Category: Minister’s Blog

Good Beginnings

Have you ever tried to learn how to crochet? Crochet projects always look like something anyone can do (and I’m sure that’s true, given enough experience and patience!). I started learning how to crochet many years ago when I was trying to branch out … read more.

A Recipe for Resilience

Beloved St. Johners,

A friend of mine from seminary wrote the following piece. It made me think of you, a congregation I love and find to be incredibly resilient. 

A Recipe for Resilience by Rev. Margaret Weis

This recipe has been tweaked over time, … read more.

“Because,” a poem

St. John’s, I’d like to share this poem with you.

“Because” By Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

So I can’t save the world—
can’t save even myself,
can’t wrap my arms around
every frightened child, can’t
foster peace among nations,
can’t bring love to all who
feel unlovable.
So I practice opening my … read more.

Belonging to each other

Beloved St. Johners, 

In 2020, shortly after the killing of George Floyd, country music artist Garth Brooks released a song, We Belong to Each Other. Here are the lyrics: 

———–

Ain’t no wall can divide us, no matter how high
Ain’t no storm can untie … read more.

Joy and other Emotions

Have you seen the 2015 animated film “Inside Out” or the sequel that came out last year? It’s a journey into the mind of an adolescent child, Riley. The main characters are Riley’s emotions: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear (plus a few new ones … read more.

Collective Storytelling

As some of you know, I love playing games. I am especially fond of games that involve group storytelling. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, I put out a call to my clergy colleagues to see if others might be interested in forming a weekly … read more.

Interdependence, our April theme

If you ask a handful of Unitarian Universalists about the seven principles that have guided our Association of Congregations since 1985, I suspect many wouldn’t be able to list all of them.  But I’m certain that you’d hear these two:

1st Principle
We affirm and promote the … read more.

September brings a sabbatical

Dear Church, 

August is here and autumn is around the corner. At St. John’s, fall often comes with an upsurge in energy around church programs and activities. Our yearly in-gathering service of water communion is coming up on August 21st. From there we nearly … read more.