We are in liminal space.  That means, we are in between.  In between normal and what we do not yet know.  By the time you read this, the world will have spun around a few times, and a bunch more things will be different.  I’m not sure what or how or why, but I am … Continue reading Jonalu’s Journal – April 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 a Caring Team, a bunch of people who extend … Continue reading Jonalu’s Journal – March 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 to all women.  That’s a reminder that for generations, … Continue reading Jonalu’s Journal – February 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 the membership on a December weekend.  Yes, a weekend in December!  I’m … Continue reading Jonalu’s Journal – January 2020

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 17th: To the editor: In response to Dec. 12’s editorial, … Continue reading Diversity in December Holidays

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 and Catholics are most likely to celebrate Advent, more and more Christian … Continue reading Jonalu’s Journal – December 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 (the right of conscience and the use of the … Continue reading Jonalu’s Journal — November 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 expectations of church. Of course, some feeling out of place can be … Continue reading Jonalu’s Journal — October 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 will stay the same and are startled when change happens. … Continue reading Jonalu’s Journal — September 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 affiliation, have questioned the particular beliefs taught by religion and/or … Continue reading Jonalu’s Journal — August 2019