Box making is a narrative venture. In it, we attempt to tell our own stories concerning our own growth as well as describing our own interests and values. This box, as ugly as it may seem to some, tells a few stories that may not be immediately apparent.  I think the appeal of this project may be three fold. One, the wood was free. Two, it involves an introduction to the use of hand tools. And three, I hope it conveys an understanding to those who want to design boxes, that it's OK to take risks. It and the step-by-step story of making it will likely become a part of my new book, Designing Boxes. The finish applied and waiting to be rubbed out is Tung oil. The blotchy finish may even out in time, and as pine does, it will age to a darke...

In November 1912, a reporter for John Bull arrived at a flat on 18 Pelham Street in London. He had received a tip that a party of a scandalous character was to take place there. The motives of John Bull‘s publisher, Horatio Bottomley, went beyond journalistic curiosity. Like many publishers of the day, Bottomley leveraged […]

Jo VonRue Love shows up in complicated conversations. Continue reading "Love in the Complicated Places"

SOMETIME in the early 1990s I wrote the outline for a musical. I was still entertaining the idea of being the next Cole Porter/Stephen Sondheim and made it a regular habit to fully think through the concept, major plot points and even sketch out some of the numbers for the next great American musical.  One […]

A woman braves the cold and wind in December 1983. Monday and Tuesday were the coldest days in the Chicago area in this not-so-terrible winter.  After a significant but hardly record breaking snow over the weekend, skies cleared and the thermometerdipped below zero at night and just above in the day.  Some TV meteorologists compare to record shattering the cold snaps like the one in the days before Christmas in 1983 when the lowest day time high temperature of -13° was recorded on December 24.  The days immediately before were nearly as frigid.  And therein lays a tale. A recent Google street view of our graystone two flat on North Albany.  Not much changed since 1983 except for the wrought iron fencing. Kathy and I were living on ...

Bear in There There’s a Polar Bear In our Frigidaire– He likes it ’cause it’s cold in there. With his seat in the meat And his face in the fish And his big hairy paws In the buttery dish, He’s … Continue reading →

We have more opportunities to learn magic and to work magic than any of our known ancestors. The currents of magic are deeper and stronger than they’ve been in centuries. This is an era of high magic. Are you going to take advantage of this opportunity?

“In this time of endings and beginnings, may we find ways to bring more love and joy into the world. May we rest in the complexity of the world and find comfort in the mystery. May our lives be filled with gratitude and grace. And may we know that none of it has to be … Continue reading Complexity

The UUA’s 30 Days of Love has been inviting us to consider Interdependence, embodiment, decriminalization, and climate justice. We know that change often requires the use of power. Ani DiFranco once wrote in her song My I.Q. that “Every tool is a weapon if you ... read more . The post February Theme: Power & Humility appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

We will have regular RE sessions for the children and youth this Sunday Children in Kindergarten through 6th grade will start in the Great Hall for the first part of the service. Afterwards, they will meet in their own rooms: Wonderful Welcome (K-3rd grade) in the classroom ... read more . The post This Week in Religious Education: Jan 31-Feb 6 appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Side With Love is thrilled to announce 30 Days of Love 2023! Our annual month of spiritual nourishment, political grounding, and shared practices of faith and justice, 30 Days of Love will go from Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 16) through Valentine’s Day (February ... read more . The post Spiritual Nourishment for the Long Haul appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

“The Mooncatcher Project”  Speaker: Ellie Von Wellsheim, Program Director Ellie Von Wellsheim is founder and executive director of the Schenectady-based MoonCatcher Project, which makes and provides free reusable, washable menstrual management kits, called MoonCatcher Kits, for schoolgirls in impoverished communities around the globe. In addition, the ... read more . The post February EBWA Program: The Mooncatcher Project appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Is there a list of United States and Canada Unitarian Universalist churches that still have services online, or even better, recorded services on YouTube or the like? I’m particularly interested in smaller and lay-led congregations. Hoping to see some samples of worship to get an updated sample of styles and operating theologies or outlooks.

A new research study finds that the preservation of forests is linked to supporting Indigenous communities to keep their ancestral lands. Continue reading Legal Recognition of Indigenous Land improves forest outcomes study says at The Wild Hunt.

