The UUA announces that the Article II Study Commission, charged with reviewing and updating UUA Bylaws related to the core religious values of Unitarian Universalism, has released its final revisions to the Article II Bylaws. Continue reading "Final Proposed Revisions to Unitarian Universalist Association Bylaws on Core Religious Values Released: Congregations will have until February 2024 to propose amendments"

As a child I was an avid reader. Whenever I finished my schoolwork I chose reading over any of the other out of seat options we were given. I often took a book and read during lunch break and recess.  … Continue reading →

                                                              Sankta Lucia  sung in Swedish at a Church observation in Gothenburg ( Göteborg) . Another day, another Saint.   Today we consider how a Sicilian virgin martyr and a Neapolitan song, became central to a Scandinavian folk custom that looks suspiciously pagan . In point of fact, no one is exactly sure, but the Feast of St . Lucy—Santa Lucia—observed annually on December 13, is ancient on one hand and surprisingly recent in its Norse guise. Almost nothing is known about St. Lucy.  She was reported to be the daughter of a wealthy and/or noble family from Syracuse in Sicily in the early Fourth Century .   Syracuse was a sophisticated ci...

We are  excited to announce Nora Rasman as the new Democracy Strategist who will support our UU the Vote 2024 program and year-round work to resist authoritarianism and build a multi-racial democracy.  Nora has been a skilled leader and strategist in Unitarian Universalist justice work and a powerful coalition builder progressive organizations like Working Families Party, Showing up for Racial Justice, and Southerners on New Ground. Her reputation for building and sustaining accountable relationships and sharpening the analysis and political commitments of volunteer leaders will strengthen our national and local networks for more effective collaboration and deeper impacts. As the former Wisconsin organizer for UU the Vote in 2020, Nora...

 Photo taken with a Fuji X100V using Fuji’s Classic Negative setting Just click on the photo to enlarge  

A metaphysical store near Los Angeles reports being stalked by Christian protesters. Continue reading SoCal Metaphysical store experiences Christian protests at The Wild Hunt.

By Christian Coleman | You’ve heard of that elf on the shelf, but have you heard of word count at a discount? That’s really pushing it, but there are books we’re talking about. Now’s the time to hunt for gifty books for the loved ones in your life. Save 30% on everything at beacon.org through December 31 using code HOL30!

We sing, tell stories, sit in the growing darkness, and dream together. Bring hand drums to play/share to invite the Sun to return. The post Dec. 17 10:30am Dreaming in the Dark appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Please bring new warm hats, mittens, gloves, and scarves to donate to local kids and teens. If you won’t be here on the 24th, there will be a basket for them on the 17th to drop them off. The post Dec. 24 – 10:30am Christmas Pageant appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Evening Candlelight Christmas Eve service – all ages welcome! The choir will sing. Those gathered will sing. Followed by social time with cookies and wassail in the dining room as others sit quietly in the circle holding a candle. The post Dec. 24 – 7:00-8:30pm Passing the Light appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

Online only. We are giving all our Staff and Volunteers an unexpected gift of a Sunday off or to just attend and receive the beautiful message created and offered by UUA President, Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt. The buildings will be closed that day. Perhaps you ... read more . The post Dec. 31 – 10:30am Seeds for the New Year appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

We hope to see you in the Great Hall and/or in our Zoom Sanctuary in the next few weeks! The post We hope to see you! appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

I’m one of those atheists who thinks a lot about what separates us humans from the rest of the natural world. Storytelling, our ability to pass down concepts, skills, and values through narrative, seems to be the primary gift. In my family, stories passed down an African identity through generations of slavery and colonialism. Growing … Continue reading Storytelling is Life

I finished making my wooden ties. They are made of walnut, inlaid with cherry, maple, walnut and sycamore.To wear them you simply tie the strings in a bow at the back of the neck. No, you won't find them at Dillards. Make, fix and create...

