Minister’s Blog

The theme of Holy Week 2019, I'm sorry to say, appears to be fire. We know that Notre Dame burned Monday night (you'd have to be living in a cave to not have heard), but did you know that a mosque in Jerusalem burned the same night?  The damage is much worse to the former, but it has not gone ...

I'm looking forward to hearing incoming UUCSC Board President Jon Bassinger-Flores' contribution to exploring the digital age's effect on us with his sermon this Sunday, "Technology Toward Wholeness."  Last Sunday I delineated my personal wariness of social media and especially my concerns about how it affects the life skills (such as in-person conversation and eye contact) of young people, our ...

Once again, with a sermon series, I have challenged myself with a very big topic:  how technology is serving humanity, for better or for worse? I've enlisted some help this time.  This Sunday, April 7, I will be speaking about how technology can be harmful to the human soul - our values and how we conduct ourselves with one another ...

I am so looking forward to hearing one of our favorite guest speakers this Sunday - Michael Eselun always inspires and touches our hearts.  I'm also looking forward to getting this much closer to meeting our Dream Budget with the "Live the Dream!" mini-fundraising campaign! In June of 2018, we passed a Dream Budget for our current fiscal year that ...

This sermon series "First Journeys" has been quite a journey for me, especially as I prepare to write the final installment looking at the hardship and struggle of poor European immigrants on our beloved United States of America. Let's be real now.  You don't often see UU ministers treading into this territory.  We don't like to talk about class or ...

During this very wet time in LA, our hearts go out to the thousands of homeless that are outside in the elements bearing the brunt of it.  Some good news is that member Terry Hassman has an update about how we can help in her guest blog . . . Helping the Homeless in Your Own Neighborhood New Homeless Drop-in ...

I did not watch the Michael Cohen hearings, I listened to them, on KPCC, on my commute to Studio City and all morning in my office.  I laughed several times, listening to the high political theater.  The divisiveness of our country in sharp relief.  One of my favorite moments was when one of the Democrats ended with something like, "and ...

Very excited to be welcoming back Antoinette Scully to our pulpit this Sunday!  Some of you also accompanied her a few weeks ago to the Skirball's production of Barracoon, based on Zora Neale Hurston's new, posthumously published book. Please consider this a guest blog this week, and read Antoinette's review of the play, as well as check out her web ...

Happy post Groundhog day.   As the tradition goes, if the groundhog sees its shadow, there will be 6 more weeks of winter.  No shadow, and spring is arriving early this year. The Stewardship Team has been reviewing our own congregation’s shadows regarding pledge receipts.  So far, we are shadow free in our pledge collections for the year. We are on ...

As we enter deeper into what looks like will be longest government shut-down in history, it's hard not to see the reality of a crisis of leadership in our country.  It makes one feel helpless to do anything about it.  What is the up side of this, if there could be one?  What leadership still functions and soldiers on? I ...

Friends, after this blog, I'll be taking a break for a few weeks.  I have turned over a new leaf to write a blog most weeks, so I hope y'all have been reading 'em!  But alas, I still need a break every now and then (next Sunday will be my first Sunday off since August; oy), so this blog is ...

A few days ago, I received this email from my colleague, Rev. KC Slack, who serves the UU Church of the Verdugo Hills in La Crescenta: As you all know, the situation at the border has recently been escalated by US law enforcement, and refugees are struggling in hard conditions. Some very trusted activist friends of mine have been gathering ...