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Electric honeybee swarms, bumblebee toys, and more buzz: Unleash the bees!

17 November 2022 at 17:00
Several new research studies involving bees have plenty to buzz about! Continue reading Electric honeybee swarms, bumblebee toys, and more buzz: Unleash the bees! at The Wild Hunt.

UUA Files Coalition Amicus Brief to Support Trans Youth Seeking Gender-Affirming Care in Alabama: Amicus Brief Supports Plaintiffs in Eknes-Tucker et al v. Gov. of the State of Alabama et al.

17 November 2022 at 07:00
The UUA joins a coalition of religious organizations and members of clergy to oppose Alabama's SB 184, a bill that criminalized providing gender-affirming medical care for trans youth. Continue reading "UUA Files Coalition Amicus Brief to Support Trans Youth Seeking Gender-Affirming Care in Alabama: Amicus Brief Supports Plaintiffs in Eknes-Tucker et al v. Gov. of the State of Alabama et al."

Resources & Next Steps from Climate Disaster Response Webinar Session Three

17 November 2022 at 12:45
Thank you so much for signing up for “Community Conversation”, the third and final workshop in our series on “Climate Resilience through Disaster Response & Community Care”. Whether you attended in real-time or plan to watch the recording later, we are grateful for your commitment to building communities of care in the face of climate disasters. View the recording Recording and materials for Session 1 Recording and materials for Session 2 Next Steps How can we continue to grow community around climate disaster preparedness and response?  What do UUs need to foster communities of care in the face of climate change?  How can we work together to cultivate thriving communities?   Tell us what you need!   Thank you for engaging i...

Midweek Message November 17, 2022

17 November 2022 at 09:04

The Weight of Loss

17 November 2022 at 05:00
“I put my faith in you. I put my faith in every one of you who woke up this morning with the weight of loss—manifesting as numbness, anger, fear, or an alienating, aching pain. I put my faith in you, and I pray you will put your faith in me. We need one another now, … Continue reading The Weight of Loss

New Mind

17 November 2022 at 06:20
My mental health has been compromised. Ah! The changes my mind has gone through is overwhelming. My mind can be my worst enemy.   I take antidepressants and antianxiety pills. I didn’t need the pills before cancer. The pills keep me … Continue reading →

Myth or Man—Swiss Hero William Tell

17 November 2022 at 06:24
                                           This illustration gives William Tell the full 19th Century Romantic treatment. On November 18, 1307 Wilhelm Tell, who may or may not have existed, allegedly shot an apple off the head off his trembling son with his trusty crossbow on the orders of a tyrannical local Austrian official or Bailiff who may, or may not, have existed.  Subsequently Tell may, or may not, have assassinated the villain and led a rebellion that led to the creation of the Old Swiss Confederacy.  Or so the story goes. Known to the English speaking world as William Tell and Napoleonic Era European romantics as Guillaume Tell, he became a heroic symbol of Swiss independence, revolutionary resistanc...

Sisters

17 November 2022 at 00:30
    Click here for Karen Sheahan's deeply personal story about her and her sisters.

22 Fall Week7 Nature

17 November 2022 at 00:18
    Click here for MaryMargaret Halsey's beautiful personal story of "Nature"

Recent web browsing

16 November 2022 at 21:41
Some links from my recent web browsing: Are We Allies? Foluke Ifejola Adebisi has an excellent blog post on “the concept of allyship against injustice.” In other words, what does it mean to be a “white ally,” or any other kind of ally? Adebisi makes an intersting disctintion between allyship as being, and allyship as doing: … Continue reading "Recent web browsing"

Froebel blocks

16 November 2022 at 20:21
Today my Kindergarten students (our rainbow group) made boxes to hold the sets of Froebel blocks that they made last week. They have been using Froebel blocks that my older students made in their classroom so these blocks will be ones that they can take home. Make, fix and create... Assist others in learning likewise.

“When they told me what it was, tears flooded my eyes:” Discovery may hold secrets of the Basque language

16 November 2022 at 17:00
A recently discovered bronze artifact called the Hand of Irulegi may offer insights into the Basque language and the ancient tribe called Vascones. Continue reading “When they told me what it was, tears flooded my eyes:” Discovery may hold secrets of the Basque language at The Wild Hunt.

Season Changes

16 November 2022 at 14:32
Yesterday felt like the true turning of the seasons, from warm autumn 70 degree days to a chilly, almost winter, high of 40 degrees. We had a freeze overnight and the pond surface was wrinkled with ice forming. I went around the yard putting away the last garden hose, the five-gallon buckets, the little tables […]

Sunday, November 20 ~ Visiting Stow/Acton ~ 10:00 a.m.

16 November 2022 at 12:55
Sunday, November 20 Visiting Stow/Acton ~  Services at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Join us in person (masked) or online. Links and details below. “This is a time of celebration for you – celebrating an anniversary of a beginning for the White man in America. A time of looking back, of reflection. It is with a   [ … ] The post Sunday, November 20 ~ Visiting Stow/Acton ~ 10:00 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Imaginable: How To See the Future Coming

16 November 2022 at 10:37
There is a scene in Shakespeare’s Macbeth in which a character approaches the three witches, asking them to foretell his future. He implores, If you can look into the seeds of time, And say which grain will grow and which will not, Speak then to me…. (Act 1, Scene 5) There are so many ways […]

Small Decisions

16 November 2022 at 06:31
JD Stillwater Little changes can snowball into massive impacts. Continue reading "Small Decisions"

U.S. COP Commitments: Real Solutions or More Greenwashing? 

16 November 2022 at 09:25
The United States’ new climate commitments at COP27 may sound promising, but their actions behind the scenes tell a different story.

Community Ministry

16 November 2022 at 05:00
A lot of ministry is done not in the congregation but out in the community. Chaplains attend to the spiritual health of patients in hospitals and servicemembers in the military. Community ministers feed the hungry, house the homeless, and heal the sick. They educate, advocate, and agitate. We honor all of the ways that community … Continue reading Community Ministry

Change

16 November 2022 at 06:31
On the spiral path, Change is embraced As a necessary part of growth As we circle around each season again We notice the subtle ways we have changed And the wisdom we have gained We celebrate and grieve The gains … Continue reading →

Get Me Out of Here – But to Where?

16 November 2022 at 04:00
I’m not going to tell you where I plan to move – the right place for me may not be the right place for you. Instead, I want to talk about the process of deciding where to move: for opportunities, for politics, and to avoid the worse of climate change.

Good Old, Bad Old Alan Watts: An Ongoing Appreciation

16 November 2022 at 04:00
        Last year on this day, the 16th of November, I wrote a small appreciation of Alan. Watts. He died on this day in 1973. And I find it not a bad time to pause and think of him. Watts remains an important figure in my life. And, more important I think […]

Wednesday Photo: Ditton Meadows in spring

16 November 2022 at 03:43
  Taken with a Fujifilm X100F Just click on the photo to enlarge it    One of my favourite walks from the centre of Cambridge takes me through Ditton Meadows by the River Cam an on into the small village of Fen Ditton. This photo, taken in May 2021, looks back at Ditton Meadows from the village at the very end of the High Street. It was as near a perfect spring day as it is possible to experience here in dear Old Blighty. 

The Fight—A Murfin Memoir of a Cheyenne Boyhood

16 November 2022 at 03:00
Back then the culture took a sometimes amused, sometimes encouraging view of children fighting.  Boys will be boys, that sort of thing, and a feeling that it would "toughen 'em up"   and that the victims of bullies could only be redeemed by standing up to their tormentors. Note— This Cheyenne memoir peace originated and was adapted from a presentation at a Panel on Peace at what was then still the Congregational Unitarian Church of Woodstock on November 30, 2008 and which was first posted on the blog in this form in 2012.  I pretty much defined the word dork. That was the preferred term, way back when, for guys who would now be called nerds.  Back in the sixth grade at Eastridge Elementary School in Cheyenne, Wyoming, I was the pa...

America Recycles Day: Pagan research on Eco-Friendly Behavior

15 November 2022 at 17:00
November 15 is "America Recycles Day" but how do Pagans and others think about recycling when it comes to personal and spiritual practices? Continue reading America Recycles Day: Pagan research on Eco-Friendly Behavior at The Wild Hunt.

Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – Nov. 15th

15 November 2022 at 16:36
“From the light of days remembered burns a beacon bright and clear, guiding hands and hearts and spirits into faith set free from fear.” These words by Mary Katherine Morn call us to acknowledge the past that we have inherited. The beacon hasn’t always been ... read more . The post Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – Nov. 15th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Congregational Salary Program

15 November 2022 at 13:30
Jan Gartner The UUA offers a Congregational Salary Program as a service to congregational leaders. We're introducing a fresh approach, including an emphasis on process and a new structure for our Recommended Salary Ranges. Continue reading "Congregational Salary Program"

Candidate for UUA President: the Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt

15 November 2022 at 10:00
The Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt has been nominated for UUA President by the Presidential Search Committee. Learn more about the candidate and find links to the candidate's website and social media. Continue reading "Candidate for UUA President: the Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt"

Presidential Search Committee Nominates Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt for UUA President

15 November 2022 at 09:43
The UUA Presidential Search Committee announces their nomination of the Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, an experienced leader and theologian in Unitarian Universalism, for UUA President for the 2023-2029 term. Continue reading "Presidential Search Committee Nominates Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt for UUA President"

Board Statement on the Presidential Search Committee's Nomination for UUA President

15 November 2022 at 09:04
The UUA Board shares its thoughts on the Presidential Search Committee's nominated candidate for UUA President. Continue reading "Board Statement on the Presidential Search Committee's Nomination for UUA President"

The nice thing about a blanket fort

15 November 2022 at 12:51
(Or a depression pit, As my wife half-jokingly calls it, Hoping to remind me Not to get to comfortable, that I can’t stay too long) But the nice thing is If you tuck yourself in just right, If your toes are all covered and you’re properly warm and cozy and finally starting to calm down […]

5 Ways to Embody Anti-Racism & The 8th Principle for MLK Day and Every Day

15 November 2022 at 12:51
I’ve noticed that sometimes when we talk about the 8th Principle, the whole idea of decolonizing our minds or actively challenging systems of oppression in ourselves and our institutions can seem super daunting. The way we have all been raised in white supremacy culture is a truly daunting issue, but it’s important to remember that […]

COP27: Radical Alternatives Needed

15 November 2022 at 12:05
World leaders gathering in Egypt for the annual UN climate summit must reject corporate-backed false solutions.

Maple Wood Shops

15 November 2022 at 11:24
Maplewood Shop is helping schools adopt woodworking in schools and is featured in this video from CBS in NYC. A great demonstration of its value. In the meantime I'm getting things ready to teach box making with the Sunflower Woodworker's Guild in Wichita on Saturday and a presentation on Friday night. Make, fix and create.

A Path for Spiritual Adults: Francis David & the Natural Jesus

15 November 2022 at 04:00
    In this world there have always been many opinions about faith and salvation. You need not think alike to love alike. There must be knowledge in faith also. Sanctified reason is the lantern of faith. Religious reform can never be all at once, but gradually step by step. If they offer something better, […]

Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – Nov. 9th

15 November 2022 at 09:49
On this day after the election, we are feeling so grateful for all of you who participated in #UUtheVote, writing cards and letters, text banking, phone banking, knocking on doors, registering voters, being a poll worker, painting messages on stones to “rock the vote”, and ... read more . The post Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – Nov. 9th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Green Sanctuary Collecting 2023 Calendars for SiCM

15 November 2022 at 09:25
The Green Sanctuary team is collecting the following items requested by the Schenectady Community Ministries: 2023 calendars, holiday/ Christmas cards their guests can send out, Children’s books, and yarn for their Hamilton Hill Senior Knitting Circle. You may bring donations to the Green Sanctuary table ... read more . The post Green Sanctuary Collecting 2023 Calendars for SiCM appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

16th Annual Dining for Dollars Benefit December 13-14, 2022 – Volunteers needed!

15 November 2022 at 09:00
Once again D4$ will deliver homecooked Lasagna meals to raise money for people in need. We will reach out to girls around the world who struggle to stay in school during their menses. The MoonCatcher Project provides free reusable menstrual kits to change the lives of ... read more . The post 16th Annual Dining for Dollars Benefit December 13-14, 2022 – Volunteers needed! appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

King Gillette Gets a Patent to Look Sharp and to be Sharp Too

15 November 2022 at 07:47
                                          Kindly looking King C. Gillette's visage became the trademark of his products. On this date in 1904 King C. Gillette secured a patent on a safety razor and the disposable blades to use in it.   The products quickly changed the lives of American men and the and the culture.   Men were liberated from straight razors which required daily stropping to keep sharp and except in the deftest of hands apt leave minoror major cuts—a day without blood on the towel was a victory for many.   A major victim of the safety razor was the ubiquitous neighborhood barbershopsand the ones that were in virtually every major office building and many factories where many men gathered daily ...

