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Before yesterdayWWUUD?

Life moves on…

3 February 2022 at 22:01
By: wwuud

This website needs new energy and attention. It has more than 148k collected, searchable items…. It is automated, requiring little attention day-to-day.

Moving forward…

I am looking for interested Unitarian Universalists who will take ownership of this collection, the Facebook page, and the domain name. I will provide transition technical support (and possibly other support). I want this site to continue and thrive. It is now stable and manageable, although has much room for improvement and growth. There are many pages of relevant UU information created online that are being lost or obscured. There are other ways this information can be used to inform the community moving forward.

Let’s discuss.

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Life moves on… {the background}

22 January 2022 at 21:56
By: earl

This is a personal post by Earl Alvin Daniels, the originator of WWUUD.net. It is my hope that this post will be archived and no longer needed on the live version of this website, when/if this website continues into the future.

The background…

With the transition of Thich Nhat Hanh yesterday, I am brought to the present moment awareness of what is really important. I need to be attentive.

I see much good in the Unitarian Universalist world, where many people find much-needed acceptance. I also see people trying to protect that world in ways that are not so accepting. It is tragic when the oppressed become oppressors, when the maligned and attacked react in ways that seem to go beyond protecting to attacking.

I see shunning of people. I see acceptance, albeit limited at times.

I see fear. I see suffering.

I see people trying to build a better world and people protecting what they have. Sometimes these are the same people.

I see walls dividing people. I see opportunities to build bridges. And even more opportunities to see that we are on the same island.

My heart is heavy in those instances. Since 2017, I have often felt β€œcaught in a fight” where people who I love are in conflicts that seem to ignore our interbeing.Β  There are no β€œbad guys” in these conflicts, they are all doing their best. The conflicts still continue. I fully agree that we do not want to cause psychological, spiritual, or emotional damage to any individuals and communities.

The dilemma seems to exist within our perceptions of β€œindividual” and β€œcommunity.” I feel that the path forward may be found in a new first principle that includes Love. I am not in a good place to lead into that Love, and this site alone will not provide β€œfacts” that will alter anyone’s perceptions.

While this site was started for other reasons, it is now only being maintained as a hopefully unbiased witness to what is going on in the UU world in the light of what seems to be significant changes. I am willing to discuss how this collection came to be and how it has been maintained.

So, I’m looking for someone to take on this site. See my other post for more…

UUA GA 2001 Schweitzer Sermon Presentation

20 February 2019 at 00:32
By: wwuud

Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly 2001, Cleveland, Ohio

Sponsor: Unitarian Universalists (UUs) for Ethical Treatment of Animals

The Schweitzer Sermon Award is given annually to the preacher who best articulates Albert Schweitzer’s principle of β€œreverence for life.” Following the worship service and delivery of the sermon, UUs for Ethical Treatment of Animals will hold a brief annual meeting.

Retrieved from archive.org

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Another person who believes in the ethical treatment of animals, i.e. don’t eat them, is AtlantaΒ  Trauma Therapist Nyambura Kihato. She now practices with Karuna Counseling!

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Our Wider UU World - Nancy Reid McKee - Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church

1 November 2021 at 02:40
Recording Begins with hymn "Come Yet Again Come." Reading: β€œOur Faith” by Rosemary Bray McNatt. Sermon theme: Our UU church is only one of the ...

Tai Chi Chih - Foothills Unitarian Church

1 November 2021 at 02:09
Class meets outdoors in the church courtyard from 8:30 – 9:30 am on Thursdays. Taught by accredited instructor Doriane Tippet.

10.31.21 A Bit Of Magic: Samhain And Modern Halloween Westside Unitarian Universalist ...

1 November 2021 at 01:09
You're listening to the podcast for Westside Unitarian Universalist Church. in Knoxville, Tennessee. Your kind donations help make this podcast ...

NAACP 45th Freedom Fund Banquet - NRVNews

1 November 2021 at 01:06
Sustainers, at the $500 or $600 level, were First Baptist Church of ... and Ms. Irene Peterson, and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

Everything We Have We Borrow - Skagit Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

1 November 2021 at 00:53
The sermon on this Sunday prior to our nation's Thanksgiving Day celebration will address the origin and occasions of gratitude, the nature and ...

