Quest January 2023
January 2023
Nobody’s free until everybody’s free. —Fannie Lou Hamer
Articles
A Hard-Won Hopefulness: The Journey to Liberation
In 2019 the Rev. Bill Sinkford and the wonderful staff at First Unitarian Portland invited me to join them for “Seminary for a Day,” when we reflected together on how our inherited liberal tradition is accountable to the theological work of liberation. Read more »
Liberation
What does liberation mean to you? What does it feel like, and how do you access it? Read more »
The Learned Among Us
The following is adapted from a sermon that Aisha gave in CLF online worship on Nov. 6, 2022. A few years ago, I was having a conversation with a friend about learning to love myself fully, especially my body. Read more »
New CLF Member Database Includes a Donor Self-Service Portal: We Need Your Help to Migrate to a New System!
The Church of the Larger Fellowship is migrating our member and donation database. Our new system, called Church Center, allows you to see your history and make changes. Read more »
Quest June 2021
June 2021
When we heal our own trauma, individually and collectively, we don’t just heal our bodies. By refusing to pass on the trauma we inherited, we help heal the world. –Resmaa Menakem
Articles
The Slowest Part of Ourselves
The body is the slowest part of ourselves. Our thoughts, emotions, spirits — these can move at lightning speed, switching from one state to another in an instant. Read more »
Loss as a Gateway to Compassion
This might sound strange, but I have felt the most present, the most interconnected mentally, spiritually, and physically when I have experienced loss. Read more »
On Grief and Embodiment
Thank you to Rachel for your above piece, “Loss as a Gateway to Compassion” — this reflection is prompted by and written in response to your words. Read more »
Updates from the CLF’s 2021 Annual Meeting
The CLF held its Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday June 6, 2021. Read more »
A Farewell Note from Rev. Jennifer
This is my last column for CLF in my capacity as Learning Fellow for the Worthy Now Prison Ministry. Read more »
Quest June 2021
When we heal our own trauma, individually and collectively, we don’t just heal our bodies. By refusing to pass on the trauma we inherited, we help heal the world. –Resmaa Menakem Read more »
Quest May 2021
May 2021
There is no freedom with out justice. No divine peace without holy struggle. —CLF Lead Ministry Team
Articles
Quest May 2021
There is no freedom with out justice. No divine peace without holy struggle. —CLF Lead Ministry Team Read more »
The System is Working as Designed
We come to you once again following the state-sanctioned murder of yet another Black man, Daunte Wright. Read more »
Accountability Culture
In response to my November article about why we use the phrase “Black Lives Matter,” Clifford, a CLF member incarcerated in Illinois, asked me to look into the work of political philosopher Hannah Arendt, who wrote extensively about power and accountability from her vantage point as a survivor of the Holocaust in Germany. Read more »
Introducing CLF’s new Prison Ministry Manager
Hi, I’m Cir L’Bert, Jr., the new Prison Ministry Manager for The Church of The Larger Fellowship. Read more »
My Graveyard of Honor
AFGHANISTAN — I can never go back, but it doesn’t let me leave. It latches on to you like an addiction, mentally and physically, and tears you apart like a ravenous dog. Read more »
Remembering our Beloved
In the March 2021 issue of Quest, Rev. Jennifer shared a prompt to send us remembrances of incarcerated loved ones whose deaths may have not been marked by the outside. Here are some of the names and reflections we received. Read more »
The System is Working as Designed
Dearest Beloveds,
We come to you once again following the state-sanctioned murder of yet another Black man, Daunte Wright. Read more →
Accountability Culture
In response to my November article about why we use the phrase “Black Lives Matter,” Clifford, a CLF member incarcerated in Illinois, asked me to look into the work of political philosopher Hannah Arendt, who wrote extensively about power and accountability from her vantage point as a survivor of the Holocaust in Germany. Read more →
Introducing CLF’s new Prison Ministry Manager
Dear Quest readers,
Hi, I’m Cir L’Bert, Jr., the new Prison Ministry Manager for The Church of The Larger Fellowship. