What Matters Most?
24 May 2012 Leave a Comment
Memorial Day weekend is about more than a good barbeque! It is a time to open our hearts and minds to our interconnectedness. The world’s religions and great moral teachers offer the same life lesson: KINDNESS is what matters most. Join the Rev. Amy Freedman for a service upholding this universal teaching, Sunday, May 27, 10:00AM. First Universalist Society 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin, MA
Centering Prayer
10 May 2012 2 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: Prayer, Religion and Spirituality, Unitarian Universalism
O Creator, who creates life and to which all life returns,
you are as close as our beating heart and the cycle of breath.
Where there are unresolved troubles in our minds
may we find clarity of purpose.
Where there are heavy burdens in our hearts
may we discover a healing path.
Where ever there is pain,
whether in our lives, in our circle of loved ones, or in our world,
May we become divine messengers
through our prayers, our actions and our words,
Peace to all.
Life to all.
Love to all.
Amen.
Universalist Valentine
12 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
“Live as though the essential power and force of the universe is love, goodness, truth, and beauty. Then you shall discover the faith for which you so ardently long”.–Robert Miller, Universalist minister 
To believe “God is Love” means the sacred is found in relationship, in connection. This is a process that continues through out our daily living. True happiness lies not in individual attainment, but when we discover a power that is deeper and wider than self. When we are conscious of the intimate relationship of all beings, to act with justice and mercy in the world leads to personal fulfillment. Together we can build a better world. The Divine is not the goal of life but the very path on which we travel.
Welcome to Our Religion
10 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Unitarian Universalism
If by “Church” you mean a place where people bend down to follow the word from a higher authority, then no, Unitarian Universalists do not belong to a church.
If by “Faith” you mean firm belief and adherence to traditional doctrines, then no, Unitarian Universalism is not a faith.
If by “Religion” you mean scrupulous conformity to a system of beliefs, then no, Unitarian Universalism is not a religion.
Then again…
If by “Church”, you mean a safe place where you can be yourself and bring your loved ones to find support and meaning in facing the joys and struggles of life, then welcome to our church.
If by “Faith” you mean belief in the inherent goodness of all people and the confidence that we can work together to make this world a better place, then welcome to our faith.
If by “Religion” you mean a way of life drawing inspiration and guidance from many sources, engaging your heart, mind, and spirit in a lifelong journey toward wholeness then welcome to our religion.
Beyond the Old Church Model
24 Jan 2012 5 Comments
“Liberal religion is not an institution; it is a movement in history, a set of values and a way of life.” Dana McLean Greeley proclaimed those words as the opening statement to “The Free Church in a Changing World” in 1963. The report, written by several Commissions of the recently formed Unitarian Universalist Association, reflects on the role of tradition, the free spirit, and leadership during a time of rapid change.
Today the digital revolution is changing how people connect, collaborate, learn, protest, and make decisions about our lives. While bringing people together in new ways, the population of the United States is more socially isolated than ever before in human history.[i] Jobs, education, family structures, and systems which once seemed solid are in the midst of flux.
Unitarian Universalist communities are remarkably suited to engage with the issues of our times. The liberal religious values of acceptance, justice, equity, compassion, and use of the democratic process require our constant care and practice in the Sanctuary, on the streets, and through new media. This is a critical time for us to be bold in creating new initiatives beyond the old church model.
In order for our religious movement to thrive in the digital age, we need to embrace the tools of our time and the collaborations they allow. Social media, online video, and other web technologies are allowing new forms of community, education, and activism to emerge. With instant access to friends, information, and media of every kind, the digital is increasingly appealing, engaging, and relevant. Instead of waiting for newcomers to find and visit us, we have the ability, and now a calling, to meet them where they are, and that is online. Increasingly, online connections are the first step toward real-life gatherings and community-building.
Expanding our ministry more fully into online spaces is a massive undertaking. Many ministers and religious educators do not have expertise in these new technologies. Fortunately, the communication tools that call us forward into the future also enable us to collaborate in new and exciting ways. We do not need to do this alone. Given the scope of the challenge, we probably cannot do this alone.
What is the greatest challenge for Unitarian Universalist leaders? It is not the ministry landscape opening up before us—we are perfectly suited for it. Rather, it is our long established patterns of working and ministering in isolation, of not living out the promise of our association. In order for our religious movement to thrive in the next decade and beyond, Unitarian Universalists must be more generous in sharing resources with one another, collaborating in new ways, and creating ministries beyond our front doors. Only then can we be true to our shared vision of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.