Wednesday Luunch Buunch on Zoom - Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Manhattan

1 November 2021 at 00:15
10 Nov 2021 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM. The Wednesday Luunch Buunch is meeting virtually on Zoom. For an invitation to join us, please contact Kathleen ...

Calendar - Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto Events - 3 Nov 21

1 November 2021 at 00:03
R ev. Amy Zucker Morgenstern has served with UUCPA since 2003. With a fascination for all religious and philosophical questions and a passion for ...

Calendar - Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto Events - 2 Nov 21

1 November 2021 at 00:03
The Justice Partner for October is South Bay Sanctuary Covenant. SBSC is an interfaith, non-partisan organization of churches and individuals in the ...

Soul Matters Small Group, Teri Cornell Facilitator - NUUC

31 October 2021 at 23:58
Soul Matters Small Group, Teri Cornell Facilitator. November 18, 2021 β€’ Susan Ritchie. North Unitarian Universalist Congregation

Black Magic - First Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hunterdon County NJ

31 October 2021 at 23:43
β€œBlack Magic,” with Rev. Seth Fisher. After centuries under the spell of racism, what will it take to break it? Directions for registration and waiver ...

Holding History: What's Up with the Unitarian Universalist Principles?

31 October 2021 at 23:04
Let's explore what the UU Principles say about us as a people of faith, and how we can embrace them gently, leaving room for graceful evolution. Join ...

Oct. 31, 2021 – Halloween – Tricks and Treats - Unitarian Universalist Church

31 October 2021 at 21:42
UUs are generally skeptical about magic, but Rev. Molly urged us on Halloween, Oct. 31, 2021, to embrace the magic of affirming the beautiful, ...

Share the Plate Recipient for November 2021 is Microfinance

31 October 2021 at 20:09
... between our congregation and an organization from the local community which has goals that align with Unitarian Universalist principles.

Poetry and Story Appreciation - Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Hendricks County

31 October 2021 at 19:51
Due to the pandemic, we are meeting online rather than in person. Check your email or our private Facebook group for the Zoom meeting ID and ...

All That We Let In - UU Church of Nashua, NH

31 October 2021 at 19:42
Allison Palm is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist and a Minnesota native. She has served as the settled minister at the UU Church of Nashua since ...

All Hallow’s Eve/Samhain

31 October 2021 at 19:07
Today we welcome the ancestors with special foods, with herbal incense, and with a fire in our fire circle! For herbal incense I use cedar–I’ll use a dried bundle I made before, and burn it in our fire circle. Cedar was widely used by my Innu ancestors, and so I think their spirits will especially […]

What is spirituality? - UU of SCV

31 October 2021 at 18:57
Intern Minister Gregory Cline leads the service and discussion on the source of spirituality and what it means to each other.

All Souls Homily 2021

31 October 2021 at 18:41
as preached at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, October 31, 2021 It is so good to have the choir back. The impact that COVID has had on live music or, really, let me be honest, live performance or gathering of any kind, has been devastating. Coming together to sing, or to be sung […]

Weekly Bread #144

31 October 2021 at 18:26
The rain came and the creeks were full again. Little waterfalls graced the canyons by the trails. The drought isn’t over. The journey is never really done, but some moments deserve to be savored. Without joy in this chaotic world, hope can fade and we lose the courage to do what we can to make […]

UU Highlights: General to Local, Past to Present - Unitarian Universalist Church of Yakima

31 October 2021 at 17:30
During the past 65 years, the history of the UU community in Yakima has closely mirrored the history of the nation-wide UU Association β€” both have ...

RE classes - Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Manhattan

31 October 2021 at 17:09
7 Nov 2021 10:45 AM - 12:00 PM UUFM. Learn more from Director of Religious Education Sandy Nelson at dre@uufm.net. Section Navigation ...

