Blog roundup: UUA layoffs, digital natives, and Hot Stove '10

Layoffs and advocacy at the UUA

Several bloggers responded to UU World's coverage of layoffs at the Unitarian Universalist Association and to UUA President Peter Morales's March 8 letter about staff changes.

The Rev. Scott Wells, in a much-commented-on post, says he has "no sympathy" for people who see good news in the layoffs of the staff of the UUA's Washington Office for Advocacy. Many of the comments discuss the state of UU church-planting. ("Boy in the Bands," March 6; see also "Possible Next Steps after the UUA Staff Cuts," March 10)

Joel Monka, however, has long favored eliminating the UUA Washington Office for Advocacy:

My primary complaint is that the UUAWO, and our other social justice organizations, for that matter, often do not take their stands strictly on principle but on political expediency. . . . But my objections to the UUAWO go beyond the fact that they make us appear to be not an independent church, but merely the Democratic Party's chaplain office. . . . [O]ur efforts are so ineffectual as to be a waste of resources. There's no reason to believe that our efforts have ever changed a single vote in Congress. ("CUUMBAYA," March 7)

The Rev. Kit Ketcham is sad about the staff changes and wants to know more. In the process, she starts off a spirited discussion thread (now closed). ("Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show," March 8)

Kim Hampton criticized the view that "advocacy is at the core of Unitarian Universalism" in response to discussions of the staff reorganization on the UUA-GA email list:

If advocacy is at the core of UUism…we’re a dead religious movement walking.

I hear you asking…Kim…if advocacy isn’t at the core of UUism…what should be? Well friends…let’s try something new for UUism…how about RELIGION being at the core of UUism? How about the exploration of the sacred/mystery being at the core? ("East of Midnight," March 9)

Jacqueline Wolven dislikes Kim Hampton's prescription—and criticizes UUA President Peter Morales at the same time:

Be more religious. Get more religion. Aren't we a religion? Ugh. I was so exhausted after just reading the UUA Presidents column in the UU World this month that I couldn't even continue. ("MoxieLife," March 10)

Desmond Ravenstone writes: "At the end of the day, however, I believe the real question is what we mean by 'advocacy.' Is it just lobbying for Federal legislation, or are there other ways we can bend the moral arc of the universe?" He points to several ways his Boston congregation engages in public witness and advocacy. ("Ravenstone's Reflections," March 9)

People have also been discussing the layoffs and organizational restructuring at the UUA's Election-L email list (about UUA governance), on UU World's Facebook page, and on the UUA's Facebook page.

'Journalism from the readers up'

Former UU World editor Tom Stites spoke at the We Media conference in Miami on March 10 about "relational journalism" and the Banyan Project, the journalism initiative he has been leading since his retirement from UU World. Josh Wilson profiled Stites and his project on the We Media website (3.9.10). The Miami Herald quoted from his speech: "This is journalism from the readers up, not from the institutions and the experts down. We better respond to the challenge . . . or we can just pucker up and kiss democracy goodbye" (3.11.10).

Liberal religion's 'diversity problem'

At Tikkun magazine's website, UU columnist Dave Belden drew many comments with his reflections on the cover stories in the Spring UU World about multiculturalism and liberal religion.

I am one of those UUs who long for more emotional expression, more recognition of suffering and evocation of joy, more moving music and inspiration in UU services. But not every UU I know agrees with me. If they would find a more expressive style alienating, then why should they do it? If the traditional style is a good place for their true spirituality to flourish, then it will show, love will be present, and people will feel it. ("Tikkun Daily," March 12)

PolityWonk looks at several films about African American experiences:

These films suggest that UUs are so white not because of anything we do -- so much of which I saw these various protagonists doing as well -- from going to college to chanting Buddhism and even looking to pagan roots -- but because we prefer examination to embrace. No total immersion for us, we're not even dippers. We sip and write reveiws. We sip and reach for mirrors to see if we somehow look different. ("PolityWonk," March 14)

Seminarian and military chaplain candidate David Pyle describes his own experience of distancing himself from his parents' religion in a post on "religions of differentiation":

I am not disturbed by the trend in our Unitarian Universalist congregations of our teens leaving to practice other faiths, or to join the military, or to declare themselves secular. When you are raised in a faith tradition that allows for the creative exploration and building of a sense of self, differentiation can be difficult to find. Of course they have to step away from Unitarian Universalism for a time. ("Celestial Lands," March 13)

ChaliceChick looks at another cultural divide as it plays out in UU congregations—the divide between so-called "digital natives" (younger Americans who grew up using computers and the Web) and "digital immigrants" (who grew up without the technologies but have learned to use them).

I think the challenges as far as UUism is concerned are specifically interesting because the contrast seems especially dramatic with UUs given that we talk a lot about freedom. For example, board members often like to be conservative about things like information, yet Digital Natives tend to view information, and lots of it, as crucial to the functioning of the Democratic principles that UUism preaches.

Do you see this issue as one your church is facing? How are y'all dealing with it? How should we approach it as a denomination? Will ignoring it be one more thing that convinces people my age and younger that UUism (or protestantism or Catholicism or Judaism) has nothing for them except RE?

