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stash box progress

14 November 2023 at 10:10
One of the advantages of working with solid hardwoods is that furniture made from them can be repaired, while veneered furniture can present greater difficulties. Today I'll do a bit of repair on the office furniture I'd made for the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, preparing it for another 20 year's use. In the wood shop I'm making progress on stash boxes.  The first photo shows cutting parts to length last week. The second photo shows the boxes partially sanded and ready for making drawers. Make, fix and create...

Presume the Best

14 November 2023 at 06:01
Over my lifetime, more than one person has come along with the message that in the midst of conflict or potential conflict, we should presume the best of the other party’s intention. The fact that more than one person has … Continue reading →

No

14 November 2023 at 05:00
Our anger over injustice can be turned into fuel to help us move justice forward.  We can use that anger to say no to oppression and violence wherever it is found. What are you called to say “no” to in our world?

A Rickety Bi-plane Launched from a Cruiser Sparked U.S. Naval Aviation

14 November 2023 at 03:00
Civilian pilot Eugene Burton Ely at the controls of his Curtis bi-plane. He had been flying for about six months. When a young, self-taught pilot named Eugene Burton Ely left the deck of the U . S . Navy cruiser USS Birmingham in a primitive stick, bailing wire, and canvas winged Curtis pusher biplane on November 14, 1910 he barely escaped with his life and his aircraft intact but raised the curtain on naval aviation . Ely, a 24 year-old Midwesterner from Iowa , may seem like an unlikely aviator .   But in those early days of aviation, he was not untypical of the kind of daydreaming tinkerers and speed enthusiasts who were drawn to the new opportunities in the sky. He was born in the farming community of Williamsburg, Iowa on October 2...

Guts

13 November 2023 at 20:39
Today was my day off for the Veterans Day holiday, and I managed to come down with bronchitis. What a waste of a holiday. I’m ill enough that I can’t do anything fun, but not so ill that I can sleep all day. By mid-afternoon, I got so bored that I was reduced to watching … Continue reading "Guts"

Israel/Gaza series

13 November 2023 at 18:09
There’s no avoiding it: as soon as I start posting drawings like this and the previous one, some people will evaluate them politically. Am I showing too many images of ___ and not enough of ___? What do I mean by giving attention to ___ instead of ___? Etc. I can’t say these aren’t political. […]

Trust

12 November 2023 at 16:07
Interdependence is our theme for November, and trust is what allows our interdependence to best function and flourish. Trust. Sissela Bok says:“Whatever matters to human beings, trust is the atmosphere in which it thrives.”Whatever matters, trust is the atmosphere in which it thrives. How is that atmosphere in your life? How is it in our congregation? Maybe it could be better. In the 1992 Disney cartoon movie, Aladdin, there are two moments when Aladdin holds out his hand to Jasmine and asks her, “Do you trust me?” The first time, Aladdin is a street urchin, and Jasmine’s in disguise as a commoner. The second time, he’s in disguise as a prince and she’s in her element as a princess in the palace. Would you trust him? Neithe...

Pagan Community Notes Week of November 13, 2023

13 November 2023 at 16:58
In this week's Pagan Community Notes, NYC has a zodiac display from Dior, Crossings of the Veil, announcements, and Alaska's amazing transparent ice lake. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes Week of November 13, 2023 at The Wild Hunt.

Tina’s Ministerial Internship

12 November 2023 at 13:45
Reverend Tina will be speaking about her sabbatical experience at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Eugene, Oregon.

No Strings Attached

12 November 2023 at 12:30
Part two of "The Gift of Generosity" -- Our generosity goes hand in hand with our ability to trust others... especially those who benefit from our gifts.

Already Broken

13 November 2023 at 15:42
Years ago I heard a Buddhist phrase–“The cup is already broken.” Its intent is for us to meditate on the transient nature of all of our reality. If we think of the cup as “already broken,” we can appreciate the cup now, and not be attached to keeping it in the future. At least, that […]

My Humanist Afterlife

13 November 2023 at 10:33
Presented at the Unitarian Church of Quincy, Illinois 12 November 202 3 In the traditional wheel of the year, fall is when things come to a conclusion. You can see different aspects of that theme in the season’s two major holidays: Thanksgiving is about harvest, and Halloween is about death. The great UU preacher and author Forrest Church once summed up all of religion as “our human response to the dual reality of being alive and having to die”. That’s what I want to talk about today. Most of us deal with that challenge, at least in part, by practicing denial. Yes, we’ll die, but let’s not think about that right now. This is the attitude Don Juan cautioned Carlos Castaneda against when he told him to “use Death as an adviso...

