Unitarian Universalists in the Media
A frequently updated guide to stories about Unitarian Universalists from other sources around the web.
Friday, June 20, 2008
California marriages, same-sex parents, Founding Fathers, and more
by Rosalie Davis
Marriage in California
Busy time for Kern County UU minister
the Rev. Byrd Tetzlaff of the UU Fellowship of Kern County, (Bakersfield, Calif.) marries many same-sex couples in one of three of the state’s counties that have stopped performing weddings. (abc7news.com - CA 6.16.08) As a show of support, she offers services for free. (San Francisco Chronicle - CA 6.12.08)
Watch the video. (CBS Evening News - 6.17.08)
Many other UU ministers show solidarity and prepare to officiate:
- In Santa Ana, Calif., the Rev. Karen S. Stoyanoff of Orange Coast UU Church (Los Angeles Times – CA 6.17.08)
- UU Church of the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel, Calif., minister the Rev. Greg Ward (The Salinas Californian - CA 6.17.08)
- The Revs. Barbara and Bill Hamilton-Holway of the UU Church of Berkeley, Calif. (CBS 5 - San Francisco 6.17.08)
See also: historic day for same-sex couples in Contra Costa County. (abc7news.com - CA 6.17.08) - Rev. Megan Cefalu and members of UU Community of the Mountains Church in Grass Valley (The Union of Grass Valley - CA 6.18.08)
- In Pasedena, most fall weekends at Neighborhood UU Church are already booked. (Paid subscribers can read the full story.) (Wall Street Journal - 6.17.08)
- Minister of Tapestry UU Congregation, Mission Viejo, Calif., the Rev. John Millspaugh (Los Angeles Times - 6.17.08)
Around the state, celebrating historic day
- UU church members among friendly supporters outside San Marcos complex in North County. (SanDiego.com - 6.17.08)
- UUs bring cupcakes, Jewish congregation a chuppah to City Hall in San Francisco. (San Francisco Bay Guardian - 6.17.08)
- Long Beach Unitarians (Los Angeles Times - 6.17.08)
- Sonoma County Unitarians (San Francisco Chronicle - CA - 6.17.08)
Advocacy in Humboldt County
Equal marriage activist Jamila Tharp's renewal of vows ceremony to be the first legal same-sex ceremony in Humboldt County, Calif. (The Eureka Reporter - CA 6.16.08)
See also: Humboldt UU Fellowship, of Bayside, CA, celebrates civil marriage rights for gays. (Times-Standard - CA 6.17.08)
And looking toward November
Amid joyful atmosphere of Sonoma County (Calif.) Pride fair, local UUs collect signatures, working to defeat upcoming Nov. ballot initiative.
(Santa Rosa Press Democrat - CA 6.16.08)
Mixed reaction in West Virginia
The Rev. Mel Hoover of the UU Congregation of Charleston, W.Va., defends same-sex marriage, parenting, in California and elsewhere. But locally based Family Policy Council of West Virginia sees the news as negative. (WOWK - Huntington - WV - 6.18.08)
And in other news
General Assembly, incoming
South Florida blog describes UUs as fresh liberal religious voice devoted to social justice and religious pluralism. (MiamiHerald.com - FL - 6.18.08)
Good reception
The Rev. Mark Spivey finds Unitarian audiences exceptionally receptive to his talks to church congregations about homosexuality. (Seminole Chronicle - Oviedo, FL - 6.11.08)
Reaction from Youngstown faithful
First UU Church of Youngstown, Ohio, welcomes gays, but many churches in area see issue differently. (Youngstown Vindicator - Youngstown, OH - 6.16.08)
Ministerial Changes
Nori Rost moves from Pikes Peak Metropolitan Community Church to All Souls UU, also in Colorado Springs, Colo. Social justice, diverse theology attracted her to Unitarian ministry. (Colorado Springs Gazette - CO - 6.14.08)
Minister of Sharon, MA, Unitarian Church Rev. Deborah Cayer is called to an interim post, in Durham, N.C. (Sharon Advocate - Norwood, MA - 6.17.08)
Outspoken Rev. Virginia Wolf retires from her long involvement with UU Congregation of Eau Claire, Wisc. (Leader-Telegram - WI - 6.17.08)
UU church leaves neighborhood a friendlier place
Treasurer of New Islamic center in Duluth, Minn., thanks UUs (whose building they purchased) for creating receptive environment (see bottom of the story). (Budgeteer - Duluth, MN 6.12.08 registration required)
Gospel of Inclusion
All Souls Unitarian Church to host Bishop Carlton Pearson’s small congregation of liberal Pentecostals. (Tulsa World - Tulsa, OK - 6.14.08)
For better working conditions
Social Justice Ministry of First UU Church of Portland, Ore., advocates for better conditions and fairness to immigrants.
(CAUSA, Oregon's Immigrant Rights Coalition - Salem, OR 6.10.08)
Protestant decline?
Many mainline Protestant New England churches, including First Universalist of Salem, Mass., remain open but dwindling. Low closures among white-steepled churches not necessarily a sign of health. (Boston Globe - 6.15.08)
Electricity from the sun
UU Church West leads southeastern Wisconsin churches in installing solar panels. Rooftop system is expected to generate fifteen percent of church's electrical needs. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - WI 6.14.08)
Plans to rebuild
Growing UU Church in New Windsor, N.Y., Unitarian looks to raise funds for new sanctuary after 2006 fire. (Times Herald-Record - Middletown, NY - 6.11.08)
Spiritual leaders of 1776
Scholar Marcia Beauchamp writes that the faith of the founding fathers (like that of UUs today) was informed by humanist teachings and balanced by belief in freedom of religion and conscience, in lengthy review of UU Minister the Rev. Gary Kowalski’s new title, Revolutionary Spirits (Bluebridge Publishers, 2008). (Tikkun Magazine - Berkeley, CA 2008)
Remembering an inspiring leader
Fellow UU reflects on the life and work of Bay Area (Calif.) activist Hal Carlstad one year after his death. (Berkeley Daily Planet - CA 6.17.08)
UU and unique
The Rev. Mary Wellemeyer of the UU Church of Manchester, N.H., shares the history of Nazi victim Norbert Capek’s “Flower Communion”service. (NewHampshire.com - 6.16.08)
posted by Rosalie Davis at
1:21 PM
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