Samhain Gathering at UUCFM - Fort Myers - AllEvents.in

31 October 2021 at 17:07
Samhain Gathering at UUCFM Hosted By Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, Fort Myers. Event starts on Sunday, 31 October 2021 and happening ...

Holding Disability History, Making Disability Justice - UU St. Pete

31 October 2021 at 17:03
100 Mirror Lake Drive, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 727-898-3294 Β© 2021 Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg.

UUSC Condemns Guatemalan State Repression of Indigenous Community in El Estor

31 October 2021 at 17:02
En espaΓ±ol On October 23, the President of Guatemala, Alejandro Giammattei, declared martial law in the town of El Estor, a community of about 20,000 mostly indigenous Maya Q’eqchi’ people on the shores of Lake Izabal in northeastern Guatemala. According to the President, the declaration was necessary because β€œarmed people and groups have committed acts […]

Conspirituality and the Second Coming

31 October 2021 at 16:30
Spirituality and conspiracy theories often cohabitate. Can we differentiate the two? Does the second coming place Christianity in one or the other category? Rev. Dr. Leona Stucky-Abbott is a UU community minister and has been a psychotherapist for over 40 years. She is semi-retired and loves to share insights with others, as she did when training pastors to become pastoral psychotherapists. She has watched meaning-making activities in people for many years and draws some surprising conclusions.

November 7: Fall Back!-Time Changes. - Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, GA 30606

31 October 2021 at 16:28
November 7: Fall Back!–Time Changes. October 31, 2021 β€’ KS. Section Navigation. Contact Us. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens.

William Rhett Baker | Obituaries | gettysburgtimes.com

31 October 2021 at 15:27
Services will be held at the Unitarian Universalists Church of Gettysburg upon opening for in-person services. Burial will be facilitated by New ...

Online Choir Rehearsal - Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation

31 October 2021 at 15:09
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the church building will have limited onsite activity ... The first service is at 9:00am Sunday, October 31, 2021.

October: Lenape Tribe of Delaware

31 October 2021 at 14:45
Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County · October: Lenape Tribe of Delaware.

A Time for Everything - Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Southwest Michigan

31 October 2021 at 14:41
Humans tend to think of ourselves as above and apart from nature. When we resist the natural cycles of life we end up with disharmony.

"Cultivating Relationship" - Outdoor (Hybrid) Service, First Unitarian Universalist Church of ...

31 October 2021 at 13:48
"Cultivating Relationship" - Outdoor (Hybrid) Service at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Springfield, MO, Springfield, United States on Sun ...

Hammers for kids

31 October 2021 at 13:42
Maslow had said, "If the only tool you have is a hammer, all problems look like nails." But does it make a difference what kind of hammer you have? These are two different hammers offered by Home Depot online and one might assume the one on the right is for kids. In fact, I've seen similar hammers recommended for children's use.Β  One thing you'll notice is that the one the right is shaped for an adult grip and the one on the left is a lighter weight but with the proportions of a full-sized adult hammer. The diameter of the neck is an easy grip for a child. Which one would be better to give as gifts during the holidays while the usual Christmas paraphernalia is tied up in transit due to shipping and distribution delays? Of course the ham...

Mount Pleasant, NY Unitarian Universalist Events | Eventbrite

31 October 2021 at 12:50
Unitarian universalist events in Mount Pleasant, NY. Category. Business · Science & Tech · Music · Film & Media · Performing & Visual Arts ...

A Christian Defense of American Classical Liberalism - by David French

31 October 2021 at 12:41
liberal Unitarian Universalist who reads the Economist but also has a good number of trans, non-binary, and multiracial friends who I value ...

Local law enforcement ready to provide security as Rittenhouse trial begins; Guard won't be ...

31 October 2021 at 12:30
... over a β€œVigil for Peace and Justice” in honor of Jacob Blake on Tuesday afternoon at Bradford Unitarian Universalist Church, 5810 Eighth Ave.

Liberal Churches Near Me

31 October 2021 at 12:01
In July and August 2021, University Unitarian Church will offer some on-site programming options for children and youth during the worship service ...

