Spring 2014, Vol.XXVIII No.1

Features

War zone sabbatical
I went to Afghanistan and Iraq to learn something about hope.
By Tim Kutzmark in Ideas

The other General Assembly
Unitarian Universalists get hooked on SUUSI, a high-energy, thinking-person's family camp.
By Diane Daniel in Life

What Haiti taught me
A week with the UU College of Social Justice and the Mouvman Peyizan Papay.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in Ideas

Departments

Journeys and the spirit
The Spring issue explores more profound dimensions of leaving home.
By Christopher L. Walton in From the editor

Our house, unequally divided
Inequality has reached such toxic levels that it corrupts our relationships and threatens our democracy.
By Peter Morales in From the president

Following my moral compass
We all navigate through circumstances at the limits of human experience.
By Erika Nonken in Life

Spiritual landmarks: Exploring Boston's churches
Three historic churches are home to Unitarian Universalist congregations in downtown Boston.
By Christopher L. Walton in Spiritual landmarks

Growing up on Star Island
Looking back on my summers spent at a beloved Unitarian Universalist retreat.
By Emma Whitford in Reflections

Book to note: 'Linus the Vegetarian T-Rex'
A girl who love dinosaurs meets a Tyrannosaurus Rex who defies expectations.
By Sonja L. Cohen in Life

Sankofa Ghana: A spiritual journey home
What did I need to retrieve from a visit to the slave ships' point of departure?
By James Gray and Jeff Riedler in Spirit

Dawn in Venice
Wake up early to see things in a different light.
By Sonja L. Cohen in Spirit

Beyond comprehension
Visiting Auschwitz, the imagination can only handle so much.
By Sonja L. Cohen in Spirit

Our visit to Chernobyl
Sabbatical travel allowed us to see history with our own eyes.
By Larry Stritof in Spirit

The gate of heaven
A stairway was upon the earth and its top reached the sky.
By Daniel Nevins in Spirit

West Arlington bridge
A Vermont bridge, painted by this magazine's longtime art director.
By Robert Delboy in Spirit

Questions of comfort
Where do you find comfort in suffering if you don't believe suffering has a greater purpose?
By Sarah MacLeod in Spirit

Families: Weave a Tapestry of Faith; Travel and Transformation (pdf)

Tufts University welcomes a UU chaplain
Featured online in another form:
Once a Universalist college, Tufts welcomes UU chaplain
After five years as Oberlin chaplain, the Rev. Greg McGonigle settles into Tufts campus.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Congregations build bridges with Native Americans
Featured online in another form:
Congregations build bridges, relationships with Native Americans
Spurred by study of Doctrine of Discovery, UUs reach out to indigenous people.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

UUs mobilize to stop deportations
Featured online in another form:
Arizona UUs mobilize to stop deportations
Protests and advocacy seek to keep families together and pressure Obama to halt deportations.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Morales arrested in immigration protest
Featured online in another form:
Morales arrested in D.C. during immigration protest
Interfaith demonstration calls on Congress to pass compassionate immigration reform.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Minister says historic 'I do' in Hawaii
Featured online in another form:
UU minister says historic 'I do' in Hawaii
Eight minutes after same-sex marriage became legal, minister and fiancé wed at First Unitarian Church of Honolulu.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Group rallies for accessibility
Featured online in another form:
Group works to make congregations more accessible
EqUUal Access offers guidelines, is creating a congregational certification program.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Trauma response group gives relief
Featured online in another form:
In disasters and tragedies, Trauma Response Ministry steps in
Now in its 11th year, volunteer ministers and laypeople provide crisis relief.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

End of DOMA eases chaplains' work
Featured online in another form:
End of DOMA brings new openness for military chaplains
UU chaplains find easing of restrictions let them more easily support soldiers who are lesbian, gay, and bisexual.
By Christian Schmidt in UU news

Washington congregation creates permanent village for homeless
Featured online in another form:
Washington congregation creates permanent village for homeless
At Olympia's Camp Quixote, 30 one-room cottages are near completion.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

History buff videos 'Long Strange Trip'
Featured online in another form:
History buff creates videos of denomination's 'Long Strange Trip'
Six-DVD series traces roots of Unitarian Universalism from 1st century to present times.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Board shows new spirit of collaboration
Featured online in another form:
Smaller board shows new spirit of collaboration
Trustees approve New Orleans as site of 2017 General Assembly, express interest in report of 55 emerging congregations.
By Christopher L. Walton in UU news

Relief fund aids typhoon victims
Featured online in another form:
UUA-UUSC fund to aid typhoon victims in Philippines
Relief fund aims to help those most marginalized by disaster.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Inside your congregation: Members learn with online webinars

Inside the UUA: New logo part of outreach effort
Featured online in another form:
New UUA logo part of outreach effort
Logo is first step in a broader initiative to promote Unitarian Universalism.
By Donald E. Skinner in Inside

Go on a Unitarian Universalist pilgrimage
We may not have saints and shrines, but Unitarian Universalists do visit the scenes of our tradition's great stories.
By Christopher L. Walton in Looking back

Why I don't fly
Figuring out the ethics of long-distance travel is a challenge.
By Dan Harper in Ideas

The UU hipster?
A Unitarian Universalist congregation can be the perfect place to nurture an artist even if it is not the perfect home for the art that results.
By Kevin McCulloch in Ideas

Restaurant justice
How often do we consider the well-being of the people who make and serve us our meals?
By Jessie Bennett in Ideas

Time capsule unearthed at UUA headquarters
Featured online in another form:
Time capsule unearthed from 25 Beacon St. cornerstone
Engraved copper box will be unsealed at farewell celebration in February.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in Looking back

Letters, Spring 2014
Readers respond to the Winter 2013 issue.
in Letters

Blog roundup, Spring 2014
Online responses to UU World.
By Heather Christensen in Letters

Traffic report, Spring 2014
Top ten stories at uuworld.org.
By Christopher L. Walton in Letters

Online Extras

UU World seeks Spirit guest editor

Audio recordings of selected essays

Fly less, for the earth's sake
One mode of transportation causes particular ethical angst among folks concerned about climate change.
By Kimberly French in Ideas

UU Parenting blog

How to become a peacemaker
Four broad, ancient guidelines for human behavior at the heart of every religion.
By James Ishmael Ford in Life

A lie, or just editing?
How much can you alter a story before it’s not itself any more?
By Meg Barnhouse

Live better, help often, wonder more
The Sunday Assembly movement shares Unitarian Universalism's values, but has a lot more fun expressing them.
By Doug Muder in Ideas

Gone sitting
A few words on going to a Zen retreat.
By James Ishmael Ford in Spirit

Breaking on through
Language helps us make meaning of what is happening to us, when it isn’t a barrier.
By Meg Barnhouse in Spirit