Sunday, 25 June 2017, 01:32 pm PDT
Unitarian Universalism: The Institution of Spiritual Freedom
Promoting Spiritual Liberalism
Featured Ministers
An Endorsement
Water, as you know, freezes at 32 F degrees. But if you look at a cup of water which measures 36 F, it is liquid. At 35 F, it is still liquid. At 34 F, it is still liquid, and if ... [read more]
thelivelytradition
The Free Mind and the "Rationale of Religious Enquiry"
The Cambridge Unitarian Church noticeboard with graffiti Readings:2 Timothy 3:14–4:5 — a New Testament text to disagree with:But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believe... [read more]
Caute
Nevertheless, She Persisted: A PeaceBang Love Letter To Miss Bette Midler As Dolly Levi
I saw Bette Midler play Dolly Gallagher Levi, the legendary leading role in Jerry Herman’s musical “Hello, Dolly! ” on Wednesday night, June 14th. It was the twentieth anniversary... [read more]
PeaceBang
A Feeling. Mostly.
Freedom, part 1 On the subject of freedom, and speaking of fathers . . . I was seven years old when, at dinner one night, my father off-handedly mentioned that there’s an idea that everything you... [read more]
The Liberal Pulpit
Song in a Weary Throat
Pauli captioned this photo: "The Imp! " This is the text of the sermon I delivered to the Unitarian Universalist congregation in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Sunday, June 18, 2... [read more]
A Minister’s Musings
Why I hate special church visitor mugs and you probably should too
A question I am often asked in the context of my trainings with congregations is “Do special church visitor mugs work? ” My answer? NO! !! In fact, in most cases I find special visitor mugs do ... [read more]
UU PLANET Ministry and Media
There Before Me
The very first observance of Father’s Day was held on July 5 in 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia. Grace Golden Clayton was mourning the loss of her father when, in December of 1907, a mining disa... [read more]
Thousand Voices
A Grumpy Old Man Replies to "Wake Me Up," Part II
Okay, I don't know why but it is taken me a little while to get my grump back on again. As I wrote in part one of this post (link), I love the lyrics to this song. I also really like the song itse... [read more]
Calling Ministers - Examining and interviewing for UU ministry
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Welcome to www.returningblog.com
We’re just getting this started. Please come back soon! [read more]
Returning . . .
A Reflection for PRIDE Sunday
REFLECTION ON CHANGES IN MERev. Kit Ketcham PUUF, June 11, 2017 Pride Service Talking about sexual orientation and gender identity ... [read more]
Ms. Kitty’s Saloon and Road Show
Universal Good
We struggle for justice, not because it is achievable, but because struggling for it is the rood of our well being. This is the root of our morality and our demand for progress. It arises from the ... [read more]
Rev. Thomas Perchlik
The Call of the Open Road
I begin with this from Walt Whitman:Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,Healthy, free, the world before me,The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose. Henceforth I ask not... [read more]
Rev. John Morehouse
Call the Minister
In the PBS show Call the Midwife, it’s usually clear when to call the midwife. Nature is pretty good that way. “You’ll know when to call,” the professionals tell expectant mothe... [read more]
Bytes of Grass
#74 After the “Death of God,” new gods?
Many in the West associate the “Death of God” with the 19th Century philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche. Some are also aware of the 1960s death-of-God movement (more accurately called the wish-God... [read more]
The Naked Theologian: stripped-down theology
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Poetry Sunday 2017 - Links to all the poems I mentioned
On Sunday, May 14, 2017 I preached a sermon called, "Poetry is Resistance. " Here are all the poems I read from or mentioned during the service:For the Call to Worship I read a gently... [read more]
RevThom
Does Saying I live in a White Supremacy Culture make me a White Supremacist?