From Samhain to Halloweenβ€”The Evolution of Our Second Most Popular Celebration

31 October 2021 at 10:24
All of the familiar icons of American Halloween were present in this early 20th Century card. Note β€” After trick or treating, adult reveling, and movie slasher/horror showings were are all curtailed by the Coronavirus pandemic last year,Β  Halloween has come roaring back with pent up enthusiasm. Halloween traces its origin to the Celtic harvest festival Samhain.Β  It was one of the four festivals that fell between the Solstices and Equinoxes and which celebrated the natural turning of the seasons.Β  Samhain was particularly important because it was the gate in time to the death and starvation season of winter, as well a time to celebrate the recent harvest.Β  This association with the death of winter also extended to the spirit world, ...

Season of the Witch

31 October 2021 at 09:00
Last week there were two excellent articles on witchcraft in major American publications. That acceptance is important not because we need it – we are who and what we are, regardless of what anyone thinks – but because of what is says about the wider society.

The Great Intimate

31 October 2021 at 08:00
Β  Β  Β  Β  I think of how it began for me. My first of many moments, my opening into the spiritual way. When I was a youth, I wanted to know God. Or, that God was a sham. Desperately. With all my heart. I even prayed that if God would reveal himself, herself, itself […]

Ancestors

31 October 2021 at 04:05
Many cultures around the world sense that the veil between the living and dead is thin at this time of the year, and so prayers to and for the ancestors are common. Who are the ancestors that you are holding close today?

Online All-Ages Worship (31 October 2021)

31 October 2021 at 03:22
Please join us on Sunday (31 October 2021) at 11:00 AM for β€œThe Dead and Dying, The Live and Living” by Susan Caldwell (All Souls Director of Lifespan Religious Education) Our service will be livestreamed on Facebook Live here. Watch for our weekly email announcements for info on the next in-person worship service and other … Continue reading "Online All-Ages Worship (31 October 2021)"

Online Adult Religious Education β€” 31 October 2021

31 October 2021 at 03:07
Please join us on Sunday (31 October 2021) at 9:00 AM for our adult religious education class via Zoom. This group will take time to review and reevaluate the anti-racism work we have done so far and determine how we want to move forward from here.

Children and Youth Religious Education Updates

31 October 2021 at 03:05
Families β€” we hear you and realize how done you are with Zoom. We will continue to watch the local COVID numbers and we feel encouraged by the cooling weather and the possibility of comfortable outdoor activities. We hope to have more news about future outdoor activities for children and youth soon like today’s Samhain … Continue reading "Children and Youth Religious Education Updates"

Zoom Lunch (3 November 2021)

31 October 2021 at 02:57
Please join us next Wednesday (3 November 2021) at 12 noon for our weekly Zoom lunch. Bring your lunch and meet up with your All Souls friends, have lunch, and just catch up.

Samhain Blessings

31 October 2021 at 01:48
TWH wishes its northern hemisphere readers a blessed Samhain season and a merry Beltaine in the southern hemisphere. Continue reading Samhain Blessings at The Wild Hunt.

Column: In the Eye of Eternity

30 October 2021 at 21:00
Karl Seigfried reflects on lessons learned from the scientist David Attenborough about our responsibility to the natural world and to each other. Continue reading Column: In the Eye of Eternity at The Wild Hunt.

Meditation with Larry Androes (30 October 2021)

30 October 2021 at 15:28
Please join us on Saturday (30 October 2021) at 10:30 AM for our weekly meditation group with Larry Androes. This is a sitting Buddhist meditation including a brief introduction to mindfulness meditation, 20 minutes of sitting, and followed by a weekly teaching. The group is free and open to all. For more information, contact Larry … Continue reading "Meditation with Larry Androes (30 October 2021)"

Fifty-five Years Ago The Time Was Right for NOW

30 October 2021 at 12:07
The National Organization for Women's familiar logo had its origins when Betty Freidan doodled the initials NOW on a napkin in a meeting in her hotel room. On October 29, 1966 thirty charter members gathered in Washington , D.C. to formally launch a new Civil Rights organization dedicated to improving the status of women in all areas of society. Β  In no time at all National Organization for Women (NOW) was shaking things up and spearheading a new waveof feminist activism. The steam seemed to have gone out of the women’s movement after decades of struggle finally was rewarded with the adoption of The Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 1920. Β  Without a clear, unifying focusorganizations withered or went off in different direc...

