Have you ever sat on a train in a train station and suddenly had the feeling that your train was moving, only to discover it was the train next to you that was moving? This temporary sensation stems from motion occurring without a fixed reference point. On this day of celebration of the birth of […]

A year ago, Alan explored religion words that made some people uncomfortable. Many have since requested further exploration of more words, so here we are. Alan will explore the disconnects between how some people use these words and how some people hear these words (and in some cases the origins of these words). Before our […]

Tracey Robertson is the nationally-recognized Cofounder and Executive Director of Fit Oshkosh, Inc., a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote social transformation through Color-Brave conversations, education, advocacy, and research in order to achieve race equity and justice within our community. Her service in faith communities includes assisting with two start-up churches, singing on praise […]

One of the cherished traditions in some Protestant congregations is the Watchnight Service. People gather close to midnight to reflect on the past year and look forward to the year ahead. The Moravians began this practice in 1733 and the Methodists followed suit. But the most powerful Watchnight traditions belong to our African American sisters […]

‘And the angel(s) said to Mary…to Joseph…to the Shepherds…do not be afraid’ (From the Christmas stories recorded in the Gospels of Matthew & Luke.) The fears of our ancient brothers and sisters were real. The Angelic promises of hope and peace was incongruous to the terror facing impoverished people living in an occupied land. The […]

These days mindfulness is promoted everywhere from TV shows and major magazines to the website of the Mayo Clinic. However, it’s a subtle construct that many people find difficult to grasp and even harder to practice. This talk will dissect what mindfulness really means, discuss recent research on why it’s valuable, and offer a few […]

Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in Western Civilization for more than 2000 years. It’s a fact we sometimes forget in our liberal religious tradition. Many of you do not consider yourselves Christian. It is not a term you would use to describe your personal religious view. Some of you grew up in […]

“A Thanksgiving Visitor” by Truman Capote presented in a reader’s theater format Adapted by our own Joan Mead and assisted by Cyndy Stiehl, we learn about an 8-year-old Alabama boy in 1933, his best friend, and his bully. Join our local actors for this touching and inspiring presentation.

This is a short, miscellaneous collection of things Joan thought everybody knew. She recently learned that not everybody does not know them–she but thinks they should. Included in this miscellaneous collection; How to Solve a Problem and How We Die. Rev. Joan Shiels has been bringing messages to the UUFDC for 16 years. The focus […]

I wish to focus on what I believe is the most fundamental essence of who we are and how we navigate this world. One of the most influential books about this question of what is driving me and you, what makes church appealing is Ronald Rolheiser’s book, The Holy Longing, published in 1999. Rolheiser is […]