New Body

15 November 2022 at 06:13
I’m going to write about the most difficult change that life has given me. It’s an absolutely unwanted change. It changed me in every way mentally and physically. I will write about the changes of my physical self. In January … Continue reading →

People Need People

15 November 2022 at 05:00
Community is your place in the world.  It’s those with whom you share your hopes and dreams and fears.   We both derive and provide support from our community. We all need community–people need people. -Judy DiCristofaro (CLF) How can you make your needs known to others today? La comunidad es tu lugar en el mundo. … Continue reading People Need People

A Path for Spiritual Adults: Francis David & the First Church to Embrace the name Unitarian

15 November 2022 at 04:00
    In this world there have always been many opinions about faith and salvation. You need not think alike to love alike. There must be knowledge in faith also. Sanctified reason is the lantern of faith. Religious reform can never be all at once, but gradually step by step. If they offer something better, […]

“The quarrel is with the organized part…”

14 November 2022 at 21:42
Religion New Service reports on religiosity trends in the US, as found in the 2021 General Social Survey (GSS). The GSS concluded that religious participation declined rapidly during the COVID pandemic. But Michael Hout, professor of sociology at New York University, and two colleagues raise questions about that conclusion. Participation in organized religion may have … Continue reading "“The quarrel is with the organized part…”"

Pagan Community Notes: Week of November 14, 2022

14 November 2022 at 19:06
In this week's Pagan Community Notes: Pietas builds a temple to Neptune, Ventura Country Spirit Walk, Circle Sanctuary events, Hurricane Nichole exposes human remains, and more news Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of November 14, 2022 at The Wild Hunt.

Biden Must Stop Contradicting Himself on Migrant Justice

14 November 2022 at 17:01
The White House keeps see-sawing on immigrant rights, when what’s needed is a clear and steady commitment to the rights of people in migration.

Age of Embodiment

14 November 2022 at 08:17
I went to bed last night eager to get up this morning to write this post.  I was excited because with the approaching 10 year anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting, I realized that it would be extremely important for me to put a message about embodiment in the context of gun violence.  Then overnight, […]

NACC

14 November 2022 at 08:41
Yesterday I finished a 3 day class with North Arkansas Community College, and lots of beautiful boxes were made. Each student went home with 3, all made with Arkansas hardwoods. Lots of learning took place.  Make, fix and create.

Struggling Together

14 November 2022 at 05:00
I believe happy people have integrated themselves into many different positive communities.  It’s human nature to want and need to belong to a group of others.  Where we are employed, our hobbies and interests and especially our struggles.  I’ve found great reprieve from my personal struggles through connecting with others who fight the same battles. … Continue reading Struggling Together

Round and Round

14 November 2022 at 06:04
I love to move the furniture around in my house. Seriously, it’s a thing. I suddenly become bored with whatever arrangement I have and decide, no, actually that chair doesn’t look good there. Shouldn’t we buy a bookcase maybe? What … Continue reading →

Nellie Bly Begins her Trip Around the World

14 November 2022 at 04:00
    It was on this day, the 14th of November in 1890 that the remarkable and almost too amazing to be believed, but carefully documented so so very much real Nellie Bly embarked on her famous trip around the world. Her journey was measured against the fictional Phileas Fog’s trip around the world in […]

That Mid-November Dawn Murfin Verse Again

14 November 2022 at 03:00
It seems like a good day to resurrect a poem that appeared in a slightly different form in my 2004 collection We Build Temples in the Heart published by Beacon Press, Boston. The poem came to me early one morning on my daily walk from the Metra train stationin Cary, Illinois to Briargate Elementary School where I was the Head Custodian.  After I opened the building and classroomsand hoisted the Flag outside, I grabbed a cup of bad coffee in the Teachers’ Lounge and set down to scribblea first draft.   Mid-November Dawn   The time has come,             I know, I know.   The soft frosts that fade             at the first blush of light             are over.             The grass snaps now

Buildings of religious communities in Oshkosh

13 November 2022 at 22:21
As we went around Oshkosh this afternoon, I stopped to photograph six buildings that house religious communities. It was strange to see how deserted most of these buildings looked on Sunday afternoon. The Christian churches presumably had a lot of activity this morning, but by afternoon the building were dark, the parking lots empty. Even … Continue reading "Buildings of religious communities in Oshkosh"

Editorial: a Capital problem resurfaces on Wikipedia

13 November 2022 at 17:00
Does "Paganism" take a capital letter? It's a more important question than it might seem at first, an artifact of the ongoing rivalry between Christianity and Pagan religions, argues TWH's editor-in-chief, Manny Tejeda-Moreno, who argues the case for the capital P. Continue reading Editorial: a Capital problem resurfaces on Wikipedia at The Wild Hunt.

