First of all, my apologies for not posting in a bit.  The interruption began as planning for the big Youth Group service trip to New Orleans began to pick up (after our intern minister, Christian Schmidt became a […]

As many of you know, one of my favorite blogs is On Being Both by Susan Katz Miller.  In her writings, Katz Miller discusses life within an interfaith family, something familiar to many First Parish members.  This […]

From this week’s RE Newsletter:

Teaching is a selfish act. Yes, you read that correctly. Teaching is a selfish act.

I was just thinking about this very thing yesterday while leading a discussion with […]

I want to introduce all of you to Dr. Eboo Patel.  His book, Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation, is the Unitarian Universalist Association’s 2011-2012 Common […]

This past week I attended a two-day retreat with a number of my DRE colleagues from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.  We met to discuss best practices and to learn from some leaders in our profession […]

Less than a lifetime ago, in 1920, women finally secured the vote in the United States after a long and difficult battle.  Many of those most active in the move for women’s suffrage were, not surprisingly, […]

Maria Mitchell of Nantucket, Massachusetts
(1818-1889)
Maria Mitchell was born as one of 10 children into the Quaker family of William Mitchell and Lydia Coleman Mitchell on Nantucket Island, off the coast of […]

I wanted to share this guided meditation with you all.  Whether you read it silently to yourself, or you choose to share it with family or friends – perhaps as opening words at a meeting or group – I hope you […]

Chances are pretty good that your children will study Black History and Culture this month in school and church.  They’ll learn about the contributions of famous African-Americans, the trials of slavery, and the […]

The senior youth group at the First Unitiarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn, New York led an educational service project focusing on the Standing on the Side of Love campaign.  After teaching the […]

Did you know that the week of February 13th is Random Acts of Kindness Week? Or that February 17th is Random Acts of Kindness Day?

I know, it seems like we live in a world in which every day, week, and month […]

Frances (Watkins) Harper of Baltimore, MD (1825-1911)
Frances Harper was an African-American poet, writer, and political activist who worked hard to abolish slavery and promote full suffrage for all regardless of […]

At my home, Black History Month serves as a reminder to me and my spouse to take particular stock of the presence of African-American cultural representation in our household.  As two white men, raising a child […]

We’ve all learned the three RE’s of environmentalism by now – reduce, reuse and recycle – and we strive to do our bit at home and work to lesson our own carbon footprint.  As parents, we also try to pass along […]