District of Columbia – Page 2

Universalist National Memorial Church debuts new website

So, I made it to church Sunday, was greeted and then asked: how you seen the new church website. I had seen a preview, but not the release. Seeing as I was the lead on the last revision a decade ago, I knew it was overdue for a refresh. And a new breeze is blowing…… Continue reading Universalist National Memorial Church debuts new website

“Heeding God’s Call” in Dupont Circle

Heeding God’s Call is a “a faith-based movement to prevent gun violence.” It has put out 176 t-shirts as a movable memorial for those dead from gun violence in metro D.C. in 2013. In June, it is installed at Church of the Pilgrims, Presbyterian, in my neighborhood.

Churches: merged, disaffiliated and dead

As I wrote yesterday, one of the UUA backends has — if you know how to look — references to churches that are “not constituent[s]” though I suppose they must have all been thus at one time. Since the larger list includes Canadian congregations (not listed here) that departed around Canadian Unitarian Council autonomy in… Continue reading Churches: merged, disaffiliated and dead

Mixed thoughts about memorial wreaths and flowers at momuments

I meant to make this post available well ahead of Memorial Day, but that obviously did not happen. There will always be another occasion for wreaths and tributes at monuments, though. But it wasn’t a national holiday that made me think about this subject originally. I live in Washington D.C., and live near several memorials… Continue reading Mixed thoughts about memorial wreaths and flowers at momuments

Bold experiment in ministry

I’m a member of the Universalist National Memorial Church, and today Sunday the church’s leadership made an exciting announcement at the climax of a congregational meeting: we are moving into the next phase of the church, but it’s not quite like anything I’ve ever seen. In consultation with district and association staff, and after six… Continue reading Bold experiment in ministry

Congratulations to Crystal St. Marie Lewis, who received her Master of Theological Studies from Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C. today. She blogs here (Window on Religion) and tweets here and is well worth reading.

Archives search: between “Christ will conquer” and the off-center cross

When the new UUA logo came out recently, quite a few people (myself included) japed about it on Facebook and mused about the past logos, some quite old. I noted the Universalist “Christ Will Conquer” seal and the off-center cross. But dang if, in my research at Harvard-Andover Theological Library, I didn’t find a missing… Continue reading Archives search: between “Christ will conquer” and the off-center cross

Taras Shevchenko bicentennial

Thanks to Stefan Jonasson I learned that today is the 200th birthday of Ukrainian national hero and poet Taras Shevchenko. Since I live very close to the Shevchenko memorial here in Washington D.C. I took our dog Daisy for her morning walk to visit the memorial. After all, the Ukraine is much on our minds… Continue reading Taras Shevchenko bicentennial

Remembering Nelson Mandela in D.C.

I live about a 20 minute walk from the South African embassy, so I went this afternoon to pay my respects following the death of former SA president Nelson Mandela. My feelings are hard to put into words; he belongs to the ages. The world is so much better for his life and labor. The… Continue reading Remembering Nelson Mandela in D.C.

Small Universalist tie-in to the Kennedy assassination

The interfaith Thanksgiving service was on its last legs more than a decade ago when I was the pastor at Universalist National Memorial Church (UNMC), in Washington, D.C. It was one of those liberal Jewish-Protestant events that was far more common two generations before, but it’s hard to maintain a tradition when that was your… Continue reading Small Universalist tie-in to the Kennedy assassination