Throughout this week Jewish communities across the world gather to celebrate Hanukkah, the “Festival of Lights”. In Hebrew, the word Hanukkah can be interpreted to mean, “dedication”. The eight nights of Hanukkah commemorate a lineage of rebuilding through crisis, forging pathways of resilience, and the surprising light of possibility present in the hardest of times; … Continue reading Light One Candle: Hanukkah & the Spirit of Rededication
Much has been made about the perilous condition of our time. No doubt much more will be made still. Through this past month we have spoken of gratitude as the grounds for the hope that would bear us through such an age and empower us to meet life’s challenges and realize Love’s demands. But what … Continue reading A Rose in the Wintertime
Throughout this month we have explored the living force of Gratitude as more than a feeling, but as the fundamental emotion of the life of faith; that which orients us away from apathy and cynicism and into a fuller, richer experience of life despite the pressures and pains that so often plague the day. This … Continue reading The Grounds of Gratitude & the Seeds of Hope
Held in our particular, individual human lives, the idea of evolution can seem like a mere idea; a means of explaining the everyday but with little bearing on our daily lives. This Sunday, on the eve of the anniversary of Darwin’s publication of On the Origin of Species, let us reflect on our own interwovenness … Continue reading The Evolutionary Epic
It’s no secret that we live in deeply polarizing times. Trust can seem in short supply, and so we may find ourselves moving through life with our heads down, afraid to engage meaningfully with strangers and thus cutting ourselves off from the world. Even the most gregarious amongst us may feel the twinge of uncertainty. … Continue reading The Everyday Magic of Kindness & Gratitude
All Souls & La Santa Muerte November 2nd marks All Souls Day in the liturgical calendar of some Christian communities, and in many parts of Central America and throughout the Mexican diaspora it also coincides with the observance of El Dia De Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Cemeteries come alive with marigold wreaths … Continue reading Holy Death
The Life and Ministry of Jane Goodall This Sunday, we turn to the life and work of Dr. Jane Goodall; renowned primatologist, peacemaker, and advocate for all living beings. Through an intimate relationship with the natural world, Goodall demonstrated how attentive presence can blossom into courageous action. Together, we’ll reflect on what it means to … Continue reading Your Animal Heart
Glitter Communion and celebrating National Coming Out Day October 11th is National Coming Out Day, a time to remember and revel in the affirmation of the heart’s need to be authentic, particularly for our LGBTQI+ community members. This Sunday, let us lift up our stories of personal revelation, acceptance, and the powerful compassion that leads … Continue reading What the Heart Wants
Compassion is a feeling. It’s the one we get when we are called into the world to love our neighbor. For some people that’s about as far as it goes, but compassion comes from Love, and Love would call us into the world to do the good work of opening each other’s hearts and minds. … Continue reading More Than a Feeling
What is the moment we are in? What are the obstacles and opportunities presented to us? How may we fashion a values based response to meet the moment? In this time of deep division our denominational leaders have charged UU congregations across the country to consider these challenging questions that we may collectively steward the … Continue reading Meeting the Moment
