide kids the opportunity to design their own playground experiences, including the structures themselves. Make, fix and create...

Walls

21 April 2022 at 05:00
“You can brick up your heart as stout and tight and hard and cold and impregnable as you possibly can and down it comes in an instant, felled by a woman’s second glance, a child’s apple breath, the shatter of glass in the road, the words ‘I have something to tell you’… the brush of … Continue reading Walls

When You Need to Remember that UPG is Personal

21 April 2022 at 05:00
If your spiritual experiences – your UPG, your Unverified Personal Gnosis – involve someone else, either they’ll respond on their own, or you’re mistaking your desires for the message of a God or spirit.

I’m From Chicago Poet Elizabeth Marino Said—National Poetry Month 2022

21 April 2022 at 03:00
Elizabeth Marino. Elizabeth Marino may have been born into a Puerto Rican family in Chicago but the circumstances of her unique childhood and upbringing made her more creature of her city than an ethnic writer.   Chicago was and is a town where neighborhoods can be little realms of their own and where travel between them often seems like it should require passports and stamped visas.   A keen memoirist she recalls that worldand as an adult dared to adventure even wider while honoringher roots. Marino was born to a Puerto Rican couple in Chicago’s old Hyde Park barrio and was raised in an Italian/German American family in the southwest Chicago suburbs, famed for musiciansand gangsters. She holds a Master of Art from the University of ...

Curlleaf mountain-mahogany

21 April 2022 at 02:30
So called because the edges of its leaves sometimes curl under. Here’s a view of a leaf’s underside.

Minorities languages skirt censors to tell the truth about the war in Ukraine

20 April 2022 at 17:32
Despite Russian attempts to control the narrative and suppress criticism of their war on Ukraine, the use of minority languages have allowed some to express their opposition and the truth of what is happening while avoiding censorship of the Russian State. Continue reading Minorities languages skirt censors to tell the truth about the war in Ukraine at The Wild Hunt.

An Enduring Legacy: The Role of Financial Institutions in the Horrors of Slavery and the Need for Atonement

20 April 2022 at 11:46
By Daina Ramey Berry | Good afternoon, Chairman Green, Chairwoman Waters, Vice Chair Williams and members of the Committee. It is an honor to come before this body to share my testimony on the legacies of slavery and connections to financial institutions. I have been studying this history for thirty years and I appreciate the invitation.

Wooden Boat

20 April 2022 at 07:53
Yesterday in addition to helping my students make boxes and turn on the lathe, I received my copy of Wooden Boat Magazine containing Joe Youcha's review of "The Wisdom of Our Hands." It is a good review. Joe wrote of the book— "I read it in two big gulps, and as I did, I identified with the book’s message so much that I began making a list of everyone I thought should read it. By the time I finished, that list included anyone studying at a craft school, all the people I work with, and all the people I’ve ever taught. I especially wish I could buy copies for all the people who taught me, and who are no longer here. I actually want to buy it for everyone I know." Joe Youcha, a graduate of Columbia University, but no stranger to handw...

Iftar

20 April 2022 at 05:00
At sundown, the fasts of Ramadan are broken with the meal of iftar, traditionally begun with the sweetness of dates. What is something you can do to add sweetness to your spiritual practice?  

My GI Tract Is Wack

20 April 2022 at 04:51
My GI tract is wack But it be more wack If I didn’t watch the Things I eat and drink This knowledge it docent help Me to feel any better When I go number 2 And it drains me completely I feel I’d rather be Less aware of my body If I could go disassociate … Continue reading My GI Tract Is Wack

Current Black Poets You Should Know—National Poetry Month 2022

20 April 2022 at 04:21
  With a tip-o’-the-hat to Hannah Eko who featured these talented Black poets and others last year in her Colorlines blog post here are some creative forces you should know.   Descriptive text by Eko. Camonghne Felix’s work a musical blend of the poetic and the political. A Cave Canem fellowand National Book Award finalist, she is also a former political strategist for the Ms. Foundation, speechwriter for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and was a strategic communications directorfor the Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign. Her poetry wrestles with the complexities of Black womanhood, sexual assault, and the legacies of heartbreak. Badu Interviews Lamar Badu: This cyclone of good fortune.                   

