July’s book selection is The Peach Keeper: A Novel by Sarah Addison Allen
Explore the power of friendships, the intrigue of mystery, and, as always, a touch of magick! Join us for July’s book group gathering.
July’s book selection is The Peach Keeper: A Novel by Sarah Addison Allen
Explore the power of friendships, the intrigue of mystery, and, as always, a touch of magick! Join us for July’s book group gathering.
Today is a voting day in Pittsfield, and while it may not have all the allure and intensity of November’s election, I feel it is important to vote.
I vote because I appreciate the teachers and staff who care for our children in our local schools and cast a vote to support their salaries and programs. I vote because I appreciate that we have a publicly funded education system available to our children and my ballot adds to the voices of all those who value it. I vote because I would have been vocal in the suffragist movement, so in solidarity and gratitude, I vote today.
#suffragist
Bravo to our UU cousins in the UK who host this annual conference dedicated to exploring our theology.
We so appreciate Rev.Lewis Connelly‘s perspective of embracing “egalitarian imminent spirit” and the importance to not completely detach from our theology, as tends to happen in Unitarian Universalist strides to detach from all creeds and remain non-dogmatic. The overall sense throughout this discussion by the panel, as well as the audience, is about the importance of not forsaking the creation of shared “spiritual” context of our faith, even allowing mysticism in our theology, and the art of telling stories about the divine, and the art of listening to them. Rev. Sheena Gabriel reminds us that our movement has suffered from the lack of good theology, the kind that is an art, and a poetry, and an experience of the heart. She says it is important to bring the head and the heart together through mysticism. Rev. Sarah Tinker points out that our theology is a continual, ongoing process and that happens when we gather together, talk together, explore together.
Beginning this summer at Twinkle’s Place, we look forward to hosting panel discussions and small covenanted group ministries focused on heart based explorations of theology embedded in reason as we open to and access the egalitarian universalist spirit. Gatherings will focus on enhancing our UU spirituality and theological practices through exploration of theologies, philosophies and mysticisms.
Our gatherings will be by-invitation-only at this time. However, if you would like to participate, please email us: TwinkleManning@gmail.com
https://www.uua.org/action/statements/implementation-women-and-religion-resolution-call-commitment
https://www.uuwr.org/resources/resolution
WHEREAS, a principle of the Unitarian Universalist Association is to “affirm, defend, and promote the supreme worth and dignity of every human personality, and the use of the democratic method in human relationships”; and
WHEREAS, great strides have been taken to affirm this principle within our denomination; and
WHEREAS, some models of human relationships arising from religious myths, historical materials, and other teachings still create and perpetuate attitudes that cause women everywhere to be overlooked and undervalued; and
WHEREAS, children, youth and adults internalize and act on these cultural models, thereby tending to limit their sense of self-worth and dignity;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association calls upon all Unitarian Universalists to examine carefully their own religious beliefs and the extent to which these beliefs influence sex-role stereotypes within their own families; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly urges the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association to encourage the Unitarian Universalist Association administrative officers and staff, the religious leaders within societies, the Unitarian Universalist theological schools, the directors of related organizations, and the planners of seminars and conferences, to make every effort to: (a) put traditional assumptions and language in perspective, and (b) avoid sexist assumptions and language in the future.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly urges the President of the Unitarian Universalist Association to send copies of this resolution to other denominations examining sexism inherent in religious literature and institutions and to the International Association of Liberal Religious Women and the IARF; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly requests the Unitarian Universalist Association to: (a) join with those who are encouraging others in the society to examine the relationship between religious and cultural attitudes toward women, and (b) to send a representative and resource materials to associations appropriate to furthering the above goals; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly requests the President of the UUA to report annually on progress in implementing this resolution.
Many hearts are heavy around the world as we mourn the loss of this beautiful woman.
I do not have words to draw from to describe what this loss means to me. So at this time I will simply share the words of others as they arrive. ~ Twinkle
https://www.noozhawk.com/article/nancy_walker_koppelman_of_santa_barbara_1954_2017
Thank you for this from Jennifer Freed:
http://www.independent.com/news/2017/jun/08/nancy-walker-koppelman-1954-2017/