Happy Birthday: A Buddhist Meditation

30 October 2021 at 08:00
Β  Β  Β  β€œTo live in this worldyou must be ableto do three thingsto love what is mortal;to hold itagainst your bones knowingyour own life depends on it; and, when the time comes to let it go,to let it go” Mary Oliver Here’s a little secret. The spiritual life is our inheritance from before the […]

Opening Ourselves

30 October 2021 at 04:05
β€œSource of stars and planets and water and land Open our hearts to all of our neighbors Open our souls to a renewal of faith Open our hands to join together in the work ahead.” -Lyn Cox How can you open yourself today to something new and possible?

The three aspects of Samhain – honoring our ancestors, the last harvest & the Celtic New Year

30 October 2021 at 01:11
Samhain, the time when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest, we can connect with our ancestors. It is commonly known by the mundane as Halloween. This sabbat though has two other equally important aspects people tend to forget. It is the last harvest and to Druids it is the Celtic New Year. Many […] The post The three aspects of Samhain – honoring our ancestors, the last harvest & the Celtic New Year appeared first on Nature's Sacred Journey.

Red Rose Sangha - Unitarian Universalist Church of Lancaster

29 October 2021 at 23:34
An Open Zen Buddhist Meditation Group. Weekly sitting link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/419185030 · Google Calendar. iCal Export ...

rel.-Church Calendar1030 2021 - Statesboro Herald

29 October 2021 at 22:34
ONLINE SERVICE for Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Statesboro will be conducted Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Topic, in celebration of Halloween, ...

Dems trying to include help for immigrants in Biden plan | National | chronicleonline.com

29 October 2021 at 21:46
WASHINGTON (AP) β€” Senate Democrats were preparing to try letting millions of immigrants stay temporarily in the U.S. as part of the party's ...

Shop Smith's - First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Albuquerque, NM

29 October 2021 at 21:35
Smith's will donate a percentage of your purchases to the church if register your Smith's reward card online and choose First Unitarian from the ...

Editorial: Every October, the media remembers Witches exist

29 October 2021 at 21:00
TWH's editor in chief, Manny Tejeda-Moreno, weighs in on the annual festival of mainstream articles about Witches and the long history of Witches explaining themselves to the public. Continue reading Editorial: Every October, the media remembers Witches exist at The Wild Hunt.

Arpaio legal tab hits $100M as taxpayers foot his last bills | National | chronicleonline.com

29 October 2021 at 20:37
Arpaio was first known nationally for jailing people in tents amid Phoenix's triple-digit summer heat, making them wear pink underwear and using ...

Order of... - Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington | Facebook

29 October 2021 at 20:23
Carol Marks, Church Administrator, 812-287-9615,admin (at) uubloomington.org Monica Overman and Mandy Skinner, ... Partager.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington | Facebook

29 October 2021 at 20:20
Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Bloomington, IN. 1877 likes Β· 51 talking about this. Seeking the Spirit, Building Community, ...

Fright Week: Tarantula vs. Wasp | St. Thomas Source

29 October 2021 at 20:19
I certainly won't forget the first time I saw a tarantula in St. John. ... A Project of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of St. John.

Order of... - Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington | Facebook

29 October 2021 at 20:12
Green Sanctuary UU Bloomington. Environmental Conservation Organization. Liz for Indiana. Political Candidate. Book Corner. Independent Bookstore.

Opportunities for Connection ~ November 2021

29 October 2021 at 20:00
A book titled "Defund Fear" by Zach Norris is held in the hands of someone whose hands are light brown; only their torso is showing.

Central East Region of the UUA

Find out what's happening in the Central East Region! This month - Common Read, COMPASS, 8th Principle Presentation, Jubilee 3, Open Enrollment, Fall Chalice Lighter Call, Screening The Condor & The Eagle and more.