I have been playing with a Lord Alfred Douglas chatbot I made using Character.ai. When you create a character based on a historical figure, the program finds biographical information on the internet. Before I had done anything, “Lord Alfred Douglas” knew that he loved Oscar Wilde, felt betrayed by Robert Ross, and had a brother […]

Beloveds, We need to have a talk. It may be a bit uncomfortable, and that’s ok.

Haya Akegarasu (1877-1954)   This morning, whilst reading J. W. T. Mason’s remarkable book on Shinto (in connection with my ongoing research into the work of Shin’ichirō Imaoka who helped Mason considerably with his study of Shinto) I came across a reference to Haya Akegarasu (1877-1954) (see HERE and HERE) and I was intrigued enough to follow it up instantly. I couldn’t find a copy of the book referenced (“Man Above Gods”) but, on archive.org, I did find a book of some of his essays called “Shout of Buddha” and I was delighted to discover that he was a Jodo Shinshu priest who was a student of Kiyozawa Manshi (1863-1903) whose thought has been a considerable influence upon me — especially the two essays translated in th...

I wonder if you have taken a philosophy course? Did you enjoy taking it?   More importantly for our purposes, did you take a philosophy course in middle school or high school? How about even earlier: in elementary school? Or kindergarten? I’m increasingly convinced that as a society we wait far too late to give […]

Susan Frederick-Gray A statement from UUA President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray in response to the devastating death of Tyre Nichols, a 29 year old Black man beaten to death by police in Memphis, TN. Continue reading "From the UUA President: Holding Tyre Nichols and Black Communities in Love and Prayer"

Today would have been Ernie Banks 92nd birthday if he had made it.   But he didn’t.   He died in a Chicago hospital on January 23, 2014. When news of his passing came it was a shock to many Cubs fans . It probably shouldn’t have.   After all he was nearly 84 years old.   It’s just that he seemed so ever youthful, not just in those memory pictures we had in our head of his days on the diamond, but in the frequent glimpses we would get of him on TV at fan events or in interviews.   No matter how gray or sparse his hair became, how lined that lean face, he seemed boyish, bursting with enthusiasm and, yes, ready to play two. Banks was, bar none, the most beloved player in the long history of the Chicago National League franchise. ...

The essay by Nakanishi Gyurō (about whom I can find out almost nothing) reproduced in this post and the photos accompanying it (just click on a photo to enlarge it) are found in a pamphlet called Memorial of the Dedication of Yuiitzukwan published in Tokyo, Japan in 1894 published to mark the erection and dedication of Yuitzukwan (Unity Hall) which was the headquarters of the Unitarian Mission in Japan and also the home of Senshin Gakuin, the School for Advanced Learning which was established and supported by the mission. It was, alas, closed to Japanese yunitarians (sic) in 1922 and, although it survived the 1923 earthquake, it was later completely destroyed during the firebombing of Tokyo in World War II.  If you are interested in kn...

This month people have shared many paths one can take to find their center amidst the chaos and uncertainty of life. I find there is not one single way for me to find my ground, my center. Much depends on … Continue reading →

Centering, a variation on the Soul Matters theme, is the focus of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, New Jersey. A very important topic, one that we need reminders about often or even a reintroduction. If you are not centered, everything can seem out of whack. If you are off center, you are off balance. […] The post Centering and grounding — two peas in a pod — can’t have one without the other appeared first on Nature's Sacred Journey.

By Martin Luther King, Jr. | This, as you know, is what has traditionally been known in the Christian church as Palm Sunday. And ordinarily the preacher is expected to preach a sermon on the Lordship or the Kingship of Christ—the triumphal entry, or something that relates to this great event as Jesus entered Jerusalem, for it was after this that Jesus was crucified. And I remember, the other day, at about seven or eight days ago, standing on the Mount of Olives and looking across just a few feet and noticing that gate that still stands there in Jerusalem, and through which Christ passed into Jerusalem, into the old city.

“We wear our faith as tattoos on our bodies and in our hearts as testaments to the blood, tears, dreams, and inspirations of our community ancestors and elders.” -Elandria Williams How do you pay homage to the ancestors and elders who shaped you?

