Thursday, 09 September 2010, 12:05 am PDT
Unitarian Universalism: The Institution of Spiritual Freedom
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Featured Ministers
Passing Thought about Star Trek
I wasn't watching a lot of television in 1966, so I missed out that day, this day, in that year, when Star Trek made its debut. Later, I would be a fan, if not of the ferocious sort. I'm glad for... [read more]
Monkey Mind
Letters from UU ministers in SF Chronicle
Two letters from Unitarian Universalist ministers in today’s San Francisco Chronicle speak out against anti-Muslim acts, including the tiny-but-nasty Florida church which plans to burn copies... [read more]
Yet Another Unitarian Universalist
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Welcome Visitors!
Greetings! Welcome to Rev Thom. Here I post sermons and blog for the church that I serve, the Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church in Overland Park, Kansas. A special welcome to everyon... [read more]
RevThom
river, not rock
"Unitarian Universalism is not a rock to hold onto. It is a river to swim in. If you want a set of beliefs to hold onto, if you want rules to guide your life in all situations, if you want a... [read more]
the yes church
El Ten Eleven
As most readers of this blog know, by profession I am a jazz musician and this fact is worth keeping in mind as you read what you find in other posts on this site - I've may have ended up (by some... [read more]
Caute
Don’t We Ever Stop?
“But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your to... [read more]
Sunflower Chalice
Ten Steps in Becoming a Safe Congregation
This webinar highlighted 10 steps for congregations to consider in becoming a Safe Congregation, including information on safety and liability policies for religious education programs, as well as ... [read more]
Phil’s Little Blog on the Prairie
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The Overloaded Liberal
Video presented before the sermon, from a TV show called “The Goode Family”: “You might be an overloaded liberal if … you hide the snack you brought to the playground for your five-... [read more]
Thousand Voices
What Should We Do? Spiritual Practices for Discernment and Decision-Making
I planned today's sermon to create an opportunity for people to rest and reflect during this Labor Day weekend, and to start framing a conversation in my congregation about the future of our music... [read more]
Drink from the Stream
President Obama, Theodore Parker, M. L. King Jr. and God
ON September 2nd Melissa Block of NPR’s All Things Considered said, “Yesterday on the program, we talked about the new rug that’s part of the makeover of the Oval Office. Woven around the... [read more]
Rev. Thomas Perchlik
Admitting to God, to ourselves...
and to another person the exact nature of our wrongs is something a lot of folks think is unwise, probably unnecessary, and too guilt-ridden to be an effective way of dealing with errors we've mad... [read more]
Ms. Kitty’s Saloon and Road Show
Theodore Parker on NPR
Last night there was a piece on NPR discussing Theodore Parker’s rhetorical influence on Martin Luther King, Jr. Parker’s bicentennial is this year. I plan to do at least a sermon on h... [read more]
The Latest Form of Infidelity
A Salute to Chaplain Dale Goetz, KIA
It has happened many times, where a fellow UU or a ministerial colleague takes me aside and asks me if this military chaplaincy “thing” is really something I want to do. When I explore it with ... [read more]
Celestial Lands
The Miracle and The Mission and More
http://turleyok. blogspot. com/2010/08/yes-miracles-among-ruins-we-did-it. html Thanks for all who supported, donated, prayed, shared. We made a big missional leap today, and even bigger ones are j... [read more]
Planting God Communities
Theodore Parker, radical theologian
IDEAS: 2010 is the bicentennial of the most influential Unitarian minister who ever lived. [read more]
Ideas from UU World
Harry Potter, You-know-who, and Unitarian Universalists
Here is the story for all ages and the homily I delivered on 29 August 2010 to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Tuscaloosa, AL. “Harry Potter: The Boy That Lived” A story for all ... [read more]
A Unitarian Universalist Minister in Mississippi
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Site Moving to Wordpress
This author can now be accessed through http://politywonk. wordpress. com. At some point, when I figure out how, I will move some of these old posts over there. Right now, there's just a tho... [read more]
PolityWonk
Examining Different Sides of the Park51 issue
Have a look at the official web site of the Park 51 Cordoba Project and read their FAQ about the project along with their responses to the controversy. The Unitarian Universalist Association and t... [read more]
timesunion.com
Singing The Journey
Singing The Journey Rev. Dr. Michael Tino Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Westchester – August 22, 2010 © 2010 Michael James Tino This week’s service departed f... [read more]
The Arc of the Universe
The Myth of The One
Rev Wik has been on hiatus for a while. I've been on one of those metaphoric motorcycle trips into the back country, ridiing the blue highways of my soul trying to figure a few things out. I... [read more]
A Minister’s Musings
#47 Men, please get as mad as hell!