Yewleaf willow

20 April 2022 at 01:05
For those who recall that aspirin is derived from willow bark, here we are: Salix taxifolia, as in salicylic acid. Ah, the teeny tiny veins of yewleaf willow. And of most of the leaves to come, I suspect. I’m not good at them yet, but this year will be an intensive course.

Flower Communion, May 1

19 April 2022 at 20:22

Flower Communion, May 1

19 April 2022 at 20:22

Child Dedication, May 8

19 April 2022 at 20:21

Mid-Week Message 4-19-22

19 April 2022 at 19:08

Green Policies and the battle in Florida

19 April 2022 at 18:47
As more "rights of nature" lawsuits both within and outside of the U.S. are being filed, Florida may end up being one the proving grounds for the legal theory. Continue reading Green Policies and the battle in Florida at The Wild Hunt.

Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – April 19th

19 April 2022 at 15:47
On Monday afternoon, we had a visit scheduled with the wonderful Unitarian Universalists who live at the Glen Eddy, a senior living community in Niskayuna. Wendy needed to be at the church building for the AV installation, so Lynn visited with the ten folks who ... read more . The post Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – April 19th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Not Drowning, But Fighting

19 April 2022 at 12:53
Pacific Climate Warriors advocate for climate justice in the Pacific through powerful storytelling and organizing work.

Youth Movement Building for Action on Climate Justice

19 April 2022 at 12:52
Youth are a vital part of the solution for achieving climate justice. UUSC’s partnership aims to amplify and center their voices and facilitate their access to decision-making spaces.

RE This Week – April 19th

19 April 2022 at 09:37
How beautiful, fun, and special it was to have so many children in the Great Hall this past Sunday, to participate in the flower ritual, the Easter egg hunt, visiting with the Easter Bunny, and working on puzzles!  Watching the children spill out the back ... read more . The post RE This Week – April 19th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Earth Week Events!

19 April 2022 at 09:15
We hope you can attend at least one of these Earth Week events listed below! Friday, April 22 Climate Can’t Wait March and Rally in Albany. Co-sponsored by NY UU Justice (NYUUJ). – 11 am: Greet NYC to Albany bikers and start march at Jim DiNapoli Park, Broadway & ... read more . The post Earth Week Events! appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Fasting

19 April 2022 at 05:00
The central practice of Ramadan is the daily fast, from sunrise to sunset. Fasting is used in many religious traditions as a practice of self-control, concentration, and as a reminder of the abundance that exists so often in our lives. How can you help your mind concentrate on something important today?

The Two of Swords – Choose Wisely

19 April 2022 at 05:00
Let’s examine the consensus meaning of the Two of Swords at a deeper level than your typical little white book. And let’s explore wisdom of the Two of Swords in the context of living in these “interesting” and “unprecedented” times.

More Leaves from the Tree of Life—National Poetry Month 2022

19 April 2022 at 04:46
  Some how I got the reputationas THE poet of the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregationin McHenry ,Illinois largely on the strength of being pushy and obnoxious about putting myself forward on every occasion possible —worship services, special readings ,coffee houses, benefit events, vigils, and demonstrations .   If folks would stand or sit still long enough , I was sure to declaim original versein their faces.   It helped that 18 years ago Skinner House Books, a publishing arm of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) issued my little collection We Build Temples in the Heart from which a handful of poems have been regularly used in denominational services.   I also have the benefit of a platform on this blog whic...

More elusive leaves

19 April 2022 at 01:57
The second tree in the “untoothed simple leaves” section of the field guide, like the first, is a spiny desert dweller that has barely any leaves at all. Finally I spotted one clinging to a twig in a photo that was clearly meant to showcase the thorns and the brilliant indigo flowers. But short-lived though […]

When things work out.

18 April 2022 at 21:18
Today in woodshop I did an experiment in preparing an elm log for turning on the lathe. What I wanted to do was to simply take a slice off each side so that the short firewood-length log could be mounted on the lath chuck. Woodturning is nearly always experimental and of course that's part of its appeal. We wonder, "can I do that?" and "how?"And then are pleasantly surprised when things work out. Normally in cutting a log on the bandsaw, that it is round causes difficulties as it passes through the cut. If it twists even the slightest amount, the blade can bind and the flat surface desired will not result. What's needed is a way to hold it steady without twisting as it passes through the cut.  There are of course, more complicated proce...

