In just a few days we will begin a new church year at First Unitarian. We will also pass an anniversary. Sunday, September 11, 2016, will mark 15 years since the attacks that changed so much in our life as a nation and in our lives as individuals. We will mark the anniversary, remembering those who lost their lives that day and the many who still grieve those losses. And we also need to mark the many ways in which those attacks ushered in a period of extraordinary divisiveness, a period in which the question of who we mean when…

In recent days, immigration has taken center stage once again in our national political discussion. Will we create a “Deportation Force” to expel even more undocumented migrants than the record number sent south in the last 8 years? Will we attempt to build an impenetrable wall on our southern border? And will Mexico be coerced into paying for that sad symbol of America First? Walls have an unblemished record of failure. The Great Wall of China failed to protect the Chinese Empire from the “barbarians.” Hadrian’s wall in Britain did not insure Roman imperial rule. The Berlin wall did not…

As the summer comes to a close, we are hard at work preparing First Unitarian for the new church year. We are making some changes to help our congregation become more welcoming and accessible to more people. Our vision is to be a spiritual center in the heart of our city, a spiritual center that sets a welcoming table for all of us and for more of our neighbors. When you arrive at church this Sunday,especially if you’ve been away this summer, you will immediately notice some exterior enhancements. The improvements to our entrances, funded by money from the Auction…

Since November 8, our sanctuary, like the sanctuaries of many religious communities, has been full. Even after almost three months, even after the Inauguration, even after the snow and ice, there were 1000 adults in the sanctuary last Sunday. The classrooms of the Learning Community were filled. Our programs are well attended and well received. The ministry of First Unitarian, to nurture the individual spirit and build the Beloved Community, is clearly needed by liberal religious folks as we navigate these days. Our leadership and the liberal religious presence we offer in this community are important. Just this week we…