Act Upon Hope

13 November 2022 at 14:31
as preached at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, November 13, 2022 This past summer, I had the opportunity to hear the Commoners Choir in concert. The show was part of their Hope & Anger tour. They are a British folk choir that sings all original compositions. Our choir sang one of their pieces, […]

…And Others Have Change Thrust Upon Them

13 November 2022 at 12:30
Change happens. Sometimes we made it happen, and sometimes it happens to us without warning. How do we prepare ourselves for the unexpected? How do we respond to the changes that come without our bidding?

Thomas Cleary on Dongshan’s Five Ranks

13 November 2022 at 11:32
      The Five Ranks of Dongshan Liangjie Comments by Thomas Cleary Five Ranks, Three Roads, Three Falls, Three Leaks, Four Types of Different Kinds The Five Ranks The five ranks may be viewed as a progression of stages of development or an analysis of different degrees of integration. In the first, called the relative […]

Weekly Bread #196

13 November 2022 at 10:35
I have said more than once, that if you want to know where you are going, it helps to know where you have been. Of course we never know what is ahead of us. Trails can erode or a fallen tree can block our path. But still, checking that compass and looking back can keep […]

day 3

13 November 2022 at 07:53
I'm ready for day three of box making with seven students from North Arkansas Community College with the class being held at our Eureka Springs School of the Arts. Students have 3 boxes in the works to be completed today. Student ages range from twenty up to as old as I am. make, fix and create. Assist others in learning likewise.

operant conditioning.

12 November 2022 at 08:38
This interesting article from the New York Times describes how our participation in social media (and computer gaming also), are distorting us one quick tweet at a time. The principle is called operant conditioning and it's distorting and poisoning everything from politics to our relationships with each other. This weekend I'm teaching a class on box making for students from North Arkansas Community College. The class is being held at ESSA and is part of our on-going effort to expand the reach of what our school offers to the community at large. Last week we had faculty and administration from the college attending for lessons in art welding. A simple remedy for the poison that's destroying us is to join together in doing real things. ma...

Liberation

13 November 2022 at 05:00
Community can be the network of relationships that calls us to work for collective liberation. When we are bound in community, we find liberation together–for all of us or for none. How have you experienced working for collective liberation in community? La comunidad puede ser la red de relaciones que nos llama a trabajar por … Continue reading Liberation

What I Believe (and how strongly I believe it)

13 November 2022 at 04:00
Here’s a lighthearted look some of the things people believe in – or not – and how strongly I do or don’t believe in them.

Tree of Life UU Congregation in McHenry Acknowledges Native American Land

13 November 2022 at 03:00
This 2014 mural by Richard K. Yazzir commemorates the Cherokee Trail of Tears and the Long Walk Home  some members of the nation made from their new settlement land in Indian Territory (today's Oklahoma) back to their homelands in the Carolinas, and Georgia.  In Illinois and Wisconsin members of the Sauk and Fox tried tried to return to their hunting grounds from reservations in Iowa but were defeated and expelled again after the Black Hawk War . November is Native American Heritage Month in the United States.   The designation was inspired by the false narrative of the First Thanksgiving myth and in recognition of the true history of the genocidal displacement of aboriginal peoples and nations by the European settler invasion and con...

All-Ages Worship (13 November 2022)

13 November 2022 at 01:33
Please join us this Sunday (13 November 2022) at 11:00 AM for “Delighted Without Hope” 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 to do so. Our service … Continue reading "All-Ages Worship (13 November 2022)"

Thanksgiving Service, Ritual of Gratitude, and Potluck Feast (20 November 2022)

13 November 2022 at 01:24
At a time when so much is in question, including the holiday itself, it would be tempting either to pass it by completely, or to continue to celebrate without confronting difficult truths. Neither path is a solution. Instead, we do pause to give thanks for all we have in this life, including our right to … Continue reading "Thanksgiving Service, Ritual of Gratitude, and Potluck Feast (20 November 2022)"

Middle and High School Youth Religious Education

13 November 2022 at 01:14
This Sunday (13 November 2022) — “Understanding the Bible” Adapted for this age group from a curriculum based on the book by John Buehrens (Understanding the Bible: An Introduction for Skeptics, Seekers, and Religious Liberals). This week — Session 1 — “Why Bother with The Bible?” The group will explore the reasons we study the … Continue reading "Middle and High School Youth Religious Education"

