Why do ministers preach from a pulpit, wear a robe and stole? Why do we light a chalice in our UU congregations or sing hymns? What is a chapel or a sanctuary? Why do we have a covenant and not a creed? Rev. Robin will share answers to some of these questions her sermon, “Symbol … Continue reading Symbol and Sanctuary

Environmental degradation. Poverty. Addiction. Forced relocation. Voter suppression. Cultural shaming. And now, the Trump administration questioning whether Indigenous people are “American citizens” or whether they are eligible for deportation!  To where? All of these factors haunt the land we live and worship on. Especially in light of what is happening on the ground right now … Continue reading What Haunts the Land?

If you could ring a particular NYC answering machine and leave an anonymous apology, what would you apologize for? Why are confession and forgiveness so essential to our well-being and yet, so difficult at times when we are face-to-face? How can we “turn” (teshuva) from apology to healing? We’ll explore these themes within the context … Continue reading Ringing the Apology Line

In “Poser,” her unique memoir, author Claire Dederer discovers who she is (and who she isn’t) as a mother, daughter, friend and partner through twenty-three yoga asanas practiced over a formative decade of her life. She tackles perfectionism, faux authenticity (being a poser, in slang terms) consumerism and competition, self-doubt, and ultimately self-love through Lotus, … Continue reading Poser – Bending into Self Awareness

Each Sunday we recite a unison Benediction, adapted from the Book of Thessalonians. It begins, “Go Out Into the World in Peace” and ends with “Honor All Beings”. In between, we are encouraged to have courage, support the weak and the suffering, resist evil, and hold onto what is good. Each line of the passage … Continue reading Homecoming – Go Out Into the World in Peace: Living Our Benediction

Before social media, google searches, LinkedIn, and cell phones, we kept track of friends in paper address books, scratching out the old information and scribbling in the new. And when these friends moved, it could mean the end of that connection. There it would be, stamped on the envelope – “Moved, No Forwarding Address.” How … Continue reading Moved: No Forwarding Address. Where Do Old Friends Go?

In a culture of distractions, possessions, and expertise, how might we cultivate spaciousness and a “beginner mind” amidst all that “fullness?” What spiritual resources can we access during this destabilizing time in our country and world? We turn to the humble cranberry and the Japanese practice of Oryoki (“just enough”) for inspiration on how to … Continue reading Staying Afloat in the Bog – Accessing Spiritual Resources

When we “speak of the devil,” who or what are we speaking of? One of Yahweh’s archangels? A cunning manipulator? The personification of evil? An avatar of depravity who teases out humankind’s basest instincts? Did the devil make you do it? How has the looming image of Satan/the devil influenced religion, society, culture, and our … Continue reading Speak of the Devil

One of the most popular UU bumper stickers states “The answer is to question.” We are an inherently curious bunch. For decades, inquisitive researchers have been trying to figure out the science of our human “urge to know,” and to decipher the way in which questioning happens. They’ve discovered that what is unique about human … Continue reading A Curious Bunch – Question Box Service