by Rev. Aaron Payson Sunday is May 1, which has for centuries marked the turning of the seasons. The ancient Celtic celebration of Beltane honored the return of the season of light from the season of darkness. The Celts light sacred fires to honor the return of life and fertility to the world. The Romans … Continue reading Mayday! It’s May Day!
by Rev. Aaron Payson I have been drawn back to the admonitions of Cornell West and Vaclav Havel over the years about the concept of hope. And in this post Easter moment, their words resound again, only this time their meditations are reflected back to me in the words of my colleague Erika Hewitt. As … Continue reading On Despair, Hope, and Resistance
by Robin Mitzcavitch, Director of Religious Exploration & Education Most major holidays have some connection to the changing of seasons. Spring holidays often celebrate rebirth – a time when the plants and trees that have been dormant for winter come back to life, and the animal babies are born. Spring holidays also celebrate the triumph of … Continue reading Celebrating and Honoring Spring at UUCW
by Marilyn Martin Raymond, Refugee Ministry Team There are many significant moments for those of us who are honored to walk beside the recently settled Afghan families. In addition to our original family of two parents and ten children ranging in age from 24 years of age down to 4, a few of us have … Continue reading The Vax Van Cometh!
by Rev. Aaron Payson Last Sunday we were blessed by the words, wisdom and witness of Mandisa Thomas, founder and director of Black Nonbelievers, an organization created to address the need to expand the narrative of what motivates people of color to live ethical, compassionate and just lives founded on the premise that belief in … Continue reading On Theological Reflection
by The Stewardship Team The soil has been turned over and fertilized, the seeds have been planted, and so we await our bounty. But as gardeners know, this is just the beginning. The hands-on work of weeding, irrigation, and pest management continues. We have sent the emails with pledge statements and solicitation, made announcements during … Continue reading Tending The Garden – Stewardship 2022
by Rev. Aaron Payson I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my gardens. My daughter Morgaine and I have been planning our family garden for years. The addition of raised beds, renewed soil in the herb garden out front, mounds for our vine vegetables, and a trellis for the lone grape plant have immerged from … Continue reading How Does Your Garden Grow?
by Rev. Aaron Payson Below are the words of my friend and colleague Richard Gilbert who quotes E.B. White that are my cause for pause this week as we look toward the turning of the seasons and opportunities to experience the world in ways we recognize from pre-pandemic days. It is a moment of pause … Continue reading To Savor or Save
by Robin Mitzcavitch, Director of Religious Exploration & Education We want to shield our young people from the ugliness of the world. Protect our young, that’s what we do. But information seeps through, and rumors and rogue news turn out to be more damaging than the truth. The truth can be delivered in ways that … Continue reading Sunflowers for Peace – Talking to Young People About Ukraine
by Rev. Aaron Payson On Tuesday, March 1, representatives of the City of Worcester, Massachusetts Federal and State Delegation, and local clergy representing a spectrum of more than a dozen faith traditions, including our own Rev. Cheryl Leshay, gathered with a crowd of 60 citizens to pause for a few minutes midst the winter chill … Continue reading Invocation for Ukraine
