As you probably know, a group of religious leaders in Manhattan has gone on record with the City Commission supporting an ordinance to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people from discrimination in employment and public accommodations. Here is what the letter read at the December 1 meeting says: Distinguished Commissioners: As religious leaders, our traditions … Continue reading Anti-Discrimination Ordinance

Peace on Earth. Goodwill to all. That’s what the story says the angel proclaimed. This season, peace on earth grows ever more elusive. When I originally wrote this column for the newsletter, the Paris attacks and Beirut bombing had not yet faded from our awareness. The immediate response to the events in Paris was increased … Continue reading Peace on Earth?

November, 2015 Dear Members and Friends of UUFM, Warm regards and best wishes to all. Over the last few weeks, having corresponded productively with several UUFM congregants to discuss their concerns regarding my references to autism in my sermon of Oct 25th, I now believe that additional good will come from my sharing with the … Continue reading Letter from Rev. David Carter

I promised during the sermon on religious language a few weeks ago to investigate the word “sermon.” I didn’t like what I found. Indeed, the negative connotations of the word have been built into the current dictionary definitions. Words like “reproof,” “exhortation,” and even “tedious” come up. Sermons, indeed, seem to be about making judgments … Continue reading Religious Language Update

Several times lately as I have sat at Radina’s or The Chef, nursing a cup of decaf, I have noticed that people near me were talking about religion. I was not trying to eavesdrop, and didn’t catch the details of the conversation, but I did notice intensity and sincerity. There was no question that they … Continue reading What Should We Do?

A major thrust of my efforts in the last few weeks has been to try to get to know you as a congregation and as individuals and to try to get to know Manhattan. As I’ve said before, the notebook full of summaries about members, friends, and children and youth has been a tremendous help. … Continue reading Getting to Know You