Not long ago I heard a radio commercial for “essence water.” The ad made the product seem like it offered the essence of water rather than the essential benefits plain water provides. I remember thinking how ridiculous it sounded to be offered the essence of water, as if it were something I could breathe in […]
"Faith Matters" Blog
Welcome to "Faith Matters," the Monday blog written by UUCF's ministers and congregational lay leaders.
Pledge of Love, Growth and Resilience for the New Year
There is no way of knowing what this next year and the next decade will bring. There will be amazing medical advances. We will be able to communicate in ways we have never dreamed. Literacy and clean water are being brought to places never imagined not that long ago. So many amazing advances in the […]
A Chance to Put Revolutionary Love Into Action
Literature, theology and history often feature epic struggles between the forces of good and evil. Stories of those struggles, passed on orally and through the written word, have in more recent times migrated to the small and large screens of television and the movies. It is easy to get consumed with the epic nature of […]
Happy Thanksgivings – A Reflection on Mothers and Mindfulness
The days leading up to Thanksgiving are, for me, the time when I feel the presence of my mother most strongly. For many who have lost loved ones, the holidays can often be complicated, a time when the joy of the season cannot be fully felt, or loss and grief are too fresh to allow […]
The Spirit Calls Us to Liberation
Maybe you, like me, are trying to figure out what “spiritual practice” is all about. Our congregation and our faith strive to be homes for spiritual sustenance; yet I’m often at a loss for how to nourish the spirit outside of Sunday services. I show up to the Women’s Ritual Council full moon circles when […]
“The Joys and Challenges of Worshiping in Walden”
We are blessed to worship on a campus embedded in a beautiful, natural surrounding. Famous lapsed Unitarian Henry David Thoreau celebrated natural settings in his classic “Walden,” in which he wrote of unexplored forests and meadows as the “tonic of wildness.” Doesn’t it just relax your soul to watch the golden autumn leaves waving and […]
“What We Pay Attention to Grows”
Since joining UUCF as the Young Adult Community Leader, I have routinely found myself returning to the words of visionary author and facilitator adrienne maree brown. Her work “Emergent Strategy” has been both a supportive guide and invitational challenge for me in the work of young adult ministry. The vision she casts throughout the text […]
Finding Sustenance for the Journey
When is the right time to listen to Christmas music? In my house, I usually get started around Nov. 1 (no emails please). My sister-in-law used to forbid it in the house until after dessert had been served at Thanksgiving. This question goes along with “when can you decorate for autumn, when can the first […]
Growing Our Personal and Congregation Justice Ministries
In my early 20s, I worked as a web developer for a feminist non-profit. One of my tasks was to manage the databases that drove communications. As I tested new features, I used my own email address, over and over, to subscribe and unsubscribe from dozens of mailing lists. Soon, I started receiving a plethora […]
“Celebrating the Commitment We’ve Made to Each Other and to UUCF”
By the UUCF Membership Committee You may have heard that it’s New Member Welcome Week at UUCF! While hopefully ALL members feel welcomed and appreciated throughout the year, this week the congregation celebrates those who have recently joined and those who are ready to commit to making UUCF their faith home. The Membership Committee has […]