Dark of Winter

13 November 2023 at 09:00
Shelley Jackson Denham Gentle darkness, soft and still, bring your quiet to me.

Where Does Our Abundance Go?

13 November 2023 at 06:01
The first service at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Gwinnett this November featured four speakers sharing reflections on generosity in addition to the homily and, though Iparticipated as a speaker, I found myself further inspired by the thoughts of our … Continue reading →

Wrath

13 November 2023 at 05:00
Sometimes, things just make us angry. Sometimes, that anger is intense and hot and needs to burn. We wrongly relegate that hot, hot anger to the list of “negative emotions,” as if there is such a thing. What makes you burn with anger?

That Bloody Sunday at Trafalgar Square—Victorian Class War

13 November 2023 at 03:00
A popular British magazine illustration of the police charge on marchers in Trafalgar Square in 1887. There sure are one hell of a lot of Bloody Sundays.   Could make your head spin.   A Wikipedia Disambiguation page lists 18 between 1873 and 1991 and I am not sure the list is definitive.   The first was a Reconstruction Era race riot in Colfax, Louisiana in which White Democrats attacked Black Republicans and Militia members trying to defend the ballot results of an election.   Between 50 and 160 Blacks were killed, most executed after surrendering and their bodies dumped in the river.   The most recent was on January 13, 1991 in Vilnius, Lithuania when Soviet troops opened fire on civilians protesting rising prices in newly indepe...

What Do We Do if Society Becomes “Less Friendly” to Pagans and Witches?

12 November 2023 at 04:00
For the most part, we can do what witches and Pagans do to whatever degree we desire. At the same time, we need to pay attention to our environment and be ready if a situation gets out of hand, beginning with seeing things as they really are and taking care of ourselves.

The Kitchen Ghost

12 November 2023 at 17:00
The food was bad, the magic was bad, and both were written by people who had all of this knowledge they forgot to put down on the page. But making food felt like the easier version of reading the grimoires. Troubleshooting instructions, handwriting alterations, and crossing out some steps altogether made me more confident in both the kitchen and the sacred circle. Continue reading The Kitchen Ghost at The Wild Hunt.

The Israeli-Hamas Conflict Is Hard. How We Talk About it Matters.

12 November 2023 at 15:09
Friends, we need to be careful with our language.

Weekly Bread #248

12 November 2023 at 11:37
I got in 3 hikes this week for a total of 18.3 miles. It included one mountain, not the tallest around, but still a mountain. The fall and the spring are my favorite times to hike. Not too hot like the summer and not too wet like we hope the winters will be. Winter here […]

Lazy

12 November 2023 at 05:00
Don’t let anyone call you lazy. Rest when you need it, and maybe when you want it. Resist the siren call of violent extractive capitalism. You do not need to earn rest–and it is not sloth just because someone else thinks you shouldn’t be resting. Rest when you want to today.

On the bravery of Private Godfrey—a Remembrance Sunday meditation

12 November 2023 at 04:44
The cast of Dad's Army , Private Godfrey is on the left An address given on Remembrance Sunday 2015 and reposted here on Remembrance Sunday 2023 as I am currently away on a week of leave. READINGS: Ecclesiastes 9:17-18: The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. Two passages by William Stafford from Every War Has Two Losers: William Stafford on Peace and War : William Stafford, Kim Robert Stafford, Milkweed Editions, 2003: 22 March 1968 The Fallacy of Retrospective Certainty: People can select in the past certain events or persons and ascribe to them a crucial role in what eventuated. Sighting back past a chain of occur...

