I was a Roman Catholic Benedictine Monk setting in my cell studying at a Monastery when I discovered Unitarian Universalist truth for myself. I would read the teachings of Jesus, and then I would read the teachings of everyone else who taught about Jesus, and I realized that we had two different religions all together. Jesus never said he was God or even divine, but others did. Jesus never said that we could get some magic carpet ride into paradise when we died based solely on what we claimed to believe instead of how we live our lives. Jesus taught a very simple religion, and I wanted to know who taught THAT theology! I was starving for it! So after a simple Google search, I discovered that there is a thing called “Primitive Christianity” that is based solely on the teachings of Jesus’s Social Gospel. Even better, I also discovered that this was historical Unitarian Theology……that there is one God and God is only one and we are all apart of this divine source. I needed the focus to be on how we love and treat one another and participate in our community as opposed to weekly talks of death and sacrifice and what’s to come and why the world is going to end.
My new studies, coupled with my own personal struggles as a gay man in a conservative Catholic cloister, led to me requesting leave from the Monastery (Monks may come and go three different times once accepted to a Monastery). I returned to civilian life in Seattle Washington. I knew the liberal environment would be a perfect fit for me, and I was right! I moved to downtown, so I didn’t live anywhere near the UU Churches in Seattle, so I went to Unity for a while, but it was just too “Pentecostal” for me. Then my new job, which was a blessing, had me working weekends so there was no hope of going to one of the very large UU congregations, which are all located in the suburban areas. Through my own study’s, I discovered the CLFUU and dropped in to visit the various UU Churches in the area every chance I could.
Now, it’s been almost five years, and I am a total Christian/Buddhist/Jewish/Pagan who loves my God of many mansions. The Atheists and Witches are my cool neighbors across the street, and I live my life every single day in love with everyone. If you are a Christian struggling with faith and searching for truth and you are reading this, let me leave you with the single scripture that changed my entire life…….
And Jesus said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you and all around you, not in mansions of wood and stone. For when you split a piece of wood, you will find me. Lift the stone, and I am there.” The Gospel of St. Thomas
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This week we chatted with author and scholar Paul Ortiz about his new book “An African American and Latinx History of the U.S. Come join the conversation, streaming live on our Facebook page. http://facebook.com/clfuu
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The VUU is hosted by Meg Riley, Michael Tino, Aisha Hauser and Christina Rivera, with production support provided by Jessica Star Rockers. The VUU streams live on Thursdays at 11 am ET.
Note: This audio has been slightly edited for a better listening experience. View the live original recording on Facebook.
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This week we tackled two topics in our show. How is the government shutdown affecting government workers? Park ranger Keith Stegall came to offer us some insight. And then we chatted with Dottie Mathews and Rabbi Bruce Elder who worked to successfully shut down the Tornillo Detention Center. We are keeping it current on the VUU this week. Come join the conversation every Thursday at 11am ET, streaming live on our Facebook page. http://facebook.com/clfuu
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The VUU is CLF’s live talkshow specifically for Unitarian Universalists. Join the conversation each Thursday at 11 am Eastern (USA).
Our podcast is the best way to enjoy The VUU if you can’t make it to the live show. Subscribe on iTunes, Android, Stitcher or your favorite app and never miss an episode. Learn more and listen to previous broadcasts at https://questformeaning.org/vuu/.
The VUU is hosted by Meg Riley, Michael Tino, Aisha Hauser, and Christina Rivera with production support from Jessica Star Rockers.
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This week we chatted live on The VUU about the world refugee crisis with Latifa Woodhouse, President of Shared Humanity. Shared Humanity is a nonprofit founded to provide urgent and sustained humanitarian aid to refugees seeking safe haven from war, violence, and oppression.
More info can be found at www.sharedhumanityusa.org.
The VUU is hosted by Meg Riley, Michael Tino, Aisha Hauser and Christina Rivera, with production support provided by Jessica Star Rockers. The VUU streams live on Thursdays at 11 am ET.
Note: This audio has been slightly edited for a better listening experience. View the live original recording on Facebook.
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This week we chatted live on The VUU about the US Border Refugee Crisis with Alex Dixon.
Links from the show:
https://annunciationhouse.org/
https://www.borderlandrainbow.org/
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The VUU is hosted by Meg Riley, Michael Tino, Aisha Hauser and Christina Rivera, with production support provided by Jessica Star Rockers. The VUU streams live on Thursdays at 11 am ET.
Note: This audio has been slightly edited for a better listening experience. View the live original recording on Facebook.
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You can listen to audio recordings of Quest Monthly, read back issues or get electronic versions of the text to share with friends (and much more) at questformeaning.org Read more →
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Enormous thanks to the following congregations and organizations, which generously contributed to the CLF between April and August 2018. We are so grateful! Read more →
January 2019
In a time of destruction, create something. —Maxine Hong Kingston
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It’s our Year in Re-VUU! In this episode we revisit all our show topics of 2018. Is there a show from 2018 that you remember? Any particular favorites.
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The VUU is hosted by Meg Riley, Michael Tino, Aisha Hauser and Christina Rivera, with production support provided by Jessica Star Rockers. The VUU streams live on Thursdays at 11 am ET.
Note: This audio has been slightly edited for a better listening experience. View the live original recording on Facebook.
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We chatted on The VUU with Rev. Michael Crumpler about the Welcoming Congregation Renewal Program.
Rev. Michael J. Crumpler began as LGBTQ and Intercultural Programs Manager at the UUA in early 2017. Shortly thereafter, he was ordained to Reverend in the United Church of Christ. Michael lives in Harlem and is very active in social justice ministry at the historic Judson Memorial Church of New York City and the surrounding queer community. He is most passionate about intersectional ministry centered in blackness, queerness, HIV/AIDS, economic justice, and emotional well-being.
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The VUU is hosted by Meg Riley, Michael Tino, Aisha Hauser and Christina Rivera, with production support provided by Jessica Star Rockers. The VUU streams live on Thursdays at 11 am ET.
Note: This audio has been slightly edited for a better listening experience. View the live original recording on Facebook.
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Quest for Meaning is a program of the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF).
As a Unitarian Universalist congregation with no geographical boundary, the CLF creates global spiritual community, rooted in profound love, which cultivates wonder, imagination, and the courage to act.