Mystery is at the heart of creativity. That, and surprise. Julia Cameron I am part of an online quilting community run by Pat Sloan, an award winning quilter who writes books, posts videos and hosts of all things, a mystery … Continue reading →

Ittōen (一灯園) Main Hall   On Sunday offered the Cambridge Unitarian community a short thought for the day which referenced the interesting Ittōen (一灯園) community and I thought that, perhaps, a few of you might like to see their five, daily prayers the community uses: The Five Daily Prayers of Ittōen (一灯園) 光明祈願（暫定） Prayer for Enlightenment (Provisional) (1) 不二の光明によりて新生し許されて活きん May we be reborn and live through the one, non-dual, light. (2) 諸宗の真髄を礼拝し帰一の大願に参ぜん May we revere the heart of all teachings, and participate in the great vow of unity. (3) 懺悔の為に奉仕し報恩の為に行乞せん May we serve others in the spiri...

WordPress informs me that this is my 1000th post on Sermons in Stones! Wow. Thanks for coming along for the ride! In Judaism, there’s a concept called hiddur mitzvah: the beautification of a mitzvah or commandment. It means that while we can discharge our duty to fulfill a commandment in a very plain way, adding […]

I’m always interested to read a news story on a topic that I know something about. Do the news media get it right? Do they show their bias? What do they miss? What do they show me that I’ve missed by being too close to the subject? No wonder, then, that I was interested to … Continue reading "Media portrayals"

In this week's Pagan Community Notes, Diana Paxson and her son are recovering after an assault, Yule lads visit begin tonight, good news for African Painted Dogs, events and announcements. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of December 11, 2023 at The Wild Hunt.

        “The ancients spoke of three essential conditions for Zen practice: First: Great faith; second: great doubt; third: great determination. These are like the three legs of a tripod.”  Koun Yamada[1]   Preliminary notes for a larger meditation When I first started Zen practice in the late 1960s there weren’t a lot […]

A prayer offered for the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The post A prayer for the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human rights appeared first on Colin Bossen.

Gifts can be awkward things. To give a gift requires grace and generosity of spirit, which can be hard to come by at times. To receive a gift can mean to open oneself to vulnerability and need. The nature of … Continue reading →

During the worst of the pandemic I began using emailed woodworking with kids emails in an attempt to keep my students and parents engaged. It met with limited success. Due to the inactivity of my mail chimp account, I was informed that unless it received further attention from me, it would be disabled. I'll try to keep it going because the need for children working with wood has not diminished. If anything, it is more important than ever before as more stuff moves online and a hunger develops for meaningful engagement in the real world. Adults and children learn in the same manner, direct from the real world and by doing real things. You need not have children or grand children to find value in the newsletters. You can view old copies or...

Ever think you knew something and then when you try to explain it to someone, you realize you don’t really understand it like you thought you did? It happens to me all the time. So for things that are important to me, I work hard to tell the story to those that will listen. Being … Continue reading New Meaning

Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that deals with the question of how we know what we know. How do we know what we know – what we think we know – about the many Gods? We will never know with certainty, but certainty isn’t required.

                                                                Le Canta a la Virgen de Guadalupe  sung by Beatriz Adriana Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe , Queen of Mexico and Empress of the Americas , Patroness of the Americas , and most recently Patroness of the Unborn .   An image of her preserved on cloth in a Mexico City Basilica is the object of almost universal adoration in Mexico and among the large Mexican diaspora in the United States.   She has been called the “rubber band which binds this disparate nation into a whole.”   Mexican literary icons have attested to her importance.   Carlos Fuentes said that “you cannot truly be considered a Mexican unless you believe ...

  Dear Santa Have You Had the Measles? by Lael Calloway with a little help from her dad Cab Calloway. Something about Christmas inspires novelty songs.   Records in every possible genre have been recorded by surprising artists.   The hope to cash in with a lifetime annuity like All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth or Grandma Got Runover by a Reindeer .   A few songs struggle to reach the lower reaches of the music charts and fade away after one season.   Most of the would-be clever songs   disappear into obscurity. Dear Santa Have You Had the Measles? is one never noticed.   It came to me only because of a bit by the cheerfully chatty WGN Morning News which had a short clip from a 1950s era 45 RPM single.   What intrigu...

