UU ministers on natural disasters and God, and more

UU ministers share thoughts on Haiti, God
The Rev. Roger Butts, pastor of the High Plains Unitarian Universalist Church in Colorado Springs, Colo., weighs in on the Haiti-related question of "why bad things happen in a world supposedly created by a just God." (Colorado Springs Gazette - 1.31.10)

The Rev. Stefanie Etzbach-Dale, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Verdugo Hills in La Crescenta, Calif., answered similar questions about the Haitian earthquake and God. (Valley Sun - 1.28.10)

Judge's ex-girlfriend guilty of stalking
Last week I pointed you to a Washington Post story reporting that D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judge Janet Albert, a member of All Souls Unitarian Church in Washington, D.C., had accused her ex-girlfriend of stalking her. The accused, Taylar Nuevelle, also a member of the church, has now been found guilty of three counts of breaking and entering and burglary. (Washington Post - 1.26.10, 1.3.10)

Also in the media:

Tom Leonard, writing about JD Salinger for the Telegraph, mentions that the only event that the famously reclusive author still appeared to participate in regularly was a monthly turkey dinner at the local UU church. (Telegraph.co.uk - 1.28.10)

The Rev. Sydney Wilde and the Rev. Dennis Daniel, spouses and new coministers of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Chico, Calif., talk about the UU faith. (Enterprise-Record - 1.30.10)

The First Universalist Church in Rockland, Maine, celebrates its certification as a Green Sanctuary. (Bangor Daily News - 1.30.10)

The Unitarian Universalist Meeting House in Provincetown, Mass., hosts the third annual Universal Theatre winter theater festival. (Wicked Local Truro - 1.28.10)

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Woodstock, Ill., officially installed the Rev. James Hobart as its interim minister at a special Service of Transition. (Northwest Herald - 1.31.10)

Home for humanists, Darwin descendent, UUSC leadership changes, and more

Clements to leave the UUSC
Charlie Clements is leaving his position as president of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee to accept a position as executive director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. (Cambridge Chronicle - 1.25.10)

Unitarian Universalism and humanism
Doug Muder (a uuworld.org columnist) writes about Unitarian Universalism's long and intricate relationship with humanism. (The New Humanism - 1.28.10)

Also in the media:

NPR's "Fresh Air" features an interview with Charles Darwin's great-great grandson Randal Keynes, including a brief discussion of Darwin's Unitarianism. You can listen to the interview or read a transcript. (WBUR - 1.21.10)

The Washington Post reports that D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judge Janet Albert, a member of All Souls Unitarian Church in Washington, D.C., has accused her ex-girlfriend of stalking her. The former couple met at a retreat sponsored by their church. (Washington Post - 1.26.10)

St. John's Unitarian Universalist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, held a concert for 13-year-old children's choir member Esme Kenney, who was killed in March 2009. The concert marked Kenney's birthday and raised money for a glass sculpture to be created in her memory. (Cincinnati.com - 1.24.10)

Jennifer Harvilak, who attends the Cedarhurst Unitarian Universalist Church in Finksburg, Md., describes what it means to be pagan. (Carroll County Times - 1.24.10)

A Food for Thought Fundraiser at the Unitarian Fellowship Hall in Nanaimo, British Columbia, raised nearly $400, which was used to buy tickets for 400 meals at the Salvation Army. (Nanaimo Daily News - 1.26.10)

Members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pueblo, Colo., have compiled a cookbook to raise funds to buy textbooks for students in Malawi, Africa. (Pueblo Chieftain - 1.27.10)

The Rev. Tom Capo, minister of the Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, participated in an interfaith prayer service for Haiti. (KCRG - 1.23.10)

The Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, Md., decided not to allow T-Mobile to install a cell phone tower on its property after more than 30 church neighbors expressed concerns about potential health risks and damage to property values. (Business Gazette - 1.27.10)

UUs raise funds for Haiti relief, and more

UUs raise funds for Haiti
First Parish Church in Bedford, Mass., has raised more than $3,000 for Haiti relief efforts. (Bedford Minuteman - 1.20.10)

The First Unitarian Church in Omaha, Nebr., donated all of last Sunday's collection to Haiti relief efforts and will donate half of the church's collections for the remainder of January as well. (Omaha World-Herald - 1.22.10)

