Based on “A Calabash of Poi,” originally published in In the Path of the Trade Winds by Coral Wells Thorpe (New York/London: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1924). It was a sizable house, as Hawaiian houses go, perhaps fifty feet long, its side thatched with ti-leaves—a sign of rank. Its only window, about a…

Kamal was excited. His best friend Abby’s birthday was today. In the kitchen, Kamal found his mother, Sherry, drinking her morning cup of coffee out of the mug he had given her for Mother’s Day. He said, “Good morning, Mom….

Today we will hear about two girls from long ago, who both had the last name of Brown. As you hear the story, see if you can notice other things they had in common, besides a name. Let’s go back in time together, about 200 years, to meet Antoinette Brown….

Abby always liked school, but she was especially excited about today. Her class had earned a reward: a game day! Their teacher, Dr. Liu, promised they could spend most of the day playing games. Abby’s best friend, Kamal, hoped they would play his favorite board game. Abby hoped they would play…

From the Hebrew Scriptures, 1 Samuel 1:10-17, 20, New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Hannah was a very religious woman. She spent her days praying and trying to serve God by being a good woman and good wife. She wanted to be a good mother, too, but she did not have children. This made her…

An adaptation of a traditional story, retold by Doug Lipman, used with permission. Some students of the Rabbi Baal Shem Tov came to him one day with a question. “Every year we travel here to learn from you. Nothing could make us stop doing that. But we have learned of a man in our own town who…

Jesus had not been speaking long—at least so it had seemed with all who were there, yet the day was now almost wholly spent. As the afternoon shadows crept over the hillside the air had begun to chill….

Mark 6: 34-44 from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a…

One day in Alabama, in 1968, as farmers worked in their fields, a small airplane swooped into view. The farmers looked up wonderingly as papers fluttered out of the plane, into the sky and came swirling down to earth all around them. The papers were flyers about the upcoming elections—flyers with…

The existence of a snowflake is a journey — like your life, which is a journey, too. It starts in a cloud. Clouds carry drops of water vapor. Clouds also contain tiny particles of dust. Drops of the water vapor cling to the dust particles. When conditions are cold enough, the water freezes into…

Beautiful Signs, A Treasury of Islamic Wisdom for Children and Parents by Sarah Conover and Freda Crane (Boston: Skinner House, 2010). All rights reserved. Available through inSpirit: The UU Book and Gift Shop….

Based on a Santerian story. Special thanks to Lesley Murdoch for her insights to Afro-Caribbean religions. The Orisha are gods that came originally from Nigeria, in West Africa, as part of the Yoruba religion….

From The Power of Now (Novato: New World Library, 2004). A beggar had been sitting by the side of a road for over thirty years. One day a stranger walked by. “Spare some change?” mumbled the beggar, mechanically holding out his old baseball cap. “I have nothing to give you,” said the stranger….

Inspired by the ancient epic poem, “The Conference of the Birds,” by the Persian Sufi Muslim writer Fariduddin Attar. Once upon a time, all the birds in the land decided they needed a leader for their community. A leader, they thought, would make their community stronger….

Adapted from Jesus, The Carpenter’s Son (Boston: Beacon Press, 1945). Jesus was a great teacher long, long ago who preached God’s love. Jesus taught that we should care for the poor and forgive people who hurt us. In his lifetime, Jesus influenced many people to love one another as they loved God.

At breakfast on Sunday, Kamal’s mother reminded him that today it was their turn to be greeters at their congregation. Normally, Kamal loved greeting all the members and visitors who entered the building at his Unitarian Universalist congregation….

Ricardo and his grandparents arrived at Camp Taylor for the congregation’s weekend retreat. This was Ricardo’s third year at the retreat and he had been looking forward to this weekend for months. He helped bring the bags to their cabin….