The short answer is no. But let’s put this into a much larger historical context. In 1452, Pope Nicholas V authorized King Alfonso V of Portugal to place Muslims and pagans into “perpet... [read more]
A Unitarian Universalist Minister in Mississippi
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Character and Grace
(Sermon given at the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore, Maryland, on March 19th, 2017) As a minister serving a Unitarian Universalist congregation, you can’t just buy a car. A few years ago, be... [read more]
Celestial Lands
Our Hearts are Broken, Our Mission is Not: Statement on the Arrest of Ron Robinson from the Unitarian Universalist Missional Cohort
Some years ago a handful of Unitarian Universalists began preaching the good news of a missional approach to church. We called ourselves the Red Pill Brethren and our unofficial symbolic leader... [read more]
Sunflower Chalice
Feminist Journey
I am who I am in part due to male privilege, unearned benefits and opportunities that I’ve had more access to than women and transgender persons. Every day as part of my religious life, I ref... [read more]
RadicalHapa
The Painful Steps to Justice
When I came to Jackson, MI in 2004, it took me a while to realize how unsupported the LGBTQ community felt here. During my seminary years, all my LGBTQ friends and colleagues were entirely out of t... [read more]
Rev. Cyn
Rejoice and Resist: A Post-Inaugural Sermon
Rejoice and Resist Sermon at Unitarian Universalist Church of Bartlesville, Jan. 22, 2017 Rev. Ron Robinson So here we are. I started writing this sermon at noon on Friday as the inauguration was u... [read more]
Planting God Communities
Odds & Ends
Pounding flowers
One of the best projects we did in Nature Camp last week was “Pounding Flowers,” a project from the book A Little Bit of Dirt: 55+ Science and Art Activities To Reconnect Children with ... [read more]
Yet Another Unitarian Universalist
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Coop Goes to Europe Part 41 – London
It was Friday December 7th and I was in the friendly confines of the American Express office in London. The place was full of people including some of my backpacker ilk, though there were no VW van... [read more]
Lefty Parent- Living and Parenting Without The Rule Book
See all blogs entries from Lefty Parent- Living and Parenting Without The Rule Book
The Prairie State
After a long journey getting 2017 rolling (and traveling to New York in March only to miss services to care for Austin during his unfortunate flu-ridden weekend), I was able to take a quick mid-wee... [read more]
traveling tUUsome
#Bringbackourgirls For Mother's Day
It’s been almost a month since more than 270 young women were kidnapped from their school in Nigeria, and only a week since the world’s news media, the United States, and the Nigerian Presiden... [read more]
Sexuality and Religion: What’s the Connection?
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What's Your Real Religion?
Take the Test
UU News
Susan Frederick-Gray Elected UUA President
Minister of Phoenix, AZ congregation wins three-way race to become the first woman elected to the office. Continue reading Susan Frederick-Gray Elected UUA President. [read more]
Unitarian Universalist Association: Top Stories
See all news results from Unitarian Universalist Association: Top Stories
Turkey Removes Evolution From High School Curriculum
The New York Times reported yesterday that in Turkey the Education Ministry has decided to eliminate the teaching of evolution to ninth graders, removing the chapter on the topic from ninth grade t... [read more]
Religion Clause
Her Eyes Weren’t Watching God: The Empathetic Secular Vision of Octavia Butler
By Christian Coleman Reveling in science fiction/fantasy for an openness she saw lacking in other genres, Octavia E. Butler gave us gene-trading extraterrestrials, psionically powered mutants, a ge... [read more]
Beacon Broadside
Olbermann: GOP self-destruction imminent
In a Special Comment, Countdown’s Keith Olbermann advises Republicans that clinging to obsolete ideas and resorting to extremist rhetoric will only undermine the party's relevance and America wi... [read more]
Countdown w/ Keith Olbermann
Action Alert: Gaza
Sadly, the dismal conditions in Gaza are causing enormous hardship for the people there, with particularly harsh effects on children. Churches for Middle East Peace, a coalition founded in part by ... [read more]
Inspired Faith, Effective Action
Featured Podcasts
A Little Sabbath, Revs. Rob and Janne Eller-Isaacs, June 18, 2017
Unity Church-Unitarian of Saint Paul, MN
See all podcast episodes from Unity Church-Unitarian of Saint Paul, MN
"Now is the Time: Stewardship Sunday" - April 10, 2011
Come celebrate the gift of our beloved community as we reflect on what this moment in our congregational history calls us to do. We'll also have a child dedication at this service. [listen to the episode]
Bull Run Unitarian Universalists
See all podcast episodes from Bull Run Unitarian Universalists
Featured Blog Posts
Column: the Troth Meets for Moot in Missouri
The Troth held its 30th annual Trothmoot at Crowder State Park in Missouri from Thursday, June 1 through Sunday, June 4. To provide members in different regions equal opportunity to attend, the int... [read more]
The Wild Hunt
Censors censor discussion of censorship—a 4th Street followup
I made a post on the 4th Street Fantasy Facebook page asking which specific part of the 4th Street Code of Conduct Steve Brust is supposed to have broken. Alex Haist, who silenced Steve, also adm... [read more]
it’s all one thing
Nevertheless, She Persisted: A PeaceBang Love Letter To Miss Bette Midler As Dolly Levi
I saw Bette Midler play Dolly Gallagher Levi, the legendary leading role in Jerry Herman’s musical “Hello, Dolly! ” on Wednesday night, June 14th. It was the twentieth anniversary... [read more]
The manic mind of the minister
Pharaoh’s Army Drowned In The Red Sea…or More Unitarian Universalist Nonsense
Somedays the only thing that keeps me half-way in Unitarian Universalism is Aretha Franklin singing gospel. anyway…… News came out yesterday that UUA officials who RESIGNED from thei... [read more]
east of midnight
The Born-Again Unitarian Universalist
Versions of this talk were delivered at the Unitarian Church of Quincy, Illinois on April 30, 2017 and at First Parish Church of Billerica, Massachusetts on March 26, 2017 Opening Words"Our ... [read more]
Free and Responsible Search
UU Communion
This past Sunday I preached on Original Sin. If you get a chance to read Danielle Shroyer's book on the topic, Original Blessing: Putting Sin in its Rightful Place, I would recommend it. While it ... [read more]
Everyday Unitarian
Hello again!