We Stand Corrected—Diwali Really Starts Today

12 November 2023 at 03:00
A month ago, I glanced at the Dollar Store wall calendar tacked next to my desk.   It showed the beginning of the Hindu Festival of Diwali as October 12.   I leaped into action and dusted off a semi regular post about the celebration and put it up on Heretic , Rebel, a Thing to Flout .   Unfortunately, the esteemed Chinese publisher of discount calendars failed to update Diwali for 2023.   There are deep lessons of research and confirmations for the crow-eating Old Man. Other than the date screwup the original post is still a reasonable presentation of the joyous festival.   If you missed it the first time visit   Celebrating the Victory of Light Over Darkness Diwali is a Festival of Light

Subscribed

11 November 2023 at 20:25
I get most of my online news from BBC.com. I’m also a regular online reader of Religion News Service, which covers the news beat I’m most interested in, the role of religion in culture. But I’ve put off subscribing to other online news outlets. If I want local news, I’ll go out and buy a … Continue reading "Subscribed"

All Ages Worship (12 November 2023)

11 November 2023 at 19:15
Please join us on Sunday (12 November 2023) at 11:00 AM for “Breathing In, Breathing Out” by Rev. Barbara Jarrell — the All Souls Choir will sing. 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 … Continue reading "All Ages Worship (12 November 2023)"

Pre-K thru Grade 5 Children’s Religious Education (12 November 2023)

11 November 2023 at 19:05
For this Sunday (12 November 2023), our children (Pre-K thru Grade 5) will be using a program adapted from Moral Tales (a Tapestry of Faith curriculum by Alice Anacheka Nasemann and Elisa Davy Pearmain). The lesson for this week is “Courage and Perseverance” (featuring a Buddhist story on the courage to do what is right … Continue reading "Pre-K thru Grade 5 Children’s Religious Education (12 November 2023)"

Middle and High School Youth Religious Education (12 November 2023)

11 November 2023 at 18:52
This class is an exploration of our eight Unitarian Universalist principles through artistic expression. On this Sunday (12 November 2023), we will explore the 6th principle (“the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all”). The All8 curriculum is the creation of Jil Novenski (Director of Religious Education — Community Unitarian Universalist … Continue reading "Middle and High School Youth Religious Education (12 November 2023)"

Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education — 12 November 2023

11 November 2023 at 18:50
Please join us on Sunday (12 November 2023) for our adult religious education class at 9:00 AM. Our adult religious education class is now a dual-platform class — meeting in person in the church social hall and also on Zoom. We will continue reading the UUA Common Read for 2023 — On Repentance and Repair … Continue reading "Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education — 12 November 2023"

November 2023 Building and Grounds Work Day Moved to 18 November 2023

11 November 2023 at 18:33
Our monthly building and grounds work day is usually on the second Saturday of each month. For November, we are moving our building and grounds work day to the third Saturday (18 November 2023) from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM We have LA -AID guests staying with us through the second weekend in November and … Continue reading "November 2023 Building and Grounds Work Day Moved to 18 November 2023"

Building Sale Update — 11 November 2023

11 November 2023 at 18:23
The building will be going on the market sooner than we initially anticipated so the sign will be out front soon. Even knowing this is coming, we did not want you to be blindsided by the sign’s appearance. Board President Sally Wood will be calling congregants to schedule small group meetings to keep everyone updated … Continue reading "Building Sale Update — 11 November 2023"

Archeologists uncover an 18 tonne lammasu – for the second time

11 November 2023 at 18:00
Archeologists have uncovered a 2700 year old state of a lammasu, an Assyrian guardian deity, near modern Mosul, Iraq. But the story of how an artifact known to scholars since the 1800s was finally excavated shows how archeology and heritage must contend with war, looting, and political turmoil. Continue reading Archeologists uncover an 18 tonne lammasu – for the second time at The Wild Hunt.

Tupak HuehuecoyotlTupak (1952-2023): Rest in Power

11 November 2023 at 11:58
An all too brief tribute to my friend Tupak Huehuecoyotl. The post Tupak HuehuecoyotlTupak (1952-2023): Rest in Power appeared first on Colin Bossen.

“New Heaven” — The Making Footprints Not Blueprints theme tune

11 November 2023 at 10:17
 It’s just over three years since the podcast associated with this blog began and so, as a little celebration of that, and to say thank you to all of you who take the time to listen, here's the theme tune to the podcast. I wrote this piece of music many years ago as a birthday present for my wife, Susanna, without whom very little would be possible.  It’s been played live a fair few times in various bands I’ve worked with, but for a long time it remained unrecorded. Then, in 2017, the opportunity arose to record it in the midst of a session that, alas, never got released.  Hey ho . . . but that’s the way it goes sometimes. I doubt it will ever get a proper release, so this mini-release here will have to do. I hope you will enj...

