“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 […]
The official video of Fairytale of New York by Irish folk/punk band The Pogues with Shane MacGowan and Kristy MacColl. Word came the other day that Shane MacGowan, the lead singer and main songwriter of the rowdy Irish punk/folk band The Pogues, died at home in Dublin of pneumonia after being in intensive care for viral encephalitis since July. He was only 65 years old but had ravaged his body with heavy drinking, drugs, and brawling for years. He was born on Christmas Day in 1957 in Pembury, Kent, England so perhaps it was inevitable that his most famous and beloved song was about the holiday. Or that the song itself was a bitter antidote to the usual relentlessly cheerful seasonal fare. Shane MacGowan's life was full of ...
I wonder how many of us are out there, Sitting in cars in grocery store parking lots Staring into space Wondering how we are going to pay for gas…or rent, Or how we’re going to make the trip…again, Or how we will have the next conversation, Or give the next bath, Or tell them “it […]
Medical marijuana is legal in many states, and a friend of my wife asked if I could make a stash box to hold various paraphernalia. In the old days I know many of my boxes were used for objects associated with the use of marijuana. But that was never discussed. The advantage of this box is that it has two levels of storage, under the lid and in the drawer and we can talk about it. The top is frame and panel construction, and the drawer is made with a mortise and tenon technique that I always use on small drawers. The wood used is walnut except for the bottom panels (Baltic birch) and the drawer sides (maple.) Plans for a similar box can be found in my book Beautiful Boxes: Design and Technique With the stash box finished, it wil...
In college I studied photography and fell in love with Jerry Uelsmann. I took four semesters of film photography and studied a lot of Uelsmanns work. He was an outstanding photographer, but his skills shined in the darkroom where he … Continue reading →
Today, the 3rd of December has been declared a feast or saint’s day for Francis Xavier. He was one of the first Jesuits. And eventually a Catholic missionary to Japan. While fervently hostile to nonChristian religions, and with, if indirectly, some blood on his hands in that regard, I […]
A London art exhibition explores the psychological, symbolic, and supernatural connections between Surrealist artists like Leonora Carrington and the figure of the witch. Continue reading “Manifestations of the witch:” London Exhibition on Surrealism and Witchcraft connects women artists across the decades at The Wild Hunt.
The holiday season is a time of giving, warmth, and community spirit. At All Souls, we believe in making a tangible difference in the lives of those around us. This year, we are excited to announce the All Souls Community Food Bank's holiday initiative to support Women in Recovery. The post Join the All Souls Holiday Food Drive for Women in Recovery appeared first on BeyondBelief.
The fourth sermon in the "Lives of the Spirit" series focuses on the life and teachings of Howard Thurman. The post The common Good: Howard Thurman appeared first on Colin Bossen.
The older I get, the more losses I’m experiencing. Things I thought would last forever, aren’t. Progress I assumed would continue, isn’t. People I expected would outlive me, haven’t. Some of this is the reality of being 61. Some if it is the times we live in. Some of it is… more.
SERVICE PARTICIPANTS Rev. John Cullinan, Pastor Rev. Tina DeYoe, Director of Lifespan Religious Education Nylea Butler-Moore, Director of Music Elisa Enriquez, vocalist Renae Mitchell, Mike Begnaud, Patrick Webb, Galen Gisler, and Rick Bolton, AV techs WELCOME! New to our church community? Sign our guestbook and let us know if you’d like to get more connected. …<p> Advent for Everyone Read More »
“Don’t sweat it.” It is something people tell you. No worries, it’s OK. Don’t stress. But that isn’t always good advice. Sometimes you need to sweat, and not just when hiking. I ALWAYS sweat when hiking, even on cool days, which is partly why hydration is important even if you don’t feel particularly hot or […]
Some stories are lovingly passed down from generation to generation. They bring us connection to those who came before. What is a story that has been passed to you through generations?