Pagan Community Notes: Week of April 18, 2022 – Earth Day edition

18 April 2022 at 17:53
In this week's Pagan Community Notes, Earth Day, meteor showers, music, and more news. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of April 18, 2022 – Earth Day edition at The Wild Hunt.

A Collective: World Cafe on Justice

18 April 2022 at 15:20
After discussion, participants move to a new table with different people and a different question. Someone at each table collected notes and below is a collective of those discussions. The post A Collective: World Cafe on Justice appeared first on BeyondBelief.

Faith

18 April 2022 at 05:00
From April 2 to May 2, Muslims throughout the world are observing their holy month of Ramadan. This is a time for study, prayer, and deep introspection about one’s faith, a “cleansing of the soul,” as it has been called. What is something that you need to rekindle your faith in?

Gina Puorro’s I Hear There’s a Bounty on My Womb—National Poetry Month 2022

18 April 2022 at 04:07
Gina Puorro . Gina Puorro describes herself this way:   “I am a student of magic, love, grief, intimacy, myth and story, ritual arts, and the wild and vast terrain that we call nature.   My writing is inspired by the exploration of good questions, by relating with my human and non-human kin, and by my pursuit of beauty and awe.   I hope to live with my heart open, my voice free, my mind curious, and my feet rooted in love.” She blogs and shares her poems at Gina M. Puorro Writer and Poet.   Her new book is The Wild Will Call You Back now available on Amazon.                                                 Puorro's new book of poetry and prose is available on Amazon. I Hear There’s a Bounty on My Womb...

Canotia / Crucifixion thorn, finished

18 April 2022 at 02:56
It has mistakes, as always, but for me this is a successful drawing: when I get into the paper what I love about the subject: here, the tangle and depth of the twigs and thorns, and the light that filters through it.

From Ishtar to Ēostre: a conversation with Steff V. Scott

17 April 2022 at 17:26
In a new book, Steff V Scott, presiding officer of the Scottish Pagan Federation, lays out an argument for a connection between the Near Eastern goddess Ishtar and the Anglo-Saxon Eostre. Continue reading From Ishtar to Ēostre: a conversation with Steff V. Scott at The Wild Hunt.

Building the Legacy of Tomorrow

17 April 2022 at 15:04
as preached April 3, 2022 at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston It is good to be back in the pulpit. It feels like I have been away for a long time. I have missed you. The last time I was supposed to offer you a sermon I came down with COVID. It was […]

Troubling the Truth (Easter 2022)

17 April 2022 at 14:37
In my Easter sermon for 2022 I challenge us to go beyond the idea that there is such a singular thing as the truth.

Easter! Passover! Ramadan! Liberation! part 1

17 April 2022 at 14:49
Today is a holy day in the Christian tradition. It’s Easter. This week is a holy week in the Jewish tradition. Passover began last Friday evening and lasts until next Saturday evening. And this month is a holy month in the Islamic tradition. It’s the month of Ramadan. We have three great traditions overlapping, and each tradition offers us a story, redolent with meaning and possibility whether we are adherents of the faith tradition from which it comes or not. At Community UU, our theme of the month for April is liberation, and our journey groups are exploring this issue, and looking at what sorts of things from which a person might need to be liberated. There have been and are groups that are oppressed, beaten down. Liberation is ab...

