A tapestry of symbols representing seven religious traditions is affixed to the wall at the front of our fellowship hall. This message is a short lesson of the wisdom (in Joan’s quirky subjective opinion) revealed in each of these religious traditions. The Rev. Joan Shiels has a broad knowledge of the world’s religions. She believes that […]
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 deaths were for peace and a new hope or for nothing we […]
I’ve often told people new to Unitarian Universalism that many of us alternate periods of resting on plateaus when we are experiencing congruity between what we believe and how we live our lives. And then…we depart from the comfortable plateaus when a new series of life’s persistent questions lead us into wilderness trails we but […]
Most people assume that the women in the Bible were good Jewish girls: obedient, courteous and docile. Nothing could be further from the truth! Willful and wise, trampled and triumphant, they used sex, subterfuge, chicanery and charm to get what they knew they deserved. We will visit a couple of the stories of the harlots, heartbreakers and heathens whose […]
By some measures the USA is the world’s most religious country. Yet, Americans are the least religious now than they have ever been. We will briefly examine the views of three exceptional people – a famous preacher, a famous scientist, and a highly regarded physicist turned Anglican priest. We will conclude with a brief story […]
In the days prior to this Sunday, Karen Gustafson will facilitate a series of conversations around some questions central to the life of UUFDC. This morning she will share her impressions and observations on the present and future possibilities for the fellowship. Karen Gustafson retired as Associate Minister of First Unitarian Society of Madison on July […]
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 resurrection, it is a good time to take stock […]
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 Maya religion—that death and sacrifice are preconditions for the […]
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 public health consequences in ways that will protect the most vulnerable among us? Nan Fey is […]
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 own lives. All this can make it very difficult to experience […]