Children’s Religious Education (13 November 2022)

13 November 2022 at 01:06
This Sunday (13 November 2022) — “Noah and the Ark” Children and youth are with us in the sanctuary for the first 20 minutes and then are dismissed to their classes. The elementary class (Pre-K through Grade 5) begins their season of focus on our Jewish and Christian heritage looking at the story of Noah and … Continue reading "Children’s Religious Education (13 November 2022)"

Online Adult Religious Education — 13 November 2022

13 November 2022 at 00:54
Please join us on Sunday (13 November 2022) as we continue our adult religious education class at 9:00 AM for “WhUU Dat” via Zoom and facilitated by Susan Caldwell and Barbara Deger continuing our discussion of the Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide. This week’s readings include the sections entitled, “Our Worship,” and “Our Religious Education.”

Zoom Lunch Now on Tuesdays (15 November 2022)

13 November 2022 at 00:48
Please join us next Tuesday (15 November 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.

Pilgrimages: A Visit to the Parthenon (in the Athens of the South)

12 November 2022 at 19:48
When one can visit the Temple of Athena, one must visit the Temple of Athena. Continue reading Pilgrimages: A Visit to the Parthenon (in the Athens of the South) at The Wild Hunt.

The Mindless and Hysterical Banality of Evil: James Baldwin Reviews “The Exorcist”

10 November 2022 at 16:32
By James Baldwin | I first saw “The Exorcist,” in Hollywood, with a black friend of mine, who had his own, somewhat complex reasons for insisting that I see it: just so, one of my brothers had one day walked me into the film “The Devils,” which he had already seen, saying, cheerfully, as we walked out, “Ain’t that some shit? I just wanted you to see how sick these people are!” Both my friend and my brother had a point. I had already read “The Devils”; now, I forced myself to read “The Exorcist”—a difficult matter, since it is not written; then, I saw the film again, alone. I tried to be absolutely open to it, suspending judgment as totally as I could.

I’m on Mastodon

12 November 2022 at 15:49
You may have heard of the meltdown at Twitter, and also may have heard of one option Twitter users have been going: Mastodon.  I don’t have a lot of love for Twitter, but until this week I didn’t see a lot of alternatives. The influx of people to Mastodon led me to dust off my … Continue reading "I’m on Mastodon"

Finding common ground

12 November 2022 at 10:14
In the May, 2022, issue of “St. Anthony Messenger,” a publication of Franciscan Media (Roman Catholic), there was an article by Mark P. Shea titled “I’d Like To Say: Stop Weaponizing the Eucharist.” For those of us who take a pro-choice position, this article contains some observations that we could perhaps agree with. Like this: … Continue reading "Finding common ground"

Revisiting a Whale of a Tale—Blowing up Blubber

12 November 2022 at 06:45
Early in November 1970, a 45-foot long, 8 ton sperm whale beached itself near Florenceon the central Oregon Coast.  This turned out to be fatal for the unfortunate whale which, which, based on its size—about half the length of a full grown bull, was likely an adolescent female. Sperm whales were still being actively hunted by several countries, most notably the Japanese, Soviets, and Norwegians though their numbers had been reduced to the point where the species was threatened.  Although the United Stateswas out of the business, its fleets of whalershad roamed the globe from New England ports from the late 18th Century to the early mid-20th Century and had taken the biggest toll on the population of the world’s largest toothed pred...

Reality

12 November 2022 at 05:00
Community is our natural state, the reality opposed to the illusion of capitalist individualism, and what keeps people alive during disasters and emergencies. As an atheist, it’s the higher power beyond myself; as a Black person, it’s my culture and way of life. -Cir L’Bert, Jr. (CLF) How do you experience the higher power of … Continue reading Reality

Of Boats and Storms and a Little Kindness

12 November 2022 at 04:00
    On Social media there’s a meme that’s going around, at least in my small corner of that world. I’ve seen a couple of versions. One is part of a larger poem by Damien Barr: I heard that we are in the same boat.But it’s not that.We are in the same storm, but not […]

2020 U.S. Religion Census nears completion

11 November 2022 at 19:21
Religion News Service (RNS) reports on some preliminary conclusions from the the 2020 U.S. Religion Census. This decennial census has been carried out since the 1950s, by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. As expected, the number of “adherents” (persons affiliated with a local congregation) has declined since the last such census. But … Continue reading "2020 U.S. Religion Census nears completion"

Column: Tending the Altar

11 November 2022 at 18:11
This is why I tend my altars so often: things change. I have a tendency to forget things that I do not put my hands on occasionally. Continue reading Column: Tending the Altar at The Wild Hunt.