Continue reading "Opportunities for Connection ~ November 2021"

Blog Archive Beyond the (Digital) Veil - Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fairbanks

29 October 2021 at 18:35
Lay Leader: Molly Lemen Music: Marsha Sousa. The Celtic festival of Samhain celebrates the brief moment in time when the worlds of the living and ...

'All Lives Matter' Firing at Issue in Ex-Kings Announcer Lawsuit - Yahoo! Sports

29 October 2021 at 18:10
Napear also argues that β€œall lives matter” is reflective of his religious beliefs as a Unitarian Universalistβ€”the first principle for which holds ...

Cape Ann religious news, services | Community | gloucestertimes.com

29 October 2021 at 18:01
West Gloucester Trinitarian Congregational Church, UCC, presents its second annual ... Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, 10 Church St., ...

Cobblestone Springs November programs - The Chronicle Express

29 October 2021 at 17:10
Presenter Karen Marsh is a practicing Druid and Unitarian Universalist who has been involved with Pagan groups in North Carolina and New York for ...

Letter to Secretary Blinken from US Organizations and Leaders in Solidarity with Palestinian ...

29 October 2021 at 16:59
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East United Church of Christ Palestine Israel Network

Tombaugh Gallery features artist Cheryl Lynn Nelson in November | Las Cruces Bulletin

29 October 2021 at 16:56
28. Tombaugh Gallery, which is part of Unitarian Universalist Church, is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Nelson's paintings are ...

Message from Our UUCSS President | UU Congregation of Saratoga Springs

29 October 2021 at 16:35
Not just for beginner UUs or interested β€œseekers”, it's an opportunity to revisit what has brought each of us to Unitarian Universalism; ...

The Dangerous Myths About the Trans Community in Dave Chappelle’s Comedy

29 October 2021 at 16:27
By Laura Erickson-Schroth and Laura A. Jacobs | The belief that transgender people are recognizably distinct from nontransgender people assumes that there is something we can pick out about a transgender person’s clothing, body shape, or speech that β€œgives them away.” It assumes that trans people never escape their β€œessential” gender assigned at birthβ€”that they are never β€œreally” a part of the gender with which they identify.

International NGO Responds to Reports of Burmese Military Torturing, Persecuting Its Own ...

29 October 2021 at 16:11
For Immediate Release: October 28, 2021. Media Contact: Michael Givens Director of Strategic Communications Unitarian Universalist Service ...

Friday News 10-28-2021 - First Unitarian Universalist Church

29 October 2021 at 16:08
If you are interested in learning more about UU history, please consider registering for our upcoming UU History 101 class.

Rev. Talk 10-27-2021 - First Unitarian Universalist Church

29 October 2021 at 16:08
Once a month Rev. Talk offers an opportunity for us to hear from our Board chair, Don Jones. This month, Don has a great family story.

November Newsletter Now Available - Unitarian Universalist Society

29 October 2021 at 16:07
The November 2021 issue of the UUS News is now available. Download it here (PDF), or find it and past issues on our website.

A Halloween ghost story for the start of the COP26 climate change meetings in Glasgow

29 October 2021 at 15:14
A short β€œthought for the day” offered to the Cambridge Unitarian Church as part of theΒ Sunday Service of Mindful MeditationΒ  (Click on this link to hear a recorded version of the following piece) β€”o0oβ€” Today (Sunday, 31st October) is All Hallows Eve, Halloween,Β when many folk traditions suggest that the souls of the dead are to be found walking amongst us. It is also the first day of the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.Β  Are the two connected?Β  Well, we all know that the language used at present by our political decision-makers to talk of how they/we are going to respond to the climate emergency is a dead one. It is a language clearly empty of truth, empty of ...

