Unitarian Universalists have a long and proud history of social justice leadership which is grounded in our deep spiritual and theological roots. Rev. Mark Richards joins Rev. Jim for this service which lays the foundation for an afternoon strategic planning workshop by the Wisconsin UU Social Action Network hosted at the Open Circle Fellowship. RE … Continue reading Spiritual Grounding for Social Justice
Dr. Courtand Dahl, the creator of the Healthy Minds Program, encourages us to overcome our unconcious bias and widen our circle of compassion through meditation and mental training. RE Focus: Widening the Circle of Love We widen the circle when we spread love to everyone, including refugees and asylum seekers. We focus on refugees and … Continue reading Widening the Circle of Compassion
This Justice Sunday let us reflect on what motivates our justice superheroes. What is it about how they live with intention that makes them so effective? Children’s RE Focus: It takes accepting mistakes to live with intention because mistakes are part of living. We need to acknowledge that good intentions can sometimes cause harm and … Continue reading The Intentions of Our Justice Superheroes
Tis the annual season of hopeful resolve followed quickly by disappointment. Phillip Moffitt, a renowned vipassana (insight) meditation teacher helps us better comprehend the difference between goals and intentions. Ironically, maybe we should be setting new year’s goals to become more intentional? Children’s RE Focus: It takes empathy to live with intention. When it comes … Continue reading Goals versus Intentions
Join us for a service filled with the joy that many religious faiths and traditions provide this time of year. Our Fellowship will focus on the Winter Solstice and Christmas which are celebrated the coming week. Children’s RE Focus: Intergenerational celebration – No religious exploration class. See the UUConnect for the service logon information or click on December … Continue reading The Joy of Carols, Candles, Cookies and Community
Brene Brown reminds us that twinkling holiday lights are a great metaphor for how joy works. We may expect it to come as a flood light, but rather it comes in small seemingly random moments. Remaining open to these moments is the key to being open to joy. Children’s RE Focus: We create joy by celebrating … Continue reading Remaining Open to Joy
It is essential that we know the final outcome of the first thanksgiving story and the role “God” played in it. It is another historic example of the abuse of religion; this one by our theological ancestors. Holding our history means acknowledging this legacy and preventing it in the future. See the UUConnect for the service logon … Continue reading The Rest of the Thanksgiving Story
Transcendentalism heavily influenced Unitarian theology in the early 19th century and its dominance remains with us today. Because of its influence, our theological development mirrors our ecological development. Over 200 years we have moved from an intense appreciation for nature, to a strong passion for environmentalism and saving nature, to a deeper understanding of the … Continue reading An Alternative Trinity – Nature, Humans, and the Divine
Tribalism is an accurate name for the animosity we are experiencing right now. But instead of accepting it, Robert Wright describes how we can work to overcome it in “How Mindfulness Can Heal the World”. His insight into evolutionary psychology and Buddhism offer us a path to heal our world. See the UUConnect for the service logon … Continue reading Overcoming Tribalism
Perhaps the greatest sign of covenant with the Roman Catholic Church is the act of kissing the Pope’s ring. It is supposed to be an outward symbol of a deeply felt covenant, yet history has shown that hasn’t always been the case. Although Unitarian Universalists don’t usually kiss rings, we do covenant to support each … Continue reading Kissing the Pope’s Ring