When women have gotten the right to vote or to divorce or to inherit property or to have legal protection from rape, it’s because men have agreed to change the law of the land. A few forward-t... [read more]
The Naked Theologian: stripped-down theology
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Odds & Ends
La Shana Tova -- Rosh Hashanah 2010
The Days of Awe begin with us tonight. May the next ten days be days of reflection, introspection, and peace. May we prepare ourselves for the changes in the year to come. May it be a good year. Ma... [read more]
Sexuality and Religion: What’s the Connection?
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Life is indeed good!
How could it not be when you're lounging around all day in your blue fuzzy with your kittehs in the pockets? Just had to share this with all of you. I Can Has Cheezburger brings a smile to my fac... [read more]
Educated & Poor
Saints and Poets and Friday Night Lights
Emily: . .. Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it -- every, every minute? Stage Manager: No -- Saints and poets maybe -- they do some. It is Friday night. You'll hav... [read more]
The Journey
What's Your Real Religion?
Take the Test
UU News
PUBLICATION SCHEDULE: LOOK FOR THE NEXT NEW POSTINGS ON RELIGION CLAUSE ON SUNDAY MORNING
Religion Clause
Courtney E. Martin on How to Make the World a Better Place
Courtney E. Martin explains why her generation is a lot more engaged than the media would have you think. [read more]
Beacon Broadside
The Honey Springs congregation confronts its ant problem
SPIRIT: Conflict resolution in a congregation not unlike yours. [read more]
Spirit from UU World
UU congregations work for immigrant justice
NEWS: Unitarian Universalists find many ways to help immigrants. [read more]
News from UU World
Choirs bring a 'heart connection'
LIFE: Unitarian Universalist church choirs strengthen community, deepen personal spirituality. [read more]
Life from UU World
Featured Podcasts
The Kingdom of God is within you
The Kingdom of God is within you -- Sermon delivered by Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae September 5, 2010 [listen to the episode]
First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco Podcast
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How Much for We? How Much for Thee and We?, Dane Smith, September 5, 2010
Unity Church-Unitarian of Saint Paul, MN
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When the Mud Settles, the Water Clears
The file for this sermon has been uploaded a second time. There were complaints about the audio skipping in the first file that was published. [listen to the episode]
TVUUC iSermons
Living Whole in a Fragmented World
Chris: It’s hard to be our whole selves. It’s hard to fully inhabit these lives, to forge authentic selfhood, to be the fullness of who we are. We live in a world which is all too happ... [listen to the episode]
UU Church of Berkeley
What We (UUs) Should Know about African-American Humanists and Why It Should Matter by Dr. Christopher Bell
July 18th -- Humanism is a philosophy that usually rejects supernaturalism and is centered on human dignity, interests, and values. Does this sound familiar? This sermon was given at Davies Memoria... [listen to the episode]
DMUUC Message
"In Persuit of Pleasure"
Sermons from First Unitarian Society of Madison
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A Patent of the Heart
Sunday Morning Worship at All Souls
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"The Beginning of All Things" - May 16, 2010
This final component of our many-part sermon series on creation stories will focus on the Big Bang, looking at the scientific wonder behind the origins of the universe, and at all the things we do ... [listen to the episode]
Bull Run Unitarian Universalists
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Graduation Homily
Sunday Morning Worship at All Souls
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The Summer of Our Content
Sunday Morning Worship at All Souls
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Featured Blog Posts
Wesleyan Quadrilateral Fixed: Part Two
Last week I talked about my problems with the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. This week I propose a revision that I hope Unitarian Universalists (and others) will find more helpful. Super cool graphic to... [read more]
Making Chutney
I'm shocked- SHOCKED!