Or is this a totally false dichotomy and am I worried over nothing? ("The Chaliceblog," March 14; see also Kinsi at "Spirituality and Sunflowers," March 12)

Nicholas Axam, at "UK Spirituality," observes that "since 9/11 religion has been the new rock and roll and no, not in a good way," which leads him to wonder how Unitarianism fits in:

So if religion is the new rock and roll, Unitarianism to me is the new Indi. It’s unconventional, sometimes quirky; it’s not afraid to say the unsayable, think outside the box. It doesn’t yell rock and roll, whoop and wave its shirt about in the air. It’s the skinny, dark-eyed kid in the corner at parties who actually has something interesting to say, the kid who’s going to leave town someday and amount to something. Not yet though – it’s wedged against the wall with a few oddball friends, largely overlooked.

But I know who I’d rather hang out with. (March 13; click "more" to read the full post)

Unitarianism is 'indi' now, was Christian then

The Rev. Andy Pakula, a Unitarian minister in Great Britain, writes about Scientologists and other religious evangelists who offer their versions of salvation in the public square. "Perhaps what bothers me most about these tactics is that I'm not using them and that I'm not willing to use them." ("Throw Yourself Like Seed," March 15)

At "American Creation," a blog about religion and the American Revolution, Brad Hart highlights ways that 19th-century Unitarians were more "Christian" than people today might guess. He shares the story of how a Unitarian minister, John Sullivan Dwight, translated and popularized the Christmas carol "O Holy Night." The comments numbered 67 the last time we checked. (March 8; see also UU World's article about another Unitarian Christmas carol, "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," Nov./Dec. 2002.)

Maine novelist and DownEast.com columnist Richard Grant writes about his neighbor, UU minister and writer Kate Braestrup, in a post about progressive religion. "Remember love? It was big for a while, back in the 60s. You heard a lot about it in the same context as other, now-passé notions like peace, brotherhood, and charity for the poor." (March 8)

The Rev. Ron Robinson offers a summary of the innovative community ministry he leads in Turley, Okla., at A Third Place Community Center. ("Planting God Communities," March 10; see also "Church Founders Thrive on Different Challenges," InterConnections July 2008)

Criticism, conflict, and more

The Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell decries the Vatican's defense of Pope Benedict XVI's role, as archbishop of Munich and Friesing in the 1980s, in covering up sexual abuse of Roman Catholic priests in his archdiocese. "This is an old, old story--it's called 'passing the buck.'" (March 13)

Jacqueline Wolven wonders why we are so quick to criticize others: "There is no right way to sweep a sidewalk. Be grateful, or get out there and help. Don't stand on the side giving your 2 cents." ("MoxieLife," March 6)

The Rev. Kit Ketcham helped organize a workshop on nonviolent communication:

One of the most helpful thoughts that I use to deal with those who frustrate or annoy me is to ask myself "under what circumstances might I behave the same way?" I don't know why, always, the person is so annoying, but if I can frame it in a personal way, it helps me get to a place of understanding and, hopefully, compassion. And that's the point of NVC—getting to compassion. ("Miss Kity's Saloon and Road Show," March 7)

This season's ministerial settlements

The Rev. Dan Harper hails the arrival of this year's "hot stove" conversation—the discussion of which clergy candidates have been named for open ministerial positions ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," March 14). The Rev. Hank Peirce has set up a "Hot Stove Report" page on Facebook; here's the list of open positions.

Kenneth Sutton contributed to this week's roundup.

Blog roundup: The art of ministry, social media, "comfortability," and more

Credit where credit is due

The Rev. James Ishmael Ford recounts a visit by a church member to the church following a tragedy.

The student asked if I were around.

But I wasn't.

She asked if she could just sit in the Meeting House sanctuary for a little.

Our administrator walked her over to the Meeting House and let her in.

Then sat with her.

Later, when we talked about this, she said, "I didn't know what to do. I'm not a minister. I just sat with her and we cried together."

That, of course, is the art of ministry.

That's the whole thing in a nutshell... ("Monkey Mind," March 3)

Social media and churches

The Rev. Sean Dennison opens a conversation on social media and Unitarian Universalism (including a link to a video about social media and comments linking to cautions about the facts in the video: interconnected web indeed!).

I think our churches are convinced that social media is just a passing fad.

What are the implications for churches, religious practice, spiritual development, blogging…if this is revolution? ("ministrare," March 2)

The Rev. Daniel Harper has some bright spots from his experience.

Here in Palo Alto, we’ve been piloting a podcast for Sunday school teachers, and the teachers tell us they love this venture into online learning. And although I write my blog on my own time, I find that some people in the congregation do read it, and what I have written here has sparked some very interesting conversations in the face-to-face congregation. When we do use social media, what we do online strengthens and reinforces what happens in our face-to-face congregation. ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," March 2)

Peter Bowden connects these posts to upcoming activities of the Ballou Channing District.

