June 16, 2020
At a time like this, when we think about recent deaths of UCN members (Darlene Lochbihler on May 26th and Ed Friedrichs on May 29th)–I find […]
June 12, 2020
Since we celebrated M L King Sunday on January 19th, and we are on the cusp of February (Black History Month), I thought I’d mention a […]
June 12, 2020
You may have noticed that I have begun ending the services I lead at UCN with the words “peace and unrest.” If you were at the […]
June 5, 2020
There is so much happening in our country right now that it’s hard to absorb it all. For one thing, we are dealing with COVID-19–which is […]
June 3, 2020
Many of us, I’m sure, are thinking about the recent death of Darlene Lochbihler. I didn’t know her for as long as many of you, but […]
May 22, 2020
The Jewish philosopher Maimonides (1136-1204) once wrote a Guide for the Perplexed, in which he created a “ladder of charity” with 8 rungs on it: The […]
May 15, 2020
At last Sunday’s virtual Mothers’ Day service, I introduced a new verse to “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” (Julia Ward Howe, who introduced America’s first Mothers […]
May 8, 2020
If you ever visit First Unitarian Church in Chicago (near Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House in the Hyde Park area), you may notice a niche carved […]
May 1, 2020
As we are all sheltering in place during the pandemic, I have noticed some small things, small gifts, that have lifted my spirits a bit: someone […]
April 29, 2020
Share the Plate Recipient for September and October, 2020 In the months that UCN has been closed due to COVID-19, members and friends have been […]
April 23, 2020
One of you responded to my last Parson-to-Person column on children’s mis-hearing of things adults say (“Howard be thy name,” for example, instead of “Hallowed be […]
April 21, 2020
I have always been intrigued by the ways children sometimes mis-hear the words to prayers, songs, and sayings (“Howard be thy name” being a misunderstanding of […]
April 14, 2020
Since we are all still sheltering in place, and since UCN’s pledge drive is still happening, I thought I’d write something about why we give our […]
April 14, 2020
As you read this, you may be in a somewhat hectic state: Hanukkah, Solstice, Christmas, New Year – whatever it is you’re celebrating, and wherever you […]
April 14, 2020
I was thinking recently about Stephen Colbert (who used to host “The Colbert Report” and now hosts “The Late Show”). When he was young, he apparently […]