We Gather Together is an Thanksgiving song originating with the Dutch is now widely sung in many American Protestant churches as an Advent hymn as well. Today in most Western Christian churches is the first Sunday of Advent, the four week liturgical season of anticipation of the birth of Christ. Although most Americans call the whole time from Thanksgiving to December 25 the Christmas Season, Christmas was the 12 day period from the Nativity to the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6. In churches only hymns of prophesy of a coming Savior, songs of Joseph and Mary on their journey to the City of David, and finally announcement carols on Christmas Eve were sung during Advent. Songs of celebration of the Birth come after. In most...
Please join us on Sunday (3 December 2023) at 11:00 AM for “Don’t Have To…” 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 (3 December 2023)"
Each month we dedicate all of our non-pledge income to an organization doing the work that best embodies our Unitarian Universalist principles and values. For the month of December 2023, we choose North Louisiana Interfaith as we finish out 2023 with our fulfillment of our membership dues to North Louisiana Interfaith — one of the … Continue reading "North Louisiana Interfaith — December 2023 Give-Away-The-Plate Recipient"
For this Sunday (3 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 making a difference.
This class is an exploration of our eight Unitarian Universalist principles through artistic expression. On this Sunday (3 December 2023), we will explore the eighth principle (“working together to build a diverse, multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions”). The All8 curriculum is the creation of Jil Novenski (Director … Continue reading "Middle and High School Youth Religious Education (3 December 2023)"
Please join us on Sunday (3 December 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 — 3 December 2023"
Taste of Interfaith is happening on Sunday (3 December 2023) from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM — All are welcome! Taste of Interfaith is happening at Williams Memorial CME Temple (3301 St. Matthias Way, Shreveport LA 71119) Come and join with our Interfaith partners as we celebrate this year’s victories, welcome new member institutions, and … Continue reading "Taste of Interfaith (Sunday, 3 December 2023)"
Please join us next Wednesday (6 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.
We walked through the Nelson Homestead at Woolman Hill Conference Center. This is where Wally and Juanita Nelson lived the last couple of decades of their lives — off the grid, growing their own food, refusing to pay taxes that funded the war machine of the United States. Carol remembers Wally and Jaunita Nelson coming … Continue reading "You don’t gotta"
Long or short, we enter this world alone, and usually, we leave alone. The comfort we give each other during our lifetime is what we hope will be extended to us during the actual process of dying, as well as the moments surrounding death. Continue reading Gratitude for Being a Death Midwife at The Wild Hunt.
December is, among many other things, Self Help month at the church. Self Help, Inc. was founded in 1969 by Bethlehem Lutheran Church, along with several other churches in town including our own. It was founded as a means to pool charitable resources and use them for assistance and outreach in our northern New Mexico …<p> Self Help Month Read More »
Every single time my family gathers, we tell stories about each other. Usually they are funny or silly. We like to heckle each other about things we did growing up, like the time I made biscuits for the first time. They were so hard my brothers used them as baseballs! I cried and cried that … Continue reading Funny Stories
White Christmas from the finale of the 1954 MGM film of the same name. It is a bit early to break out perhaps the most iconic of the classic Golden Age of American Secular Christmas songs, but last night my wife Kathy Brady-Murfin and I took in a production of the stage version of Irving Berlins ’s White Christmas by Theatre 121 at the Woodstock Opera House. It was at least the third production of a version of the film classic we have seen. It is a staple of both the professional and community holiday theater. It is both comfortable and an invitation to sing along. You probably know that the most played and beloved secular American Chris...
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— As many of you will be aware, this week, the COP28 climate summit has begun in the United Arab Emirates against the background of the depressing, but in so many ways not unexpected news that the President of this summit, Sultan Al Jaber, has abused his position to try to sign oil deals with other governments. Looking on this and earlier global summits can easily produce in many of us feelings of deep despair and even anger. It certainly does in me from time to time, And I think it is important to tell you that over the ...
That’s the tentative title for what might end up being a painting. I envision this writing scratched in paint or ink so that an under-layer of paint or ink shows through, but some kind of dry medium might also work, or maybe colored pencil over an ink wash–the layers are important. I have tried it […]
Please join us on Saturday (2 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 (2 December 2023)"
Alan U. Dalul hears about a local curiosities market in his city, and hesitates at the idea of signing up to vendor as a tarot reader and sigil creator. But despite his anxiety, he finds himself practicing magic in a whole new way - and with a whole new community. Continue reading Ready, Set, Goth! – My first Witches’ Market in a new country at The Wild Hunt.
