Re-imagining Unitarian Universalism, Part 4: Secularity

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4:  Re-Imagining Unitarian Universalism, Part 4: Thinking about Secularity I became uncomfortable with the way that UU Christians had dichotomized the situation within the UU

"There is no happiness, there is no liberty, there is no enjoyment of life, unless a man can say when..."

“There is no happiness, there is no liberty, there is no enjoyment of life, unless a man can say when he rises in the morning, I shall be subject to the decision of no unjust judge today” - Daniel Web

Morning Prayer May 24, 2013

Life, how wondrous you are! What a gift and what a blessing! May we rejoice in the gift of each and every day. Especially in the days that are full of hurt and grief and bitterness, may we create caus

Religion

Evening Prayer May 24, 2013

Love, may we each create in our lives and out of our hearts a space that welcomes you. Love, may we each create in our lives the welcome space that makes way for the stranger to become a friend, and c

Religion

A gift day

A couple in my church call it a gift day. It's that phenomenon of something completely unexpected but wonderful happening. For example, going to see a movie but having it cancelled so folks respond by

Beloved Community: The Now and Not Yet

Rev. Christine Robinson has a great little post up about the phrase "beloved community" and why it's problematic to use that to describe a church. Like her mom, I can get cranky about the whole thing,

Meditations on Grave Digging

I am not known to shy away from death (not yet, at least).   Lest you forget or didn’t know, I am the foster parent (shhh, don’t tell DCF) who, when the cat hid away to die and was found twelve … Cont

Uncategorized grief gallows humor Memento Mori prayer for death of pet dog

June’s Services

Services for June 2013 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Peninsula theme: Prophecy June 2nd: “From Where I Stand” As Rev. Andrew comes to the end of his third year serving as minister to

music Life leadership Family Growth Mission service Beloved Community Sunday Services bridging

Operation Streamline: An American Obscenity

I am not sure I can even begin to describe this obscene method of handling border crossings.  Understand the militarization of the border was to prevent the crossing of terrorists into the USA.  Since

Unitarian Universalism immigration Immigration reform SOAWatch SOAWatch Delegation immigration laws Operation Streamline

COMPARING PRESIDENTS

    Presidents Day occasioned my annual peek into history, bringing me this time to Eisenhower, about whom no one seems to know jack. But he is vaguely recalled with fondness because time colors curre

politics Obama Cold War Eisenhower Gen. George Patton presidential anger Reagan Soviet Union the Missile Gap

Life is Not Safe

Coming to grips with our natural vulnerability, with the stark reality that no matter how hard we try, there is never any guarantee of safety for any of us, can earn us some freedom from fear, and the

Culture general fear vulnerability tornado Human Nature moore

Americans In the Line To Get Into Heaven

    I have this vision of being on line to get into Heaven. An angel is standing at the gate. She says, “Do you recognize this?” And she holds up one of those little yellow plastic corn cobs with … Co

Mind of the Minister

"The spiritual life is not life before, after, or beyond our everyday existence. No, the spiritual..."

“The spiritual life is not life before, after, or beyond our everyday existence. No, the spiritual life can only be real when it is lived in the midst of the pains and joys of the here and now.” - Hen

spirituality presence attention Henri Nouwen

Don’t Forget to Lift a Toast to Harvey Today

Today is Harvey Milk‘s birthday. Harvey was the first openly gay person to be elected to office in California, and possibly in the country. He would have been eighty-three if he had not been assassina

Uncategorized

Ten years of Boy in the Bands

Ten years ago, today I made my first blog post: a prayer. In the meantime, I have written more than 3,400 posts, developed some resources and welcomed more than 7,100 comments. The last 10 years seen

Blog administration

Re-Imagining UUism: Part 3: Rene Girard

Part 1 Part 2 I don't know why I first read Gil Bailie's Violence Unveiled. It was quite a while ago, perhaps ten years or more.  I don't even remembering reading it for the first time.  I do remember

Morning Prayer May 23, 2013

Awake, my heart, to how Love calls me today. Like the rose welcoming the songbirds fleeing the hawk, may I make refuge and way for those seeking safety and love. Like the songbirds, after fear may I c

Religion

Evening Prayer May 23, 2013

Beloved, help me hold onto the courage I have, nurture it, and follow it through for love, for mercy, for goodness' sake. When I have had to scurry away, flee, or retreat, may I have the courage to go

Religion

Southside Presbyterian Church: Transforming the Heart of America Part II

In 2009 there were some anecdotal stories surfacing of water bottles being vandalized and border patrol agents shooting holes in the bottles.  THe government stated this was not true and it was all an

Unitarian Universalism immigration SOAWatch John Fife SOAWatch Delegation USA Border Border Patrol Lila Watson Southside Worker Center US Human Rights Violations

Southside Presbyterian Church: Transforming the Heart of America Part 1

In the afternoon the SOAWatch Delegation went to Southside Presbyterian Church to hear Rev. John Fife, past minister of this congregation and Stephanie and Alejandro of the Southside Day Labor Center,

Unitarian Universalism immigration SOAWatch John Fife Sanctuary Movement SOAWatch Delegation USA Border