As the church year came to a close this past June, Facebook groups of UU ministers filled with stories of congregations treating their ministers poorly. What ministers define as poor treatment can take many different forms, but the result is usually the same: the minister determines it’s time to move …
Beloved community, My first real job out of college was working for Barnes & Noble Booksellers. Over four years, I worked at three different locations, as Peter and I moved from California to Minnesota (where Peter attended graduate school) and then back to the San Diego area. I started as …
Once upon a time, there lived a young woman named Cecilia. She lived in the same village where she’d been born, and where her mother had been born, and her father, and their mothers and fathers. She knew everyone in the village. She knew every house in the village. She …
Now that I’m working as a hospital chaplain, I’m able to attend (rather than lead) worship on Sundays. My partner, Peter, and I have begun regularly attending church again. The experience has reminded me how hard it is for introverts to ease into church life. At the vast majority of …
The first time I attended Sunday worship at a Unitarian Universalist congregation was, I believe, in 1997. My partner and I went one time, for Easter Sunday I think, and nothing particularly special happened. I don’t recall being turned OFF in any meaningful way, but neither did I feel compelled …
From the East Bay Interfaith Immigration Coalition: Please come out to a rally in front of the ICE (Immigration and Custom Enforcement) offices in San Francisco this Friday morning, August 12th. The unilateral announcement by ICE about S-Comm (Secure Communities) last Friday demands an immediate and collective response from our …
This article from the Center for Congregational Health outlines the marks of a healthy faith community (with scriptural support, if you need it): Constructive conflict resolution Adaptation to change Authentic community (i.e., real relationships) Ministry that reaches out as well as in Good communication A balance between clergy authority and …
Most of us are happy to help our friends in times of crisis, grief, and loss. But how many of us are able to ask for help when it is we who are struggling through hard times? Let’s consider together the risks and rewards of sharing our vulnerabilities. Click here …
As religious liberals, we value our freedom to seek truth and meaning wherever we might find them. But sometimes our freedom can leave us feeling unanchored. Do Unitarian Universalists have any shared beliefs? Let’s mark Independence Day together as we ponder the gifts and challenges of freedom. Click here to …
Saying goodbye is a sign that for better or worse, something is changing. As our year with an intern minister draws to a close, let’s reflect on how we struggle with change as part of our congregational life. Click here to listen (file length is 21:40): Sermon 2011 June 5
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