The first seminary class I took was “The Theology and Meaning of Call.” It sounded like a good place to start answering the call to ministry that had gone from a gentle tug to a clear knowing. It was congregants in our congregation who first told me I should be a minister, and mostly in … Continue reading Life Calls Us On

I learned a little poem from my mother that went: “Here lies the body of William Jay, who died asserting his right of way. He was right, dead right, as he sped along, but he’s just as dead as if he were wrong.” In a pluralistic society, it matters what we do when values clash. … Continue reading When Values Clash

This Sunday, we will be recognizing our long term members – those people who have brought our congregation from the past to the present and deserve our gratitude. If we have faith in the future, how should we live now? What should we build so that five, ten, or twenty five years from now, this … Continue reading Faith in the Future

One of the challenges for the followers of Jesus after his death was how to transform themselves into leaders in order to continue the work he began – to own their new role as teachers, rather than learners. Where, in your own life, could it be time for you to see yourself as a leader … Continue reading Own Your Leadership

Our theme for January is “The Gift of Liberating Love.” At a time when there seems to be so much hate in the world, how do we continue to believe in love? What good does it do? Why is the Unitarian Universalist Association rewriting the bylaw that spelled out our seven principles – which have … Continue reading I Believe in Love

Each of us holds a multitude of identities. We are male, female, transgender, agender… we are Italian and/or Irish and/or Chinese… we are native English speakers, native German speakers, native Spanish speakers… we are Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, pagan, atheist… We have families of origin, families we helped create, families we have chosen. … Continue reading Choosing Your Heritage

When we inherit a difficult history – as individuals and as communities – how do we hold that inheritance? I learned rather late in life that the Mayflower ancestors I was so proud of for their courage as early settlers of Massachusetts were also involved in the expansion of  Plymouth into surrounding areas, pushing indigenous … Continue reading Repentance and Repair

Our smart phones are changing the way we live, in ways that are wonderful and ways that are not. Do you stay up too late, losing track of time as you scroll through friends’ posts, kitten videos, funny memes, or other dopamine-dealing bits of information? Do you engage with your phone first thing in the … Continue reading Dopamine and the Devil

After spending years as a classroom teacher, helping parents whose children were struggling with “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,” I began to suspect that I, too, struggle with some of the same challenges as those bouncy, irrepressible little boys. Diagnosed in my 50s, I’ve been learning to appreciate the gifts of my ADHD wiring, to ask … Continue reading The Heart and Soul of ADHD

The animals with whom we choose to share our lives can bless us in ways that are different from, but just as meaningful as, the blessings of our relationships with friends and family. Animals who would be safe and comfortable in a church sanctuary are welcome to come to receive a blessing in person, and … Continue reading Blessing of the Animals