It's important that UU leaders — all of them — start engaging with these issues. The world is changing and this demands that our congregations change, adapt and/or evolve. How many revolutions are we dealing with? How many huge demographic and cultural shifts? ("The UU Growth Blog," March 4)

A comment made by Chris Walton points to a critique of the video highlghted by Dennison.

This video accidentally highlights the underlying challenges facing social media and contrasts them against the value provided by quality research and journalistic standards — the frequent absence of an editing process and the lack of citations for source material. ("Views from a Corner Suite," August 27, 2009)

Finally, that post itself has an update that the original video has been improved, and a new version was posted to YouTube on November 12, 2009.

Around the blogosphere

Jacqueline Wolven writes about families dealing with suicide attempts.

Two people, two very different outcomes. I don't really have any answers, but I know as a family member that when someone is attempting or even mentioning that they are done — they need help. You need help too. You have to build the skills that you need to set boundaries; to love them, but not fix them. Sometimes that means direct intervention, sometimes it means backing away. Either option is so hard, but it is often all you can do. ("MoxieLife," February 27)

Ron Robinson relates recent UU World stories on church growth and UU culture to the work of the Third Place Center in Turley/North Tulsa, Oklahoma.

[I]f we want to get out of our head we have to stop analyzing and diagnosing, and start creating new communities in new places in new ways, relocating, redistributing, reconciling. This is how we become multicultural; we live and be the church with the poor. God will take care of the rest. ("Planting God Communities," February 27)

David Pyle has written a post that is "a little tongue-in-cheek, but only a little" about the "Murphyist" religion.

The strength in each of these religious systems is that they begin with a firm ideological foundation (Anything that can go wrong will go wrong) and they end with a way to place the fault for things going wrong on something besides the self, so long as one has done the hard work of precautions and testing that is the spiritual practice of the Murphyist. Thus, taking precautions, developing backup plans, testing possible results, cushioning consequences, purchasing safety equipment, etc… all of these become an intimate and intricate dance in the life of the Murphyist, be they religious or secular, rational or mystical. The Murphyist is called to live a life of preparation, knowing that all preparation will ultimately fail. However, if they can prepare well enough, then the God Murphy can shoulder any blame. The true Murphyist becomes an expert at “picking up the pieces” of that failure and trying again. It is all they can do. ("Celestial Lands," February 28)

The Rev. Thom Belote reviews Chris Hedges's book I Don't Believe in Atheists, which refutes the so-called "New Atheists": Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett, and Richard Dawkins.

Hedges’ writing is part writing and part voice crying out in the wilderness. I stand convinced that he is one of the most insightful and provocative thinkers of our time. ("RevThom," March 3)

The Rev. Fred L. Hammond thinks UUs are primed for (though not yet fully skilled in) "comfortability."

Comfortability is a word I coined several years ago when in a dialog about racism. It is the skill of being able to be fully present / comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. It is a skill that I believe we need to develop if we are to thrive in a pluralist society. ("A Unitarian Universalist Minister in the South," March 4)

A number of UUA programs have blogs, including the General Assembly office, which posted that the complete 2010 GA program schedule is now online. ("UUA General Assembly," March 4)

Blog roundup: The price of democracy, no easy Easters, and more

Responses to UU World articles

Several bloggers have responded to articles in our Spring issue, "Can Unitarian Universalism Change?" and "We Must Change."

"Lizard Eater" challenges her readers:

[Y]our UU house is on fire. You can only grab 3 things. What do you grab? ("The Journey," February 22)

The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Landrum totals up "the high price of democracy" in the UUA.

During my past five years as minister in this small, rural church, with many working-class folk, only two members have attended General Assembly, and I've attended twice. That means we cast four votes out of a possible fifteen. I hope this year, with GA in the Midwest in a town where several of my members have connections, we can increase our percentage. But more than that, I hope that we can change our GA culture to make it more accessible for all. ("Rev. Cyn," Feburary 26)

The Rev. David Gillespie asks "Will progressive Christianity learn anything from the Unitarian Universalists?"

First, I'm inclined to believe we must always, always guard, jealously, against defining ourselves by what we are not, what we do not believe, what we do not practice, by negation. . . .

Secondly, I am convinced that we must always, always strive with every fiber of our being and strength we believe provided by God's Spirit, to maintain an exceedingly close connect between what we say and how we behave. ("Southern Fried Faith," February 23)

"Chutney" sees a number of benefits, but asks, "Who loses with regions?" in response to last week's uuworld.org news story, "UUA Contemplates Districts' Future."

The UU World article mentions that “most staff” will stay on in the new order of things, but I find myself wanting more specifics laid out on what sorts of cuts will be made in the transition. Even as a district board member, I’m fine with those decisions being made above my pay grade—we’re a program, not governing, board, in my district anyway—but I’d still like to have a better idea of what the reorganization will look like administratively. ("Making Chutney," February 23)

The Rev. Scott Wells thinks "There shouldn’t be a reorganization unless there’s a good reason. And a good reason would be to devolve some of the functions centralized in the current system. . . . But again, where’s the fire, or is this an effort to make lemonade — unwillingly — out of the lemons of feared financial insolvency?" ("Boy in the Bands," February 23)

Personal reflections

The Rev. Amy Freedman shares her experience of suffering a miscarriage and her desire that others know they are not alone.