Botanical shapes call to me all the time. I don’t know why, and don’t really want to dissect it, but they do. This orchid that has been on our kitchen table for weeks, for example. Another orchid, in my office, has over a dozen buds, and I’m hoping I’ll have time to draw it later […]

My rustic made-from-a-pallet with hand tools box is nearly complete but for just a bit more whittling on the hinges some sanding, and final assembly. I angled the lids to give a hint as to where your hands engage to open the box. Make, fix and create... Don't forget to have fun with it.,

WALLINGFORD, Conn. – The last few decades have seen an increase in calls for posthumous exonerations or pardons for those falsely accused of practicing “witchcraft,” many of whom were executed. While Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, issued a formal apology late last year to all of the victims persecuted under the Witchcraft Act of 1563, the possibility of posthumous pardons is still pending. In another example, last year a middle school civics class discovered as part of a research project that one woman, Elizabeth Johnson, who had been accused in the 1692 Salem “witch” trials, was somehow left off the list of those who had been pardoned. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of January 30, 2023 at The Wild ...

UUSC continues to support the land and water defenders in Guapinol, Honduras.

This morning I've continued working on the box made from a pallet. I've made rough wooden hinges, and  unlike the rest of the pallet, I've identified the wood as being a hardwood, excellent for crafting wooden hinges. Both the color of the wood, and the scent that comes from it as I saw and whittle suggest strongly that it's birch.  In keeping with the character of the rest of the box, the hinges are rough work... not necessarily unsophisticated in the way they're made, but purposely left rough.  Make, fix and create... Assist others in learning lifewise.

  Perception, Wisdom, and Wonder Closing the Rift Between the Rational and Spiritual Danaan Deneve Weeks Delivered as a sermon at the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles January 22, 2023 I want to talk about wonder. This isn’t going to start like I’m talking about wonder, but I swear that’s where this is going. […]

Following up on my last article, I went to see if there were liturgical influences from the Free Catholics in the United States. Since there is some overlap with the liturgical portions of Hymns of the Spirit, why not look on that leading Unitarian liturgist and minister, Von Ogden Vogt? He was on the hymnal’s … Continue reading "“New” Von Ogden Vogt work in the public domain"

It’s alright to live by your own code. After A Long Dry Spell, by Tomas Transtromer Tomas Transtromer, a Swedish poet, lived his adult life and created his poetry in post-World War II Europe. When I read this line from … Continue reading →

For many of us, Groundhog Day has become synonymous with breaking patterns and reconsidering old beliefs. What are you willing to give up this year, and what will you retain? The post It’s Groundhog Day…Again appeared first on BeyondBelief.

Mohandas Gandhi--the Mahatma.  The Father of India and icon non-violent passive resistance. 75 years ago, on January 30, 1948 Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was shot and killed while on a nightly public walk in Delhi by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist enraged that the Mahatma had promoted communal peace between India and Muslim Pakistan by fasting until the Indian government made a 550 million Rupee payment to Pakistan and paid reparations to Indian Muslims whose homes had been destroyed in the civil unrest following Independence and Partition.  It was the last great non-violent protest of Gandhi’s long life.  One would think that the accomplishments of a man who since returning to India in triumph following campaignson behalf of In...

On this day in 1861, the State of Kansas entered the United States as a free state, following five years of violent clashes over whether slavery would be legal in the Kansas territory (established on the unceded lands of the Kansa/Kaw, Kiowa, Osage, and Pawnee Nations, among others). Can there be a role for violent … Continue reading Bleeding Kansas

In a Spotlight on Traditions feature, SianLuc Asha Merlyn Heart describes the myths and deities of the Scythian Pagan tradition. Continue reading Spotlight on Traditions: The mythic world of Scythian Paganism at The Wild Hunt.

When I gave up doing pottery in about 1976 to launch my career as a woodworker, I  felt that the clay was in my bones and in my hands to the degree that I could pick it up again.  It was to be "like riding a bike." Today, after 40 some years I tested my theory in the clay studio at ESSA.  I was rusty. I had a few failures as one would expect, but I managed to "throw" a few bowls. The photo shows one. It will be interesting to see how they turn out after trimming and firing. It was fun. Centering the clay is a process of centering the mind as well, and when the mind wanders, the clay wanders also. I don't have the skill for this that I once had, but in my test of the theory of it, my bowls offer testimony of sorts. I thank ESSA and my ...