The Dove World Outreach Center- the church where Dr. Terry Jones will burn a couple hundred Korans Saturday- admires another small, notorious church. They have even done joint protests together. Ca... [read more]
Cuumbaya
I made a page for Facebook
Facebookers, I hope you'll like this: Read the Qur'an in public on 9/11 to support religious freedom. And please don't hesitate to offer suggestions for improving the page. [read more]
it’s all one thing
Just for Fun
You saw the video version, now here's the multitrack recorder version which inspired it all! [read more]
Comrade Kevin’s Chrestomathy
Psychic Services and the Law: Mary K. Greer
Last week Time Magazine featured an article on a wave of new regulations across the country on businesses that provide divinatory and psychic services. It lead with a particularly oppressive exampl... [read more]
The Wild Hunt
Today’s Almanac—September 8, 2010
The original cast of Star Trek in their pajamas and ready to “boldly go where no man has gone before. ”For many today is a red letter holy day. And I’m not talking about Je... [read more]
Heretic, Rebel, a Thing to Flout
learn to do well...
The focus of this year's Bible Study at our church will be the Prophets. For me, one of the most powerful moments in the Bible is the calling of Isaiah. This account from the Sept. 1... [read more]
Boston Unitarian
A real, live $100 laptop
A few years ago, the so-called $100 laptop was the buzz of technology and development community: some favorable, others not. The idea was that a small laptop could be deployed to help the world... [read more]
Boy in the Bands
Still here
Even though my blogging has slowed from a trickle to little, rare droplets, I still write posts in my head and long to reenter blogging both to have a place to work out my own thoughts and to rejoi... [read more]
Elizabeth’s Little Blog
Petraeus Condemns U.S. Church's Plan to Burn Qurans
American's have rights to do many things, but demonstrations have consequences and if one of those consequences endangers the United State's effort in war, then I'd sure look for a law to send t... [read more]
Pfarrer Streccius
Some Thoughts on the Evolution of Consciousness
Fundamental to who I am and what I write about is my belief in the inexorable (or perhaps even irresistible) development of human consciousness from what I would call a “less evolved” to a “m... [read more]
Lefty Parent- Living and Parenting Without The Rule Book
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A long and winding road to “The Point”
So, in my last post, I pointed to three different posts and asked if there was anyone who could help me see the connection between those three stories–or at least help me articulate them. I u... [read more]
uuMomma
What is essential to religion?
Tim Crane (who is an atheist but not militantly anti-religion) writes in the New York Times that "it is absolutely essential to religions that they make certain factual or historical claims,... [read more]
Find and Ye Shall Seek
UUA Children's website?
Does anyone know if there is a childrens/tween/young adult area on the UUA website? I didn't immediately see one. If there isn't one, who do you contact to encourage them to develop an area dedic... [read more]
Everyday Unitarian
UUA General Assembly surpasses its green goals
A report from the Minneapolis Convention Center—the site of this summer’s UUA General Assembly—highlights GA’s successful environmental initiatives. No waste from the five-day conve... [read more]
General Assembly Blog
Skinny Night Bear: A Children’s Story about Fear and Imagination
When I was a kid, I was afraid of the dark, though I wasn’t afraid of just anything in the dark; I was afraid of the Skinny Night Bear. Perhaps you haven’t heard of the Skinny Night Bear. My ... [read more]
Deity and Its Double
I need to be more intentional about being a role model.
I first need to get over some hang-ups I have with that term, “role model. ” I’ve hated the term for as long as I can remember. When I was in high school, for example, the one question I... [read more]
Spirituality and Sunflowers
Is Asking A Question Judgement? or Is It Time To Bury Sunday School pt.13
I deliberately didn’t say whether or not I have participated in an OWL program. That was not the purpose of the post. The purpose of the post was to ask the question of whether sexuality e... [read more]
east of midnight
Spirituality and the Humanist
This is the text of a sermon I gave at my home church, First Parish in Bedford, Massachusetts, on August 15. This talk comes out of a lunch I had with one of our congregation's more outspoken H... [read more]
Free and Responsible Search
Livin' this Life...
"Why do you live? " is the question Lord Voldemort asks Harry Potter in the trailer for HP & the Deathly Hallows, part 1. Harry replies, "Because I have something worth l... [read more]
Earthbound Spirit
Excerpts from "Companions for the Journey"
At All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Shreveport, we have a recurring sermon series where members share the journey that led them to All Souls and why the continue to stay. On 25 July 2010,... [read more]