Spring 2012, Vol.XXVI No.1

Features

For love and justice
Unitarian Universalists mobilize in response to laws that tear families apart and abuse immigrants.
By Kimberly French in Life

Congregations as allies
How three Unitarian Universalist congregations are pursuing immigration justice.
By Kimberly French in Ideas

Partners in justice
The UUA's immigrant rights partners in Arizona help communities in peril.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in Ideas

Congregations study, plan for Justice GA
Immigration education, fundraising, and advocacy help UUs prepare for June meeting in Phoenix.
By Donald E. Skinner in News

Departments

Join the immigration conversation
Unitarian Universalists are promoting the rights of undocumented immigrants.
By Christopher L. Walton in From the editor

Religious hospitality
It's not rocket science: Simply smiling and saying hello to visitors would transform our congregations.
By Peter Morales in From the president

A book group for the ages
An Illinois church's intergenerational book club creates connections.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in Life

Disney buys UU's 'Dark Life'
Unitarian Universalist Principles infuse Kat Falls's children's books.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in Life

Flowers for communion
What does your Flower Communion bloom symbolize?
By Sonja L. Cohen in Life

Service is our prayer
Acts of service have spiritual and psychological dimensions, too.
By Molly Howes in Life

NASA honors Nancy Grace Roman, 'Mother of the Hubble'
Featured online in another form:
NASA fellowship named for UU astronomer
Known as “Mother of the Hubble,” Nancy Grace Roman hopes to inspire girls to pursue careers in science.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

A beacon for the questioning
Fellowship's lighthouse motif evokes 'free and responsible search for truth and meaning.'
By Julia Angley in Spiritual landmarks

Zip code: 78521
All Souls UU Church, Brownsville, Texas.
By Christopher L. Walton in Zip code

Occupy paradise
I was willing to be arrested to be part of something beautiful.
By Marcus Liefert in Life

Wandering in the wilderness
Personal feelings of being in the wilderness can help us tap into a collective force that evidences grace.
By Leaf Seligman in Spirit

Nautilus
'Paradoxically simple in its beauty and complex in its engineering.'
By Nancy Norton in Spirit

A candid welcome
Top 10 reasons you may not feel comfortable in a Unitarian Universalist congregation.
By Meg Riley in Ideas

Prayers of desperation
My prayers are prayers of desperation lest I wish ill on the merely irritating.
By Cathleen Deery in Spirit

57th and Broadway at 5:00 pm
The challenge of not relying on recognizable subject matter.
By Marion Jones in Spirit

April wind
Unburden yourself.
By Kendra Ford in Spirit

Me, Jewish?
An odyssey into my family's religious past.
By Lenore Hirsch in Spirit

Woods sentinel
Interpreting the visual treasures that surround us.
By Audrey Kay Dowling in Spirit

Families: Weave a Tapestry of Faith; Animals and Us

Church's welcome video goes viral
Featured online in another form:
Rochester church's rap video goes viral
First Unitarian Church invested 400 hours in Homecoming Sunday video.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Maine church rebuilding after fire
Featured online in another form:
Maine congregation rebuilding after fire
After ceremony to say goodbye to 126-year-old building, church is razed.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

'Tree of Life' blooms in Berkeley
Featured online in another form:
'Tree of Life' mosaic takes root at California church
From broken jewelry, keys, and coffee cups, congregants create eight-foot, collaborative artwork.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Minister aids 'one child at a time'
Featured online in another form:
Community minister helps ‘one child at a time’
The Rev. Donald Robinson lauded for 20 years of youth programs at Beacon House.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Churches not exempt from disability law, UUA says
Featured online in another form:
Churches not exempt from employment discrimination law, UUA says
UUA joins amicus brief in U.S. Supreme Court case to limit use of 'ministerial exception.'
By Elaine McArdle in UU news

Clergy arrested at Occupy Oakland
Featured online in another form:
Bay Area clergy arrested at Occupy Oakland
Unitarian Universalist ministers participated in interfaith vigil as police in riot gear slashed tents.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Board listens at Occupy Boston
Featured online in another form:
UUA Board listens, learns at Occupy Boston
Trustees visit protest site to witness grassroots movement aimed at economic justice.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Utah church becomes Occupy site
Featured online in another form:
Two churches become Occupy sites
Unitarian Universalist Church of Ogden, Utah, loans lawn to protesters; Occupy Grand Rapids camps beside Fountain Street Church.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Phoenix UUs protest against ALEC
Featured online in another form:
Phoenix UUs protest conservative policy conference
American Legislative Exchange Council targeted for promoting Ariz. SB 1070 as model immigration law.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Report catalogs abuse of immigrants at the border
Featured online in another form:
Report catalogs abuse of immigrants at Mexican border
No More Deaths, a ministry of the UU Church of Tucson, finds a ‘Culture of Cruelty’ among Border Patrol.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Board may name one moderator candidate
Featured online in another form:
Board agrees to nominate at least two moderator candidates
At October meeting, trustees draft covenant, plan for Justice GA, discuss ‘scope of the association.’
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Board may name one moderator candidate
Featured online in another form:
Board may nominate only one moderator candidate
Also agrees not to release names of applicants for moderator position.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

'Gathered Here' helps UUs share experiences, hopes
Featured online in another form:
'Gathered Here' helps UUs share experiences, hopes
UUA initiative encourages community conversations to strengthen denomination.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Steward keeps focus on congregations
Featured online in another form:
Meet a trustee: Sarah Stewart
New Hampshire minister says ‘congregational life is where the faith is happening.’
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Teaching inspires Kreicker
Featured online in another form:
Meet a trustee: Graham Kreicker
Volunteer teaching inspires Kansas retiree’s board work.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Sheltering the faith
Brief news items about congregational building programs.
By Julia Angley in UU news

Congregational news
Brief congregational news items from the Spring 2012 issue.
By Julia Angley in UU news

Memories and money boost California camp
Featured online in another form:
Memories and money boost Camp de Benneville Pines
Once feared to be one burst pipe from shutting down, California camp celebrates solvency at its 50th anniversary.
By Cynthia Littleton in UU news

If we don't invest in our youth, others will
Totalitarians put their resources into building youth programs. Pluralists don't.
By Eboo Patel in Ideas

Tucker rescues women's voices from archives
'I wanted to give a voice to all of this experience that has generally been disregarded.'
By Kimberly French in Looking back

Forrest Church's spiritual odyssey
Biography reveals moving model for spiritual growth.
By Kay Montgomery in Bookshelf

How old are Unitarian Universalist congregations?
Some date back to the 1600s, but 59 percent were founded in the last sixty years.
By Christopher L. Walton in Ideas

Sports and scapegoats
Featured online in another form:
ESPN film examines curses and scapegoats
Unitarian Universalist minister lends religious perspective to questions of fan behavior.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Letters, Spring 2012
Readers respond to the Winter 2011 issue.
in Letters

Blog roundup, Spring 2012
Online responses to UU World.
By Heather Christensen in Letters

Traffic report, Spring 2012
Top ten stories at uuworld.org.
By Christopher L. Walton in Letters

Online Extras

The spiritual heritage of the Occupy movement
The Occupy protests have much in common with political movements of the 1840s, 1890s, and 1930s—including a spiritual dimension.
By Daniel McKanan in Ideas