September 2014 Blog Posts (5)

Not to be outdone by Pumpkin-spiced lattes and full-priced Halloween candy, First Unitarian Church is doing its part to make the 10th month of the year as exciting as possible by unveiling the October issue of our all-church newsletter, The Beacon!

You can pick up a copy in our literature racks in the lobby or the welcome table in the sanctuary. By why wait? The October issue of The Beacon is also available or download online…

"Life is an adventure in forgiveness." - Norman Cousins

October's ministry theme is Forgiveness - not always an easy topic. Somehow the arrival of Autumn and the changing landscape, with leaves of various hues coloring the hillsides and roadways, streets and backyards of our neighborhoods, signals a profound shift for us.  The leaves will soon fall to the ground, leaving branches stark and bare.  Change is happening all around us - so it is right for us to change as…

For nearly 20 years, the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia has enjoyed a special relationship with R5 Productions as part of our ongoing role as a cultural, community and educational epicenter—sometimes hosting as many as six shows in one week! As you may have noticed, R5 shows have become less frequent over the past few years here at First Church.…

“What’s your answer?”

I turn to Ochiai, the priest from the shrine who is my guide on this trip to Kyoto.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

He tells me that the Zen rock garden in front of us at the Ryoan-Ji Temple is famous. There are 15 rocks, he says, but you can only see all of them at the same time from one place. I understand the message on clarity that comes from that design, but something about it still doesn’t feel right for me. Why is there only one right way to look…

As the days of summer begin to wane, and the blossoms that brightened our gardens droop their heads in wilt, we begin to acknowledge the changing season. Autumn ushers in a new slowness of being for most of us, as the tone and tempo of our lives change. Revealing itself slowly, autumn hovers around the edges of our consciousness, and when its crisp breezes are strong enough to pierce our summer clothing, we then take…