Emma Goldman famously wrote that she rejected the idea that commitment to a cause “should demand the denial of life and joy,” often misattributed as “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.” Live Oak, I think we need a party, and I know we...
“We had a whole plan,” my mother (age 94) told me. “I would pick up your brothers and sister from school and drive from New York to Arkansas, where your grandparents were living. Your father would catch up with us there.” It was October 1962. My parents lived in Rochester,...
Occasionally, I’ll get a question about the line between politics and religion, and what it means to our church and to Unitarian Universalism. I don’t believe it is possible at the present time to advocate for our UU values without addressing the actions being taken by government/political officials. I absolutely...
On Tuesday, overwhelmed by the blizzard of executive orders, news that Medicaid’s portal was down in all fifty states, and the repeated attacks on the rights of transgender people, I added five pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream into my cart. I don’t recommend this. I mean, if you...
And so we begin a new (well, old, a repeat) presidential administration. News stories warn of deportation raids ordered by the president. The Texas Legislature has already been seated, with several immigration-related bills in the works. Trans people have already been verbally attacked by an executive order attempting to limit...
After Sunday’s service, which addressed Martin Luther King’s argument that equating a person’s value with their financial means is an “unjust measurement of human worth,” Live Oak member Michael Van Slyke shared that he finds it frustrating when the news media describes someone as being “worth” their financial resources, e.g....
January 9 is a national day of mourning on the death of President Jimmy Carter. What a life and what a legacy. I never met him, but he has been an influence in my life since I was a child. My parents were big fans of his – I think...
This Sunday is our annual “Fire Communion.” This is a participatory service, one of our four community-based rituals, in which which we honor that we are each on our individual life journeys, but we do not journey alone. On Sunday, we will be noting things that we would like to...
There are so many ways that Live Oak members show their love for this church. You serve in leadership, teach classes, work on committees, donate your time, talent, and treasure to this church. And there are little touches that often others don’t know about (like Ray, Becky M, and Tim...
The Selfies with Santa Holiday Festival was pretty amazing. We now have families who have been coming to this for eight years – some began on their baby’s very first Christmas, and have been every year since (except 2020). Some of them even bring photos to show Santa their history....