Memorial for Rev. Jerry Goddard

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My friend Jan lost her father and our UU faith lost a much beloved minister:
Rev. Jerry Goddard.
Reflecting on Unitarian Universalism in 1990, Rev. Goddard shared this lovely vision:
“I believe the liberal church is a community for the whole person. It is a place where we can find fellowship and friends, ethical values and inspiration; a place where we can find and give love and caring. It is a place where we can share ideas and be a part of the eternal quest for “truth.” … The liberal church also must be a witness in the community and the world for justice, peace, love and compassion. It must inspire people to live and work for a world in which life can be lived with dignity in freedom and without injustice everywhere.”
May it be so.  And may each of us live into this vision.
A memorial service will take place at 11am on Saturday, November 18 at First Parish in Concord, 20 Lexington Rd, Concord, MA 01742, following which guests are invited to gather with the family in the Parish Hall.

Maine UU Chaplin’s insights on grieving

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https://www.facebook.com/TheSceneVideo/videos/vl.1871250023146385/1570166853050662/?type=1

“Walk fearlessly into the house of mourning

for grief is just love squaring up to its oldest enemy;

and after all these mortal human years

love is up to the challenge.”

For more information about Rev. Kate Braestrup, visit her website:

http://www.katebraestrup.com/aboutKate.html

 

finite mindfulness

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“Mindfulness when struggling with addiction means doing things in a finite way in the moment. My son Daniel says it’s being peaceful.”

– Angela Einstein

I love this quote! Angela is a crusader when it comes to helping heal addiction and her philosophy is as surprising as it is unique. (check out her website) and see how she is connecting celebrities to help with the mission of Rock the Record Straight™)
I am going to be thinking about how her idea of finite mindfulness relates to life practices in general whether struggling with addictions or simply seeking peace-of-mind and transforming negative feelings and thoughts.
Many spiritual practices turn our attention towards the infinite, which can help us see the larger picture of Oneness, yet it can sometimes also serve as a spiritual bypassing of sorts, which can become a habitual distraction, addictive in detaching (or hiding) rather than coping with what is present in our lives.
 
Bringing it to the finite perspective – which is truly what we have in each given moment –
is not only more manageable, but also practical in a spiritual sense because it opens the door to deep gratitude for the life we have, even if we are struggling in the moment, we are present to it and able to do something about it.
Thank you Ange – I needed this gem of inspiration today!  

UUs, Music and Appropriation

Blog, Music for the Soul, Promotions for Friends and Colleagues
THIS! Was a wonderful episode of The VUU interview with DeReau K. Farrar and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout! I love the arc of the conversation. Important for us to contemplate as we build our worship services music, poetry, sermons – liturgy, all of it.
It could have gone on for another hour easily – – I hope they invite them back for another interview as I look forward to having more discussions about what ReNeau identified as the reality that for most UU Sunday services are more about social affirmation rather than spiritual development and Glen Thomas speaking about the vital role of embodiment for healing on a visceral level in our services and in our lives.  Let us truly do the work of healing our wounds and intentionally transform our Sunday Services, and our mission and our purpose, to that of Spiritual Growth, to the Sacred embodied. Amen.

UPDATE: January 2019:

In this video, members of the Navajo Nation say that they are not offended by cultural appropriation.  They feel:  “It is unfortunate that we live in a culture where outrage has become a recreational pastime….it hurts cross-cultural relationships, it hinders us helping to understand each other.” (4:03 minute mark)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JC58UYeaBs

(Note: This is not an endorsement of The VUU. View The VUU with caution. Sometimes it is wonderful, other times it does not live in to content/context that resembles any kind of Love).

the mystic is…

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The mystic
—that is, the person who is ripe with this love consciousness that’s born in the night—
is not more holy but is granted a greater realization of the infinite holiness of the simplest of things.
– Richard Rohr