Armistice or Veterans Day Remains the Holiday With an Identity Crisis

11 November 2022 at 08:17
Admiral Sir Rosslyn Wemyss, First Sea Lord, and Marshal Ferdinand Foch (standing), the French leader of the Allied forces,  accept the German surrender ending fighting in the Great War. Note:   A return of a semi-regular post.   But it will be new and news to some of you. 11/11/11 .  That’s how Americans remembered the Armistice that went into effect on November11 , 1918 at 11 a.m. local time in France ending hostilitieson the Western Front in what was up to that time the most catastrophicallybloody war in history.  The German High Command signed the armistice just two days after revolutionaries in Berlin overthrew Kaiser Wilhelmand proclaimed a Republic. The shooting part of the Great War was over.  It would not officially end u...

Prayer for the Weary

11 November 2022 at 07:00
Prayer for the Weary - Week of November 14, 2022 Lover of the Broken-hearted, the Weary, and the Down-trodden, give us space to breathe today, to breathe with peace and freedom from terror and fear, to breathe with wonderment and freedom from others’ rage, to breathe with gratitude and freedom...

The Magic of Change

11 November 2022 at 06:11
In her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, Marie Kondo writes, “People cannot change their habits without first changing their way of thinking.” (pg. 15) Good heavens Marie, that sounds like work, … Continue reading →

Peace

11 November 2022 at 05:00
Perhaps you are somewhere where today is celebrated as Armistice Day, honoring the end of World War 1. Perhaps you are honoring veterans of the armed services today. Wherever you are, take some time to pray for peace around our world. Pray for peace today. Quizás estés en algún lugar donde hoy se esté celebrando … Continue reading Peace

Julian the Faithful Apostate

11 November 2022 at 04:00
      Today the 11th of November is the feast for Mercurius, soldier and martyr in the Coptic Church. He is similarly honored in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church on the 25th of this month. In the official story he was martyred at the order of the pagan emperor Decius. […]

Park-It Market This Saturday (12 November 2022)

10 November 2022 at 21:40
The Not-Too-Early-For-a-Holiday-Market Park-It Market 12 November  2022 — 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM Click here for more details.  

Meditation with Larry Androes (12 November 2022)

10 November 2022 at 21:36
Please join us on Saturday (12 November 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 (12 November 2022)"

Scottish Pagans “threatened” in recent court case

10 November 2022 at 17:59
A case before the Glasgow Scottish High Court revises the satanic panic of the 90s, and has drawn claims of reputational harm from the Scottish Pagan Federation. Continue reading Scottish Pagans “threatened” in recent court case at The Wild Hunt.

Democrats Were Only Grazed by That Runaway Semi—Everyone is Stunned

10 November 2022 at 17:23
It wasn't just right wing outlets like Fox Business that was stunned--the whole conventional wisdom of the election was turned on it head by the actual results. Democrats are stunned but elated to find themselves still standing.  MAGA zealots and a certain orange specter are reeling.  Media pundits and talking heads can’t figure out how the hell they got things so wrong.  Despite dismal personal approval ratingsand high anxiety over the economy and inflation, President Joe Biden dodged the traditional mid-term Congressional shellacking.  Unconventional candidate John Fetterman had to overcome a stroke that sidelined his campaign for months but still overtook TV charlatan and and carpet bagger from New Jersey to take a Senate seat ...

Partner Spotlight: KICO

10 November 2022 at 16:52
UUSC is the first donor to support the Kioa Island Community Organization (KICO). Since partnering with UUSC, KICO has continued building upon its existing work on the Pacific island of Kioa and throughout the region.

Our bodies on the ballots

10 November 2022 at 13:29
When we launched UPLIFT Action, it was a sacred declaration that our bodies are worthy of protection and love.  We reminded ourselves that the movements for LGBTQ+ Justice, Gender Justice, and Reproductive Justice are all rooted in a deep reverence for every person’s right and access to bodily autonomy.  We celebrated that our communities are so much stronger and more joyous when we resist together, create for and with each other, and refuse to let anyone convince us that only one of us can win at a time.   Tuesday night, we experienced the complex mix of joy, relief, and anguish that comes from faithfully upholding the truth that our liberation is necessarily collective.  Our bodies - our worth -  were on the ballot in several w...