This afternoon, I noticed a longtime E&P reader had stopped by my "real-name" website to leave a comment. How wonderful it was to see this person's name again after six or eight... [read more]
Educated & Poor
The Believing Game
This is the text of my April 2, 2017, sermon/presentation to the Universalist Unitarian Church of Farmington. The audio version is on You Tube, starting at about the 25 minute mark. I began by pre... [read more]
Finding My Ground
A lazy viewer’s guide to the UUA Candidates’ Forum with superfluous commentary because me.
https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=Xs SD9-AGJTALots of opinions within. If you disagree, um, put it on the internet. That’s pretty much what the internet is for. If you ... [read more]
The Chaliceblog
Ordo de Diservo fixed
Thanks to Richard Hurst for noting that encoding rot made the “Ordo de Diservo” — Order of Worship — unreadable, even for those who do read Esperanto. Should be all fixed, h... [read more]
Boy in the Bands
Re: Pantsuit Nation
What is interesting about Pantsuit Nation is the collective pastoral care taking place there. It brings the empowering practices of the support group ethos to a mass scale. It brings consolation, a... [read more]
Making Chutney
Speak Before It's Too Late
First they came for Muslims, and I didn't speak because I wasn't Muslim. Then they came for Blacks and Latinx, and I didn't speak because I wasn't Black or Latina. Then they came for LBGTQ... [read more]
Wandering Monk, Reluctant Gyrovague
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Staying with the Pain
My entire life has been about trying to make things okay. I planned to go to Harvard when I was eight, thinking that if I did the best thing, the hardest thing, I would be good enough and things wo... [read more]
Elizabeth’s Little Blog
The "Netflixing" of American Politics
One of the criticisms commonly made towards US politics is the two-party system and how some voters complain that they don't have a candidate that lines up closely with their values. This is what ... [read more]
Liberal Faith Development
A very Unitarian Universalist response to the religion question from candidate Sanders(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d. get Elements By Tag Name(s)[0]; if (d. get Element By Id(id)) return; ... [read more]
DiscoverUU.com
Chicago's Lamon Ave Methodist Episcopal Church
Some screen scraps of the former Lamon Ave Methodist Episcopal Church at the corer of Ferdinand and Lamon in east Austin. Looked well kept under the new owners but sadly burned down not long... [read more]
Pfarrer Streccius
Three Marks of Existence
The Three Marks or The Three Basic Facts of Existence In Buddhism, the Three Marks of Existence are three characteristics shared by all sentient beings, namely impermanence (anicca), suffering or u... [read more]
Daily Buddhism
Dear Daughters
I have a new post up at my new blog and I invite you to review it at Ugly Pies and Crooked Hats. Here’s an excerpt: “As I raked, cursing at the leaves and at my own guilt that propell... [read more]
uuMomma
Is there a torch in the new UUA logo?
Thinking about the UUA's new logo (which was announced last week; I was not involved in developing), I was struck by the torch-like image in its center. I've heard people express dismay that it... [read more]
Philocrites
So the UUA has a new logo?
Again? Yawn. So what else is new? Although a few thoughts do occur to me: (1) It's only a logo. For letterhead and brochures and such. It doesn't mean anything. ... [read more]