The Bible may not be the first thing you think of when you hear Leonard Cohen’s song, Hallelujah. It might not even be the second or third thing behind the movie Shrek, the Saturday Night Live cold open, or even how some lines make you feel.  Leonard Cohen has been called a philosopher, a poet of dark prose, and a troubadour of truth. In much of his work, in a sharply perceptive way, he expressed … Continue reading Broken Hallelujah: The Theology of Cohen, Shrek and the Bible

In a 2018 publication of the UU World, then-UUA President Susan Frederick-Gray wrote an editorial called, Love the Hell Out of This World. In it she said, “Our Universalist ancestors didn’t believe in hell, except for the ones we create here in this life. What would it mean to show up in the places where hell, where suffering and violence, persecution and inhumanity, prevail and to bring an active, powerful form of love that affirms … Continue reading Love and Resistance

At the open-sanctuary gathering regarding the events in Minneapolis that Rev. Bev held recently, she asked, “What are you doing to find balance between being informed and staying sane?”  And, in a recent “Briefly With Bev,” she wrote about living with multiple truths and feeling all the feelings.  Join us this Sunday as Rev. Bev continues those conversations and through poetry and reflection helps all of us find comfort, courage, purpose and balance.

The attempts to ban books is not new but does feel more and more threatening as a way to erase whole segments of our population. From books critical of the Puritans to Uncle Tom’s Cabin, published by Unitarian Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1858; from Dr. Seuss to all comic books, from Harry Potter to Tango Makes Three, the list and reasons for banning books is increasing exponentially in an attempt to rewrite history. Join us … Continue reading All Stories Must Be Heard

It’s that time again; time for all of us to acknowledge how important First Universalist Society in Franklin is to us and to the surrounding community. Our theme, Hope Lives Here, says it all. Hope does live here and we all need that right now. Rev. Bev hears some version of this every time a visitor speaks to her after their first worship service with us or at events like the recent Blue Christmas Service … Continue reading Hope Lives Here

In The Wedding Song by Paul Stookey of the iconic trio Peter, Paul and Mary, he wrote “He is now to be among you at the calling of your hearts Rest assured this troubadour is acting on his part The union of your spirits here has caused him to remain For whenever two or more of you are gathered in his name There is love. There is love.” Written as a gift for his bandmate … Continue reading Why We Gather

For most of us when we think about renewal we imagine taking care of our physical and mental health. We focus on drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, looking at our work/life balance. And as important as all this is, what about your soul? Is there room for renewal there as well?  What if we looked at renewal not as time “away,” but rather as staying where you are and considering what your true work … Continue reading Renewal; What, Why and How?