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When we are engaged in acts of love, we humans are at our best and most resilient… If the goal was to increase the love, rather than winning or dominating a constant opponent, I think we could actually imagine liberation from constant oppression.Reading | By Adrienne Maree Brown | April 19, 2024 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Community, Freedom, Leadership, Love, Oppression, Wisdom, WorshipWeb, Worship -
“[Democracy] is not merely majority rule based on the fact that the majority has the physical force to prevail…"Quote | By W.E.B. Du Bois | February 20, 2024 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 5th Principle (Conscience & Democracy), America, Covenant, Democracy, Governance, Interdependence, Leadership, Politics, Rights, WorshipWeb, Worship -
Just as I can believe in others, I also believe in me.Reflection | By Vanessa Titang | January 10, 2024 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: Activism, Direct Experience, Discernment, Doubt, Humanism, Identity, Leadership, Ministry, Self-Respect, Worship -
Is a calling a feeling of joy, of completeness in your work?Reading | By Megan Foley | May 22, 2023 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Calling, Direct Experience, Leadership, Ordinations, Unitarian Universalism, WorshipWeb, Worship -
Discomfort /in the name of holy wholeness / Bring all of ourselves / in the name of holy, of wholenessPoetry | By Kiakiali Bordner | May 23, 2022 | From WorshipWebTagged as: #BlackLivesMatter, 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), Activism, Anti-Oppression, Direct Experience, Justice, Leadership, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Purpose, Race/Ethnicity, Solidarity, WorshipWeb, Worship -
None of us are mission-making machines.Reflection | By Susan Maginn | May 18, 2022 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: Compassion, Direct Experience, Humanism, Leadership, Military, Ministry, Secular, Vulnerability, Worship -
Why do we so readily hand over what's priceless for a meager sum of money—or a major sum, for that matter?Reading | By Jill Duffield | March 5, 2021 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Character, Christianity, Ethics, Integrity, Leadership, Lent, Money, WorshipWeb, Worship -
In this community, we hold hope close. We don’t always know what comes next, but that cannot dissuade us. We don’t always know just what to do, but that will not mean that we are lost in the wilderness. We rely on the certainty beneath, the foundation of our values and ethics. —Rev. Theresa I.Reflection | By Erika Hewitt | March 11, 2020 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: #COVID19, 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Caring, Community, Direct Experience, Disaster or Crisis, Fear, Humanism, Interdependence, Leadership, Relationships, Responsibility, Secular -
In honor of the risk takers, those that hold the vision with clarity and charge forward with optimism even in the face of others doubts. You are our lamp lighters and our guides; may we never forget the courage it takes to lead the way forward. In honor of the cautious skeptics, those that gather...Affirmation | By Amanda Schuber | December 18, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Acceptance, Community, Direct Experience, Diversity, Interdependence, Journey, Leadership, Responsibility, Unitarian Universalism -
When we can gently hold things steady, change comes from within; that’s where the real growth happens.Reflection | By Alix Klingenberg | May 15, 2019 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Change, Community, Direct Experience, Growth, Humanism, Integrity, Leadership, Secular, Trust -
Humans make maps of stars, choosing some stars, ignoring others, to project our imaginations onto the heavens. These maps shift over time, across cultures. Names change for the same assemblage of bright points: Drinking Gourd, Big Dipper, Plough, Lost Hunters [1], Saptarishi [2]. Humans make...Affirmation | By Karen G. Johnston | December 6, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Commitment, Community, Earth, Earth-Centered, Imagination, Leadership, Meaning, Nature, Stewardship, Wonder -
Someone whispered to me, “Can you pray?” I had no earthly clue what to say. It was a profound gut-level panic. It was the moment I learned to speak the truth as best I understand it, and to hold space for it to bloom.Reflection | By Lisa Bovee-Kemper | October 25, 2017 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Direct Experience, Humanism, Identity, Leadership, Ministry, Presence, Purpose, Secular, Self-Respect, Unitarian Universalism -
Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson, is a novel that takes the form of a letter or journal that a dying, elderly Congregationalist minister in Gilead, Iowa, writes to his 7-year old son in 1956 – written so that one day the boy will know something about his father’s life and character. In this passage...Reading | By Marilynne Robinson | March 10, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), Animal Blessing, Animals, Awe, Calling, Christianity, Faith, Leadership, Ministry, Ordinations, Power, Sacred, Unitarian Universalism, Wonder -
There are two questions that [a person] must ask [themselves]. The first is "Where am I going?" and the second is "Who will go with me?" If you ever get these questions in the wrong order, you are in trouble. source: Fire in the Belly by Sam Keen, p. 12.Quote | By Howard Thurman | January 3, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Compromise, Direct Experience, Discernment, Ethics, Humanism, Interdependence, Journey, Leadership, Listening, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Purpose, Secular, Unity, Vision -
Fertility in social movements and among people is not something we control. We cannot make new life like we make plans or money. It's hard to be fertile when we are not grounded. Fertility is about making new life that becomes self-determining: that does not belong to us. If we drain ourselves as...Reading | By Caitlin Breedlove | May 3, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Abundance, Community, Creativity, Direct Experience, Leadership, Unitarian Universalism, Unity -
One day, your church was born. Maybe it was a gathering of saints, called together for the common worship of a wrathful god, ceaselessly praying between bouts of decrying the evil of Christmas or dancing. Or maybe a few brave souls answered a notice in the newspaper, curiosity piqued by the...Reading | By Sean Neil-Barron | February 26, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 5th Principle (Conscience & Democracy), Building/Space Dedication, Business Meetings, Change, Child Dedication, Community, Creativity, Direct Experience, Generations, Installations, Leadership, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Purpose, Religion, Sacred, Unitarian Universalism, WorshipWeb -
Leader: Today we mark the turning of a season. We mark it with the ritual exchange of flowers. We mark it with the election of new leaders and our annual business meeting. And right now, in this moment, we mark it with celebration of outgoing leaders. [Invite outgoing leaders forward] There is a...Litany | By Cathy Rion Starr | June 19, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Change, Commitment, Ending, Gratitude, Leadership, Letting Go, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Teamwork, Unitarian Universalism
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First Reader: We come to you with our hopes and our fears. Will you lead us in building a welcoming religious community, tolerant and appreciative of our differences, loving and compassionate of heart, courageous and independent in spirit? Ministers: We will....Responsive Reading | By Phyllis L. Hubbell | May 14, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Authority, Commitment, Community, Installations, Leadership, Ministerial Transition, Ministry, Relationships, Responsibility, Service, Trust
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In the struggles we choose for ourselves, in the ways we move forward in our lives and bring our world forward with us, It is right to remember the names of those who gave us strength in this choice of living. It is right to name the power of hard lives well-lived. We share a history with those...Affirmation | By Kathleen McTigue | April 26, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: All Saints Day, All Souls Day, Día de los Muertos, Generations, History, Justice, Leadership, Memorial Services, Ordinations, Progress, Responsibility -
Ministry is a quality of relationship between and among human beings that beckons forth hidden possibilities; inviting people into deeper, more constant, more reverent relationship with the world and with one another; carrying forward a long heritage of hope and liberation that has dignified and...Reading | By Gordon B McKeeman | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Compassion, Healing, Installations, Leadership, Ordinations, Presence, Service, Teacher Dedication, Unitarian Universalism