From our friends at Soul Matters: The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. – Henry Miller Spiritually, presence can mean two quite different things. On the one hand, contemplatives talk of “being present.” Presence from this perspective is all … Continue reading The Practice of Presence (December 2024)
From our friends at Soul Matters: When the cracks come, who doesn’t desire – even demand – to restore what once was? Nothing is more human. We all long to reverse the damage. We all hold tight to the humpty dumpty hope that everything can be put back together again. But, as our faith teaches … Continue reading The Practice of Repair (November 2024)
The search team charged with recruiting applicants for the position of Interim Director of Religious Education is continuing to pursue its efforts to reinvigorate the UUFM Religious Education program. The interim DRE position has been advertised, and the early application was Nov 1. Applications will be reviewed on Nov 5, while the world holds its … Continue reading November Board Update
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 spring. But the small group packet we’re using this month … Continue reading Note from Pastor Isa – November 2024
From our friends at Soul Matters: This is your chance to listen carefully.Your whole life might depend on what you hear.– Joyce Sutphen Listening helps us find our way. The listening of therapists allows us to navigate our way through life. We turn to prayer to hear God’s guidance. We listen to experts so we … Continue reading The Practice of Deep Listening (October 2024)
Mac Benavides was enthusiastically voted in as Board Chair-Elect, in the (precedent-setting?) shortest UUFM Congregational Meeting in recorded history. The Board formed and empowered a search committee to hire an interim Coordinator of Religious Education to fill shorter-term RE needs and provide breathing room for a systematic and deliberative process of soliciting input from stakeholders … Continue reading October Board Update
From our friends at Soul Matters: Do not try to save the whole world or do anything grandiose. Instead, create a clearing in the dense forest of your life and wait there patiently, until the song that is your life falls into your own cupped hands and you recognize and greet it. Only then will … Continue reading The Practice of Invitation (September 2024)
As recently announced, this month marks a time of retrospection, appreciation, transition and renewal for the UUFM Religious Education program. Our long-time RE director, Sandy Nelson, retires on August 31, after concluding that 22 years and more than 1000 Sundays were enough. If Sandy’s plan was to exit the stage in her prime with the … Continue reading August Board Update
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 Justice,” in The Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide. To be a Unitarian Universalist … Continue reading A Note from Pastor Isa – August 2024
We are delighted to welcome Mac Benavides to the Board as our new Chair-elect. Welcome, Mac! The Benavides family thus continues their tradition of service to UUFM, with Ruddy having just completed a 2-year term as an at-large member. Emily Fraser, Pastor Isa, Joe Zalewski and I attended last week’s first-ever, all-virtual UUA General Assembly. … Continue reading July Board Update
