While there is much to be feared and worried about, creating intentional joy is a way forward towards our pursuit to create the better world we know is possible. Originally the title of a poem by Black poet Toi Derricotte, “Joy is an act of Resistance” has been embraced by activists as a sustaining, positive force for change, a defiant announcement that you exist, you have powerful, and you can’t be broken. This service will … Continue reading Joy As Resistance
Ethelred Brown, Unitarian Minister in Harlem in the early twentieth century said, “Religion is ethics touched by emotion. If the intellect dominates and there is no hint of emotion, a cold and barren matter-of-factness results. Conversely, if emotion leads, unguided by intellect, we are doomed to a wild sea of fanaticism. Yet mind and soul united create one music, grander than before.” Known as an intellectual religion, does Unitarian Universalism have room for the emotional? … Continue reading The Wisdom Of Love
On this, the first Sunday in Black History month, we will intentionally center voices too often silenced in both Unitarian Universalism and in the United States as a whole. With readings drawn from Unitarian Universalist meditation anthologies such as Voices From the Margins this service with be one of readings and music from people with identities we do not often hear from in our Unitarian Universalist worship services.
The poem “Layers” by Stanley Kunitz encourages us all to reflect on our lives. It asks you to think about the principle of being that remains at your core and the experiences that have shaped you. Come Sunday as we explore who and what influences who we are and what it means to “live in the layers.”
Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican archbishop and human rights activist, was a tireless advocate for social justice and reconciliation. His life and work were deeply rooted in the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of humanity and the importance of compassion and empathy. Tutu’s Ubuntu philosophy is a powerful and inspiring message of hope and unity. It is a reminder that we are all interconnected and that we have a responsibility to … Continue reading Ubuntu; Better Together