Easter Is a Word for Defiance

17 April 2022 at 12:30
Why the Easter story matters, even to Unitarian Universalists.

Possum tells the old story of Easter

17 April 2022 at 12:16
Possum decides he’s going to tell the old story of Easter this year. His friends Rolf, Birago, Nicky, and Dr. Sharpie help him out. Click on the image above to view the video on Vimeo As usual, the script is below the fold. (The script has not been corrected against the actual video, and may … Continue reading "Possum tells the old story of Easter"

Weekly Bread #167

17 April 2022 at 11:14
It rained Friday night. We needed it. And the sun came out on Saturday morning and welcomed me with a rainbow. A fitting image for both Passover and Easter I think. Liberation doesn’t come easy nor does resurrection. But the awe a rainbow inspires can bring us hope of both. I believe liberation is possible […]

Easy to read

17 April 2022 at 09:48
I got a nice email this morning from a reader related to my new book, Wisdom of Our Hands. He said the book was "easy to read and enjoyable," those being two of the goals I'd set for myself. There are many books of note on the subject of the hands and crafts that rely on second and third hand information, leaving them somewhat abstract. My own goal was to make it personal, meaning that I would tell my own story as well as invite my readers to explore their own experiences to bring the message home.  I hope this simple strategy—moving from the concrete to the abstract helps my book to enter a popular market. Good sales are good, the message is important. Make, fix and create...

Dual awareness

17 April 2022 at 09:36
I have this belief that we are connected with each other in unseen ways, and if we are attempting to find clarity, those ways are gradually revealed. Sometimes suddenly that is the case. It's called enlightment.   There’s a phenomenon described in Nuclear Physics called “quantum entanglement” according to which, if two particles are introduced to each other and then thrust apart to the furthest reaches of the universe, what’s done to one is known to the other. Perhaps our own beings are too complex and too distracted to register and make conscious to ourselves the myriad connections between us. We spend endless hours spinning outwards  toward   greater  complexity without seeking that which lies within. Friedrich Froebel, th...

Easter

17 April 2022 at 05:00
In the Western Christian calendar, today is Easter Sunday, the holiest day in the Christian year, and the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. What is most holy to you?

Alternative Eyes on Easter—National Poetry Month 2022

17 April 2022 at 05:34
  That wandering Spring holyday is back again and means so many different things through different eyes—the hope of humanity, the critical validation of a faith, a fable, a fraud, rebirth, disguisedfolk fertility customs, community, family tradition, bunnies and eggs for the children.   Maybe pick one from column A and two from column B with eggroll. Today we will look at Easter through three alternative eyes.   Poet and novelist Jim Harrison was an outlier—semi-reclusive , curmudgeonly , prone to profound melancholy and ecstatic joy in nature.   “Someone has to stay outside,” he told a friend and admirer.     Theresa Novack is a retired Unitarian Universalist minister, now a dedicated hiker in lovely and wild places with h...

Holy Saturday, the Fracturing of the Divine, and the Eternal Invitation

16 April 2022 at 17:16
    It’s Holy Saturday. Not very long ago a friend sent me a copy of the Deptford Trilogy. Jan and I actually went through a Robertson Davie’s orgy of reading many years ago, and I’d read all his fiction. But, it had been, well, possibly as many as twenty years ago, and I realized […]

Opinion: Beyond Bathrooms – the Bigotry of Being Uncomfortable

16 April 2022 at 17:02
Storm Faerywolf surveys the recent set of attacks on marginalized identities that are part of the culture wars in the United States. Continue reading Opinion: Beyond Bathrooms – the Bigotry of Being Uncomfortable at The Wild Hunt.

Is your identity set in stone?

16 April 2022 at 11:49
If you’re reaching sexual maturity today, you have a wide array of sexual orientations with which you might identify. There are the old categories of straight, bisexual, gay, and lesbian. There is a continuum from asexual through graysexual to allosexual, though it’s not a linear continuum since it also includes demisexual and aspec and other … Continue reading "Is your identity set in stone?"

Birthday Wish

16 April 2022 at 11:15
This picture is my 6th birthday in 1971.  Monday April, 18, marks exactly 51 years later.  When I was six, my biggest wishes were for model cars and G.I. Joes.  The boy to my right was also named Adam the other boy was named Paul (?) and the girl Natalie or Natalia (?)…not sure why […]

L’chaim! — to life!: A religion without God and an ethics without absolutes—A short Easter Sunday reflection

16 April 2022 at 07:48
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— Last year, whilst we were still in lockdown, I offered you my Easter reflections only via my blog and podcast. Should you want to read or listen to that piece it was called “Cancelling my subscription to the Resurrection and truly living the death of God”, and you can find links to it in all the usual places. What I am offering you here is simply the central idea it contained.  To begin it’s important to know that the theological position from which I am writing  — one which, given the free-thinking ethos of this ...

