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 […]
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 to Door County full time in 2008, after a […]
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 does this emotion play in Unitarian Universalist principles? To consider these questions, Estella […]
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 order to leave open a sense of “the more”? A graduate of Union Theological […]
“We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake,” wrote Thoreau, “not by mechanical aids but by an infinite expectation of the dawn.” How do we awaken hope in times of loss and winter’s darkness, while cultivating the inner transformation we will need for the challenges ahead? The Rev. Karen Hering serves as consulting literary […]
Robert Johnson, the Jungian Analyst, says that romantic love is the single greatest energy system in the Western psyche. He believes that it has supplanted religion as the primary way we experience ecstasy and wholeness. The gods have left the temple, migrated. But love can never produce human relationships as long as it stays romantic. […]