A homecoming of sorts...

11 November 2023 at 08:09
Yesterday I drove to Jacksonville, Arkansas to pick up furniture that I'd made years ago that's being donated to the new Museum of Eureka Springs Art. I had made the furniture for Paul Harvel, then director of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce for his office in their new building in downtown Little Rock. The office overlooks the Arkansas River.When Paul retired from the State Chamber, the furniture went with and was used in his offices at Chambers of Commerce in Fort Smith, Russelville, and Jacksonville, and for a time was loaned as the office furniture for the director of the largest advertising firm in the state.  You can see that it was well traveled before arriving back here in Eureka Springs. Today we'll be setting it up in it...

Softness

11 November 2023 at 05:00
“I draw on the power of houseplants, candlelight, laughter, and dreaming to reclaim the rest that will heal me. In defiance of white supremacy, ableism, and patriarchy, I refuse to light the other end of my candle. I will boldly protect my softness, defend my sleep, and liberate all of my unassigned minutes, hours, and … Continue reading Softness

Armistice or Veterans Day—The Identity Crisis of a National Holliday

11 November 2023 at 03:00
  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 November 11 , 1918 at 11 a.m. local time in France ending hostilities on the Western Front in what was up to that time the most catastrophically bloody war in history.  The German High Command signed the armistice just two days after revolutionaries in Berlin overthrew Kaiser Wilhelm and proclaimed a Republic. The shooting part of the Great War was over.  It would not officiall...

Mourning Granny Weatherwax

10 November 2023 at 18:35
There are any number of quotes from Terry Pratchett’s books that moved me and shaped the way I thought of the world. But the one I always come back to, the one that shaped my magical practice - that was Granny Weatherwax. Continue reading Mourning Granny Weatherwax at The Wild Hunt.

On average, Amazon charges you 29% more than they should

10 November 2023 at 17:18
Maybe Amazon has the lowest online prices (maybe), but odds are that if you shop from Amazon you’ll pay more than you should. Legal scholars from Boston University have been researching Amazon’s anti-competitive practices. They have documented how Amazon manipulates buyers into paying 29% more, on average, than they should be paying: “As one of … Continue reading "On average, Amazon charges you 29% more than they should"

Four things you can do to support Stop Cop City

10 November 2023 at 15:11
As peaceful protestor are harrassed with inflated criminal charges, here are 4 ways you can help the Stop Cop City campaign.

Scholastic’s Book Fair Segregation Policy Was a Form of Book Banning

10 November 2023 at 14:46
By Leigh Patel | As child in elementary school, I distinctly remember being excited every time my teacher passed around the Scholastic Magazine. The paper of the magazine was thin, like newsprint. I’d fold the corners of the pages that had books I was interested in. Many times, I didn’t see anything and folded zero corners of the pages. It would be some time before I came to understand and question the power of a large corporation and its selection of what books it deemed worthy, in essence, to sell to young readers, teachers, and schools.

Veterans Day Murfin Verse—Pictures, Poppies, Stars and Generations

10 November 2023 at 09:14
This is a resurrection an old chestnut that I first read as a Chalice Lighting to open services at the old Congregational Unitarian Congregation in Woodstock, Illinois about 2000.   I read it subsequently when the congregation moved and was renamed the Tree of Life UU Congregation in McHenry.   It was included in my 2004 Skinner House collection, We Build Temples in the Heart. It was based on the memories of a boy from Cheyenne in the 1950s.   Reviewing it now, I am struck that the World War II is fast fading away.   In not too many years the last of them will be gone, just as I remember the passing of the last World War I vet at the age of 110 in 2011.   The cohort of their children, the so-called Baby Boomers are fast aging as wel...