Gatherings

16 April 2022 at 05:00
The gathering of family and loved ones at Passover for a Seder is an important part of the ritual. In recent years, this has often been difficult, as the ongoing pandemic has made travel harder and being together sometimes unsafe. Who do you wish you were gathering with tonight?

Two Man and Two Mothers Verse by W.S. Merwin and Wesley McNair—National Poetry Month 2022

16 April 2022 at 05:09
                              A mother at the wash basin. Today we share two verses by master American poets.  Each of them begins with a glimpse at a mother. One is remembered by a child grown up and the other shares an intimate moment with an adult son. W.S. Merwin. W.S. Merwin was born in New York City on September 30, 1927. He grew up in Union City, New Jersey, and lived there until 1936, when his family moved to Scranton, Pennsylvania. As a child, he was enamored of the natural world, sometimes finding himself talking to the large tree in his back yard. He was also fascinated with things that he saw as linksto the past, like a building behind his home that had once been a coach house.  At the age of five he start...

Crucifixion thorn

16 April 2022 at 02:52
Several plants bear this common name, but this is the first I’ve ever drawn (or heard of), and it is sheer coincidence that I came to it on Good Friday. I’m not sure if the drawing is finished, or I’m just tired. I think the latter, in which case I will finish it tomorrow. These […]

All-Ages Worship (17 April 2022)

15 April 2022 at 20:25
Please join us on Sunday (17 April 2022) at 11:00 AM for “Spring Cleaning” by Rev. Barbara Jarrell. This is our first in-person Easter worship service in three years. Our Easter service will feature special music, a communion ritual slightly different from years past (but still with the focus on community), and lots of festivities … Continue reading "All-Ages Worship (17 April 2022)"

Easter Cookie Sale Fundraiser (17 April 2022)

15 April 2022 at 20:18
On this Easter Sunday (17 April 2022) immediately after the worship service: Cookie Sale Fundraiser (brought to you by our Middle School / High School Class) This fundraiser benefit Laughing Dog Ranch (a non-profit animal rescue in North Caddo Parish). If you want to bake or shop for cookies (or you just need more information), … Continue reading "Easter Cookie Sale Fundraiser (17 April 2022)"

No Online Adult Religious Education Class on 17 April 2022 — Class Resumes 24 April 2022

15 April 2022 at 20:07
For this Sunday (17 April 2022), our adult religious education class will take a break for Easter. Next Sunday (24 April 2022), we will resume our work using the book Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad. As the author says, “This is not a book you read, this is a book you do” and … Continue reading "No Online Adult Religious Education Class on 17 April 2022 — Class Resumes 24 April 2022"

Children and Youth Religious Education (17 April 2022)

15 April 2022 at 20:02
On this Sunday (17 April 2022), children and youth religious education classes will resume in person and will happen during our 11:00 AM worship service. We will resume our pre-COVID practice where the children and youth will join us in the sanctuary for the first 15-20 minutes and then we will sing them out to … Continue reading "Children and Youth Religious Education (17 April 2022)"

Zoom Lunch Now on Tuesdays (19 April 2022)

15 April 2022 at 19:58
Please join us next Tuesday (19 April 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.

Meditation with Larry Androes (16 April 2022)

15 April 2022 at 19:56
Please join us on Saturday (16 April 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 (16 April 2022)"

Column: A Personal Wheel of the Year

15 April 2022 at 18:37
Alan D.D. considers the need to remember and celebrate the important milestones in our lives - our own personal Wheels of the Year. Continue reading Column: A Personal Wheel of the Year at The Wild Hunt.

Columna: Una rueda del año personal

15 April 2022 at 18:36
Alan D. D. examina la necesidad de recordar y celebrar los hitos importantes en nuestras vidas: nuestras propias y personal ruedas del año. Continue reading Columna: Una rueda del año personal at The Wild Hunt.

