I will never forget the moment. It was the third and final Wednesday Vespers for Peace and Justice service, crafted to support the UUFM community through the election. The previous vespers service, just the day after the election, had been essential for those who came, … read more.

Regardless of the outcomes of the elections this month, our body politic needs healing. No doubt this is why our collaborators at Soul Matters chose Repair for the November 2024 theme, and indeed our Community Team voted for this selection when asked for input last … read more.

The mutuality of deep listening

Most mornings, I spend about 15 minutes on the phone with my Seattle friend Erin. This rhythm of mutual listening gives us compassionate accountability for setting intentions each day – and keeping them. Over the past few months, Erin has been … read more.

“meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in”

As I sat down to reflect on our monthly theme of Invitation, I immediately thought of the poem Guest House. Coleman Barks wrote the poem in the 1960s, inspired by a much longer text by the … read more.

Notes from Pastor Isa

 
Our minister, Pastor Isabel, is away on study leave for the month of July. In lieu of a newsletter column, she suggested we share this poem from Worship Web, inspired by Rev. Elizabeth Nguyen’s chapter, “Our Work for Social … read more.

I emailed the following letter out on July 4th and received beautiful responses. I share people’s response below.

Dear hearts,

I’ve heard from several of you that the state of our nation and the world weighs heavily on you. I’ve heard the word despair. I … read more.

All Kinds of Justice

The 18th century Rabbi Elijah of Vilna wrote that “What we create becomes meaningful to us only once we stop creating it and start to think about why we did so.” In addition to thinking, let’s also feel the impact of our … read more.

Renewal

As a community, we were renewed on May 4th at the Initiation of Called Ministry and Installation of Yours Truly. It was an afternoon like no other: a ritual and a party, profound and playful. Many UUFM members have told me it truly “felt like … read more.

Pluralism as play

In the picture book A Common Thirst by Gary Boelhower, a mixed group of kids and lambs playing together during a devastating drought uncover a solution that saves their communities. Though the adult goats and sheep had previously sought help from each other, … read more.

Choosing interdependence

Our Soul Matters themes this year are following the values articulated in the UUA bylaws proposal: generosity, justice, equity, pluralism (next month), transformation (last month), and this month interdependence. What’s different about March and April is that these values are not just practices but … read more.