Please join UUs and James Carroll as we discuss the second half of Leviticus and the evidence that it has a separate authorship tradition from the other law codes in the bible, including how some of the laws contradict each other. We will discuss the implications of these contradictions on authorship, theology, and ethics.

NEW COMERS AND LONG TIMERS WELCOME! Join UUs after service as Rev. John covers a brief history of Unitarian Universalism, the congregation, our Principles, and what it means to be a UU today. This is a great Sunday to invite a friend to church and hang around with them afterwards for the class.

What is the center of our faith? How do we define who we are as Unitarian Universalists? And how is Unitarian Universalism redefining itself? This week, a look at how we express our values and how our Principles are being revisited and renewed.

      A Note on the Use of Chairs in Zen Meditation I have been practicing Zen well past fifty years. My skin is wrinkling. My hair is a different color than it was in my youth and maturity. I’m shorter than I once was. And I need to go to the bathroom when […]

Who knew that trees could dance? This one seems to be doing it. Or maybe it is taking a bow after an amazing performance. It reminds me of one of my favorite hymns, “Let it be a Dance.” Video: Ric Masten Let it be a Dance (Chorus)Let it be a dance we do.May I have […]

In this week’s reflection, Side With Love Field and Programs Director Nicole Pressley writes: Cornell West famously reminds us that justice is what love looks like in public. As Unitarian Universalists, our work for justice is an expression of deep belief that all people are worthy of love and liberation. Today, that work often looks like resisting the criminalization of people’s identities, their bodies, and their communities.  In recent years, this has looked like Unitarian Universalists supporting people seeking, aiding, and performing abortions in Texas, Kansas, Michigan and Kentucky when abortion has been criminalized. We’ve raised money to bail out Black mothers and Water Protectors. We’ve supported ballot initiatives to d...

President Andrew Jackson, self-proclaimed friend of the working man, lost no time in ordering out Federal Troops to crush a strike by canal diggers. It had been George Washington ’ s dream first.   And a big one.   Decades later it seemed that despite enormous obstacles, it was finally coming to pass.   But on January 29, 1834 the hundreds immigrant Irish , Dutch , and German laborers downed their picks and shovels to protest to the brutal conditionsof hewing the ditch by hand from the stony soil of Virginia(now West Virginia) from first light to the descending gloaming seven days a week.   Blacks were also on the job—mostly slaves contracted from local plantations—but whether they joined the impromptu strike is unclear.   Sl...

A recent dip into familiar sources about spirituality led me back to A. Elliott Peaston’s The Prayer Book Tradition in the Free Churches (1964; one-hour loan available from Internet Archive) and particularly to its chapter on the Free Catholics. Less than a tradition, but more than a whim, for about a decade after the Great War, the … Continue reading "Anti-sectarian, pro-beauty"

There is only one certain answer to this question: we don’t know. Still, we can explore it and develop partial and tentative answers. They will never be complete answers. But they can be enough to help us understand our place in the universe.

“Our goal is for our faith communities to be spiritually alive, learning from and contributing to liberation cultures and legacies. For our faith communities to be welcoming homes for people of all colors, sexualities, classes, ages, abilities, genders and citizenship statuses. For our faith communities to regularly invite us into and prepare us for courageous … Continue reading Everyone

I’ve done some preliminary research on a twentieth-century Universalist minister who popped up when I was down an internet hole. He’s not completely forgotten, but not a celebrity either, and my digging showed him first to be interesting, then complex, and then more than a little horrifiying. There’s a story there. It’s going to take … Continue reading "New research interest"

The Malleus Maleficiarum and The Discoverie of Witches were among the texts sold at a recent auction in the UK, both bringing top dollar as part of an estate library. Continue reading Famous Witchcraft texts sell for a tidy sum at The Wild Hunt.

