"The poor steamer foundered because it drifted…the man who has no aim higher than himself also..."

“The poor steamer foundered because it drifted…the man who has no aim higher than himself also drifts…Do not drift, but steer.” - James Freeman Clarke, Everyday Religion (1886) p.6 (Unitarian, clergy,

The secular, conversational spirit of democracy - a meditation on Pentecost

READINGS: Acts 2:1-13 It Matters What We Believe by Sophia Lyon Fahs Some beliefs are like walled gardens. They encourage exclusiveness, and the feeling of being especially privileged. Other beliefs a

Parliament liberal Christian tradition incarnation Unitarian and Free Christian Churches Pentecost Whitsunday Holy Spirit Sophia Lyons Fahs Doctrine of the Trinity Hegel

Prayer during Pentecost (Marc Carson, Syria)

Spirit of Peace, God of Many Names, and One Transforming and Abundant Love, We gather again in community, In song and in quiet, To lay down our burdens for an hour, To ease the pain of our neighbor, T

UU faith prayer peace violence Mission politics gay Pentecost hate crime marc carson need outrage syria

"When people are in danger…everyone has a duty to speak out. No one has a right to pass by on..."

“When people are in danger…everyone has a duty to speak out. No one has a right to pass by on the other side” - Kofi Annan, Interventions: A Life in War & Peace

responsibility Kofi Annan

Re-Imagining Unitarian Universalism

The pieces are coming together in my mind to reimagine Unitarian Universalism. First of all, we need to really, actually and truly shift from belief to practice as the core of what the spiritual life

"Perfection is not reached by a sudden leap; nor hopeless wickedness by a sudden fall"

“Perfection is not reached by a sudden leap; nor hopeless wickedness by a sudden fall” - Marion D. Shutter, Justice and Mercy (1894) p.30 (Universalist, clergy, theologian)

Morning Prayer May 20, 2013

Love, you sustain me when I change for the better and when I am less than how I am called. Hear my thanks. Help me reach to keep changing for the better, to answer your calling and my promises and fai

Religion

Evening Prayer May 20, 2013

Mercy, you call me to change when I am stony-hearted and you call me to change this world when it is fraught with pain and misunderstanding, cruelty and greed. Hear my worries about answering that cal

Religion

Everyone Loves To Hate The Tax Man

Face it, nobody likes the Tax Man, so it’s easy to lambast the Internal Revenue Service, which is just about as popular (but just as necessary) as a regular colonoscopy. Lately, the IRS has taken a hi

Maker Faire and lobsters

Carol and I went to Maker Faire today. It was held just a couple of miles away in San Mateo, so we were able to walk there — which was good, because so many people attended that some of the parking lo

Pop Culture DIY Chronicles

Unitarian Universalist Pentecost – Living into the Missional Shift

Tomorrow is Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost is celebrated in western Christianity as the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the followers of Jesus fifty days after Easter.  The story is recounted in Acts 2:1-

Unitarian Universalism god unitarian universalist Christianity The Spiritual Life Jesus Missional Church HolySpirit Life on Fire Pentecost

​Truth and Meaning: Cleverness

​Truth and Meaning: Cleverness We Americans consider ourselves a clever people. We equate education with knowledge and privilege with power. These are both false assumptions. True wisdom doesn’t come

How seminaries and the ordination process leave theologically “liberal” Christians behind

There’s a new article in the Washington Post about seminary graduates who don’t plan to enter ministry. According to the write-up, “About 41 percent of master’s of divinity graduates expect to […]

Written Reflections

"Risk must be evaluated not by the fear it generates in you or the probability of your success, but..."

“Risk must be evaluated not by the fear it generates in you or the probability of your success, but by the value of the goal.” - John C. Maxwell, Failing Forward p.123

goal risk John C. Maxwell

"Conscience…prepares the mind to act and to suffer beyond almost all other causes"

“Conscience…prepares the mind to act and to suffer beyond almost all other causes” - Daniel Webster, “First Settlement of New England, Delivered 22 December 1820” (Unitarian, statesman, U.S. Senator)

Morning Prayer May 19, 2013

Wisdom bless us with and in our humility, that we may be glad in the gifts that others have, the blessings that others know, and the dependence we all have not only upon each other but upon this amazi

Religion

Evening Prayer May 19, 2013

Breath of Life, open our lungs and our hearts to the spirit of goodness that grows lush wherever it is shared, the spirit that invites us to be generous and stay the course with love and good humor, t

Religion

Morning Prayer May 18, 2013

Lover of Life may we love this life each and every day! May every heart wake this morning and shine forth, gladdening the Holy and this creation, ready to serve goodness and mercy with generosity and

Religion

White Men Can’t Jump Out of the Frying Pan That Easily

If you don’t know who Tony Jones is, you should google him. He’s a well-known, highly respected, and often sought-after voice in Emergent Christianity on topics related to theology. He’s […]

Religion Theology racism Written Reflections Church Leaders organized religion unorganized religion African Americans emergent christianity privilege tony jones

Whoa Nellie...

So, horses are back.  As farm animals.  Once again the oracle of all matters, the NYTimes, lured me in with a long long at the return of draft horses to the farm.. Now, except for a brief ride on a ho