As I grieved, numerous women and men came forward to share their stories with me. Even though I knew many of these families intimately, I had no idea that so many of them went through the trials of delayed conception, miscarriage, and infertility. . . .

There is a weight of silence around the subject of conception that must be lifted. ("Rev. Amy Freedman's Blog," February 24)

"PolityWonk" reflects on Lent.

[T]he yearning for crucifixion is alive and well on all sides. Some want retribution, some want atonement, but in both cases, what it boils down to is, we want to inflict a pain somewhere near commensurate with the pain we are experiencing in our own lives. . . .

But none of it really satisfies, because atonement doesn't really work. . . .

There is no easy Easter. Crucifixions are futile. I'd like to spend my Lent proclaiming that God gave us better tools. And now it's our turn, to instill ourselves with the patience, the wisdom, the courage to use them effectively as an asset to God's hopes for us. ("PolityWonk," February 24)

UU faith

UU minister and Soto Zen priest the Rev. James Ford makes a confession of faith: "All religions are false." (There's more to it than that; you'll have to go read it on his blog.) ("Monkey Mind," February 25)

Kinsi has a series of posts on being "a bad Unitarian." You decide:

I realize this isn’t going to make me a very popular person, but I’m being honest with you and with myself this week, and it’s true. I don’t recycle. ("Spirituality and Sunflowers," February 23)

Yes, taking a little bit of time to try and word something so the other person isn’t offended is good and all, but sometimes, you just need to tell someone what they just said sucks. (February 25)

I had a hard time trying to figure out how to word this one. But it’s true. I just don’t think Unitarian Universalism is the best religion. I, however, do think it is the best religion for me. (February 26)

So far Kinsi is up to part 8. Responses on "Spirituality and Sunflowers" seem to be running 50/50 tongue-in-cheek and serious. All of the responses to the exercise are serious over at the Chaliceblog. ("The Chaliceblog," February 26)

The Rev. Fred L. Hammond is expanding a recent sermon "into a series of posts discussing what we need to do in order to create our future as Unitarian Universalist congregations."

I mention our mission statement every opportunity that I get, not because I think people have forgotten it but because I believe that we must always have our mission before us. All of our actions need to be consistent with our mission and embody it. Every person needs to be able to either recognize the mission statement from the activities or be able to quote it. Every person, from the most veteran member to the person who walks through our doors for the first time, should be able to tell another person what the mission statement is. ("A Unitarian Universalist Minister in the South," February 23)

Around the blogosphere

Via Jason Pitzl-Waters, we found a report from the Social Science Research Council on the religion blogosphere. ("The Wild Hunt," February 23)

Beacon Press is preparing a "People's Tribute" to Howard Zinn and invites your video submission. ("Beacon Broadside," February 22)

Blog roundup: Racial diversity, observing Lent, running for Congress

Can Unitarian Universalism Change?

The Rev. Daniel Harper responds to Paul Rasor's UU World article, "Can Unitarian Universalism Change?" Harper's post is substantive and has already drawn a number of comments. I strongly recommend going to his blog and reading the whole thing.

If I were to predict the future based on current trends, here’s what I think will happen in Unitarian Universalism: A few larger upper middle class white Unitarian congregations (and I mean Unitarian, not UU), the ones located in upper middle class white enclaves, will continue to thrive. Most Unitarian Universalist congregations will try to retain their upper middle class white trappings, and will continue to shrink relative to total surrounding population; and because the costs of maintaining churches continue to outpace inflation, because these congregations won’t adapt and grow, they will gradually drift into financial insolvency. Obviously, that financial insolvency will be closely linked to the inability to move beyond white upper middle class values and theology; theological rigidity will drive financial obsolescence. A few — a very few — Unitarian Universalist congregations will do the theological and cultural work to become radically inclusive and egalitarian, i.e., they will live out the Universalist side of our theological heritage, and these congregations will thrive and grow. ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," February 18)

Joel Monka measures Unitarian Universalism against criticism leveled at the "Tea Party" movement that it is overwhelmingly white.

Leaving aside for the moment that I've only been a spectator to, not a participant in any Tea Party rallies, I had to ask myself if the premise of the question is correct: is it the whitest crowd I'd ever be surrounded by? Not according to the article "Can Unitarian Universalism change?" in the UU World. The UUA is much whiter than the Tea Party movement. ("CUUMBAYA," February 22)

What is Unitarian Universalism?

"Yewtree" answers the question "What is liberal religion?" in a not-easily summarised or excerpted post. "I see liberal religion as spirituality practised in community" is only part of her answer. ("the dance of the elements," February 15)

The Rev. Ricky Hoyt offers a thoughtful response to some rhetorical questions left on his blog by an Islamic reader.

I don't believe that Jesus is God. I believe, as do Unitarians generally, that Jesus was a human being, essentially like all other human beings. Jesus is special to me in that he seems to have lived a life more aligned with Divine principles than most of us, but the same kind of access to Divine principles is equally available to all of us, which I think was the heart of Jesus' message. He provides instruction on how to live in a manner pleasing to God, and an example of what that kind of life might look like. And, of course, Jesus is not by any means the only person to have lived this kind of life. ("One More Step," February 15)

Peter Bowden enjoys reading the UUA president's column in UU World: "I don’t always agree, but I do enjoy reading it." He happens to agree with the most recent column.

When explaining what we are about, we need to emphasize our coming together around what we love, what we value. Far too often I think we complicate what we are about, confuse people, and suffer as a result. ("The UU Growth Blog," February 17)

UUs and Lent

"Plaidshoes" sums up one approach to Lent: "I would challenge each of you to take these next forty days to develop your own faith statements and start spring with a renewed Spirit!" ("Everyday Unitarian," February 17)

The Rev. Scott Wells connects Lent, vegetarianism, theology, and Google.

If not eating animals is an experience of realized eschatology, then my concern about Google is about freedom and consumption. I mention it in tandem with vegetarianism because I feel obese with the amount of data I’m consuming, and such a large part coming from and through Google. ("Rev. Scott Wells," February 18)

(Many UU bloggers are writing about Lent, and you can keep up with posts via a keyword search at UUpdates.net.)

UU World in the blogs

Artist Mollie Kellogg, whose "My Goddess, My Love" was featured in our Winter 2009 Reflections section, gives a peek behind the scenes of its creation. ("the incognito witch is thinking magickal thoughts," February 19)

The Rev. Paul Beedle notes Rosemary Bray McNatt's "Waiting for a Great Novel about UU Ministry" from our Winter 2009 issue.

I am not alone among clergy in having an interest in fictional portrayals of clergy. (Different from those we meet in folks’ expectations of us, I mean.) . . . Are there good novels about clergy who are pastors instead of sleuths, that explore churches and church life or the church in society? . . . I haven’t stumbled over one. Have you? ("Paul's Blog," February 13)

"J'Carlin" highly recommends Meg Barnhouse's uuworld.org essay, "Mary Daly Changed My Life."

Are not the men impacted just as much as the women by the prevailing misogyny of the dominant Abrahamic religions? Are not the Islamic men who are conditioned to believe that all men including themselves are such slaves to their libido that merely the glimpse of a woman's flesh would cause an uncontrollable urge to rape just as controlled by the burkha as the women? ("The blue roads of thinking," February 21)

Denominational business

Lew Phinney, UUA trustee from the Mountain Desert District, has been blogging about the board since his first meeting in November 2009. He has an update on the board's recent virtual meeting.

With fairly minor changes, we have the same governance structure that was created when the Us and the Us merged in 1961. We have studied our organization many times and come to substantially the same conclusion each time: our organization is too complex to be effective. So, now is the time to make some substantial changes. ("UUA Trustee Lew," February 19)

Jim Magaw doesn't think the Thomas Jefferson District should change its name.

“Toward Justice” may describe where we want to go, but we cannot get there by sidestepping or attempting to blot out the name of Jefferson. Real transformation occurs not by changing the name of our institutions but by our willingness to engage with our past and learn what it might mean for our future. ("Word, Music and Meaning," February 18)

Around the blogosphere

The Rev. Stephen Lingwood distinguishes between evangelism and church growth and gets a vigorous response in the comments.

Even though evangelism is not the same thing as church growth, even though church growth is not necessarily a sign of living out the gospel, neither is church decline. Church decline does not necessarily mean that you are bravely living out counter-cultural values in a hostile world. It could mean you're just an unfriendly miserable congregation. ("Reignite," February 16)

The Rev. W. Frederick Wooden is running for Congress.

Because it occurred to me that if politicians are real candidates with mock principles, maybe we need a mock candidate with real principles.

Get it? I will act like a candidate, but with no expectation of winning. That means I can say what I really believe and what I really hope and what I really mean because trying to win votes is not the point. I can be honest. That's my strength. ("Aside from the Obvious," February 13)

Historian Laura Perry has steam coming out her ears over the efforts in Texas to revise social-studies curriculum guidelines, reported in a New York Times article, "How Christian Were the Founders?"

The question of the Christianity of the Founders has been a long and heated one--clearly people are lined up on both sides of the fence and the battle lines are drawn. What I find particularly appalling are three things: 1) the fact that people who have NO idea what they are talking about except religious credo and fanaticism are leading the way for textbook publishers; 2) that the influence of one state is so overwhelming on the others; and 3) that the right wing ultra-conservative faction has it so wrong, period, and are trying desperately to pull the rug out from under anyone who would say otherwise, masking the free speech and debate so cherished by our Constitution. ("BiddiesInMyBrain," February 13)

"Toonhead" discovers a blogger in the pulpit:

We had a guest speaker at church today. I figured out who she is in the middle of her sermon. Oh wow, it's Lizard Eater! That wasn't the name she used for church. I introduced myself after the service and had to use my alternate name. Now we know each other's real names, not that I make much of an effort to hide mine, but I wonder if this is how spies feel after they retire and they can reveal themselves. The nature of the relationship really doesn't change with this new knowledge but more of a fleshing out of a person or they seem more real. ("A Perfect World," February 14)

Rev. LoraKim Joyner reflects on a walk in Payne's Prairie State Park, filled with beautiful birds going about their lives.