Exploring a Revitalized Social Justice Program at UUSS Part 3

10 November 2023 at 08:09
Exploring a Revitalized Social Justice Program at UUSS Part 3 This is the final part of a three-part Article on reinventing Social Justice at UUSS. If you missed previous parts, CLICK HERE to read all three parts. Last time, we presented the idea of ... read more . The post Exploring a Revitalized Social Justice Program at UUSS Part 3 appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Exploring a Revitalized Social Justice Program at UUSS Part 2

10 November 2023 at 08:08
This is Part 2 of a three-part article on reinventing Social Justice at UUSS. In Part 1, we presented the concept of narrowing and concentrating the focus of social justice work so that we can thoughtfully and strategically maximize our impact on long-standing injustices. An effective plan ... read more . The post Exploring a Revitalized Social Justice Program at UUSS Part 2 appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Last Chance Generosity

10 November 2023 at 06:05
I remember very clearly the last time I saw my mom when I knew that would indeed be the LAST TIME I SAW HER.  We were all in the living room waiting for the ambulance to take her to the … Continue reading →

Sloth

10 November 2023 at 05:00
Some of us go slow. Some of us need more rest than others. Some of us have broken free from the judgment that we are being sinful when we are not producing things to fuel our economy. Go slow today. It’s OK.

23F Week 9. AI: What It Means for All of Us -- Whether We Like It or Not

10 November 2023 at 01:35
Focus talk by Susan Nulsen, delivered by Martha Nielsen                                                                     Me and AI What is AI?  Ever since people have been people they have been trying to create artificial intelligence.  You might say it goes back to stories of gods creating artificial life out of clay.  In more modern times people used the art of the clockmaker to make ingenious figures that could, on the hour, come out of a door on a clock and perform a little act.  Mechanical automata entertained thousands of people and still do.  But we wanted to create something that could recreate the mind of a human, in other words, computers that could think like people. Mechanical calcula...

Meditation with Larry Androes (11 November 2023)

9 November 2023 at 21:21
Please join us on Saturday (11 November 2023) at 10:30 AM for our weekly meditation group with Larry Androes. This group will be meeting via Zoom and not in person. 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 … Continue reading "Meditation with Larry Androes (11 November 2023)"

Time For A Just Peace

9 November 2023 at 16:35
Just over a month ago Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli settlers shocking in its brutality. Hundreds including women, children and the elderly were taken hostage as missiles rained down on Israeli cities. Casualties were in the thousands. The following day, Israeli Defense Forces began a bombardment of Gaza that has killed many more thousands, burying civilians with no place to flee beneath the rubble of a ruined city starved for potable water, electricity, food and medical supplies. The cost in suffering has been enormous. The roots of this conflict are ancient, as people of different faiths and ethnicities (Jewish, Palestinian, Muslim, Christian, Druze, Bahai, and more) struggle to live side by side on a small piece of real e...

Psychologists take a look at energy vampires

9 November 2023 at 17:00
Clinical and interpersonal research in psychology has started to look at energy vampirism as a social phenomenon. Continue reading Psychologists take a look at energy vampires at The Wild Hunt.

A Guide to Supreme Court Cases Concerning Unitarian Universalist Justice Priorities

9 November 2023 at 10:30
Jeff Milchen We’re closely watching these cases that affect voting rights, abortion access, and public safety.

making a stash box

9 November 2023 at 11:14
Over the years, I'm sure that many of the boxes I've made have been used as "stash boxes," a term used to describe a place to store drug paraphernalia. I've been asked to make box specifically for that use.  These walnut boxes in process are made with finger joints and each will have a drawer. The design is based on one from my book Box Making: Design and Technique. My customer wanted it to be done in a darker wood. I'm also making it slightly larger. in width, length and depth to hold more stuff.  The drawer will provide two levels of storage, so one needs not dig to the bottom to retrieve smaller objects. The larger of the two boxes is sold. The other will be available at a later date. Make, fix and create...

FUUNtastic Fall Auction Update!

9 November 2023 at 11:10
Our FUUNtastic Fall Auction was a huge success and people had a blast! It was the FUUN social event of the season! Click here to read more….

2024 Palmer Lecture

9 November 2023 at 10:04

Generous Work

9 November 2023 at 06:03
Can one person really make a difference. For me, the sheer amount of hurt and need in the world, our country, and especially our localcommunity can feel overwhelming. My heart is deeply stirred by the temporary and systemicchallenges all around … Continue reading →

Rest

9 November 2023 at 05:00
Over and over again, we get the message that we do not deserve rest. Rest–allowing our bodies to recharge and recover from the demands of life–becomes an act of resisting those messages. We must re-train our brains to accept rest and not label it laziness. Take the time you need to rest today.