[i] Social Isolation in America: Changes in Core Discussion Networks Over Two Decades. Author: Miller McPherson, Lynn Smith-Lovin, Matthew E. Brashears, American Sociological Review © 2006
This Sunday Eve Tells All
01 Nov 2011 Leave a Comment
Sunday, November 6, 10:30 a.m.
Finally, Eve will offer her side of the story! What happened in the Garden of Eden? Are there any lessons to be learned? If she had it to live over, would she bite the apple?
You will not want to miss this dramatic retelling that speaks directly to women and men today. All are welcome!
Playing Doctor
26 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: congregations, healthy
Say “Ahhh
h!” my nearly three-year-old daughter says peering down the imaginary throat of her teddy bear. “Pretty good! Now, let me get the telescope!” Of course she means stethoscope, as she listens to the stuffed animal’s heart. Playing doctor is one of her favorite games these days as she examines the eyes, ears, nose, hands, and feet and especially if it’s a real person, asking us to take a deep breath. Lately, the veins in our arms and legs have fascinated her. “That’s blood!” she declares.
Peter and I depart tomorrow for a Healthy Congregations facilitator training in St. Paul, Minnesota. This seminar designed for leaders to nurture religious communities no doubt will offer useful tools for our ministry and consulting work with congregations.
My prayer for our religious communities is that we bring the same enthusiasm to them as playing doctor. Let’s engage in routine check-ups instead of waiting for a problem to become severe or chronic. Let’s foster a holy curiosity about what makes our institutions function and be ready to try out new ideas. Above all, let’s remind one another to take a deep breath and create joyful ways to be together!
Quiet Your Mind. Be Here Now.
18 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Buddhism, mindfulness
Sunday, October 23, 2011, 10:30 a.m.
With humor and insights from Zen Buddhism, this service is an invitation to slow down and experience life more fully. Join the Rev. Amy Freedman for music, meditation, and words of wisdom that will help awaken your senses to the present moment. Take a deep breath. Be here now.
Make a Fresh Start!
05 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Reconciliation, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur
In the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Jews are meant to reflect on the past year in order to make the New Year even better. This is not just an intellectual exercise. During the Days of Awe you are expected to “fix” all the times you missed the mark.
Obviously, you do not have to be Jewish to take part in this process of reconciliation. Is there someone a life partner, a friend, a parent, a child, a sibling, a neighbor, a colleague, or someone in your community, who you hurt? It could have been an accident. It certainly was a mistake. We feel ashamed of some things we did last year. Maybe it was a big misunderstanding or only something small but that you still remember and carry around with you. Take time this week to say you are sorry. Not only will your relationship with that person improve, your spirit will lighten. It is a way to make a fresh start!
May this holiday remind us to face our mistakes and take action in making amends. May others forgive us when we say we are sorry and may we forgive others when they tell us that they are sorry. As it is written in the Hebrew Scriptures, “Then shall your light burst through like the dawn and your healing spring up quickly.” (Isaiah 58:8)
First Day of Preschool
20 Sep 2011 1 Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: parenting, preschool, transitions
As we approached her classroom, my daughter clutched my pants and covered her face in her hands. All summer, we had been looking forward to preschool. Now that the first day had arrived, I wanted to sweep up my two-year old and take her back home.
After juggling full-time ministry and parenting, it was a joy for me to devote my time to motherhood over this past year. We spent a lot of time together pretending, drawing, playing at local parks, and visiting the library. Wherever we go, she is eager to make friends. So, I know that she is ready for school. It is also time for me to reawaken to my professional life.
My husband Peter and I are both former preschool teachers. We searched with care for a place for our daughter. I visited one daycare where the Director said all the right things but the environment was sterile and both the teachers and kids looked bored. The whole family spent one morning at a neighborhood program where everything (including the teachers) looked shabby and tired.
We fell in love with her new school! On a tour our daughter was ready to join the children that day. The classrooms are filled with color and inviting activities. The teachers offer a responsive curriculum shaped by the children’s abilities and interests. As a cooperative, parents also take an active role in the school, helping in the classroom once a month.
Once we crossed the threshold into the Orange Sea Star class, she smiled and pulled us in to “Come, see my school!” We left her happily drawing with colored pencils. I am the one who keeps wiping away tears…