In the midst of the beauty is a deeper truth that is also beauty: where we see the light of sky and companionship, the wings of death and suffering brush by our face too, rising, rising, I pray in joy. ("Liberating Wings, February 15)

"Lizard Eater" thinks the use of "Rev" in front of a first name, although technically incorrect, is meeting a need in congregations.

I saw this happen in my own church. After a stretch with no minister, they got Rabbi Shaman. A bit to his surprise, they began calling him Rev. John.

It fulfilled two purposes. He was sanctified – set apart – but they also had the feeling that he was down in the trenches with them. ("The Journey," February 15)

What do you imagine when you think of homeschooling? Well, Saille (and her homeschooled children) enjoy learning Latin and Greek.

At the moment, my goal as Head-Magistra-In-Charge-Of-Curriculum is that each kid will read one major work in its original language each year, 9-12; the Odyssey, the Iliad and the Aeneid will top the list; the rest is less defined. Our Greek focus will be on works in Attic (ancient greek). Right now, we're doing Koine (biblical greek). No good Attic programs for elementary schoolers. Go figure. ("Grassroots Homeschool," February 17)

Kudos to PeaceBang

It has only recently come to our attention that prolific UU blogger "PeaceBang" (the Rev. Victoria Weinstein) got some attention from the University of Chicago Divinity School!

At first blush, the blog Beauty Tips for Ministers does not seem like a hotbed of feminist theology of the body. . . . As one reads more posts, and reads them more deeply, a distinctive pastoral theology begins to emerge, a theology that embraces the physical presence of women in ministry. ("Sightings," January 14)

Moral burdens, rediscovering joy, Morales's journeys, and more

Being UU

David Pyle writes that "few people carry a heavier moral burden than the Unitarian Universalist."

As one fairly new UU church member once told me, life was easier before she became a Unitarian Universalist. There were so many things going on in the world that, because she did not know about them , she did not have to care about them. Now that “her eyes had been opened” (her words, not mine) she felt a crushing weight of responsibility, because she could not but care about those things, and feel that she should be doing something about each of them. ("Celestial Lands," February 6)

The Rev. Thomas Perchlik muses on faith formation and points readers to the resouces of the Lifelong Faith organization.

My wife has been in pain lately. It has lasted long enough that, though a confirmed atheist, she has begun to talk about making a “bargain with God” if only the pain would go away. Is this faith development or straying from the path? The Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron of the vajrayana tradition tells us to face the places we hurt, face the things that frighten us, and open our heart to them. I know from personal experience that this can be a very difficult practice. Am I backsliding, or growing in faith? How do we talk about faith development in UU congregations? ("Rev. Thomas Perchlik's Weblog," February 6)

Becoming ourselves

The Rev. Sean Dennison rediscovers joy.

And so I am now a dancer again. A dancer and singer and storyteller and PLAYer. And my body had a pretty wonderful secret to tell me, “The joy wasn’t buried very far under the surface. It’s right there. You can have it again.” And I do. As weird as I know I must look–an overweight, forty-four year old guy spinning and swinging and playing–I have my joy back. I don’t care how it looks. A part of me has come home. Laugh if you want–I am. Laughing and laughing at this absurd little dance that is my sweet, sweet life. ("ministrare," February 6)

The Rev. Andy Pakula recommends having a purpose in life, and throwing yourself into it fully.

I had found a purpose and it fit me. Two boxes ticked successfully! The problem was that – in the long run – it did not give my life meaning. It took me reaching midlife and getting knocked about a bit to recognize something important – when I looked back at the end of my life on the purpose I had dedicated myself to, I could not find meaning in it. I could not look back with joy and satisfaction and a glow of fulfilment and say ‘yes, I sure did a good job making some rich people richer!’ ("Throw yourself like seed," February 8)

Travails of the UUA presidency

The Rev. Andy Pakula responds to a December visit by UUA President Peter Morales to British Unitarian ministers.

The overarching problem is that we do not feel a mission that is powerful enough to overcome our own self-interest. If we were dedicated to transforming lives and transforming the world more than we are to our own satisfaction, we would turn around quickly. We would put aside our dislike of anything that looks like 'marketing' and stop quarreling about any number of trivial matters and we would get down to the hard work of asking what the people near our congregations are like and what they need. And to the immediate objection that this will result in something that is not authentic Unitarianism, I say bah! ("Throw yourself like seed," February 9)

Kari at "chalice spark" reminds Morales of how his words get magnified.

So, in an effort to let go of this little sticking point, I am writing a little letter to Rev. Morales. It's something more a kin to a family discussion that happens over coffee after dinner. And maybe there's even pie for dessert. I'm not angry, I just want Peter to understand that the little things he says get picked up by lots of people and they show that little thing to each other and say "well see what the UUA president said?" "Hmmmmm, I DO see that" Be careful, Peter! And remember that whatever you see as our future as a movement, it's already happening out there in churches across the continent. ("chalice spark," February 11)

Around the blogosphere

The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Landrum describes how she does social networking: "It basically amounts to this: I try to blog once a week, and I try to post on the church's Facebook page once a week. The rest pretty much automatically happens." ("Rev. Cyn," February 7)



Can you imagine this notice at your church?

A Tap Dancing Covenant Group is being organized! ("UUCOC Conversations," February 8)

UU marriage, being church, psychic sunscreen, and more

Describing marriage

The Rev. Daniel Harper essays "a rough description of Unitarian Universalist marriage today. I’m sure I’ve missed some things, or gotten some facts wrong. If so, please correct me in the comments below."

With all the current debate about the meaning of marriage, particularly in the context of the so-called “culture wars,” I decided to summarize what I know about marriage as it is practiced in, and understood by, Unitarian Universalist congregations today. This is a descriptive rather than a prescriptive summary; I am not trying to prescribe what “real” marriage is; I am not trying to tell how you should do marriage; I am trying to describe marriage as I have observed it in my affiliation with nine different congregations with varying theological emphases.

The topics Harper covers are: Covenantal basis | Forms | Same-sex marriage | Divorce | Changes and challenges | Life in the married state ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," February 2; Followup post documenting multiple-partner marriages in America, February 4)

Corporate personhood

The Rev. Mary Wellemeyer responds to the recent Supreme Court ruling regarding corporate involvement in campaigns.

So for some purposes, corporations are people, but for taxation, they are not. I say, the right of using money to talk in political campaigns should be like the taxation thing. The people who make up the corporations have the right to express themselves. Having the corporation do it too is double expression, just as taxing corporate income is double taxation. ("A Larger Faith," January 30)

Being church

"Lizard Eater" discovers "everything I needed to know about church I learned at Weight Watchers."

1) Going every week matters. . . .
2) But the real work is done during the week. . . .
3) Having someone who can speak from experience matters. . . .
4) Those who aren't in it, will think it's a cult. Tee-hee. . . .
5) If you work the program, it works. If you don't, it don't. . . .
6) It isn't for everybody. . . . ("The Journey," February 1)

The Rev. Anthony David looks at the diversity of Unitarian Universalists as a kind of bird-watching.

Certainly an obvious place to start is with our theological diversity. A quick test: how you instinctively respond to the following possible sermon topics may indicate the kind of theological bird you are: here we go:

God the Noun
God the Verb
God the Adjective
God the Expletive
Too Confused to Decide
Why Are You Doing This To Me? ("Thousand Voices," February 1)

The Rev. Daniel Harper points out that community requires commitment.

And in fact one of the great weaknesses of today’s Unitarian Universalist congregations is that so many of the people who think of themselves as Unitarian Universalists aren’t willing to sacrifice any of their autonomy to participate in the congregational community. But here, as in so many aspects of life, ya gotta pay to play. Rule number one of congregational community:—if you want a Unitarian Universalist community, you have to give up the much-loved American autonomy that says it’s better to sleep in or go for a walk or play video games on Sunday morning. Then add some volunteer hours on top of that. Otherwise, you’re not part of a community. ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," February 1)

Around the blogosphere

Former UU World editor Tom Stites has won the 2010 We Media Game Changer Community Choice award, which recognizes "people, projects, ideas, and organizations leading change and inspiring a better world through media." Stites was nominated for the Banyan Project, which "aims to strengthen democracy through high-quality, Web-based journalism that engages the civic energy of less-than-affluent everyday citizens"

The Rev. W. Frederick Wooden wishes his therapists had provided some "psychic sunscreen."

They told me, taught me, to be in touch with my emotions, not to bottle things up and stuff like that. Now, I cannot stop them. They are present constantly, inconveniently, embarrassingly, disturbingly, almost daily. ("Aside From The Obvious," January 30)

"Yewtree" answers the question, "since the [biblical] story isn't literally true, why not just jettison it completely? Why bother reinterpreting it?"

I think the answer to this is because we are taught these stories as children and they have a way of lodging in the psyche / being embedded in the subconscious (nasty infectious memes!) and if we reinterpret them, it helps the psyche to recover from the unpleasant results of them. Just telling yourself they are not true isn't enough—it works for the rational mind but not the irrational subconscious. The subconscious works in terms of stories and myths (that's why they're important) so if you want to re-educate the subconscious, you have to tell it new stories, or new interpretations of the old stories. ("the dance of the elements," January 31)

Geocaching, "a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure" has a UU component: Henry Ducky Thoreau.

Henry dreams of being an itinerant Unitarian Universalist preacher. He would like to travel to and have his picture taken at Unitarian Universalist churches, with Unitarian Universalist ministers, at Unitarian Universalist events, or at other significant places in Unitarian Universalist history. ("Cachers of a Feather," February 1)

In the world of blogging themes, cooking ranks right up there with cats, and the Rev. Jull Terwilliger provides us with a recipe for "Kraupsua," Finnish oven pancakes. ("The Forest and the Trees," February 3)

And "Harrumpher" describes cooking unfamiliar root vegetables.

