The idea of the “monster” is a cultural touch point that transcends all particulars. One would be hard pressed to consider a people who do not have some stories that keep them up at night. Why might this be? In a time so divided, could a deeper understanding of our monsters and myths shine a … Continue reading Halloween Service: Here Be Monsters
We understand Interdependence as the art of honoring the interdependent web of all existence, acknowledging our place in it with humility, and covenanting to protect Earth and all beings. It is a value that calls us to a spiritual depth rooted at once in intuition and reason, all the while leading us to labor for … Continue reading Ecotheology: Your Animal Heart
National Coming Out Day is an annual LGBTQ awareness day observed on October 11 to support anyone “coming out of the closet”. First celebrated in the United States in 1988, the initial idea was grounded in the feminist and gay liberation spirit of the personal being political, and the emphasis on the most basic form … Continue reading National Coming Out Day
Even for one for whom saints and their days have little weight, St. Francis of Assisi is one yet still often admired. He is the patron saint of animals and ecology, often invoked over the blessings of animals and wildlife. Poet, war chaplain, peace-maker; this Sunday let us reflect upon the human life and more-than-human … Continue reading The Life & Ministry of St. Francis
The loss of a light like Dolly Parton lingers awhile in the heart. Few people were so universally beloved; Dolly endeavored to join hearts in song and love across all kinds of differences. This Sunday, as we observe up our annual Service of the Books, let us lift up the life and the light of … Continue reading Muse of the Mountains: Remembering Dolly Parton
“I am because we are” Such is how the late Anglican Archbishop of South Africa, Desmond Tutu, described his theology and defined the concept of Ubuntu; a term from the Nguni Bantu languages of southern Africa, meaning something like “humanity” or “humanness”. From whence does our worth and dignity, our very humanity arise? Is it … Continue reading Ubuntu: A Bundle of Life
All waters flow to and from a common source; connecting oceans and streams and rain into a system of interconnected flows that defies the easy illusions of separation. How appropriate it is that we enter into our theme of Interdependence upon such flows. This Sunday, join friends at 2nd Unitarian as we celebrate our annual … Continue reading Interdependence: Water Communion
In a time when our democracy is in trouble, the news can bring about feelings of anger, anxiety, hopelessness, and despair. The importance of the approaching midterm election combined with a inbox full of pleas for campaign contributions may feel like the weight of the world on our shoulders. It may feel like nothing we … Continue reading Mental Health in a Time of Backsliding Democracy
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
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
