I’ve struggled with what to write today. I have too many thoughts to organize, and too few words to express all that is swirling in my heart and mind. How can I make meaning of the broken-heartedness I feel -- for my cousin whose 26 year old son took his own life earlier this month, for the crushing impact that the Kyle Rittenhouse acquittal has on the freedom to assemble and its implicit support for white vigilantism, for the hateful incitement of violence within our halls of government, for the relentless news of mass extinction and climate disasters, and more...?…

If you are reading this and you have already made a gift to First Unitarian, a heartfelt Thank You! Please feel free to read on. My message is a good message for all of us to hear. But I especially want to talk to those individuals and families who have not yet made a gift to support our staff, programs, services and ministry during this our “Season of Giving.” Our special Celebration Sunday service that celebrates the generosity of our members and friends was very different this year. Thankfully we could welcome congregants to the Sanctuary, for only our second…

Sunday was a good day at the church. For the first time in over 18 months we had congregants back in the Sanctuary for worship. There were plenty of tears and lots of joy. I didn’t know what to expect going into the day. Would it be awkward after all this time? Would it feel different? Would our reservation system and the process for checking vaccinations work? Would it get in the way of having church? The systems seemed to work just fine on Sunday, except for problems with viewing the service through our website. We are not sure what…

It was recently pointed out to me that this week marks the beginning of my fourth month as Intern Minister here at First Unitarian Church. Wow! In some ways it feels like time has been flying, like I’m still really new here and am just trying to get my feet on the ground. In other ways, it feels like so much has happened in this time, and this past August seems quite long ago. I’ve found the process of getting to know you all to be so fun and gratifying, and I’m sure it will be even more so once…

I am inpatient for justice. Perhaps I am impatient as a matter of identity anyway, but that does not diminish my rabid impatience for justice. Further, I am impatient for people and systems that need to take time to weigh the pros and cons of pursuing justice when the cons relate to capital security. I am impatient for the people and systems that need to process the gains and losses when the potential losses are systemic gatekeepers and progress-blockers. I am a universalist, and I believe fervently that there is room for everyone. However, I do not believe there is…

Love of life means hope for meBorne on a new dayYou are the new day… At First Unitarian, we aspire to nurture the individual spirit and, together, work toward Beloved Community. Whether we are in-person or at a distance, the liberating mission of our faith calls us to welcome the new day that is dawning. Though much around has changed, we look to the church to remind us of what is most important. Though it must alter with the trials of these times, we need the church to abide. Most of us have moved or are moving back into a…

“Native People relate to rock art with our hearts. I regularly visit one rock art site that is a holy site. It provides us knowledge of our past and future. We do not view these panels as just art, but almost like a coded message that exists to help us understand. This knowledge informs our life and reality as humans.”              —Malcolm Lehi, Ute Mountain Ute Council Member, from “Bears Ears: A Native Perspective on America’s Most Significant Unprotected Cultural Landscape” Love for Place A reflection on our October spiritual theme: Love To love a place. Can one love...a place?…

Greetings, beloveds. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to see many of you, and since I’ve been in our First Unitarian pulpit (virtually or otherwise!). Yet, when I was invited to write a piece about Body Liberation for our Staying Connected reflections, I welcomed it, because it is something that deeply grounds my own ministry--and, I believe, is an integral part of our communal work for collective liberation, inherently connected to work for anti-racism, disability justice, and ending so many other forms of oppressions.  My particular ministry context is one deeply related to the reality of our bodies,…

What a blessing the rain has been this month. First the weekend before last and then again earlier this week. It seemed as if our long hot summer had taken an extraordinary toll all around us. Everywhere I’d look, the earth had just gotten kind of brittle. Maybe that’s why the rain feels so long overdue. And I think that my spirit has also needed the rain. Perhaps it has also felt a little parched. I notice that when it rains through the night I seem to sleep a little more soundly. Walking outside the next morning everything feels washed…

Henry David Thoreau Cabin Last week, I learned about this company that offers secluded rentals of tiny cabins, where you can escape from the bustle of city life for a nearly monastic retreat. Somewhat in the genre of Airbnb, the simple one-room properties even come with a box so that you can lock your phone away and experience the moment. The day after I first heard these mentioned, I was hooked. I want to escape my bustling city life for a week in the woods meditating, reading, writing, and communing with nature! Ah, space and quiet. But, after a day…