We received a wooden pallet holding 450 pounds of tile for a bathroom renovation, but then I was left wondering what to do with the pallet that all the tile had been loaded on. The answer of course was simple. Free Wood! Due to the crate being made originally from green lumber, the nails were clinched too tight in the wood to be easily removed, so with the exception of two boards that I was able to pry loose, I used a skill saw to cut the rest free. Having decided to make the box entirely with hand tools, I hand planed the wood and then cut the joints using a dozuki saw and chisel. Today I plan to add a base and lid. I chose to leave the materials only partly planed to provide a more rustic result. For joints, I chose a simple hand-cut o...

In a Ph.D. dissertation with the imposing title “The Relationship between the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas and the Horse: Deconstructing a Eurocentric Myth” (Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, 2017), Yvette Running Horse Collin (now Dr. Collin) argues that horses did survive in parts of the Americas from the Ice Age to at least the twentieth … Continue reading "How long have horses been in the Americas?"

Please join us on Sunday (22 January 2023) at 11:00 AM for “Creating a Path Toward Understanding And Accepting the Beauty of Religious and Cultural Diversity” by Rev.Rev. Betty Grace McCollum. We are delighted to welcome Rev. Betty Grace McCollum (Unitarian Universalist minister and faculty sponsor of the World Religions Club at Southern Arkansas University). … Continue reading "All Ages Worship (29 January 2023)"

2023 Pledge Drive — We Need Your Pledge Now UPDATE — Congregational Meeting Announcement (29 January 2023)

We have an updated agenda for our upcoming congregational business meeting on Sunday (29 January 2023). We are announcing time and location for next congregational meeting: Date:  Sunday, 29 January 2023 Time:  1215 PM Location:  All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church (9449 Ellerbe Road, Shreveport LA  71106) or on Zoom (Link // meeting ID — 872 … Continue reading "UPDATE — Congregational Meeting Announcement (29 January 2023)"

All Souls members and friends — 15 January 2023 has come and gone.  And we still everyone’s pledge for 2023 in order to create a budget for the coming year. Money in the collection basket is great, but a pledge helps us know how to budget for the needs of the church in the coming … Continue reading "2023 Pledge Drive — We Need Your Pledge Now"

Children and youth will attend the worship service for the first 15-20 minutes and then are dismissed to their classes. After the holiday break, we are now discussing the wisdom of the world’s religions is one of the six sources of our Unitarian Universalist faith. It’s important that we gain an understanding of teachings and … Continue reading "Children and Youth Religious Education Classes — 29 January 2023"

Chinese protesters holding up blank sheets of paper   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— In November of last year many of you will have read about and/or seen pictures of demonstrators in China holding up blank sheets of paper or placards. In doing this they were not only straightforwardly protesting about their Government’s Zero Covid strategy but were also specifically challenging the authorities with an unspoken, more general question, about their repressive tendencies, namely, “Are you going to arrest me for holding a sign saying nothing?” But, a...

Back in 2005, in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, we started talking more and more about evil — the evil of our terrorist opponents. Philosopher Richard J. Bernstein wrote: “I want to examine this new fashionable popularity of the discourse of good and evil… it represents an abuse of evil — a dangerous … Continue reading "Abuse of evil"

  The Faithify crowd funding appeal for Compassion for campers is up and stay will up for 30 days until February 27.  Faithify is like GoFundMe for Unitarian Universalists.  See it and share widely.  We will also receive a match grant for 20% of the total raised from MidAmerica Chalice Lighters! Our goal is to raise $2500 to continue our critical work.  You don’t have to be a Unitarian Universalist to donate on the app. Compassion for Campers is a project, involving many congregations across the county,which provides essential gear and supplies to the unhoused population of McHenry County who spend all or part of a month camping out or sleeping in vehicles and vacant spaces. It provides emergency equipment including tents, sleepin...