I have largely looked at the bins of uglies for a long time. Lately, I've been buying and then researching this or that. Latino markets, like Hi Lo in JP, the Haymarket, and more recently Stop & Shop have produce bins of the funkiest looking roots—stuff that seems to come out of an animator's spare cycles.

Unfortunately for us ignorant sorts, the markets are generally not much help. I've asked. At Hi Lo, Latino shoppers would say they don't use something, that their grandmother did but they never liked it or just "boil it." Haymarket vendors are even less help as is Kenny and the other Italian-American staff at Baby Nat's at the top of Roslindale. They sell the stuff because, well, it sells. They don't know what to do with it. ("Harrumph!" January 30)

Computers as household gods, Facebook 'friends,' Zinn and Salinger, and more

The Rev. Kathryn Bert, making her way through the new challenges of the interdependent web, "decided not to ‘friend’ members of the congregation, so I can keep my Facebook page personal and not professional."

There’s a generaton of ministers older than me that regularly befriended (in real life, not Facebook) individuals and families in the congregation. For some of them it worked. The best of them were able to have dinner with some folks, and not with others, and navigate any unrest that created in the congregation. I am of the generation of ministers for whom that seems problematic and difficult, and I regularly decline such invitations. ("The Stole'n Word," January 29)

The Rev. Jill Terwilliger and her family are on a six-month sojourn from Kalamazoo, Michigan, to Jyväskylä, Finland.

Instead of culture shock, I think I am experiencing culture fatigue. Living in a place where every little thing is different is exhausting. Some of it is culture, language, and food differences. The lack of facial expressions makes me feel invisible. The language is ridiculously hard and although I am starting to catch some things in class, in real life people still talk too fast for me so most interactions come with the need to ask "do you speak English?" And then I feel like an American cultural imperialist who couldn't bother to learn any other languages. OK, that's an exaggeration, but there is some of that there. Does the fact that I could say most of what I need to say in German buy me an indulgence? ("The Forest and the Trees," January 24)

Terwilliger finds herself trying to explain UUism to Finns: "UUs want to gather with people and explore ideas of ethics and meaning and faith. That draws them to church. With or without God, church adds something important to their lives." (January 27)

"Plaidshoes" asks: "If you had to choose one quality in a minister you value more then anything else, what would it be? Mine would be: HONESTY." That's the whole post. Go and leave a comment with your choice. ("Everyday Unitarian," January 24)

The Rev. Daniel Harper meditates on the place of computers in our lives.

The Roman household gods, the Lares, were less brief and not made of plastic. Yet many of today’s households have small altars devoted to personal computers, we give them offerings of electricity and our attention, and many of us pay obeisance to them on a regular basis; so I’d say at the moment personal computers sometimes fill the role once filled by Lares. ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," January 25)

David G. Markham is starting a Bible study on his blog. Let's just say it isn't your grandmother's Bible study.

When I read Genesis it paradoxically makes me feel better. After all I did not kill my 3 younger brothers like Cain did. I haven't been raped by my daughters. I have not impregnated my wife's housecleaning lady although she is pretty good looking. ("UU A Way of Life," January 26)

Literary deaths

The Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell mourns the passing of historian Howard Zinn:

There are not too many books of which you can say, "Reading this changed my life." I can probably count them on the fingers of one hand. One of those is Zinn's A People's History of the United States. It is the history of our country from the perspective of those who generally remain voiceless: native Americans, slaves, women, immigrants, poor laboring people. It's what you never learned in high school or college when you took American history and read about all the conquering men and heroic deeds of U.S. past. ("Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell," January 28)

"Kinsi" also felt that A People's History of the United States changed his life. "It really opened my eyes—not everything I was taught was necessarily true, everything has a different point of view depending on your frame of reference." ("Spirituality and Sunflowers," January 28)

Helene Atwan, director of Beacon Press, has a remembrance of Zinn and his long publishing relationship with Beacon. ("Beacon Broadside," January 28)

Reactions to the death of J.D. Salinger were not all so laudatory. The Rev. Daniel Harper has come to have a dim view of the reclusive author:

Carol came home, made a sandwich, told me about her day, then said, “Did you hear J. D. Salinger died?”

“Finally,” I said. ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," January 28)

The Rev. Amy Zucker Morgenstern, on the other hand, looks forward to seeing what Salinger has been writing since his last published work.

My reaction to his death, along with a pang of sadness (though it was no tragedy–not because he was a cranky old coot but because he’d lived for 91 years) was that it bears a long-awaited silver lining: I’ll finally get a peek at the books he’s reportedly been writing. I fervently hope he ordered them published, not destroyed. ("Sermons in Stones," January 29)

Patrick Murfin speaks for many: "No other author probably had so great an influence on my generation." ("Heretic, Rebel, a Thing to Flout," January 28)