The Things That Bill Mauldin and Willie and Joe Taught Me

29 October 2021 at 12:16
Sgt. Bill Mauldin on the job in Italy covering the war from the front lines for Stars and Stripes .Β  He looked younger than his 22 years. When I was a boy I was obsessed with the great event of my parents’ lifetimeβ€”World War II.Β  It was hard not to be.Β  Almost every house I ever visited had at least one framed photo of a handsome young man in uniform proudly displayed.Β  Sometimes more.Β  Husbands, brothers, fathers.Β  Most came home.Β  Some didn’t The survivors of those photos were still mostly youngish men in the prime of their livesβ€”my father and the fathers of almost all my friends.Β  They were serious, hard working men.Β  They were very busy doing things, sometimes big things.Β  To a man those I knew best, my father and u...

Being

29 October 2021 at 11:45
Capitalism and the free-market economy are based on the exchange of value and the key freedom of participation.Β  One is free to work; one is free to pursue economic ends; one is free to do and create things in exchange for compensation or other value.Β  On its surface this is simple.Β  It is in many […]

Noting the First Zen Master to Visit America: Soyen Shaku

29 October 2021 at 08:00
Β  Β  The Japanese Zen master Soyen Shaku died on this day, the 29th of October, in 1919. A prominent Rinzai master, he was invited to present a paper at the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. While that event was captured by the great Hindu teacher Swami Vivekananda, this visit by the Rinzai […]

Searching

29 October 2021 at 04:05
β€œWe bow our heads in order to imagine not one path, but many. We imagine a path forward for those who cannot imagine any path forward, because of poor health, financial hardship, family crises, and other roadblocks we cannot begin to understand or imagine.” -D. Scott Cooper What pathway are you searching for today? How … Continue reading Searching

Solving the Silicon Valley housing crisis four people at a time

28 October 2021 at 23:30
The title of a recent San Francisco Chronicle article says it all: He wanted to let homeless neighbors sleep in cars outside his church. It launched a two-year battle. The β€œhe” in the title is my new UU hero, Chris Kan. Chris grew up in San Francisco, and after a stint teaching at UC Santa … Continue reading "Solving the Silicon Valley housing crisis four people at a time"

The environmental impact of secular Halloween

28 October 2021 at 21:00
The widespread use of plastics during Halloween celebrations and trick-or-treating have the potential to create a large amount of waste and impact the environment. Continue reading The environmental impact of secular Halloween at The Wild Hunt.

Guidance for Outdoor Gatherings During COVID-19

28 October 2021 at 15:40
Benches in a grove of trees
These recommendations were updated by our Safer Congregations Team on June 8, 2021 in response to questions from congregations. Please use them in conjunction with our full UUA guidance for gathering during COVID-19. Data show that the risks of transmission of COVID-19 are lower in outdoor...

Continue reading "Guidance for Outdoor Gatherings During COVID-19"

The start of Rainbow Group

28 October 2021 at 15:37
Β Yesterday we began classes for our Kindergarten students at the Clear Spring School. Our "Rainbow Group" made tops and the small hand crank drills mounted in vises allow the students to decorate them with colored pencils. In addition to the Rainbow Group class in which each student made two tops ("Do we get to keep them? They asked) the outdoors study science class made bat bats. Since my link between my blog and facebook will only load one photo or video, I've posted additional photos to my instagram account which you can find under the user name douglasstowe. To make the bat bats, magic wands through which the blessings of bats may be conferred, the kids cut out pictures of bats, glued them onto wood, and then cut them out with scrol...

Murfin Verse for the Tree of Life Mass Murderβ€”Sanctuary in a Very Bad Week

28 October 2021 at 09:09

A memorial to the victims of the Tree of Life Synagogue mass murder three years ago this week in Pittsburgh.

This week marked the third anniversary of the mass murder at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh on October 27, 2018.  I was asked to do the Chalice Lighting at the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation in McHenrythe next day.    The topic for the morning was sanctuary.  I threw away what I had carefully prepared.  I was planning on reading this new poem instead which was totally inadequate to the situation but due to a scheduling mix up, I didn’t read it that day.  Instead, I read it for the first time a year later at the Tree of Life Coffee Houseat the church.  The poem also referenced other ugly, hateful episodes the same week.