Real Pedigree of that No Account Hound Dog

9 November 2023 at 03:00
The sleeve of Elvis Presley's RCA single of Hound Dog featured a photo of him singing to a real dog on the Steve Allen show. It was on this date in 1958 that Elvis Presley ’ s version of Hound Dog was certified as selling three million copies in the United States a little more than two years after it had been released on July 12, 1956.   It was only the third record ever to hit that mark and it did it in much shorter time than the others, both Christmas perennials—Bing Crosby ’ s White Christmas and Gene Autry ’ s Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer .   If there had ever been any doubt that the landscape of American popular music had been made over by an epic earthquake, there was none anymore. Presley's Gold Record for Hound Dog is...

The UAW’s “Stand Up Strike” Strategy Led to a Huge Win—and Not Just for Autoworkers

8 November 2023 at 16:27
By Jonathan Rosenblum | There’s a whole truckload of things to celebrate in the new tentative agreements won by the United Auto Workers (UAW) at Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors (GM). The deals were wrested from the Big Three companies after 46 days of expanding strike action—what new UAW President Shawn Fain dubbed the “Stand Up Strike,” in which workers incrementally extended picket lines to more plants, slowing turning the vise tighter on the companies. By the time the last holdout, GM, settled this past weekend, close to 50,000 of the UAW’s 146,000 autoworker members had walked off the job.

The connection between horses and language

8 November 2023 at 17:00
Correspondent Sean little describes the research connecting the domestication of horses to the spread of languages. Continue reading The connection between horses and language at The Wild Hunt.

Upcoming FUUN Book Group Reads

8 November 2023 at 14:00

Those who can’t sleep, bake.

8 November 2023 at 12:23
Sleep when sleep comesCry when tears come, Carve peace signs into every candleWeave mercy into every prayer Dance when Spirit says danceBake when Spirit says bake – Grieve.Rest.Pray.Rinse.Repeat . Until the work is done orUntil you are too emptyto keep trying –whichevercomesfirst. (But I thinkYou’ll keeptrying. I’llKeeptryingToo.)

Proof of Attention

8 November 2023 at 02:04
Seanan R. Holland We did what humans frequently do: we created a ritual. Continue reading "Proof of Attention"

Today’s column

7 November 2023 at 22:15
Tuesdays are Ask Isabel days! In today’s column, a teenager wonders how to negotiate the gap between praying parents and an atheist friend. I hope you like it.

Old Ways Won’t Open New Doors

8 November 2023 at 09:21
Old Ways Won’t Open New Doors There is a hard truth that I think we all know, but that we, or at least I, spend a fair amount of time denying.  Change is inevitable.  Change is inevitable and at times it is profoundly uncomfortable.  My observation is that most people want to believe they are […] The post Old Ways Won’t Open New Doors first appeared on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada. The post Old Ways Won’t Open New Doors appeared first on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada.

The Giving Tree

8 November 2023 at 06:01
I used to read this story by Shel Silverstein to my students and never got through the book without tearing up.  The story of that tree giving all of itself to that child, who even at the end of their … Continue reading →

A Call for Repentance: An Open Letter from Palestinian Christians to Western Church Leaders and Theologians

8 November 2023 at 06:31
An Open Letter from Palestinian Christians“Learn to do right; seek justice; defend the oppressed” (Isa 1:17).We, at the undersigned Palestinian Christian institutions and grassroots movements, grieve and lament the renewed cycle of violence in our land. As we were about to publish this open letter, some of us lost dear friends and family members in the atrocious Israeli bombardment of innocent

Why I'm Not an Atheist (Video)

8 November 2023 at 06:23
 

Yes

8 November 2023 at 05:00
Photo from the Gender Spectrum Collection. “We have been raised to fear the yes within ourselves, our deepest cravings. But, once recognized, those which do not enhance our future lose their power and can be altered. The fear of our desires keeps them suspect and indiscriminately powerful, for to suppress any truth is to give … Continue reading Yes

Jesús García—Mexico’s Very Own Engineer Folk Hero

8 November 2023 at 03:00
                                           Jesús García in a photo taken just days before his death. Both the United States and Mexico have national folk heroes who were real railroaders . They were even near contemporaries.   James Luther “ Casey ” Jones of poetry and song was an engineer on the Illinois Central Railroad who was killed in 1900 when his speeding locomotive rammed a sitting freight train.   The accident was entirely Jones’s fault who was trying to keep up a reputation for “always bringing her in on time” despite weather related delays.   But what Jesús García did seven years later in the state of Senora will shock and amaze you. Jesús García y Corona was born on November 13, 18...

