This Sunday we’ll be hearing from Paisha Thomas, our Justice and Equity Student Minister, as she reflects upon Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” While there have been many cultural and social and political changes since the writing of that letter, we seem to have unfortunately cycled back to some of his … Continue reading Friday News – Jan 16, 2026

Happy Friday! I was talking to my therapist about all of the ways I’m hoping to work on myself in 2026, and she offered a suggestion: instead of focusing on the traditional New Year Resolutions, what if I focused on setting 2026 intentions? Instead of saying “I will go to the gym three days a … Continue reading Friday News – January 9, 2026

Happy Friday and Happy New Year! Winter As Crucible Fluffy snow falls thickly in a coniferous forest. The changes that take place in winter are a kind of alchemy, an enchantment performed by ordinary creatures to survive… Plants and animals don’t fight the winter; they don’t pretend it’s not happening and attempt to carry on … Continue reading Friday News – January 2, 2026

I supposed you could say we had an early white Christmas! While beautiful, the snow combined with the frigid temperatures meant it was unsafe for participants and attendees to hold our Lessons and Carols service last Sunday. But never fear, we still have the holiday spirit at First UU! The cookie sale and gift wrapping … Continue reading Friday News – Dec. 19, 2025

This Sunday will be a special holiday treat for music lovers! The service will be a “Lessons and Carols” service with a UU spin! Unlike traditional Christian lessons and carols, this one will feature readings about all the holiday traditions, and different readers for each, as well as our fabulous choirs doing amazing holiday music. … Continue reading Friday News – Dec 12, 2025

It is an annual tradition of mine to spend time with friends in Harrisburg, PA – going on over 10 years with the exception of covid times. We’re baking enthusiasts and this year we were planning on trying a Basque cheesecake (yum!) So when I realized the cold I was nursing meant I wouldn’t be … Continue reading Friday News – December 5, 2025

Happy Wednesday! I’m someone who actually enjoys myths being busted! I’ve been watching the “American Revolution” series by Ken Burns and appreciate all the ways in which it peels away the romantic veneer and invites us into a far more complex story which has as much focus on native peoples and African Americans as it does … Continue reading Friday News – Thanksgiving

I want to share with you this meditation on “centering down,” written by the great mystic Howard Thurman in his book, Meditations of the Heart. Today’s youth have a saying, “touch grass” which is usually geared toward someone who gets overly caught up in an online debate and needs to disconnect from the internet and … Continue reading Friday News – Nov. 21, 2025