Where Form & Emptiness Meet: A Buddhist Reflection on a Truth of Good Friday

15 April 2022 at 17:51
      Here we are. And in 2022, today, the 15th of April is Good Friday. (Not coincidentally, it’s also the first day of Passover) Within the Christian tradition, Maundy Thursday kicked off the events that led to today’s horror, tomorrow’s mystery, and then Easter. Not just because of the season, but certainly helped […]

UUA Launches UU the Vote for 2022 Elections

15 April 2022 at 09:00
Nonpartisan Civic Engagement Initiative Will Focus on Strengthening Democracy, Organizing for Justice and Accountability

Robin Building a Nest

15 April 2022 at 11:07
A robin is building a nest in the beam under our deck roof. I thought she would stop yesterday, after I went out and in a few times–it is our entryway. But she is back today. It seems to be a great place for a nest. The way the beams are fastened, the center board […]

A sad day...

15 April 2022 at 08:35
Yesterday my wife and I learned we'd lost an old friend in a tragic accident the night before. Lin Welford was the co-founder with my wife of the Books-in-Bloom Literary Festival here in Eureka Springs, an avid environmentalist, and library supporter. She was also the author of a whole series of books about painting on rocks, and a whole lot more than that. She played a very important transformational role in my life. In about 1994 or so, and as a best selling author for F&W Publications, she invited David Lewis to come to Eureka Springs to meet various artisans who might be interested in writing a book for them. David's trip to Eureka Springs led to my being invited to write my first book, Creating Beautiful Boxes with Inlay Techniques....

Stories from Days of Old

15 April 2022 at 05:00
The central task of the Passover Seder is the annual retelling of the story of Exodus. The story connects the Jewish people to their ancestors who were slaves in Egypt, to a God that made their liberation possible, and to those today who are not yet free. What stories are important to your heritage?

Patrick Passover Poems Revisited—National Poetry Month 2022

15 April 2022 at 03:39
Lambs blood on the lintel--a sign to God's avenging angels to pass over the homes of Jews as the first born sons of Egypt are slain. Tonight at sundown Passover or Pesach began when Jews around the world gather around   ritual tables to remember and give thanks for the events that lead to the ultimate freedom of the Hebrew people and a Promise Land of their own.   That came at a terrible price for their oppressors—a pain that they thank God for inflicting.   It is an uplifting night, a hopeful night, but also a terrible one. The story of Passover and the Exodus from Egypt is a saga of freedom that not only gave comfort and hope to Jews through centuries of persecution but inspired others who were enslaved and oppressed.   Blacks he...

Utah juniper

15 April 2022 at 02:46
This is the last of the conifers. I’m looking forward to entering the world of broadleaf, deciduous trees. Thank you for your beauty, pines, firs, spruce, cedars, cypresses, junipers!

Gay Enough

15 April 2022 at 02:53
My partner Carri and I were pretty early in our relationship when we started to wonder if we were “gay enough.” It wasn’t a new question for me; as a bi-identified person, more than a few lesbians have over the … Continue reading →

Be More Gay

15 April 2022 at 02:36
After my last post, I kept thinking about how to take these ideas and invite in a collective conversation, as well as a more intentional strategic response. The conversation part that I’m thinking about is a kind of playful response … Continue reading →

Audio from week 3, Spring 2022: Hardiness: Women’s Health and Heart

15 April 2022 at 01:25
Audio recording of Focus Talk — Marcia Boehlke Audio recording of Main Lecture — Mary Rose Muti Link to Noel Bairey Merz  — The single biggest health threat women face Link to Paula Johnson —      His and hers ... healthcare

Revised Coming of Age curriculum now online

15 April 2022 at 01:16
A fairly major revision of a gr. 8-9 Coming of Age program is now online. From the course description: “The goal of our Coming of Age program is to help young people sort out their ethical and religious identity (recognizing that some young people do not feel religious at all), so that they may make … Continue reading "Revised Coming of Age curriculum now online"

a review

14 April 2022 at 22:18
A reader identified as "Avid Woodworker" left a review of my new book, "The Wisdom of Our Hands" on Amazon as follows:  "I have been a hobbyist woodworker for over 60 years. Although this book is NOT a "how to do it" book it is proving to be the most effective book for improving my woodworking skills that I have ever read. Reading Doug's book is improving my use of the two most useful tools in my shop, my mind and my attitude." https://smile.amazon.com/Wisdom-Our-Hands-Crafting-Life/dp/1610355016/  Today in the woodshop at the Clear Spring School, I helped high school student Henry build a box for his chess set. It's nearing completion, and I'll have photos to show at a later date. Make, fix and create... 