Cover   A work in progress: Murchison River Gorge from a photograph by Leonie Nulsen January Huron Avenue in January February My life journey in the style of a journey stone March Still life with a silver tin April Calla lily drawn in a pastel workshop May A still life with apples done in pen and watercolor crayons,  in a class with Ann Wiseman June A day lily from our back porch July Adams House and Harvard Lampoon Building, view from Mt Auburn St. August Abel Tasman National Park, painted in online class with Mike Southern September Juniper, Cheryl Suchors' dog October Looking at Sandy Pond through trees at De Cordova Sculpture Park experimenting with a different style November Weeks Footbridge from a HSSPA photograph December Smith'...

Meg Elison invites our readers to curl up on the couch for a Christ-less Christmas Classic, the 2006 miniseries adaptation of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novel "Hogfather." Continue reading Classics of Pagan Cinema: Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather at The Wild Hunt.

I. We are reflecting, this month, on the theme: transformation. Last week, I talked about having a vow to guide your life – discerning what is your calling, and pursuing it. Now, a vow is not a goal. The goal question is: where do you want to end up? The vow question is: what direction do you want to be headed – who knows where you’ll end up. A goal is either achieved, or it isn’t, at least not yet. A vow is how you want to live. It’s about the journey, while a goal is about a particular destination. Living by vow is about being oriented in a certain way every day, whether you actually accomplish anything or not. It is about what you’ve decided to dedicate yourself to trying to accomplish, not about whether or not accomplishm...

Patrick Cruz presents an indigenous perspective about growing up in Los Alamos and living two lives: one as a Los Alamos resident/kid, the other as a Pueblo person from Ohkay Owingeh. in Cruz’s mind, there are constant reminders all over the town and its surrounding landscape of Pueblo spaces: invisible to most residents, but alive and breathing Pueblo places to him. He wishes to voice and bring awareness that these places are not just about Los Alamos’s unique town history and great contributions to global geopolitics, but that there is another independent history and life to this place that has existed long into the past ... and continues to exist today. It remains in Pueblo landscape and space. Note: This forum will NOT be broadca...

My hiking gloves wore out too, but new ones are on the way. There are days I’d like to order a new body on line and have it come in the mail, with frequent email and text messages to alert me to its progress. I do have a (relatively) new knee, so maybe someday we […]

In Unitarian Universalist spaces, one of the covenantal agreements we often observe is to honor the impact of our words and behaviors over the intentions. This is a very difficult agreement to uphold, because it requires that we loosen our grip on the role we assign ourselves in our own story in order to understand … Continue reading What Role?

Our theme for December is "The Gift of Mystery." This week we explore some of the many ways in which we respond to the mysteries of life all around us.

                                                                   Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming performed by the Robert Shaw Chorale. It is already the Second Sunday of Advent, and a hymn appropriate for that period of anticipatory waiting, Lo , How a Rose E’re Blooming is one of the oldest Advent carols,. Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming originated as the 17th Century German hymn Es ist ein Ros entsprungen —literally “It is a rose sprung up.”  The text is a symbolic reference to the Virgin Mary and makes reference to the Old Testament prophecies of Isaiah, which in Christian interpretation foretold the Incarnation of Christ, and to the Tree of Jesse—the lineage of Jesus.  The hymn was in...

Please join us on Sunday (10 December 2023) at 11:00 AM for “Mastery or Mystery?” 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 (10 December 2023)"

For this Sunday (10 December 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 exploring the idea of working together.  

This class is an exploration of our eight Unitarian Universalist principles through artistic expression. On this Sunday (10 December 2023), we will revisit all 8 principles. The All8 curriculum is the creation of Jil Novenski (Director of Religious Education — Community Unitarian Universalist Church of New York City) who has generously shared it with her … Continue reading "Middle and High School Youth Religious Education (10 December 2023)"

Please join us on Sunday (10 December 2023) for our adult religious education class at 9:00 AM. For this Sunday only, our adult religious education class will be meeting on Zoom and not in person (the social hall is set up for the Sunday afternoon’s rummage sale). We will continue reading the UUA Common Read … Continue reading "Online Adult Religious Education — 10 December 2023"

Please join us next Wednesday (13 December 2023) at 12 noon for our weekly Zoom lunch. Our weekly Zoom lunch is 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 catch up.