The Unitarian Universalist Church in Canton, N.Y., is one of several area churches working to raise funds for Haiti earthquake relief. (WatertownDailyTimes.com - 1.15.10)

The First Unitarian Universalist Church of Wichita, Kans., held a public candlelight vigil for Haiti during which they prayed, spoke, and collected funds for relief work. (text and video) (KAKE - 1.17.10)

See also: UUSC, UUA create Haitian relief fund (uuworld.org - 1.14.10)

Donate to the UUSC/UUA Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund

MLK Day prompts reflection, action
Stephen Sacks, chair of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno's Social Justice Committee, writes that it is important to get past the superficial idea of King the dreamer and remember the man who "was a modern day prophet who gave his life fighting the dehumanizing power structures and status quo in our society." (Fresno Bee - 1.16.10)

In honor of MLK Day, the Rev. Tess Baumberger, minister of the Unity Church (UU) of North Easton, Mass., looks at two seemingly contradictory spiritual acts: bearing wrongs lightly and admonishing the sinner. (Mansfield News - 1.15.10)

Two churches, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Green Hills and Corinthian Baptist Church of North Nashville, Tenn., are working together in the spirit of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to fight racism. (WSMV - 1.17.10)

At the Unitarian Church of Summit, N.J., people read and discussed passages from King’s 1966 Ware lecture to the UUA. (TheAlternativePress.com - 1.20.10)

During a service to commemorate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., people at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Stevens Point, Wisc., read his "I have a dream" speech and wrote pledge cards with their positive intentions. (WAOW - 1.17.10)

Also in the media:

With dropping temperatures maxing out the capacity of the city's main homeless shelter, the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara, Calif., opened its doors to 25 people in need of a place to sleep. (Santa Barbara Independent - 1.20.10)

Knoxville's Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church helped host a public event on the challenges facing gay and lesbian youth and their families. (Knoxville News Sentinel - 1.16.10)

The Los Angeles Conservancy has an online competition going of 20 ecclesiastical structures built in the '60s, including the onion-shaped Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society in North Hills, Calif. (Los Angeles Times - 1.18.10)

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook, N.Y., has one of the few permanent indoor labyrinths in America. (NorthShoreOfLongIsland.com - 1.13.10)

Judy Tough of the Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Port Townsend, Wash., is organizing an interfaith conference to help faith communities learn how to reach out to and be more inclusive of people with mental disorders. (Peninsula Daily - 1.13.10)

UUs celebrate King's legacy, minister nominated for Grammy, and more

Congregations honor Martin Luther King Jr
The Washington Post reports that Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church in Adelphi, Md., is hoping its Martin Luther King Jr. Day service will help with its community outreach and diversity goals. (Washington Post - 1.14.10)

The First Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hunterdon County, N.J., will honor the life and work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by playing his speeches, one each night, during the week of MLK Day. (Hunterdon County Democrat - 1.11.10)

The Rev. Abhi Janamanchi, senior minister of the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater, Fla., hosts the 2010 Interfaith Conference in Clearwater, which will celebrate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's legacy. (Tampabay.com - 1.14.10)

UU minister nominated for Grammy
The Rev. Dan Schatz, minister of the BuxMont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Warrington, Pa., performed on and co-produced the Grammy nominated two-CD set “Singing Through the Hard Times—A Tribute to Utah Phillips.” (Philadelphia Inquirer - 1.4.10)

See also: UU minister nominated for Grammy award (uuworld.org - 12.14.09)

Also in the media:

Linda Bonk, a member of the Skylands Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Hackettstown, N.J., explains why same-sex marriage as a "civil rights issue" brought her to the Statehouse for the first time. (The Star-Ledger - 1.7.10)

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Norwich, Conn., held its annual 12th Night Medieval Feast with the United Congregational Church. (Norwich Bulletin - 1.10.10)

All Souls Unitarian Universalist Congregation in New London, Ct., marked its 100th anniversary with a liturgy and concert of music from the year it opened. (TheDay.com - 1.11.10)

The First Unitarian Church of Oakland, Calif., hosted a rededication and renovation celebration for its historic building. (Oakland Tribune - 1.10.10)

A play with music by Mary Lou Prince, music director at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Green Valley, Az., recounts the courage and kindness of one immigrant. (Green Valley News - 1.112.10)