Inner peace is one of the goals of spiritual practice. Sages and prophets have used silence to achieve that internal peace. By silencing the surface chatter, we can begin to hear a deeper voice. Silence is our theme this month, and we begin by exploring the spiritual practice of listening.
The “Father Knows Best” family structure is still around in U.S. families. It’s difficult to change culture, even if we think we have embraced household equity and fairness. Are there links between authoritarian households and political views?
Whether you’re spending time with your family this week or not, your family of origin plays a big role in how you became who you are. We’ll prepare in worship for the presence or absence of family this week.
Some people just seem to rub us raw, maybe for an obvious reason or no discernible cause. What’s the best way to handle those to whom we have instinctive resistance, especially in a democratic society where we’re supposed to collaborate with one another? Do we just grit our teeth or try to engage? Difficult folks, … Continue reading Sandpaper People
or at least that’s our vision of democracy, including the democratic institution of this free church.
“What we call a beginning is often the end” wrote TS Eliot. To create something new, we often have to deconstruct the old paradigm.
In 1863, Olympia Brown was ordained as a Universalist minister, becoming the first woman to be ordained with the official approval of a national denomination. Her journey to win that right on behalf of women was beset by setbacks, scorn, and ridicule. Not only did she prevail, but she didn’t rest on those laurels: she … Continue reading Olympia Brown: A Universalist Origin Story
Annie Dillard says we are here to “abet creation and to witness to it.” How do we help the world along? What does the world need that we can offer? Does it even matter?
When you envision Unitarian Universalism—our theology, our practice, our people —what archetypes come to mind? How does our faith thrive in communities beyond the conventional boundaries of Unitarian Universalism in the West? Explore Unitarian Universalist stories from the margins, delving into the intersections of gender, race, and class, to better understand the blessings and curses … Continue reading Wilderness Ministries: Our Faith on the Margins
How we tell our story, especially of our beginnings, affects how the story unfolds. Let’s look at some origin stories and their effects.
