Thomas Merton, the Catholic contemplative once said: “To be a saint means to be myself.” In the play we recently watched at UUYO: The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, the playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis asks: What is it that we need to overcome in order to truly be “Ourselves”? Let’s explore the path to becoming who … Continue reading Becoming Ourselves
This Easter Sunday let us celebrate the gift of life that continues to be offered to us. Even in the aftermath of tragedy, there seems to be a promise embedded in life of something more powerful than despair and loneliness. Together, let us uncover and name that promise.
It seems that the beginning, middle and end of any meaningful path is commitment – the commitment to change, growth, and new challenges/opportunities. This year we have been faced with many challenges, many of which we did not have clear solutions to, and needed to learn on the move through experimentation and taking risks. How … Continue reading Commitment is the Key
A covenant is a sacred agreement that serves as both a protection and a path of commitment. Of course in the Judeo-Christian heritage, covenant is an important part of any meaningful engaged life within a community of faith. As we’ve evolved in Unitarian Universalism covenant has taken on a more direct and contextual meaning – … Continue reading A New Covenant
Unitarian Universalism has traditionally been described as “liberal” theologically which means that we emphasize the importance of reason and experience over doctrine or creeds. While this is indeed liberating, and has led perhaps some of us to this church, true liberation is more than intellectual freedom. True liberation is freedom from violence and oppression, freedom … Continue reading A Liberating Church
Dear America, The Beloved Community waits to be recognized in our time and place. We all seek to belong not just to our ideas, but to something beyond our ideas, something mysterious and beautiful that is inherent to our nature. How do we come to recognize ourselves as Beloved and as full citizens of this … Continue reading A Letter to the Nation (And Those Who Seek Belonging)
We resoundingly passed the 8th principle last month: “Create a diverse Beloved Community by dismantling racism, white supremacy, and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.” How do we put this principle into practice for ourselves and our institutions?
I was reminded while watching the sermon delivered by Rev. Michael Harrison on Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy for the Mahoning Valley that “delayed is not denied.” It is easy to feel that our visions for the future are unreal, naive, or too optimistic, but we can explore how we need not confuse delay for … Continue reading Delayed Not Denied
On Wed. January 20th is the inauguration of our new president. January 22nd also marks the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. How do we nurture and create a society that values the body in this body politic?
53 years later we are still asking the question Dr. King proposed to a nation: Where do we go from here: chaos or community? Join us as we examine how our actions may offer some answer to this question.
