A journalist was planning a visit to Japan. It would be his first visit, and he was a little anxious because he couldn’t speak Japanese. How would he communicate with the people he came in contact with? Since most taxi drivers do not speak English, someone suggested that it might be a good idea to carry with him something bearing the name…

A friend of mine tells the story of making his first trip south of the Mason-Dixon Line from Chicago to Georgia. On his first morning in the South he went into a restaurant to order breakfast, and it seemed that every dish included something called grits…which, as my Texas friends tell me, is exactly the way God intended it. Not being familiar…

We celebrate International Peace Day today, which actually occurs September 21st ; we put out our now traditional “Pinwheels for Peace” organized by our Director of Religious Education, Halcyon Domanski. Usually when we talk about Peace, we talk about politics; how you can avoid that? We talk about war and violence, but it always seems so far away, so removed from us…

Wedding Vows or Miranda’s Rights? A woman reported that she was watching her 5-year-old granddaughter play with her dolls. At one point, she “staged” a wedding, first playing the role of the bride’s mother who assigned specific duties, then suddenly becoming the bride with her “teddy bear” groom. She picked him up and said to the “minister” presiding over the wedding, “Now…

Nan-in, A Japanese master at the turn of the 20th century, received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from … harming living beings. taking things not freely given. sexual misconduct. false speech. intoxicating drinks and drugs causing heedlessness. taking untimely meals. dancing, singing, music and watching grotesque mime. use of garlands,…

Theologian Mark Twain said: “I don’t like to commit myself about heaven and hell – you see, I have friends in both places.” Winston Churchill: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” George Carlin: “I’m not concerned about all hell breaking loose, but that a PART of hell will break loose… it’ll be much harder to detect.” Robert Frost: “I hold it…

Last Sunday I told you about what happened at General Assembly, our annual denominational meeting of over 4000 people from all over the country. Today I want to talk about what I was inspired by, what I learned, what my heart heard. It is simply this; at the heart of all religion is the feeling of compassionate connection, more than interdependence, it…

I am what is known as a “GA Junkie,” someone who loves to attend our annual denomination wide General Assemblies; OK, even more than that; we GA Junkies need our annual “Fix” of the gathering of thousands of UUs which merge into a very large, but still loving beloved community, which only exists for less than a week, and then is gone.…

“The place of the father in the modern suburban family,” wrote Bertrand Russell, “is a very small one, particularly if he plays golf.” And a small boy once defined Fathers’ Day; “It’s just like Mother’s Day only you don’t spend so much.” Actually, of course, Father’s Day is very different from Mother’s Day because of course, fathers are very different than mothers.…