HISTORIES OF THE ZEN MISSION TO THE AMERICAS AND THE WEST

10 November 2022 at 12:28
    HISTORIES OF THE ZEN MISSION TO THE AMERICAS AND THE WEST What follows is a review of Richard McDaniel’s Zen Conversations. However it is much more than that. It’s a review of the histories of Zen’s mission to the West, focused on North America. I read it and found it an invaluable resource. […]

COP27 Partner Profiles

10 November 2022 at 09:46
From November 6-18, seven UUSC partners will attend the 27th annual Conference of Parties (COP) in Egypt to discuss approaches to mitigating and responding to climate change.

sawing

10 November 2022 at 07:51
Yesterday with my Kindergarten students (our Rainbow Group) we began making Froebel block sets. Lots of sawing was involved. I started with a lesson on the use of a square to mark straight lines across wood, and as is usual, getting the kids to understand that the body of the square has to be tight to the wood in order for the blade of the wood to be square and the line being drawn to be "square," was a challenge. Fortunately the project will be forgiving, of both poorly marked lines and off-square cuts. Each time a student would finish a cut they would proclaim, "I did it!" or they would tell the number, like, "I've cut five!" Mastery of the saw requires mastery of your own body... Developing a smooth arm motion as well as developing a ...

The Path to Change

10 November 2022 at 06:15
Your feelings are windows to your soul.  They are valuable teachers with lessons if we acknowledge and make friends with them.   They make themselves known so that we may know ourselves  and pay attention to parts of ourselves that need to be … Continue reading →

On the Road

10 November 2022 at 05:00
Over the past few years I have found myself living in remote places and moving around quite a bit. Community is hard to find when living on the road or living rurally. I have been able to feel connected, loved, and held by keeping in touch with friends and family through technology, and I feel … Continue reading On the Road

Sunday, November 13 ~ When Life Gives You Lemons . . .

9 November 2022 at 23:43
  Photo by Bannon Morrissy on Unsplash Sunday, November 13,  10:30 a.m. When Life Gives You Lemons (and You Don’t Want Lemonade) With Rev. Alice Anacheka-Nasemann A John Gorka lyric states, “Life is full of disappointment, yes and I am full of life.” Join us this Sunday, November 13, as Rev. Alice shares about her summer sabbatical   [ … ] The post Sunday, November 13 ~ When Life Gives You Lemons . . . appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Three Ways We Can Advocate for Climate Justice in November

9 November 2022 at 18:17
In order to achieve climate justice, we need significant policy shifts supported by powerful grassroots organizing. We must pressure governments for meaningful climate action, while advancing climate solutions in our communities to ensure that all people can thrive.  We also need time to regroup, unlearn, and learn anew.  With all of this in mind, we invite you to engage in one or all of the exciting climate justice opportunities this month.  You could start by joining the final workshop in our Climate Resilience through Disaster Response and Community Care series on Tuesday, November 15 at 7 ET, or zoom in to get the latest updates on COP 27 Activities with the UUMFE Daily Discussions on COP27 with Doris Marlin and Dr. Bill McPherson...

Resources & Next Steps from Climate Disaster Response Webinar Session Two

9 November 2022 at 16:58
Thank you so much for signing up for the “Mobilizing for Action,” the second workshop in our series on “Climate Resilience through Disaster Response & Community Care”.  Whether you were able to attend in real-time or plan to watch the recording later, we are grateful for your commitment to building communities of care in the face of climate disasters.    Next steps:   Make sure you RSVP for the third and final workshop in this series: Community Conversations on November 15.  We encourage you to invite 1 or 2 more people from your congregation to attend, so we can continue to grow our community of support! Check out the  Climate Disaster Response for UUs Guide .  This guide is chock full of tools and resources to help ind...

Unitarian Universalists Remain Committed to Democracy

9 November 2022 at 15:08
UUA President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray reflects on the ways that organizing around elections is grounded in Unitarian Universalist theology. Continue reading "Unitarian Universalists Remain Committed to Democracy"

Werewolf Magic, a new Pagan tradition

9 November 2022 at 17:00
TWH spoke with Denny Sargent about the animistic practice of "Werewolf Magic." Continue reading Werewolf Magic, a new Pagan tradition at The Wild Hunt.
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