We wait for whatever will come—which we do not yet know— “alone together,” as one recent columnist put it. While we are waiting, we absolutely must distance ourselves physically in order to flatten the curve and help lessen the likelihood our health care system will be overwhelmed. Doing so also helps protect each of us, …..
One of the joys of the house in Florida where Tom and I live for a few weeks in the winter is that it is less than a mile from the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). We were there one afternoon in February and I again admired the boardwalk that had been constructed to …..
Shortly after we arrived in Florida, I found myself in a funk, oddly enough. The trip down had gone more smoothly than usual, no bad weather nor significant traffic jams. Things were mostly unpacked, and I’d fixed the disorganized mess that I found the kitchen in, at least enough that I could get a meal …..
Many of you know that I received my theological school education at a United Methodist seminary, although I wasn’t and never have been United Methodist. It was 25 miles north of where I lived at the time. I still value the outstanding education I received there. Even more, I treasure the warmth and acceptance, the …..
In a wonderfully serendipitous way, I’ve come across several things recently that have encouraged me in light of the pain, limitation, depression and uncertainty resulting from my having broken my leg recently. One of these was “What Does ‘Recovery’ from Severe Mental Illness Look Like?” that Jessie Creselious posted on Facebook. The author is Tony …..
She had been both a colleague and a dear friend of many years. We had supported each other through serious and not-so-serious ups and downs in both our lives. Now the cancer for which she had been in treatment for a year or so was wreaking its inescapable havoc. Further treatment was medically futile and …..
As we usually do in staff meeting, in preparation for whatever theme is coming up for the next month, we reflected last month on our upcoming October theme of Belonging. Part of that reflection centered on the differences between belonging and fitting in. I’d never really thought about the distinction between them. If asked, my …..
Our theme for September, Expectation, led me to think about what happens when our expectations aren’t met. One name for unmet expectations is “disappointment.” Disappointment is our emotional and mental response to not getting what we want, what we expect, when we want or expect it. It’s the dissatisfaction that arises when our expectations aren’t …..
“We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations.” -Unitarian Universalist Fifth Principle. Stated more simply, “we believe that all persons should have a vote about the things that concern them.” I came across an interesting …..
There is a lot going on at UUCM right now, to dramatically understate the obvious. Some of us, I’m sure, see in what’s happening in our beloved congregation as a cause for hope, some a cause for discouragement. Some of us feel a heavy sense of sadness and grief, and some relief, expectation, perhaps even …..