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Minister recounts harrowing train crash
In a Washington Post article, the Rev. Carol Cissel describes the experience of being on the Amtrak train that derailed on May 12. Though it is not mentioned in the story, Cissel is interim minister at the Unitarian Society of East Brunswick, N.J. (Washington Post – 5.13.15)
Church completes two-year process to go green
First Parish in Bedford, Mass., successfully completed the Unitarian Universalist Association’s lengthy “Green Sanctuary” accreditation program. (The Bedford Minuteman – 5.9.15)
Faith leaders on small towns, women ministers, and more
The Rev. Lisa Mobayed, the recently ordained minister of the Unitarian Church in Walpole, N.H., is profiled in an article about the joys and challenges of leading small-town congregations. (Monadnock Ledger-Transcript – 5.11.15)
An article focusing on women ministers points out the success they have had in UU congregations, particularly pointing to High Street Unitarian Universalist Church in Macon, Ga., which has had more women ministers than men, including the currently installed Rev. Cassandra Howe. (GPB News – 5.11.15)
An opinion piece about faith leaders speaking out on climate change includes quotes from the Rev. Michael Brown, minister of the Universalist Unitarian Church of Peoria, Ill. (Pekin Daily Times - 5.7.15)
Quoted in an article about the struggle some churches are still having with same-sex marriage, the Rev. Sean Parker Dennison, minister of Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Church in McHenry, Ill., says, “When religion is used to hurt other people, that’s really hard. That’s really sad.” (mySuburbanLife.com – 5.7.15)
UUs in the community
People in Corvallis, Ore., are exploring options for housing the communities rapidly growing population of seniors. A group formed by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis is studying senior housing options, with a focus on the concept of aging in place. (Corvallis Gazette-Times – 5.11.15)
The Rev. Pat Jobe, minister of the Greenville, S.C., Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, and Cathy Jaggars, president, attended a community Meet Your Muslim Neighbor event that drew more than 150 participants. (Greenville Online – 5.7.15)
The Rev. Phillip Baber, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Jacksonville, Fla., explains why UU values inspired his congregation to get involved in efforts to educate the public about the Jacksonville Human Rights Ordinance. (HRC Blog – 5.11.15)
Checking in on our old properties
A short real estate piece offers an update on the properties at 6 and 7 Mt. Vernon Place, formerly the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Eliot and Pickett Houses B&B, which were sold in 2014 when the UUA moved its headquarters off of Boston’s Beacon Hill. (Boston.Curbed.com – 5.6.15)