One of the things to love about walnut is the rich shift in color and tone that results when a penetrating finish is applied. Compare the box shown with the unfinished box earlier in the day and you can see the richness that results. I have one or two more coats of finish to apply, but must wait hours between coats Another reason to prize walnut is shown in the top panel, selected for the curly figure that results from the wood having grown close to a major limb. The straight grained walnut surrounding it frame it nicely. Make, fix and create.
The third sermon in the series "Lives of the Spirit" was delivered by the Rev. D. Scott Cooper. It focuses on the life and philosophy of the founder of the Catholic Worker movement, Dorothy Day. The post Dorothy Day: Works of Mercy (Guest Blog Post by Rev. D. Scott Cooper) appeared first on Colin Bossen.
Sunday, December 3 Let the Mystery Be Our human brains are constantly seeking to quantify, measure, and categorize the world around us. Join us this Sunday, December 3, as Rev. Alice reflects on the value in simply living with the mysterious unknown. “I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery [ … ] The post Sunday, December 3 ~ Let the Mystery Be ~ 10:30 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.
Our vision statement concludes with the words “We are a beacon of hope.” These are years when that beacon is particularly important. I note two major trends in this country, trends which may not be unrelated. Church membership is down markedly — a 2021 Gallup poll reported that adults who were church members were 70% …<p> We are a Beacon of Hope Read More »
During the holidays, I tend to reflect on the cycles of life … birth, death, and the in-between. Thinking about new babies coming into the world provokes thoughts of joy, imagination, idealism, hope, miracles, and mystery. Thinking about death provokes thoughts of sadness, depression, release, peace, and mystery. Why is it that both life and …<p> A Panoramic UU View of . . . Mystery Read More »
This month, we explore the theme of storytelling and the stories that shaped us. Each of us has stories that have helped us make sense of the world, develop our theology, and relate to others. What is an important story that has shaped you?
In 2016 Cat Templeton designed my current website. I've been trying to get better at keeping up with it. It looks as fresh and lovely, I think, as the day it was launched. Dougstowe.com Normally websites are out of date in a year or so. This one may last a decade or more. One thing I'll not change on it is the photo on the publications page t showing my books arranged on the top of my work bench. It shows 8 books. In the intervening years I've written several more that you can find on Amazon at this link: Just in time for holiday shopping. A book can be a great gift. As a gift to yourself it might guide you in making gifts for others. Shown on the same workbench today is a walnut stash box ready for final sanding and finish. Make,...
With the month of December, the darkness of our northern hemisphere tilting away from the sun continues. Shadows lengthen. The darkness deepens. Perhaps that is a good backdrop to this month’s theme, The Gift of Mystery. “Mystery” conjures a number … Continue reading →
Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles perform The Twelve Days of Christmas. December 1 is World AIDS Day. In honor of that we feature the Gay Men ’ s Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA), the oldest, largest, and most prestigious Gay choral group in the United States. It was formed in 1979 at Plummer Park Community Center in Los Angeles, with 99 members . Its first public performance was at the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights that October and they also performed at n the first ever national LGBT concert at the Washington Memorial . World Aids Day 2023 commemorates its origins. As GMCLA continued to grow throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s the AIDS crisis did not spare ...
Perhaps you, like me, have seen this come across your social media feed: Sounds so cool, doesn’t it? Well, the United States is one of those 50 countries, and a depot of the Human Library has been underway for some time here in the SF Bay Area. A friend in the UK gave me a […]
The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and Love Resists teamed up earlier this month to host the first webinar (in a series of three) to educate people about the “Cop City” project underway in Atlanta and equip them to stop this destructive plan (and similar schemes elsewhere in the U.S.).
Witch bottles have been washing ashore along a 60-mile stretch of beach on the southern span of the Texas Gulf Coast. Continue reading Witch bottles wash ashore in Texas at The Wild Hunt.