AWC Tulsa Honors All Souls Members

14 April 2022 at 16:07
The Tulsa Chapter of The Association for Women in Communications (AWC Tulsa) announced they have named their annual scholarship in honor of All Souls member Ruth Richards. The post AWC Tulsa Honors All Souls Members appeared first on BeyondBelief.

IPCC issues new report for mitigation on Climate Change

14 April 2022 at 15:00
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued its most dire climate report last year and a new update outlines the impact of the climate crisis with recommendations on how the global community might adapt, especially to protect the most vulnerable. Continue reading IPCC issues new report for mitigation on Climate Change at The Wild Hunt.

Good Friday and Passover Aid for McHenry County Homeless

14 April 2022 at 13:22
The un and under housed in McHenry County can count on help this Friday, April 15 which is also Good Friday and the first day of Passover at sundown.  The Community Power Shower event at Willow Crystal Lake, 100 South Main Street, will be open from 10 am to 2 pm. Empower Shower is a collaborative community event providing homeless individuals access to a variety of resources. Warp Corps and Willow Creek will work together to provide transportation from Woodstock and surrounding towns for the events.  Regular pick-ups will be scheduled at the Woodstock Metro Station at 9:30 am and the Woodstock Wendy’s parking lot, 120 North Eastwood Drive.  Individuals who cannot meet at these locations and times can reach out to the Warp Corps team...

UUA Launches UU the Vote for 2022 Elections

14 April 2022 at 10:33
UU the Vote is a nonpartisan civic engagement initiative focused on strengthening democracy and organizing for justice, accountability, and healing. Continue reading "UUA Launches UU the Vote for 2022 Elections"

Ready to #VoteLove in 2022? Recording & Training from the launch of UU the Vote 2022!

14 April 2022 at 10:28
When we organize, we build power in our communities for justice, accountability, and healing. In the last two years, UU the Vote has built new networks of spiritual and political communities to #VoteLove and #DefeatHate. We know what's at stake; LGBTQ rights, abortion access, voting rights and democracy itself are all on ballots all over the country  With UU the Vote 2022 we’re organizing on the state and local levels to fight for fair elections, advance voting rights, protect abortion access, and resist the targeting and criminalization of Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities.   Last weekend, we officially launched UU the Vote 2022 and you're invited to join us! Watch and share the recording of UU the Vote 2022 Launch...

Calling All 5th-8th Graders

14 April 2022 at 08:19

In The Dark

14 April 2022 at 05:00
Many Christians honor Good Friday with a Tenebrae service.  “Tenebrae” is the Latin word for “darkness.”  In the worship, candles are slowly extinguished, leaving the congregation in silence and darkness to contemplate despair, hope, and memory. If it is comfortable and possible for you to do so, spend some time today in silence and darkness.

When You Shouldn’t Talk About Your Spiritual Experiences

14 April 2022 at 05:00
Most times, talking about our religious and spiritual experiences is a good thing. But there are times when talking about them is unhelpful and even harmful. In those cases, it’s best to remain silent.

Prayers for All Religions—National Poetry Month 2022

14 April 2022 at 03:00
We are in the midst of the Islamic holy month Ramadan.  Tomorrow, April 15 this year, is both the beginning of Jewish Passover and Christian Good Friday.  Sunday is Easter.  The Germanic/Norse celebration of Ēostrethe Spring Equinox was in late March, but many modern neo-pagans celebrate it at the same time as Easter noting the symbols and customs—eggs, hares, and flowers—were folk customs folded in the Christian holy day.  I am sure diligent investigationwould uncover additional celebrations and rituals by other faithsobserved at this time of year. Clearly there is a visceral connection to a season of rebirth connected to many traditions.  And despite stout claims that each celebration is the true one, many believe they are al...

