As we move into 2014, how many things will be left undone from 2013? Is there such a thing as beginning again? Ralph Waldo Emerson advised: Finish each day (year) and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow […]
Every New Year provides us with the opportunity to recalibrate our lives. Our hymn #114 Forward Through the Ages reminds us “Not alone we conquer, not alone we fall; In each loss or triumph lose or triumph all.” What might this mean in your one precious life?  What might this mean in our shared life in […]
The idea that you should love yourself has been around a long time, but new psychology research shows that this actually is a smart thing to do. Although often confused with self-esteem, Self-Compassion is a separate approach and has significant advantages. This talk will briefly overview the three components of Self-Compassion: (1) self-kindness, (2) recognizing […]
Victor Frankl, the Viennese psychiatrist, wrote a book entitled “From Death Camp to Existentialism”, a reflection of his experiences in the Nazi death camps during the Second World War. Frankl was a modern Job, except for his sister and himself, the entire family perished in the Holocaust. He says, “To live is to suffer. To […]
News on immigration policies discussed in the past, recent developments, and the practical realities of how immigration policies are being implemented. Attorney Luca Fagundes, whose legal practice in Sturgeon Bay specializes in the problems of Spanish-speaking immigrants, is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. As an immigrant himself, Luca is ready to help clients in the […]
No Santa, no Jesus, no happy family gatherings. But Christmas stories, nonetheless. Rev. Joan Shiels is a long-time friend and frequent speaker at UUFDC. She likes to share familiar things in new ways.
A few commiserations and recommendations now that we’re thinking about being with the children over the holidays. The Reverend Joan Shiels has children. So do most of her friends. And she knows that having children is not all coos and cuddles and sweet things. Not by a long shot.
In the summer of 1955, the year I graduated from high school, there appeared in the New York Times an extraordinary picture on the front page. It was the picture of a man and a woman standing facing each other. The man was Sergeant Matthew Mckeon, a marine Drill Instructor, the woman was Maggie Meeks. […]
Mediation is a term and a process that is increasingly being utilized in a variety of contexts and yet it remains poorly understood by many. What is it? How does it work? Who uses it? When does it make sense to try it? Regardless of your familiarity with the process, this talk is designed to […]
Who are these people? They comprise less than 1% of our population. Their average annual income is less than one-half the poverty level. Male life expectancy is 44 years. Female life expectancy is 47 years. What might they teach us? What might we learn about ourselves if we knew them better? Dick Smythe is an […]