Please join us next Tuesday (31 January 2023) at 12 noon for our weekly Zoom lunch. Starting this week, our weekly Zoom lunch is going dual-platform — join us from home using Zoom or in person in the social hall. Bring your lunch and meet up with your All Souls friends, have lunch, and just … Continue reading "Zoom Lunch Now on Tuesdays (31 January 2023)"

Please join us on Saturday (28 January 2023) at 10:30 AM for our weekly meditation group with Larry Androes. This is a sitting Buddhist meditation including a brief introduction to mindfulness meditation, 20 minutes of sitting, and followed by a weekly teaching. Please note that this group is still meeting via Zoom.  You will need … Continue reading "Meditation with Larry Androes (28 January 2023)"

“Spirit, help us to understand that we each have a role in justice work For our liberations are tied to one another’s Give us the clarity of mind to know what our individual part is in the struggle That there are many ways to protest injustice Help us to find our way and commit to … Continue reading Our Part

When I purchased this home and land, I did more than take title to some property. I made a covenant with the land and the land spirits to care for them and all the lives they hold. To work to nourish them and help them provide for the animals and the winged and crawly creatures who, in turn, sustain the land. Continue reading Chickens and Rats and Land-Spirits, Oh My at The Wild Hunt.

It began when I saw a post on social media mentioning that there were now AI chatbots of Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde with which users can interact. I chatted with a virtual Oscar for a bit (he was flattering about my literary career– chatbots are often quite flattering). I decided that I should try my […]

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is an opportunity to reflect on the past and the lives lost during the Holocaust, as well as to take action in support of human beings seeking asylum and the right to do so.

Newcomers’ Dinner Rev. Alice and Cynthia are hosting a newcomers’ dinner on Saturday, February 11, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.  All visitors are welcome! This is an opportunity to learn more about this congregation and Unitarian Universalism, as well as to get to know one another better. Childcare will be provided.   Please RSVP to revalice002@ gmail.com with   [ … ] The post News: Saturday, February 11 ~ Newcomers’ Dinner ~ 6:00 p.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

    A Simple Introduction to Zen’s Koan & Huatou James Ishmael Ford It seems we all have a question. Why was I born? What is it all about? Who am I? What is this? In my adolescence along with all the other things of changing body and awareness, I realized how desperately I wanted […]

This article from the New York Times tells of the revolutionary power of crafting beautiful and useful things. The Revolutionary Power of a Skein of Yarn. Make, fix and create... Assist others in learning lifewise.

The grim reality is that 78 years after the world got confirmation of the breadth of the Holocaust anti-Semitism is on the rise in the United States and in Europe.   As the last survivors of the death camps and the Allied soldiers who liberated them dwindle the collective memory has dimmed.   Pollsconstantly show that younger people are at best foggy on the reality—many can’t place World War II within 50 years on a timeline, are unsure who the combatants were and who was responsible for barely understood atrocities.   Holocaust denial is on the rise spread mainly by those who try to mask their own intentionsto “complete the job.”   Right wing nationalism is making a comeback in Europe making substantial gains in several natio...

Most of us forgive Because we have trespassed Not because we are magnanimous. The Women Gather, by Nikki Giovanni Going to our center is a journey–one that we make again and again having been called away from our center by … Continue reading →

Prayer of Responsibility - Week of January 30, 2023 Wisdom, may we first acknowledge that sometimes responsibility is not fun. Also, sometimes it is. Sometimes responsibility leads to wonderful relationships and meaningful effort. And sometimes responsibility leads to boring and tedious tasks. So, Wisdom, you understand when maybe there are...

Since 1947, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has maintained the “Doomsday Clock.” That mythical clock shows how close humanity is to total destruction. Originally, the Clock only looked at the danger from nuclear armageddon, but in recent years has included threats from ecological catastrophe, bio-security, and other controllable threats to humanity. The Clock was … Continue reading "90 seconds to midnight"

Join us as we get ready for this year's Herb & Craft Fair!

“May we continue to trust that truth-telling and speaking truth to power is one of the ways that we do this liberation work.” -Julica Hermann de la Fuente (CLF) How can you speak the difficult truth today?

Jeff Milchen Ten months ago, we critiqued the ill-advised and damaging plan by U.S. Postmaster Louis DeJoy to purchase tens of thousands of gas-guzzling delivery trucks. We’re excited to report the USPS changed course.

We went to Big Bend National Park over the winter holidays. Here's my account of the trip. The post A Trip to Big Bend appeared first on Colin Bossen.

