We begin with the mystery of our existence, and then we ask ourselves a set of questions: What is going on? Why are we doing this? Why are things so difficult? We find metaphors to tell us who we think we are and why we are doing this, like the metaphor of God. “Half the […]
“Be Prepared.” That’s motto of the Boy Scouts. Someone once asked Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, “Be prepared for what?” He replied, “Why, for any old thing!” The Reverend Joan Shiels is a long-time friend and frequent speaker at our Fellowship. She was both a Brownie and a Girl Scout.
Our fourth principle calls for “respect and dignity for all”. Funny how that works when it is for folks who think like us, but what about those who do not? If we truly hold to this UU principle, then we also need to reach out with an open hand to those who hold more conservative […]
In the UU hymnal is a hymn that begins: “A fierce unrest seethes at the core of all existing things”. Every morning we wake to face the unknown. Mary Oliver in Morning Poem says “Every morning the world is created” and in her poem Blue Pastures, “And you must not, ever, give anyone else the […]
At the turning of the year, let us be in rhythm with the season. What are our takeaways for 2014? How can we live most fully in 2015? Let us be inspired by a Unitarian minister you’ve probably never met: Dr. Wendelin Waldemer Wieland Argow. And then let’s celebrate the New Year with our Fellowship’s […]
Research shows that self-compassion, a core idea of Buddhist practice, is a better predictor of mental health than self-esteem. Last December Doc presented an overview of self-compassion. This time, we’ll take another look at this powerful concept and how it can help us in the coming year. Frederick “Doc” Heide is associate professor at the […]
This is the time of year when we long for community. Four members share what it means to them to be “home” at UUFDC. Celebrate with our speakers and Choir, and then join in our annual holiday potluck following the service.
Santa Claus lives at the North Pole. He’s been busy all year working and thinking about you. But how can he find you with all the houses in the world, and yet he does, and somehow he knows what you’ve been hoping for. How can he do this with all the children in the world and […]
Advent is a season of reflection about living in a period of waiting, resting in an in-between place, yearning for the future to unfold. Let’s re-imagine THE Christmas Story in terms of its cast of characters being afraid at different points in their stories. What does this season have to tell us about our fear? […]
Along with the names of forty-four men in the Biblical genealogy of Jesus are four extraordinary women: Ruth, Bathsheba, Tamar and Rahab. This week concludes Joan’s four-part series on these surprisingly lurid females. Rahab’s story shows us the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob not only condones —but blesses— thieves, liars and traitors. It’s what […]