Listen Now

In this time of Advent, we feel the stirrings of hope below the surface, as in the growing dark we await the return of light to the world. Dedicating children into the care of this congregation, we celebrate the light that glows within.

As we explore the interplay of identities within and among us, we ask: how does each individual find the deep courage to explore the roots and branches of their true identity, and how do we open our hearts to affirm the varied and evolving identities of all?

Witnessing the courageous actions of another, whether they feel it is courageous or not, often inspires bravery in ourselves. Given all the issues we are facing right now in the world, we need a major outbreak of courage to spread and infect us all!

A look at some current research on how prayer, meditation, and other spiritual practices impact our minds.

Freedom is a foundational value in the United States, a well-worn word in politics, and an ideal we seek to create. But how has our rhetoric of freedom undermined its power for our collective understanding. What do we mean when we talk about freedom and liberty in the U.S.?

Each week we affirm a covenant to seek knowledge in freedom. Why is this commitment to knowledge and freedom so foundational for Unitarian Universalists and how are we understanding or misunderstanding religious freedom today?

The Rev. Kathy Baughman is a Chaplain at the Mayo Clinic and UUCP's Affiliate Community Minister. Living a balanced life is probably a myth. We can approximate balance, but it is never steady state. So perhaps we are better served by savoring the brief moments when balance is achieved, knowing imbalance will come again. We may treat ourselves and others more kindly if we think of balance as a process that we will have to continually engage because life is a series of breakdowns that require repair which leads to balance for a time but will shortly need to be redone.

The metaphors we use to understand our experiences actually shape our reality. It is exciting to see the ways that images of fatherhood are changing as that opens up new opportunities and appreciations for fatherhood in all its forms. There is even a place for imagination in creating strong bonds between dads and their children.

Unitarian Universalists come from a long line of heretics, people who dared to question religious teaching. So how do heresy and religious committment go together?