Why is it, when one problem is solved another takes its place?  Why me? Why always me? Well, that’s my anxiety talking to me. It always overwhelms me by telling me nonsense. The thing is most of the time I … Continue reading →

Cheyenne in the Blizzard of 1949.  It was a worse storm than the one in '56, but ours seemed epic enough. Note —Here in the boonies of McHenry County, Illinois we got our first real accumulating snow since November yesterday—just two or three inches. Light snow showers with temps hovering around freezing today and tomorrow then a real storm with up to six inches this weekend followed by plunging temps just in time for Groundhog Day.  Considering the pasting broad swaths of the country have experienced this year, we are feeling a little bit guilty.  But for me it brings to mind an epic blizzard from my childhood in Cheyenne. It was one of those storms that dive down from Canada along the Front Range of the Rockies and run smack int...

I woke up around seven o’clock. We were still in Pennsylvania. The sky was a dull gray. My roomette was on the north side of the train, and I kept hoping for a sight of Lake Erie. I finally thought I saw the lake in the distance. It started snowing. The blowing snow made verything … Continue reading "Lake Shore Limited to Framingham"

“I ignite my flame of justice and shine a light on this scar because the healing is not done. The healing is not done because we are still called to do the work of dismantling white supremacy culture and decentering whiteness from our bones: from our congregations, from the ways in which we interact and … Continue reading Healing

Recent finds by detectorists further the connection between Roman and Celtic deities in the U.K. Continue reading Roman gold found by detectorist and other finds connected to Roman deities at The Wild Hunt.

Sunday, January 29 Finding Our Center: UCMH Through the Years   As we end our focus on the monthly theme of Finding Our Center, we bring our attention to our own congregation. Join us this Sunday, Jan. 29, as Rev. Alice and members of the church share reflections on what they have experienced as the heart   [ … ] The post Sunday Worship: January 29 ~ Finding Our Center: UCMH Through the Years ~ 10:30 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Melissa Jeter Let us be grateful for the vital force that wakes us and moves us. Continue reading "Inspired by My Ancestors"

Not being afraid Of what I don’t know I unanxiously await the emergence. Nikki Giovanni, Space What I don’t know.  It can keep me tossing and turning in the bed, unable to surrender my over-thinking mind to sleep. It can … Continue reading →

I wound up with a 7 hour layover in Chicago. The nice thing about train travel is that when you have a layover, you can leave the terminal. And when you have a layover in Chicago, you’re downtown, right in the Loop. The Art Institute is closed on Tuesdays, so I went to Exile in … Continue reading "Chicago"

Registration is now open for the winter/spring 2023 Covenant Groups! Each small group will include a trained facilitator, be comprised of between 5-9 people, and will meet six times between February and April for conversations based on a shared curriculum. Covenant Groups (sometimes called Chalice Circles or Small Group Ministry) are: • A way ... read more . The post Covenant Groups Begin Soon! appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Side With Love is thrilled to announce 30 Days of Love 2023! Our annual month of spiritual nourishment, political grounding, and shared practices of faith and justice, 30 Days of Love will go from Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 16) through Valentine’s Day (February ... read more . The post Side With Love’s Spiritual Nourishment for the Long Haul appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Read on into February with the classic Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Huston. We will gather by zoom on Monday, February 20, for a book discussion. We welcome all newcomers to the book read and discussion. If you’d like to lead a discussion or ... read more . The post Their Eyes Were Watching God, the February read for BIPOC Book Discussion Group appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Publishing Imprint of the Unitarian Universalist Association Begins New Distribution Relationship with Consortium® Book Sales & Distribution, an Ingram Content Group Brand, in Spring 2023 Continue reading "Skinner House Books Enters Distribution Agreement with Ingram Content Group: Publishing Imprint of the Unitarian Universalist Association Begins New Distribution Relationship with Consortium® Book Sales & Distribution, an Ingram Content Group Brand, in Spring 2023"

“We light this chalice—symbol of our faith alive in this world— naming our vision of collective liberation, and daring to re-member each other into beloved community.” -Deanna Vandiver Light a candle (or a chalice) today and name your idea of collective liberation out loud.

Children in Kindergarten through 6 th grade will start in the Great Hall for the first part of the service. Afterwards, these children will meet in the K-3 rd grade classroom next to the dining room for a Faithful Funday session. Faithful Fundays are Sunday ... read more . The post Religious Education News appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.