Something New
This month, try something new that you’ve never tried before! This can be something big or something small, but it should be something that is new to you. Here are some ideas:
- Try a new kind of food, especially a new fruit or vegetable.
- Learn how to say some words in a new language.
- Make a new friend or sit with a new person at the lunch table.
- Play a sport you’ve never played before.
- Listen to a different kind of music, or music from another part of the world.
- Learn about how children live in other cultures. There are many organizations that will match people up with pen pals in other countries. (Kids, ask your parents for help with this!)
- Learn the names of your mailman, grocery clerk, school crossing guard, or others who help you every day. You might even give them a thank you card to show them you appreciate them.
A New Freedom of Faith
Throughout the history of Christianity there have been big fights over changes in religious belief and practice, with different people say their version is the real version.
But King John Sigismund, the one and only Unitarian king in history, had a different point of view. Way back in 1561, John Sigismund was very interested in religion, partly because people in his country of Transylvania kept fighting about it. The Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Calvinists, and Unitarians all argued about whose views about God and Jesus and how church services should be conducted were right.
Francis David
Finally, King John called the best speaker from each church to come to a place called Torda for a debate to decide who was right. The speaker from the Unitarian church was a man named Francis David. He argued that no one has the right to force people to believe anything about God, and that it’s OK if our understanding of religion changes.
After 10 days, King John ordered the debate to end. But he did not announce a winner; he did not say that any of the four churches was the best. Instead, King John agreed with Francis David, and he created what was called the Edict of Torda, which declared that every church and every person would be free to follow their own beliefs, even if those beliefs changed over time. There are still Unitarians in Transylvania today who share that commitment to freedom of belief.
Read more about Francis David from the UUA’s Tapestry of Faith programming, or read the Edict of Torda for yourself!
Making Change
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Did you know that prisoners now make up more than 20% of the CLF’s membership? Read more →
Help Wanted:
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CLF Pen Pals for some of the 725 CLF members in prisons who are new to Unitarian Universalism. Read more →
Did You Know?
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…that you can sign up for CLF online classes to stretch your mind and spirit? Click here to learn more. Read more →
Wave Driven by Wave
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As wave is driven by wave
And each, pursued, pursues the wave ahead,
So time flies on and follows, flies, and follows,
Always, for ever and new. What was before
Is left behind; what never was is now;
And every passing moment is renewed.
by Ovid, from Metamorphoses
Change
January 2017
Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are. —Bertolt Brecht
Articles
Transitions, Expected and Unexpected
Reading #655 in our hymnal, Singing the Living Tradition, is entitled, “Change Alone is Unchanging.” It’s attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Heraklietos, also known as the weeping philosopher. Read more »
Making Change
Did you know that prisoners now make up more than 20% of the CLF’s membership? Read more »
Moving with Change
Being religiously savvy Unitarian Universalists, most of you probably know that one of the core teachings of Buddhism is impermanence. Read more »
From Your Minister
Here’s how I wish change happened: Change says to The Universe, Hey, I’d like to happen now! And The Universe replies, with ease and joy, That’s terrific! Happen, then! Read more »
REsources for Living
I can’t claim that I’m a big fan of change. I like comfort. I like knowing what to expect. Read more »
Help Wanted:
CLF Pen Pals for some of the 725 CLF members in prisons who are new to Unitarian Universalism. Read more »
Did You Know?
…that you can sign up for CLF online classes to stretch your mind and spirit? Read more »
Wave Driven by Wave
As wave is driven by wave… And each, pursued, pursues the wave ahead… Read more »
Change
Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are. —Bertolt Brecht Read more »
164: Joy as a Form of Resistance
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The regular VUU crew chats about the power of joy, where Santa Claus fits in, and the complexities of multi-faith families during the holidays. Plus, Jackson Crawford pops by at the beginning of the episode to share stories about his time as a White House intern this fall.
As mentioned in the show, visit Joanna Fontaine Crawford’s blog to read more about the different levels of Santa (don’t miss the day-after Christmas letter posted in the comments).
The VUU is hosted by Meg Riley, Joanna Fontaine Crawford, Aisha Hauser, Hank Peirce, Michael Tino and Alicia Forde, with production support provided by Terri Burnor. The VUU streams live on Thursdays at 11 am ET. This episode aired on December 22, 2016.
Note: The audio above has been slightly edited for a better listening experience. View the live original recording on YouTube.
163: Black Lives of UU
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Elandria Williams and the Rev. Carlton E. Smith with the Black Lives of UU organizing collective are back on The VUU! We talk about shifting organizing strategies to meet the reality of a non-petitionable government regime and the need to protect and defend (in literal ways) the most targeted while still keeping our intersectionality grounded in this moment.
Training/resources mentioned in this episode:
– The Highlander Center
– Catalyst Project
– CultureStrike
– The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond
– Beautiful Solutions
– Safety Pin Box
Black Lives of UU 2017 Convening
New Orleans – March 9-12, 2017
http://www.blacklivesuu.com/convening2017/
The VUU is hosted by Meg Riley, Joanna Fontaine Crawford, Aisha Hauser, Hank Peirce, Michael Tino and Alicia Forde, with production support provided by Terri Burnor. The VUU streams live on Thursdays at 11 am ET. This episode aired on December 15, 2016.
Note: The audio above has been slightly edited for a better listening experience. View the live original recording on YouTube.