Here is a list of everything that is currently in use to provide UUpdates.net as a service.Domain registration. Currently this is done through DirectNic, but any domain registrar will do.CloudFlare is used to provide IPv6 support, caching for images and in general improve site performance and protection. This is at the free level.Virtual Private Server through DatabaseMart. Like the others
It is possible to heal. It is possible to be whole once again. It is possible to atone for one’s sins. It is possible to reconcile with those we have wronged. As Unitarian Universalists, we hold out these possibilities as matters of theology and as challenges to us all. Move towards healing and reconciliation with … Continue reading Reconciliation
Johnny Mathis - It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christm as There are many subsets in the category of the Golden Age of American Popular Christmas Song . One might be called the secular Advent songs—tunes that conjure up the growing excitement of the Holiday season invoking winter scenes, decorations, shopping, and general merriment. At their best they deftly mixed daubs of nostalgia, with a snappy, jazzy modernity. They could evoke the rustic past, but were most at home in bustling urban streets. Perhaps the most beloved of the genre was It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas written in 1951 by Meredith Willson then a prolific pop composer and the musical director of poplar radio programs like The Big Show hosted by...
Pagan clergy eat to a new legal challenge to a Missouri law banning nearly all abortions. Continue reading Religious leaders challenge Missouri abortion law at The Wild Hunt.
The Endowment Trust and Adult Religious Education are proud to present a speaker series covering living a healthy lifestyle, managing their finances, and planning for a long life. These presentations will be held on Sundays in January and February at noon. Please join us for these hybrid learning opportunities.
JD Stillwater I encouraged my students to question authority, especially my authority, because only rarely can we recognize our biases without help. Continue reading "Inviting the "Aha""
Inflicting trauma and abuse on another is surely a sin. And yet cycles of violence are perpetuated through generations. They can be disrupted, but they first have to be recognized, and then stopped. Repeat to yourself today: There is nothing I can do that makes me deserving of pain from another.
Recently, I sat outside on my meditation bench at the edge of the woods. The morning temperature was cool but not cold. I was enjoying the early morning light and a little reading with a cup of coffee. Suddenly, I … Continue reading →
This book is exactly what you would expect from someone who is a witch and an aromatherapist, and who also has a background in executive security. Amy Blackthorn knows the mundane and magical sides of protection and she shares her knowledge of both in this concise guide.
The Social Justice Action Team (SJAT) and Green Sanctuary Team are working together to stop raw sewage from polluting the Hans Groot Kill, the creek that runs along beside our building, and downstream into the Mohawk River. Our strategy is to employ the Six Circles of Social Justice to support City ... read more . The post Downstream Justice Project Update appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.
We will have regular Religious Education (RE) sessions for grades K-7, 8/9th grade OWL, and Senior High Youth. Here is the schedule: The nursery room opens at 10:15 and is available for children under 5 years old Everyone will assemble in the Great Hall for the initial part ... read more . The post Upcoming Religious Education programming for children and youth appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.
For the busy month of December, we are reading Call Us What We Carry (2021), a book of poetry by Amanda Gorman, the first ever National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States. Join us to share thoughts on your favorite poem! We welcome all newcomers ... read more . The post December’s BIPOC Book Group Discussion: Call Us What We Carry, by Amanda Gorman appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancels a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a row that erupted over the Parthenon Marbles. Continue reading PM Rishi Sunak cancels meeting with Greek counterpart in row over the Parthenon Marbles at The Wild Hunt.
I am ending my support for UUpdates.net. if anyone is interested in taking on any portion of this, please comment on this post. Please let me know what you are interested in. Domain name only, software, whatever.
The UUA is aware of the shooting of three Palestinian American students in Burlington, VT this past weekend. Our hearts and prayers are with the three students and we remain steadfast in our condemnation of the rising tide of violence and hateful acts across the country. Continue reading "UUA Statement Regarding Shooting in Burlington, Vermont"
A Q&A with Alicia Kennedy | My awareness of all the ways in which eating meat intersects with systems and outcomes that I don’t agree with unfolded gradually. It was a very instinctual, spiritual conviction that made giving up meat feel both enticing (at first) and necessary (at last), and then the more cerebral reasons for why I was drawn to it came into focus.
