What is this strange thing called religion? How can we begin to make sense of a practice that has played such an impactful role in the unfolding of civilization and yet, like its forebear spirituality, remains mysterious and frequently troublesome? If the answers to great existential questions remain elusive, might that be a good thing? … Continue reading Pondering the Art of Religion
“Resilience is really a secular word for what religion was trying to say with the word faith. Without a certain ability to let go, to trust, to allow, we won’t get to any new place.” —Richard Rohr What a time we live in. Perils abound. Global warming. Political upheaval. Fascism re-emerging. Uncertainty teeters over our … Continue reading Out of The Rabbit Hole
As this service was on a snowy day, John Fisher graciously reflected with us about Jacob as Melissa O’Brien couldn’t be with us. We experience an interesting confluence this week with the start of Hanukkah and the arrival of the shortest day of the year. Both are stories of light, courage, and renewal—seasonal and spiritual … Continue reading The Story of Jacob- with John Fisher
Our political landscape has radically changed (many would contend for the worse). How can we navigate this altered landscape while upholding UU values? How do we respond effectively? How are we called to change? OOS 09-28-2025 Music sheet 9-28-25
According to Chaucer in The Parson’s Tale, “Envy is the gravest sin there is. For truly all other sins are against a single virtue, but certainly envy is against all virtue and all goodness.” Rev. John Fisher speaks to us on the subject of misogyny, how it can be understood as a projection of unconscious … Continue reading Misogyny and Envy
Especially in challenging or difficult situations, our responses to the need we normally have in less troubled circumstances for a measure of kindness can be shunted aside. Today we take a closer look at what role kindness can and does play in our lives. Six-year congregation member John Fisher is a retired Episcopal priest and … Continue reading A Meditation on Kindness
Be Wise as Serpents We’ll explore the interplay between strategic wisdom and compassionate action in our striving to maintain our democratic society. The biblical exhortation to be “wise as serpents” brings challenges to the companion exhortation to be “innocent as doves” – a paradox touching on a principled response to the recent changes in our … Continue reading Be Wise as Serpents
In a world where polarized views lead to discord and animosity, how can we cultivate empathy, understanding, and the willingness to engage with perspectives that differ radically and dangerously from our own?
John F. Kennedy said, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” And in the midst of the difficult, in the midst of struggle, we may find blessings. John Fisher is an ordained Episcopal priest and a member … Continue reading Struggles and Blessings