NACCS address, take two

save ethnic studies mural

I attended the “Save Ethnic Studies” fundraiser at the 40th annual National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies (NACCS) conference because I believe that cultural diversity makes us stronger, and sharing *all* of our stories is one of the best ways to foster healthy diversity. I was happy to donate a few dollars to support the Tucson Unified School District’s Mexican American Studies program, in its battle against HB2281, which makes illegal all ethnic studies programs (which ~read more~

vm: Rita Angus

Rita Angus

This week we celebrate the birthday of Rita Angus, who wanted “to show to the present a peaceful way and…to sow some seeds for possible maturity in later generations.” So may ~read more~

UU spiritual 1%

foxes

In our second reading this morning, Mary Oliver’s fox says,
“…I see you in all your seasons
making love, arguing, talking about God
as if he were an idea instead of the grass,
instead of the stars, the rabbit caught
in one good teeth-whacking hit and brought
home to the den. What I am, and I know it, is
responsible, joyful, thankful. I would not
give my life for a thousand of yours.”

All too often, we UUs engage in passionate debate, philosophizing and arguing ~read more~

vm: Douglas Adams

douglas adams inspired "Hitch hikers guide to the galaxy" H2G2

This week we celebrate the birthday of Douglas Adams, who asked, “Isn’t it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it ~read more~

Culture Gleams Through Political Dust

asghar-farhadi-foreign-winner

There is often a separation between people and their governments. This was elegantly demonstrated during last night’s Academy Awards, in Asghar Farhadi’s acceptance speech. Farhadi‘s A Separation won Best Foreign Language Film, whereupon he said,

“At this time, many Iranians all over the world are watching us and I imagine them to be very happy. They are happy not just because of an important award or a film or filmmaker, but because at the time when talk of war, intimidation, ~read more~

vm: Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Jackie Joyner Kersee

This week we celebrate the birthday of Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who said, “The medals don’t mean anything and the glory doesn’t last…my happiness is just loving the sport and having fun performing.” So may ~read more~

vm: W.H. Auden

WHAuden

This week we celebrate the birthday of W. H. Auden, who warns, “We would rather be ruined than changed. We would rather die in our dread than…let our illusions die.” So may we adapt ~read more~

Sex-Positive Religion (worship; 120212)

Amor_Victorious

Sex-Positive Religion
Service celebrated at the First Unitarian Church of Hobart, Indiana, on 12 February 2012

 

OPENING WORDS
Denver Butson was born in Maryland, in 1965; this is his poem, “Tuesday 9:00am”

A man standing at the bus stop
reading the newspaper is on fire
Flames are peeking out
from beneath his collar and cuffs
His shoes have begun to melt

The woman next to him
wants to mention it to him
that he is burning
but she is drowning
Water is everywhere
in her mouth and ears
in her ~read more~

vm: Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison

This week we celebrate the birthday of Toni Morrison, who wrote, “At some point in life the world’s beauty becomes enough. You don’t need to photograph, paint or even remember it. It is enough.” So may ~read more~

Imprisoned Lightning (homily; 120205)

Statue of Liberty Torch

Imprisoned Lightning
Service  celebrated at the First Unitarian Church of Hobart, Indiana, on 05 February  2012
Rev.  Chip Roush

OPENING WORDS
One of my favorite poets, Wislawa Szymborska, died last Wednesday, of lung cancer. These are excerpts of her poem, Psalm:

“How leaky are all the borders
we  draw around our separate nations!
How  many clouds cross those boundaries
daily without even paying the toll!
How much desert sand
simply sifts from country to country,
or how many mountain pebbles
hop down slopes onto foreign turf just like that!
Need I remind you of ~read more~

so may we categorize: