Category: minister-note

Note from Pastor Isa

Jonalu’s Journal – March 2020

We have a congregation full of caring, concerned people.

Several of us met recently to discuss what we do well as a congregation to take care of one another, and what we can do better.  Though we don’t have a regularly meeting committee, we do have … read more.

Jonalu’s Journal – February 2020

History matters.

This year we celebrate the sesquicentennial of the Fifteenth Amendment (1870) and the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment (1920).  Before you rush to google to remember what those are, they’re both about voting.  The former gave the vote to black men, and the latter … read more.

Jonalu’s Journal – January 2020

We are dedicated to challenging ourselves and society into wholeness.

A vibrant, inclusive congregation, UUFM is widely known as a safe haven and a force for social justice.

These words came together to describe our mission and vision after participation from almost half … read more.

Diversity in December Holidays

The Diversity and Inclusion Committee of USD383 (the Manhattan/Ogden school district) issued a memo about inclusion during December that blew up on social media and brought a response from the Manhattan Mercury, including an editorial. This is my response to their editorial, published on the … read more.

Jonalu’s Journal – December 2019

Despite how many carols you hear on the radio or decorations you see popping up all over town, our Christian neighbors and friends are not yet in the Christmas season; they are in the season of Advent.  While liturgical Christians, like Episcopalians, Lutherans … read more.

Jonalu’s Journal — November 2019

Our prayer is for democracy to be a spiritual practice of accountability that resists fascism.   — Rev Elizabeth Nguyen

With November come elections, so it’s the perfect time to talk about democracy as a central value of Unitarian Universalism.  It’s right there in our fifth principle … read more.

Jonalu’s Journal — October 2019

I’m continually amazed at who feels they belong and who feels they don’t belong.  Not because of any particular qualities of either group, but because feelings of belonging seem so unpredictable.  This can be especially pronounced in a congregational setting because of our … read more.

Jonalu’s Journal — September 2019

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus has often been quoted as saying, “Change alone is unchanging.”  That is, life is permanently in flux.  As we enter this month of considering our expectations, we need to remember the permanence of change.  Sometimes, we go along as if everything … read more.

Jonalu’s Journal — August 2019

Almost every week, I see something that reminds me that religious affiliation in the US is consistently and rapidly dropping.  Nearly as many people identify as unaffiliated (22.8%) as Evangelical Protestant (25.4%), the largest group.  Most who identify as “nones,” that is, having no religious … read more.

Jonalu’s Journal — July 2019

This year’s UU General Assembly proclaimed and explored “the Power of We.”  Each year we gather as representatives of congregations to shape the work of our Unitarian Universalist Association.  This year, we took a step back to consider a larger perspective.  Who are we together? … read more.