Today’s column

7 November 2023 at 22:15
Tuesdays are Ask Isabel days! In today’s column, a teenager wonders how to negotiate the gap between praying parents and an atheist friend. I hope you like it.

Finding the sacred for Gen Z

7 November 2023 at 21:45
Springtide Research Institute recently published a study of Gen Z titled “The State of Religion and Young People 2023: Exploring the Sacred.” They charge twenty-two bucks for the full report, so you might want to check out Religion News Service’s excellent summary. A key finding, in my opinion: Gen Z are quite willing to find … Continue reading "Finding the sacred for Gen Z"

Wednesday Photo: Sun shining through autumn leaves on Christ’s Pieces, Cambridge

7 November 2023 at 19:00
  Taken with an Fuji X100V using a recipe based on the the Czech film, Fomapan 400 Just click on the photo to enlarge it

Liberating Love: ARticle II

7 November 2023 at 16:59
The text of my sermon discussing the proposed revisions to Article II of the UUA's bylaws. The post Liberating Love: ARticle II appeared first on Colin Bossen.

Pagans organize to resist Christian conservative political action in Colorado

7 November 2023 at 17:00
The Pagan community in Pueblo, Colorado makes a statement against a conservative Christian group with political domination ambitions. Continue reading Pagans organize to resist Christian conservative political action in Colorado at The Wild Hunt.

Sunday, November 12 ~ Soul Matters Sharing Circle: The Gift of Generosity ~ 10:30 a.m.

7 November 2023 at 15:40
Sunday, November 12, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Soul Matters Sharing Circle: The Gift of Generosity Location: Unitarian Church of Marlborough & Hudson, Knight Room  (Please use Church Street entrance) Facilitated by Nan Rogers, Member since 2010, Lay Leader and candidate for Interfaith Chaplaincy Ordination through ChIME (Chaplaincy Institute of Maine)  Cost: Free; donations welcome Please join us at   [ … ] The post Sunday, November 12 ~ Soul Matters Sharing Circle: The Gift of Generosity ~ 10:30 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

A Teacher’s Generosity

7 November 2023 at 06:09
One of the earliest truly impactful moments of generosity in my life came from my high school sophomore language arts teacher, Ms. Huie. I struggled very much in high school with depression and anxiety, and I was suicidal from the … Continue reading →

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies!

7 November 2023 at 13:47

Being Seen and Understood

7 November 2023 at 13:44

Why We Pledge To All Souls

7 November 2023 at 12:05
At All Souls, each member has a story of a personal journey that brought them to our church. During our current pledge drive, we've been able to hear some of those stories from our members directly. Recently, we heard from two of our members - Dorothy Checotah and Eileen Kenney - about what led them to our community and why they've stayed and pledged over their years. We want to thank Dorothy and Eileen who graciously shared their stories, each a testament to why All Souls is more than a church—it's a destination for seekers, a haven for diversity, and a vessel for change. The post Why We Pledge To All Souls appeared first on BeyondBelief.

Remembering the Other Guy: Alfred Russel Wallace

7 November 2023 at 10:51
          Alfred Russel Wallace, died on this day, the 7th of November, in 1823. After Charles Darwin there are two figures I think are counted as critical to the development of modern evolutionary thought. Darwin resisted the public forum, disliked the rough and tumble of public disputation, and feared the challenge […]

Partner Perspective: Understanding the Work of UUSC Partners Across the Globe 

7 November 2023 at 09:35
Tying together how UUSC partners work toward justice.

Thank You for Hiking With Us!