Do They Know it's Christmas video . Thirty-nine years ago, today on November 29,1984 , the single of Do They Know It ’ s Christmas was rushed into the stores and instantly became a phenomenon—shooting to #1 on the UK charts and staying there for a record shattering five weeks selling 3.7 million copies in Britain an 11.8 million copies worldwide in five years. Only four days earlier on November 25, 1984 a good cross section of the musical glitterati of the U . K . and Ireland assembled to record a song to raise money for Ethiopian famine relief at Sarm West Studios in London. They had assembled on short notice—many ...
The Wild Hunt remains one of the most widely read sources within modern Paganism. We remain together as reporters and columnists dedicated to a vision of journalism for and about our family of faiths and spiritual practices. We need your help. Continue reading Giving Tuesday 2023 at The Wild Hunt.
It’s November 27th! And with that, once again, the blessings of the saints Barlaam & Josaphat are upon us! This is flat out my favorite of all Christian holidays. And I like to remind people of the details of this original Christian Buddhist mashup. So, please forgive the repetition parts of […]
Wrap Me Up by Jimmy Fallon and Meghan Trainor. It is with no little regret that today’s Murfin Winter Holidays Music Festival entry comes from the relentlessly self-promoting and hyperkinetic talk show host Jimmie Fallon and pop diva Meghan Trainor. Fallon spent the last week shamelessly hyping their holiday collaboration on the Tonight Show, on his many other NBC projects, and wherever else he can get noticed. His self-proclaimed goal has been to knock Maria Carrey and the ubiquitous All I Want For Christmas is You for the top-spot on the seasonal charts. Last I heard the new release was #2 with a bullet. Any alt...
I believe that being a billionaire is immoral. I believe that there is no way to amass that much money without taking advantage of others, and that there is no reason to keep that much money except for greed. -Michael Tino (CLF) How have you been harmed by the greed of others?
At one time Froebel's classic gifts consisting of numbered sets of blocks, tiles and other interesting learning objects were made by artisans in small villages throughout Europe. Predating Maria Montessori by about 75 years, Froebel's gifts were among the earliest toys developed for early childhood developmental learning. While you can buy Froebel's gifts in a manufactured form, that they were also made by individual village craftsmen, suggested that I write a book, Making Classic Toys that Teach to guide you in making them yourself. That you can make them yourself, for your own children or grandchildren is really, for me, a big deal. You learn some basic woodworking. Your children or grandchildren learn also, and you receive greater pl...
About a year ago I fell in love with Don Miguel Ruiz the writer of the Four Agreements. Since then I’ve read (listened) to several of his books finding an understanding and kindred knowledge in his writing. I try very … Continue reading →
“Ordinary people and saints living together. Dragons and snakes all mixed up.” Blue Cliff Record From one angle Zen did proceed from the brow of Zeus. Like Athena, a goddess of intelligence and wisdom. It is here. This is it. Fully present. It has always been. What you see […]
Carol and I are staying at a retreat center in central Massachusetts for a couple of days. No internet, so I’m using my phone to post this. It’s very slow, so won’t be posting again for a couple of days.
In this weeks Pagan Community Notes, The Beaver Moon, The Troth is organizing an International Pagan Day of Prayer and Action for Peace, announcements, holiday events, announcements, and elephant babies. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of November 27, 2023 at The Wild Hunt.
True words aren’t charmingCharming words aren’t true.Good people aren’t contentious,Contentious people aren’t good.People who know aren’t learned,Learned people don’t know.Wise souls don’t hoard;The more they do for others the more they have,The more they give, the richer they are.The Way … Continue reading →
Save the date for 30 Days of Love 2024: January 15 - February 14, 2024 This annual event offers a month of spiritual nourishment, political grounding, and shared practices of faith and justice. Each week, you can expect to receive several different kinds of offerings, each from a different voice within Unitarian Universalism. Within each weekly theme, which will connect with one of our intersectional justice priorities, we plan to offer prayers, blessings, grounding, and meditative practices, a story or time for all ages, as well as a reflection from one of Side With Love's program and field staff. To get an idea of what to expect or to enjoy some meditative breaks during your lunch this month, see last year's offerings at sidewithlove.o...
