Winter 2009, Vol.XXIII No.4

Features

The religious left
An old tradition for a new day.
By Daniel McKanan in Ideas

Breath is life
Defending abortion from a liberal Christian perspective.
By Scotty McLennan in Ideas

A poet's grief
Kathleen Sheeder Bonanno's poetry chronicles her passage through grief after her daughter's murder.
By Kimberly French in Life

Departments

Religious community is essential
The central task of the religious community.
By Mark Morrison-Reed in Opening words

We are not alone
Unitarian Universalism is not alone on the 'religious left.'
By Christopher L. Walton in From the editor

What moves you?
We only find ourselves when we lose ourselves in service to something that transcends us.
By Peter Morales in From the president

Letters, Winter 2009
Readers respond to the Fall 2009 issue.
By Jane Greer in Letters

Mailbox, Winter 2009
One in three letters responds to a controversial ad.
By Jane Greer in Letters

Blog roundup, Winter 2009
Online responses to UU World.
By Kenneth Sutton in Letters

Traffic report, Winter 2009
Top ten stories at uuworld.org.
By Christopher L. Walton in Letters

Religion and science can be partners
Both science and religion have something meaningful to contribute to a universal ethic.
By Bruce Sheiman in Forum

Innovations help congregants hear
People with hearing loss are a big percentage of the people with disabilities who come through our doors on Sunday morning.
By Donald E. Skinner in Congregational life

Restoring a Gilded Age church
Church built to honor William Ellery Channing in 1880 is restored for the 21st century.
By Jane Greer in Spiritual landmarks

The cathedral of the world
A twenty-first-century theology, based on the concept of one light and many windows.
By Forrest Church in Reflections

My goddess, my love
From the stage to the canvas.
By Mollie Kellogg in Reflections

Chestnut fences
A connection to the 'stream of life.'
By Patricia Robin Woodruff in Reflections

If there is a God . . .
As an agnostic, I'm definitely an atheist about some gods. But what kind of God might be possible?
By Cynthia Landrum in Reflections

Holy family
A family holy enough to merit the highest forms of reverence.
By Nancy McDonald Ladd in Reflections

Ghosts of Unitarian Christmas
Featured online in another form:
The ghosts of Unitarian Christmas
It was Christmas Eve, a time when any sensible person stays safe in his house with a good book. But then Ben’s reading lamp burned out.
By Doug Muder

Blue tree
Painting brings balance into my life.
By Mary Ellen Mogee in Reflections

Families: Weave a Tapestry of Faith (pdf)

UU child dedication on TV show
Featured online in another form:
'Army Wives' features UU child dedication ceremony
TV episodes set in Charleston, S.C., Unitarian church.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Sales of new UU Spanish hymnal halted
‘Serious errors’ found in new publication.
By Jane Greer in UU news

UUA presidential campaign reviewed
Featured online in another form:
Hallman outspent Morales on unsuccessful presidential bid
Morales won 2009 UUA presidential election despite Hallman’s larger base of donors.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Membership professionals form group
Featured online in another form:
UU membership professionals form own organization
Group to help membership professionals grow Unitarian Universalism.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Limpert named as a new UUA vice president
Featured online in another form:
UUA staff restructuring adds new V.P. position
Limpert named as vice president of Ministries and Congregational Support.
By Jane Greer in UU news

OWL OUT brings sex ed outside the church
Featured online in another form:
Non-UU youth learn about sex through UU program
D.C. community youth groups adopt UUA's lifespan sexual education curricula.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Knoxville shooting marked
Featured online in another form:
Knoxville churches mark shooting anniversary
Unitarian Universalist congregations reflect on first year after a deadly shooting rampage.
By Jane Greer in UU news

UU seminaries affected by bad economy
Featured online in another form:
UU seminaries feel economic pinch
With devalued endowments, schools in Berkeley and Chicago implement cost-cutting measures.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

'Love Bus' heads to Des Moines
Featured online in another form:
Nine same-sex Minnesota UU couples marry in Iowa
Unity Church-Unitarian sponsors 'Love Bus' to Des Moines UU Church.
By Jane Greer in UU news

Congregational news roundup
Jordan School alumni, junior philanthropists, church anniversaries, and more.
By Jane Greer in UU news

Standing on the Side of Love campaign starts
Featured online in another form:
UUA launches 'Standing on the Side of Love' campaign
New website, resources to help congregations rally local communities on behalf of marginalized people.
By Jane Greer in UU news

UU receives military chaplain of the year honor
Featured online in another form:
UU wins Military Chaplain of the Year award
Rev. Rebekah Montgomery also awarded bronze star.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Waiting for a great novel about UU ministry
Contemporary authors have yet to plumb the true depths of Unitarian Universalist ministers' lives.
By Rosemary Bray McNatt in Bookshelf

Photographic tour of Wright's Unity Temple
New book celebrates Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece for an Illinois Unitarian Universalist congregation.
By Christopher L. Walton in Bookshelf

Forrest Church's Universalism
For Church, 'E pluribus unum' was a civic ideal and a religious insight.
By Christopher L. Walton in Bookshelf

Books by UU authors, Winter 2009
A selection of books written by Unitarian Universalists.
By Sonja L. Cohen and Jane Greer and Eric Fershtman in Books by UU authors

Abortion, the religious left, and Christmas ghosts
Questions for spiritual reflection and adult group discussions.
By Jane Greer in What in the World?

Unitarians worked to 'save' Ute Indians
In the 1870s, the American Unitarian Association oversaw a Ute reservation in Colorado.
By Sonja L. Cohen in Looking back

Online Extras

Message or culture?
Are Unitarian Universalists more committed to spreading liberal religion or to preserving our congregational culture?
By Doug Muder