On this Sunday and next Sunday (10 and 17 December 2023), the Muslim Community of Shreveport (MCS) is conducting a clothing drive for the people of Gaza. You can help — there will be a box in the foyer from 10 to 17 December 2023 for you to bring your gently used clothing –all styles … Continue reading "Clothing Drive for Gaza (10 and 17 December 2023)"

"I have been a hard polytheist for a long time, sure that the gods are people with their own motivations and machinations. Somehow, I had never expected them to have feelings - or at least, not ones that I could hurt." Luke Babb on Marvel's Loki - and the real one. Continue reading For All Time, Always at The Wild Hunt.

I received yet another email from someone who is concerned about the proposed revisions to Article II. On the one hand, we’re merely revising the principles and purposes section of the Unitarian Universalist Association(UUA) bylaws. You have to have a section on principles and purposes in any nonprofit organization’s bylaws to help demonstrate to the … Continue reading "Article II again (sigh)"

Growing up in an Arabic speaking home in New Jersey meant that I absorbed two languages all day. At school and out in the world, I heard mostly English (some Spanish and Portuguese when I went into New York City or Newark). I loved when my mother told my sister and I stories in Arabic. … Continue reading Super Power

Orlik, Emil: Japanese mother and child , Leo Baeck Institute, 77.636. A short  “ thought for the day” offered to the Cambridge Unitarian Church as part of the Sunday Service of Mindful   Meditation.   (A recorded version of the following piece can be heard at this link)  —o0o— In last week’s thought for the day, called “Embracing climate adaptation positives in our settings in good company,” I suggested that, as a creative, free-spiritual community, we had a role to play, not on the supply-side of the equation — i.e. providing the big, technical solutions connected with things like renewables, carbon storage, and hydrogen etc. — but on the demand-side, where we can certainly find modest ways to communicate to othe...

  Brenda Lee's Rockin' Abound the Christmas Tree was recorded and released in 1958 but took two years to first climb to the Charts. Earlier this Holiday season, I mentioned that Jimmy Fallon had hopes to finally oust Mariah Carey’s perennial Christmas #1 with his new duet with Meagan Trainer.   He made a run but didn’t succeed and the song faded fast.   But this week the ubiquitous pop diva was finally bested by a song recorded 65 years ago by a 13-year-old belter.   Brenda Lee’s Rockin ’ Around the Christmas Tree had been #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts from 2019 to last year. Christmas song composer Johnny Marks. The song was written by was written by Johnny Marks, who also penned Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer , A Holly...

This past summer, I spent an inordinate amount of time in Pennsylvania, a state that I had not visited for years, fond as I am of it. I visited three of its cities in three months — Pittsburgh, Gettysburg, and … Continue reading →

Please join us on Saturday (9 December 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 (9 December 2023)"

Due to rain and thunderstorms forecasts for Saturday (9 December 2023), All Souls is moving the Holiday Park-It Market and Moving Sale to Sunday (10 December 2023) from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Join us as a shopper — Shop with local artists selling their work and for all kinds of treasure at All Souls’ … Continue reading "Moving to 10 December 2023 — All Souls Holiday Park-It Market and Moving Sale"

Science fiction author Charles Stross took Google’s “Bard” for a test drive. Bard is what popular culture calls “Artifical Intelligence,” a.k.a., but which is more properly called a Large Language Model (LLM); or, to use Ted Chiang’s more general nomenclature, it’s merely Applied Statistics. In any case, Stross asked Google Bard to provide five facts … Continue reading "AI lies"

The Unitarian Church of Marlborough & Hudson invites you into a time of spiritual reflection with our Soul Matters Sharing Circle. Once a month, in lieu of a formal worship service, we will gather to create safe, sacred space together, in a sharing circle format, so we may explore topics that apply to our daily living,   [ … ] The post Sunday, December 10 ~ The Gift of Mystery ~ Soul Matters Sharing Circle ~ 10:30 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Lyonel Perabo interviews Joseph Hopkins and Lauren Fountain of the experimental publishing house Hyldyr, which produces new books and translations of interest to Heathens that seek to bridge the gap between the purely academic and purely popular. Continue reading Of Elder Woods and Erudite Wisdom: The Hyldyr Publishing House at The Wild Hunt.

