For a village to function there needs to be a shared understanding of how we intend to be with each other.  What are reasonable expectations of behavior when people from diverse stages of life and experiences mingle and interact?  What are we willing to promise each other?  And what is the legacy we hope to … Continue reading Who Do We Say We are: Promises & Prospects

On this New Member Covenanting Sunday, we ask:  So, are we doing this?  Can we walk the talk of creating the kind of village culture we have discussed in recent weeks?  What will it take to get concrete?  What are some ideas to get us going?  What are YOUR ideas to make “a thing a … Continue reading So, Are We Doing This?

Easter reminds us that life finds a way back.  That something in us – in our communities – can rise again, longs to rise again and it does so in relationship.  In that sense, a village is one of the primary places where resurrection happens, and we each play a role in the creation of … Continue reading Village People

What do we mean when we say “it takes a village…”?  What do we picture when we imagine the kind of village we want to be a part of?  And what is still missing from such a village here in our own UU village community?  Today’s service kicks off a series of reflections on our … Continue reading It Takes a Village

Our phones are remarkable tools.  They connect us across distance, offer information in seconds, and carry voices we love.  And still – there is a quiet cost to carrying the world in our pockets. Individually, something surprising happens when the constant pull of the phone loosens.  Communally, the transformation is even more profound.  Let’s talk … Continue reading Stop Lookin’ at Your Phone

A village teaches its values through what it pays attention to. In a congregation centered in love, we pay attention to how we are with one another, not just what we believe. We notice: Who is speaking—and who is not.  Who is new—and who might feel invisible.  Who is carrying grief quietly.  Who keeps showing … Continue reading A Village Centered in Love

We live in an attention economy – a system designed not simply to inform us, but to capture us. Algorithms compete for our focus. Notifications interrupt our thoughts. Outrage and anxiety are rewarded because they keep us engaged. None of that is accidental.  The emotional and spiritual costs are real.  When attention is trained primarily … Continue reading The Attention Economy

How are we doing?  How is what we are doing supporting our sense of resilience?  How do non-attachment and commitment, safety and risk-taking, music and silence help weave a web of resilience that can hold us and propel us?  Come and hear personal stories of resilience by Michael and fellow congregants.  Please be in touch … Continue reading Stories of Resilience

Most of us do not feel strong first and then act bravely.  We act – shakily.  We endure – imperfectly.  And then we try again.  Only later do we look back and think: I didn’t know I could do that.  Strength is often retroactive.  Narratives help us notice this.  Agency gives us chances to practice … Continue reading You are Stronger Than You Think

From the empowering joy of coming together with over 1,200 faith leaders, to the details of organizing mutual aid and neighborhoods support groups; from the exuberance of marching peacefully with over 50,000 people in arctic temperatures chanting and singing, to the stunned devastation following the shooting of Alex Pretti by ICE agents – Michael will … Continue reading Lessons from Minneapolis