We hear the phrase “civil unrest” all the time. But, we don’t hear anyone talking about “civil rest”. Join me on this Labor Day Weekend to explore what civil rest might look like, aside from the obvious. How can the following words and phrases help us in our quest to be civil: right-to-work; unions; the … Continue reading Online Service – Civil Rest

How long do past revolutions stay relevant to our lives, to the revolutions happening in our lifetimes? Not all revolutions are equal. That is, we might not have much in common with every single revolution that ever happened in human history. In addition to whether or not they were successful, their relevance to our time … Continue reading Online Service – The Relevancy of Revolution

The writing i refer to in the title is not actually on the wall. The words are on a banner that is now hung on the front wall/side of San Gabriel Unitarian Universalist Fellowship’s (SGUUF) building. What is your reaction when you read those words? Have you read them? Carefully? Would you put your life … Continue reading Online Service – The Writing on the Wall

We hear a lot about the window of opportunity that exists right now — the one that opened up when George Floyd was murdered. But, how wide open is the window? How big is this window, anyway? And, how long is it going to stay open? This week will be the third in my series … Continue reading Online Service – How Wide? How Long?

Two weeks ago, I talked about sustainability, the first of three reflections on that subject. As I was considering what sustains me in this journey through life, I realized — with a “Duh!” — that religion might maybe sustain me. Notice the hedging! I was not prepared to say, without qualification, that religion sustains me. … Continue reading Online Service – Religion: Why Bother? – Take Two, If Not Religion, What Then?

Two weeks ago, I talked about sustainability, the first of three reflections on that subject. As I was considering what sustains me in this journey through life, I realized — with a “Duh!” — that religion might maybe sustain me. Notice the hedging! I was not prepared to say, without qualification, that religion sustains me. … Continue reading Online Service – Religion: Why Bother?

This week’s service is Part I in what will be a series of reflections on the topic of sustainability, leading to, I hope, a greater understanding by all of us about how to practice sustainability in different areas of our lives. I want to begin with individual, personal sustainability. That is, what sustains you? What … Continue reading Online Service – The Art of Sustainability

Looking at that title, you may think that I have my holidays mixed up! I do know that this coming Saturday is the Fourth of July, not New Year’s Day. I have not “celebrated” the Fourth of July for many years; I can barely bring myself to acknowledge it. However, every day is the beginning … Continue reading Online Service – Happy New Year

What is leadership? Can it be learned or is it something we are born with? Both may be true. The word leadership is difficult to define. Like that well-known answer to the question, “What is pornography?”, you know it when you see it. Or, more accurately, in this case, when you don’t see it. Similar … Continue reading Online Service – You, Me, Them

The word “grace” is one of the most difficult words in the English language to define, I think. Understanding how the concept of grace under pressure might be useful to us in our daily lives is equally challenging. Grace implies many things, including beauty, mercy, forgiveness, gratitude, kindness, compassion. Yet even listing some of the … Continue reading Online Service – Grace Under Pressure