I began using simple plastic glue spreaders while teaching kids at the Clear Spring School. One of the things you'll soon notice when kids use glue is the mess.   So I would have the kids make a small puddle of glue on a plastic lid from a box of screws from which dried glue could be easily removed, and then use plastic glue sticks to spread just the amount of glue needed and in just the right place. Glue bottles offer an immediate mess. These glue spreaders work great. Just as advertised, the dried glue comes right off, and they're cheap enough that you can give them to all your woodworking friends and thereby improve the quality of their own work. These are perfect for applying just the right amount of glue in tight places or for glui...

As someone who feels more connected to celebrations of the Winter Solstice than of Christmas, I’ve often longed for an ancient story that I can call upon for Solstice celebrations, just as narratives about Jesus’ birth are told over and over again this time of year. It feels like my ancestors may have had those … Continue reading New Stories

 Photo taken with a Fuji X100V using Øyvind Nordhagen’s Kodak Ektar 100 Recipe Click on the photo to enlarge

                                                                      Hanerot Halalu sung by the Maccabeats. Last night was the first evening of the Jewish Festival Hanukkah.   It is supposed to be festive season that celebrates a miraculous gift, light, and hope.   This year the festivities are held under the painful pall of the brutal Hamas terrorist attack and Israel’s horrific war of revenge and retribution that has destroyed much of Gaza, made trapped refugees   the majority of   population, and killed thousands, most of them civilians. The world is outraged but bitterly divided.   Antisemitism is on the rise and reports of threats and hate crimes are up as much as 90% over last year ...

I was introduced to these excellent sanding discs from Taylor Tool Company taytools.com. They do an excellent job of dust removal and last far longer than other sanding discs. The placement of the dust extraction holes removes the concern with aligning them just right on the sanding pad. And they are hard to wear out. As an amazon affilliate This link to Amazon.com provides a small commission when you buy a set. Make, fix and create... 

Elaine McArdle The Board is now receiving amendments to the version submitted by the Article II Study Commission. A proposed amendment needs fifteen certified congregations to formally endorse it. This process ends February 1, 2024.

I learned that supplies are low on my book The Guide to Woodworking with Kids but was assured by my publisher that when supplies run out it goes automatically to print on demand so orders will be filled. A larger print run will be available after the first of the year. It is currently my top selling book. And that's good as it suggests more children will become engaged in the joys of working with wood. In the meantime, I've fabricated the top knots for my wooden ties, and after further sanding they will be finished with Danish oil, bringing the colors of wood to life, and assembled with string.

Recently I had a very pleasant conversation with someone about holiday baking and golden childhood memories of baking cookies.  For her it was her grandmother’s cold porch where she hid the tins of holiday bakes. This porch didn’t see much … Continue reading →

In the third installment on the growing presence of AI in publishing affecting Pagans, concern grows about AI generated text and imagery. Continue reading “We’re still at the beginning:” For Pagan writers the AI debate is ongoing at The Wild Hunt.

          December 6th is the feast of Saint Nicholas. Somehow there’s a line drawn from this figure, a 4th century bishop of Myra, which is in Asia Minor, specifically, Turkey, and our Santa Claus. Precious little is known of the actual Nicholas. Well, he was a bishop. And he was a […]

As our Jewish siblings around the world begin their celebrations of Hanukkah tonight, we pause to honor the stories told at this holiday. Stories of the rededication of holy space that was defiled by violence and war, and the persistence of those who were called to uphold the highest callings of Judaism to pikuach nefesh–saving of … Continue reading Rededication

Those of you who saw Shrill or read the book may remember the main character’s experience of being at a…</p> The post An Ugly Duckling appeared first on Taking Up Space.

In this photo you can see how the wooden tie is hinged to bend at the bottom of the rib cage, allowing it to conform to the body, at least a bit. The photo was taken by John Rankine for a series of artist portraits commissioned by Marty and Elise Reonigk. The series of photos is now part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Eureka Springs Art, opening in the spring. Make, fix and create... Assist others in learning likewise.  