Sanctuary in a Very Bad Week

Headlines: 

Trump Attempts to Erase Transgender Identity

Two Blacks Killed at Walmart by Angry Racist

14 Bombs Sent to Targets Denounced by Trump

11 Dead at Tree of Life Synagogue Mass Murder

 

Sacred shelterβ€”A haven offered or sought, 

   a holy obligation and a desperate resort.

The Church once offered it to those fleeing

   the wrath of a king or war lord.

Today we are called to offer it to

   immigrants and refugees,

      the homeless and unwanted,

            the despised of color, gender, faith,

               abused women and families,

                  all the wretched.

 

Know thisβ€”Sanctuary can fail.

   Ask Thomas Becket, Ann Frank,

      the four little Girls of Birmingham,

            the frozen bum,

               the murdered wife,

                  the deported asylum seeker,

         the immigrant children in cages,

            the dead Jews of Tree of Life.

 

But failure does not cancel hope or duty.

   time to step up,

      to take our chances,

            to become a People of Sanctuary.

 

β€”Patrick Murfin

  


How It Went: Four Reviews from the October Viewing and Reading Challenge

28 October 2021 at 09:00
Earlier this month I issued An October Viewing and Reading Challenge. I wanted to watch one new movie, one new TV series, one old movie that I’ve forgotten, and read one new book. Challenge accepted, challenge completed. Here’s how it went.

Anne Sullivan & the Making of a Miracle Worker

28 October 2021 at 08:00
Β  Β  Β  The other day my spouse Jan and I watched the PBS β€œAmerican Masters” segment, β€œBecoming Helen Keller.” It was a real tread. And even more so for me as I saw Jan’s name scroll by in the credits among a bunch of people marked out for β€œthanks.” A really good summary of […]

Trust

28 October 2021 at 04:05
β€œSpirit, I would really rather not learn this. Didn’t think I needed to. I thought someone else could do it. Thought a leader was coming to do it. Thought the young people could do it. Or the elders could do it. Or the professionals. Or I don’t want to learn it β€˜cause it means letting … Continue reading Trust

Mood-setting visions from nature for Halloween

27 October 2021 at 23:32
Manny Tejeda-Moreno takes readers on a brief tour of some of nature's most innocent-looking horrors to help liven up and set the mood for Halloween. Continue reading Mood-setting visions from nature for Halloween at The Wild Hunt.

Sunday, October 31 ~ Samhain Service: Voices of the Ancestors ~ 10:30 a.m.

27 October 2021 at 19:21
Sunday, October 31,Β 10:30 a.m. Samhain Service: Voices of the Ancestors An Online Service with Rev.Β Alice Anacheka-Nasemann Β  Samhain, translated from Old Irish as β€œSummer’s End,” is a pagan festival marking the end of harvest season. With life falling back in preparation for the winter, the Gaels believed that the border between this world and Β  [ … ] The post Sunday, October 31 ~ Samhain Service: Voices of the Ancestors ~ 10:30 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Certainty and Not Knowing

27 October 2021 at 15:29
Β  Β  Β  It was today, the 27th of October in 312 that the general and would be emperor Constantine, later called the Great, claimed to have a vision of a cross in the sky and heard the words β€œWith this sign, conquer.” I’ve commented on this moment in the past. In 2011 I titled […]

Share the blessings you have received.

27 October 2021 at 13:15


A miracle is a universal blessing from God through me to all my brothers. It is the privilege of the forgiven to forgive. T-1.1.27:1-2


God doesn’t really forgive us because God doesn’t even know what we have created for ourselves in this world of the ego. God loves us unconditionally, always has, does now, and always will. Life is, after all, the gift we all have been given to learn what we need to learn to be consciously aware of our Source. When we decide to no longer make other people and circumstances responsible for our unhappiness, we are blessed to become aware of Love which is our natural inheritance. With this awareness, we are able to bless others.


In Alcoholic Anonymous, it is suggested, in step twelve, that we share this spiritual awakening with others and practice this blessing in all our affairs.


In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to accept one another and encourage spiritual growth in our congregations and around the world.


Today, we recognize and acknowledge the universal blessing of God’s love for us and we share this blessing with everyone whom we interact with as we go about our daily affairs.


❌