Pinchot juniper

14 April 2022 at 01:22
This is the other tree that’s sometimes called redberry juniper. It is named after Gifford Pinchot, a forester, conservationist, political ally of Theodore Roosevelt, and governor of Pennsylvania who served as the first head of the U. S. Forest Service.

Editorial: What’s the next thing you can’t say?

13 April 2022 at 17:58
DeSantis is wrong. Say gay. Continue reading Editorial: What’s the next thing you can’t say? at The Wild Hunt.

Back in the Swing of Things: Beacon Press Returns to In-Person OAH Annual Meeting

13 April 2022 at 17:20
By Avery Cook | After two long years of conference Zoom rooms, we donned our lanyards once again and set up our table-skirted shop at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Organization of American Historians (OAH) in Boston, from March 31 through April 3. With the conference in our backyard this year, we attended with numbers and enthusiasm, enjoying for the first time since 2019 the privilege of being surrounded by our books and chatting in person with some of our authors.

Easter Sunday, April 17 ~ Love Rises Up ~ 10:30 a.m.

13 April 2022 at 15:16
Photo by Wonderlane on Unsplash Sunday, April 17, 10:30 a.m. Love Rises Up Led by Rev. Alice Anacheka-Nasemann   This Sunday, April 17, Rev. Alice explores Easter messages of despair, resurrection and hope as they relate to the climate crisis. With love, we can rise to the challenge.   Join us for coffee and conversation after   [ … ] The post Easter Sunday, April 17 ~ Love Rises Up ~ 10:30 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

boxes of blocks

13 April 2022 at 07:26
Today my Kindergarten students (the Rainbow Group) will be finishing the Froebel blocks they're making and building boxes to keep them in. The finished sets will look like those made by my high school students yesterday, but will likely not appear so well made. Make, fix and create... Build your life upon these notions.

Not Nostalgia 1955 A Test Memories of Lee Rossi—National Poetry Month 2022

13 April 2022 at 06:03
                                           Putin's nuclear alert was a flashback to Cold War terror for many. After Vladimir Putin launched the Russian invasion of Ukraine and encountered unexpectedly fierce resistance on ground andthe united opposition of NATO and most of the rest of the world, he was stung by crippling economic sanctions and defensive military aid to Ukraine.  To scare off Western action he pointedly announced that he had ordered a full nuclear alert and let unnamed “sources” hint that he was willing to use battlefield nukes if Russian territorial integrity was threatened.  Stunned commentators were aghastat the threat and everybody had a flashback to the bad old days of the Cold War whe...

Grief

13 April 2022 at 05:00
“Our grief is a holy thing. It is that proof that another life touched ours in a profound way. It is the mark of love, the mark of connection, and the mark of a life well lived.” -Tracie Barrett-Welser

Redberry juniper–one of them

13 April 2022 at 02:37
The pitfalls of using a 42-year-old field guide to the trees may be few, but occasionally one does stumble into them. When I started looking for redberry juniper photos, I quickly realized that there are two trees commonly called by this name: Juniperus pinchotii and Juniperus coahuilensis. So I went back to the guide, looked […]

Focus lecture from week 4, Spring 2022: Finding Balance and Right Relationship

13 April 2022 at 00:17
— by MaryMargaret Halsey Click here for the audio recording. This lecture was followed by a dynamic Roundtable Discussion on various facets of the issues.  A common hurdle to finding right relationship was the constraints imposed by all of our stuff, and the obligations it places upon us.

Impacts from waste, pollution, and climate change threaten many species

12 April 2022 at 18:49
The death of 479 manatees in the first three months of 2022 is a direct result of their habitat and food source of seagrass being impacted by human generated pollution. As climate change progresses, more plant, as well as animal species will continue to be impacted and possible become extinct. Continue reading Impacts from waste, pollution, and climate change threaten many species at The Wild Hunt.

Let’s Go! Remembering when the Space Age Began

12 April 2022 at 16:31
        Today, the 12th of April, 1961, sixty-one years ago Yuri Gagarin flew the Vostok 1 in an orbit of the Earth. With this Yuri became the first human being to touch outer space. As the rocket was poised to launch ground control informed him they were about to lift off, and […]
❌