MY MOTHER MISSED THE PARADE THAT DAY: A REFLECTION FROM SOMEONE BORN ON THE REAL MEMORIAL DAY In his poem “The Young Dead Soldiers,” Archibald MacLeish wrote: “…They say: We have given our lives; they are yours; they will mean what you make them. They say: Whether our lives and...

SOCIAL EQUITY AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE Beyond our individual efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change in our own lives, we must also adapt to strengthen and preserve our communities. What can we be doing to plan for challenges like extreme weather events and their...

Sharon Auberle, David Clowers, Larry Eriksson, Hanne Gault, Jami Hanreddy, Estella Lauter, Ralph Murre, Cynthia Oliver, John Redell and Henry Timm For National Poetry Month in recent years, several poets among UU Members and Friends have each written and presented a poem on a common theme (the Equinox, Easter) for...

THE MAYA MAIZE GOD: DEATH AND RESURRECTION BASED ON NATURAL CYCLES   Expressed in words and images long before the birth of Christ, the Maize God narrative was the most important meta-myth of the ancient Maya. It is the Maize God’s sacrifice and subsequent resurrection that expresses the central tenet of...

OUR EARTH: OUR SELVES Chief Seattle believed “Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the children of the Earth. Man did not weave the web of life – he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” With Spring repeating the ancient pulse of life’s...

WHAT DO YOU SAY IF YOU CAN’T SAY GOD? There is a lot of baggage attached to the name “God” which leads many to forgo the idea altogether.   Can we let go of that name and still be able to talk about the ineffable?  How do we name it in...

WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN: THE CASE FOR COMPASSION As conditions for women worsen in the U.S., this International Women’s Day offers a good occasion to examine the case for both public and private expressions of compassion. What is compassion? How do we promote it? How is it discouraged?  What role...

CHERISHING OUR INNER EQUINOX The Spring Equinox celebrates the return of balanced hours of dark and light. We are reminded of the importance of appreciating and growing from both dark and light in our lives. Many writers and traditions recognize that this is a key to living fully. Bob moved...

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL… DESPITE IT ALL We reside in a troubled world where we have multiplied exponentially the avenues for the world’s troubling news to reach us. Each day we hear about the suffering of others – near and far – and each day we experience severe challenges in our...

REEL SPIRITUALITY: GROUNDHOG DAY Groundhog Day, a 1993 film starring Bill Murray, may be the only movie  not actually made to illustrate Buddhist principles, that does. A look at some Buddhist beliefs through the lens of this delightful film.  Come see the movie Friday night, January 31, 7pm at UUFDC. Rev Joan...