Ah, the mysteries of the season, of winter and Santa! Every child’s dream this time of year is to write or visit Santa to tell him what you want for Christmas. I was no different, every year the mystery of … Continue reading →

I am working on a diptych of olive trees in Israel and Palestine. A few minutes after the image came to me, the medium followed: traditional Jewish papercuts, an art form I have loved and admired for a long time, but have never tried. I’m loving it. According to Wikipedia, papercutting was done throughout the […]

I'll Be Home for Christmas , Bing Crosby's war time hit, was re-released on the LP version of his classic holiday album in 1949. Eighty-two years ago , today the Japanese launched their devastating surprise attack on Pearl Harbor thrusting the United States into a bloody worldwide conflagration and forever altering the lives and destinies of millions.   It also cast a somber pall over Christmas festivities getting underway stateside just as the last vestiges of the Great Depression were being shaken off and folks had money to spend for a change. The  USS Arizona  going down after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1949. With a long war ahead with families and sweethearts wrenched by separation and fear, people turned to ...

A multi-year archaeological project funded by the UK National Lottery has revealed a possible Anglo-Saxon temple site near Sutton Hoo. Continue reading 1400 year old ‘temple’ discovery near Sutton Hoo at The Wild Hunt.

Years ago I'd made and sold wooden ties. As I was cleaning up in the shop, I found a few walnut blanks that I'd not used. I also had made some inlay that was not being used, so I put them to work. I now have 8 wooden ties almost ready to finish and assemble. The woods used to make the inlay are walnut, maple, cherry and sycamore. Wooden ties are goofy to wear. I've stood in conversation with friends for long minutes before my wood tie was noticed and met with howls of laughter and delight. Friends of mine won one in a charity auction and when I visited their house for a party I found it framed as though it was art. That's not something you'll do with a Chinese made tie from Dillards. And when you're done with it, it can be composted or u...

I received an email today signed by Sarah Lammert, the executive secretary of the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). The MFC was notifying congregational leaders that Rev. Stephen Furrer had resigned from fellowship with the UUA rather than face a “Full Fellowship Review…for sexual misconduct.” Mostly when these emails are … Continue reading "More alleged misconduct, and a glitch in the notification system"

Congregational Safety: More Questions Than Answers A few decades ago, congregational safety may have seemed relatively simple, a matter of determining how many fire extinguishers a church building needed to have or what the appropriate ratio of adults to children should be for Sunday school classes. In the years since, however, the issue has become […] The post Congregational Safety: More Questions Than Answers first appeared on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada. The post Congregational Safety: More Questions Than Answers appeared first on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada.

It has always been mysterious to me being able to see the sun and the moon at the same time. I wonder about the power of being in two times at the SAME time… day and night. I also wonder … Continue reading →

UUSC plays an instrumental role in offering a spiritually-grounded space for people of faith and people of conscience at international climate negotiations.

“The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon.” – Brandon Sanderson When has a good story left you with questions to ponder?

Laura Dobson The Magnificat is a courageous and subversive song of praise; a call to social justice. Continue reading "Magnified"

In the New Year, UUSC will be advancing its commitment to human rights and social justice with a new Impact and Accountability Framework. This comprehensive framework will not only reinforce UUSC’s commitment to upholding human rights and social justice, but will also amplify our dedication to transparency, accountability, and partner-centered work.  Our mission: UUSC advances human […]

Just a reminder that you can hear my reflections on my podcast "Seeking Paradise" that comes out about once a month.&nbsp;You can access it through the link above to podbean, or get it by searching for "Seeking Paradise" on Apple podcasts or Spotify.&nbsp;

                                                         Jolly Old St. Nicholas --the Ray Conniff Singers This is St . Nicholas Day, a day when children in the Netherlands and across much of Northern Europe awake to find their stockings or shoes filled with candy, nuts, oranges, and small toys left behind in the night by the sanctified Bishop .   It is also still observed in some American families, though the practice seems to be fading.   Our three daughters always found their stockings filled until they were adults.   It is also a good day to trot out Jolly Old St. Nicholas, America’s oldest secular Christmas song—if you discount Jingle Bells which was not intended to be linked to the holiday. A...

  Photos taken with a Fuji X100V using Øyvind Nordhagen’s Kodak Ektar 100 Recipe  

The Dutch Supreme Court has ruled that objects borrowed 9 years ago by a museum in Amsterdam from museums in the now Russian-annexed region of Crimea belong to Ukraine and not Russia. Continue reading Dutch Court rules Antiquities claimed by Russia to be returned to Ukraine at The Wild Hunt.

