Summer 2008

Features

'This present paradise'
For almost 1,000 years, the Christian church emphasized paradise, not Crucifixion. How Christianity took a disastrous turn, and how we can rediscover paradise today.
By Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker in Ideas

The Sources sing
The 'Sources' cantata by Jason Shelton and Kendyl Gibbons celebrates the Six Sources of Unitarian Universalism.
By Kimberly French in Life

Three in a thousand
A new survey estimates that 0.3 percent of American adults identify as Unitarians. That's not very many—but it's a lot more than belong to our churches.
By Richard Higgins in Ideas

Departments

Ministry of the printed word
If anyone has popularized liberal religion in the last quarter century, Forrest Church has.
By Christopher L. Walton in From the editor

Nurture the spirit, help heal the world
What is the saving message of your congregation?
By William G. Sinkford in Our calling

Letters, Summer 2008
Readers respond to the Spring 2008 issue.
By Jane Greer in Letters

Mailbox, Summer 2008
War and racism garner responses.
By Jane Greer in Letters

Blog roundup
Online responses to 'UU World.'
By Shelby Meyerhoff in Letters

The avatar's advantage
Cast your goals in mythic terms to make a lasting difference.
By Tad Waddington in Forum

Congregations helping other congregations
Aiding another congregation gives 'sense of supporting a larger vision of Unitarian Universalism.'
By Donald E. Skinner in Congregational life

Cedar Lane's modernist auditorium
Pietro Belluschi's design for a Unitarian Universalist church in Maryland.
By Donald E. Skinner in Spiritual landmarks

Love and death
Facing cancer with lessons learned from my parishioners.
By Forrest Church in Reflections

Dominion
The aquarium is submerged, its captives free.
By Joyce Carey in Reflections

Hospice
Photographs of the final days of a man's life.
By Kenneth Sutton and Damon Brandt in Reflections

Our ultimate identity
Jesus died and decomposed, and yet he was right: The divine unity is beyond all final death.
By Andrew James Brown in Reflections

Reading for the day
Love the gift of your life and do no harm.
By Mark Belletini in Reflections

The call of self
Finding my path when the choices I made in my twenties didn't work out.
By Manish Mishra in Reflections

Continental YRUU 'will be replaced'
Featured online in another form:
Continental YRUU 'will be replaced,' Sinkford says
Funding cuts uncertain for youth organization; new model for youth ministry in development.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Board reaffirms Fla. GA despite objections
Featured online in another form:
UUA board reaffirms Florida General Assembly
Ministers Association pulls out of GA convention center.
By Jane Greer in UU news

UUA pressures Fidelity about mutual funds
Featured online in another form:
UUA, other investors pressure Fidelity over Sudan
Shareholder resolutions would bar investments that ‘contribute to genocide’ in Darfur, elsewhere.
By Jane Greer in UU news

Pa. congregation cleans up oil spill
Featured online in another form:
Pennsylvania church cleans up oil spill
Small UU congregation needs to raise $45,000.
By Jane Greer in UU news

UUA, local UUs continue ad compaigns
Featured online in another form:
UUA ad campaign continues in 'Time'
Additional ads to run April 14, May 12; online campaign targets Google searches.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Two candidates for president in '09 UUA election
Featured online in another form:
UUA presidential campaign begins with two candidates
Laurel Hallman and Peter Morales compete for 2009 General Assembly vote.
By Christopher L. Walton in UU news

Laurel Hallman, candidate for UUA president
Minister of First Unitarian Church of Dallas emphasizes comfort with religious language, UUA services.
By Jane Greer in UU news

Peter Morales, candidate for UUA president
Minister of Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, Colo., sees growth, social justice as priorities.
By Jane Greer in UU news

Youth organize concert to stop mining practice
Featured online in another form:
Concert for Appalachian mountaintops
Kentucky church youth group raises money to stop mountaintop removal coal mining.
By Jane Greer in UU news

Churches welcome gay teens
Featured online in another form:
Churches sponsor drop-in centers for gay teens
Unitarian Universalist congregations in Tennessee, Utah, and Maryland affirm LGBTQ youth.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

TV program focuses on mental health
Featured online in another form:
Local TV show sheds light on mental illness
UU minister conducts mental health ministry via public access TV.
By Jane Greer in UU news

The self-reliant and the social reformers
Transcendentalists were divided into several camps, just like their Unitarian Universalist heirs.
By Jeff Wilson in Bookshelf

Books by UU authors, Summer 2008
A selection of books written by Unitarian Universalists.
By Jane Greer and Christopher L. Walton in Books by UU authors

Living heroically, dying well, and inspiring music
Questions for spiritual reflection and adult group discussions.
By Jane Greer in What in the World?

Our congregationalist heritage
Unitarian Universalists have held fast to one aspect of their Puritan roots: congregational polity.
By Alice Blair Wesley in Looking back

Online Extras

Do you feel loved?
On alternating days, a resolution to stop beating myself up.
By Meg Barnhouse

Unfinished with Christianity
Most Unitarian Universalists live in some kind of tension with Christianity. I wish we talked about this more.
By Doug Muder

The daffodil rescue mission
People say, ‘Bloom where you’re planted,’ but things happen.
By Meg Barnhouse

General Assembly Blog: UU World staff reports