7 November 2023 at 08:49

Lust

7 November 2023 at 05:00
Theologies that define sexual desire as inherently sinful have harmed generations of people. Our bodies are beautiful–in whatever shapes they come–and our responses to intimate pleasure can be beautiful, too. Lust only becomes sin when it is damaged by a lack of consent or an abuse of power. Otherwise, it is part of being human. … Continue reading Lust

Elijah P. Lovejoy Became the First Martyr of Abolitionism

7 November 2023 at 03:00
A life profile of Elijah P. Lovejoy who was murdered before photography. He was by almost all accounts, a difficult man to like .   Opinionated to the point of bigotry on innumerable subjects.   A totally humorless religious zealot consumed with the conviction of his own righteousness—and the sinfulness of just about anyone who did not agree with him on everything, down to the comma placement.   But such men—and women—often are what is needed to begin moving the fulcrum of history.   When Elijah P . Lovejoy was cut down in a hail of bullets defending his precious printing press from an Alton , Illinois mob on November 7, 1837 he became the first important martyr of abolitionism and helped galvanize the infant movement. Lovejoy ...

Washtub bass update

6 November 2023 at 20:58
I finally updated my post on the washtub bass with construction details of a really good instrument I built back in 2019. Here’s the post — scroll down for the update.

Ardoksho

5 November 2023 at 22:02
Ardoksho (also spelled Ardochsho) was a deity who is best known for her appearances on gold coins of the Kushan (also spelled Kusana) Empire roughly two thousand years ago. The Kushan Empire included parts of today’s nations of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and the northern part of India (not including Kashmir). Contemporary empires included the Han … Continue reading "Ardoksho"

Pagan Community Notes Week of November 6, 2023

6 November 2023 at 19:25
In this week's Pagan Community Notes, the Titan Theia's namesake makes news, a blind Labrador retriever comes home, announcements and events. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes Week of November 6, 2023 at The Wild Hunt.

To What Does the One Return? A Zen Meditation

6 November 2023 at 16:56
        I first practiced Zen in the Soto style, with its emphasis on the deep discipline of Just sitting. Later I entered a Soto monastery where I encountered Japanese Zen’s monastic discipline of minute attention to the details of life. Later after I left the monastery and other spiritual disciplines I began […]

Sabbatical activities: executive function coaching

6 November 2023 at 16:22
I was 40 before I heard the term “executive function,” when a parent at church said her child was getting some coaching in that area: the cluster of cognitive functions, such as working memory and emotional regulation, that make planning, problem-solving, and time management possible. Like many, probably most, people who got that far in […]

Sabbath Practices for Wintertime

6 November 2023 at 09:00
Joanna Lubkin What would it look like to not just accept and survive our times of rest, but to delight in them?

“Green Spaces as Far as the Eye Can See”: My Experience at Climate Week

6 November 2023 at 10:28
UUSC staff member reflects on an experience advocating concrete solutions to the climate crisis.

do good work.

6 November 2023 at 08:47
Here in the Ozarks we wonder whether this fall will be as beautiful as last. It makes a difference when you look out. Most of the trees capturing the morning light are red and white oaks. Touches of green are cedars and elm. The deep orange in the understory is from dogwood trees. The steps lead down to our front porch where I often sit with Rosie, our 5 year old golden doodle as she watches for squirrels. There is a reason to observe the beauty that may surround us, and to share it with others. A recent survey found that folks were pleased with their personal lives, and were pleased at the success of their communities, but terrified for the future of our country and the world, that view twisted by our obsession with the national news. T...

The Gift and Not the Wrappings

6 November 2023 at 06:09
Sometimes receiving the generous gift of another takes work, thought, and your own generosity of understanding. You don’t always want to accept the gift. But acceptance is its own gift of generosity. In 7th grade my oldest daughter was learning … Continue reading →

Sharpening Your Tarot Skills

6 November 2023 at 04:00
Too many people set their cards down because they have no pressing need. Then when something critical comes up they can’t get a clear answer. Here are some core practices that will keep your Tarot skills sharp now and in the future.

Pleasure

6 November 2023 at 05:00
It is harmful and pervasive theology that we should feel guilt and shame when we allow ourselves pleasure. None of us has to earn pleasure–we deserve it as a part of our rich humanity. We all deserve bodily pleasure, and spiritual pleasure, and emotional pleasure, just because we are. Do something to bring yourself pleasure … Continue reading Pleasure

Brokenness

5 November 2023 at 05:00
Perhaps sin can be understood as the places where our actions lead to the brokenness of others. Sometimes, that brokenness can be repaired. Sometimes, it can only be atoned for. How have you atoned for actions that have led to brokenness?
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