The Huron Carol Twas in the Moon of Winter Time performed by the Prairie Rose Rangers Today for Native American Heritage Month we share a First Nations Christmas Carol . The Huron Carol , also known as Twas in the Moon of Wintertime is a Canadian Christmas hymn . It is Canada’s oldest Christmas song , probably written in 1642 by Jean de Brébeuf , a Jesuit missionary at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons. Brébeuf wrote the lyrics in the native language of the Huron/Wendat people . The song’s original Huron title is Jesous Ahatonhia — Jesus , he is born . The melody is based on a traditional French folk song, Une Jeune Pucelle or A Young Maid . The Eng...
We break relationships with people when we define them as “other,” which is often the first step to defining them as “less.” We can celebrate differences without creating categories that marginalize people. Celebrate differences today in a way that builds relationship rather than breaks it.
Scientists have detected one of the most powerful cosmic rays ever observed. Named after the Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu, the particle rivals the famous "Oh-My-God" particle observed in 1991 - and appears to come from a blank area of the sky. Continue reading “Amaterasu” particle raises new mysteries from beyond the Milky Way at The Wild Hunt.
If you are beginning to shop for Christmas or any other seasonal holiday and are a maker or one of those who love working with your hands in the kitchen, garden, or workshop and you wish others might understand you better, this little book of mine may help you to explain yourself to others. Buy it as a gift to yourself, as I know you'll enjoy it. Give it as a gift to others as a way of enlisting friends in a revolution. If you buy it through this link, I receive a small bonus as an amazon affiliate. We have about 30 making days left before Christmas. Make, fix and create.
As days grow short and darkness comes early - and as shadows lengthen across our war torn and troubled world - where do we find realistic hope? Reverend Gary Kowalski offers a meditation on the power of unorganized goodness. Rev. Kowalski is an American author noted for his books on eco-spirituality, science, history, and animals. He is currently serving as minister for the UU Congregation in Taos, NM, and serves as a volunteer firefighter/emergency medical responder for Hondo Fire & Rescue.
The classic Thanksgiving turkey pic was taken again this year. It was a somewhat smaller turkey than last year, but I am a little bigger now even though I am wearing the same shirt pants and slippers. Only one oven mitt though. In the older picture, both the turkey and I were both significantly larger. […]
Increasingly, our congregations are finding themselves the targets of online harassment, phishing, doxxing, and other forms of digital hate – often as a result of the ways we are embodying UU values in the world. Unfortunately, many of our UU communities do not have the skills and the infrastructure to protect themselves from malicious digital targeting that is constantly evolving. Equality Labs' Digital Security For All Workshop is a dive into the world of digital security, and what that means for you and your organization. We will develop some common ground and shed light on types of attacks and security concerns that affect our communities, engaging with you at a strategic level as you plan for your organization. Register for this t...
Pride is necessary when one is taught by society to be ashamed of the beautiful, wonderful, whole parts of oneself. It is not sinful to learn that you are magnificent. What have you struggled to feel pride about?
Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday by Carole King Yesterday Kathy and I took in a performance of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at the Marriott Theater in Lincolnshire. Their shows always feature strong casts and in-the-round staging. We had a great time enjoying samples from the gifted singer/songwriter’s seemingly limitless catalog as well as music by her contemporaries in the Brel Building Era. King performing at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In honor of the occasion, today we will feature a holiday song written not by King but by William Bell and Booker T. Jones from her 2011 Album A Christmas Carole . Everyday Will Be Like a Holi...
First Parish in Cohasset, where I work, has a meetinghouse built in 1747. When you come at it from the north and see it across Cohasset Common, it looks like the classic white New England church with a simple steeple: But the tower and the steeple weren’t added until 1799, over half a century after … Continue reading "Changes in a New England Meetinghouse"
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