Springtime and Easter can be a time of celebrating the newness that the season brings. It can also be a struggle for some. For so long, I have had a tendency to silently cringe at the violent imagery of the crucifixion. I grew up in a world where I was supposed to believe that this … Continue reading Friday News – April 3, 2026

This Sunday, we’re going to explore the spiritual practice of paying attention to the little, often unseen, everyday moments in our lives. Poet Devin Kelly writes, “our attention is a gift because it reminds us, every waking second, that we are in the presence of so many somethings that exist without our permission and to … Continue reading Friday News – March 27, 2026

Spring flowers are blooming, and lots of special activities are coming into season at First UU! I hope that you will plan to join me for a joyful and colorful special service this week – where we will celebrate the power of our shared values and work together to make a difference! Working for justice … Continue reading Friday News – March 20, 2026

It can often feel like we are surrounded by problems that we cannot possibly fix. Problems big (like an inexplicable war or systemic oppression) or problems small(er) (like how to find funding for what’s important to us.) We UUs are typically skilled and capable people so it can be wildly frustrating to feel like we … Continue reading Friday News – March 13, 2026

This Sunday we will engage in a time honored clergy practice: a pulpit exchange! I’m so thrilled that Rev. Dr. Susan Ritchie will be with you to share her experiences in participating in the Minneapolis call to protest. Many of you remember her from her time as both an intern and an Assistant Minister here … Continue reading Friday News – March 6, 2026

Dear friends, As the growing sunlight points towards spring, our hearts begin to thaw, and the earth grows ready for the quiet stirrings and re-emergence of plants and other living things. These hints of newness remind me that we are all connected, and renew the promise of achieving greater things together than we may apart. … Continue reading Friday News – Feb. 27, 2026

I often talk about the need for us to take care of our spirits in stressful times. But I also hear you tell me you’re not quite sure how to do that. While meditation or other spiritual practices are useful, it can feel hard to find the time to engage in them. The service this … Continue reading Friday News – Feb. 20, 2026

Last Sunday’s Gospel Service was incredibly moving and inspirational to me. One of the things that struck me was how joy is intrinsic to how the soul can sustain itself in the midst of terrible challenges. This Sunday I’ll be talking about good news in a similar vein: Even when times are really hard, or … Continue reading Friday News – Feb 13, 2026

Happy Friday! Soul Food originated in the American south, when enslaved West and Central Africans adapted their culinary traditions to the harsh limitations of slavery. They took ‘the worst’ foods they were limited to, (chitlins, pot liquor, ham hocks, collard greens, etc.) and combined them to make something amazing. Food can be deeply uniting, and also … Continue reading Friday News – Feb. 6th, 2026

It seems rather ironic that the title of the service I was going to do last week and will now do this Sunday is “Turned to Stone.” It might as well have been “Turned to Ice!” I am planning to talk about how to deal with the sense of paralysis that overcomes us when faced with … Continue reading Friday News – Jan 30, 2026