Generosity is one of our UU values. The Article II Study Commission notes, “We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope. We covenant to freely and compassionately share our faith, presence, and resources. Our generosity connects us to one another in relationships of interdependence and ... read more . The post December Theme: Unexpected Gifts appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

There are so many holy days and holidays at this time of year. There are so many expectations placed on us by others, and ourselves. And some of these expectations are unspoken. Those are harder to meet because they are unspoken and often result in ... read more . The post Co-Ministers’ Colloquy appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

We’re running our usual Religious Education (RE) sessions for grades K-7, including the 8/9th grade Our Whole Lives (OWL) program. The High School Youth Group will not meet this week. Here is the schedule: The nursery room opens at 10:15 and is available for children under 5 ... read more . The post Coming up in Religious Education appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

This year we will again support Schenectady Street Soldiers and The MoonCatcher Project. We will deliver dinner – vegetarian (GF and vegan too) lasagna, garlic bread, salad and dessert right to your door. You don’t have to cook or even go out. Order by December 8th! For ... read more . The post Dining for Dollars appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

If there was ever a moment to rekindle the hope of human rights for every person, it is now.

“Blessed One, we also know so many stories about ourselves, some of them the same stories we tell about others: Beautiful, Ugly, Simple, Difficult, Joyous, Useful, Worthless. Stories about who we are, what we know, and the potentials and impossibilities of our future. Stories about our purpose and the meaning of our lives. We have … Continue reading Excavating Stories

The past three years have been especially hard on my spirit. A good friend of mine ghosted me during this time, only contacting me every once in a while. I wasn’t used to that because we were so close, and … Continue reading →

                                                                 Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys-- Empty Chair at the Christmas Table.   Today’s Christmas nugget is a rarity that I am pretty sure you never heard before.   Although a vintage recording made during the Golden Age of American holiday music it never became a hit.   But it strikes a couple of my favorite notes—western swing music and World War II separation songs.   Empty Chair At The Christmas Table was actually recorded in October of 1945 after the war was over but while millions of GIs , sailors, and airmen were still overseas by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. Fiddler Bob Wills did not invent western swing but perfected it ...

Last week, Carol and I spent four days at a retreat center in Deerfield, Mass. We managed to visit four bookstores in those four days. Here are some notes about each bookstore: World Eye Bookshop is quite small. As is often the case these days, about half the store is taken up with gifts, toys, … Continue reading "Bookstores in Pioneer Valley"

As many of you know, I am from Georgia and started my career there. I even worked to an ill-fated and later abandoned master’s degree in church history; my thesis would have been about Universalist churches in the antebellum South. But resources were harder to get thirty years ago, and so left that behind, went … Continue reading "“Missing” Georgia churches found"

In this week's Pagan Community Notes, Fun with Krampus, Cherry Hill awards, Birthday wishes to Jonathan and more news. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of December 4, 2023 at The Wild Hunt.

By Kavita Das | I remember a conversation I had with an editor at a literary magazine soon after I had transitioned from working in social change to becoming a writer close to ten years ago. I had shared with the editor that I was committed to developing my craft as a writer but that I was also committed to continuing to lift up social issues, even if I now would focus on addressing them on the page rather than in real life settings. I was floored by the editor’s response.

I. Transformation is our theme for December. Change, of course, is inevitable. We can’t help but change. The first task is to accept this – don’t try to fight change, and when it comes, as it is continually coming, let go of that impulse to pine for the good old days. Embrace change – that’s the first spiritual task in the category "transformation." But transformation suggests something a little more than the random – or seemingly-random – vicissitudes of change. Transformation – in the sense of a spiritual orientation – suggests a certain intentionality. There’s changing by accident – and then there’s changing on purpose, and transformation should have some purpose driving it. That's the second task: to have a pu...

My mother told me stories about our family members that are now ancestors, especially of her younger brother. I don’t remember him, he died when I was two, but apparently I was ‘his baby’ and we had a strong bond. Hearing the stories of how he loved me helped me to feel a connection with … Continue reading Connections

We have our first snow-covered morning here in our yard in Portland Maine. In places further from the shore they got several inches, but we had mostly rain until early morning. Now it feels like winter is really here. My internal clock has felt the shift, as the days grow shorter and darker. A few […]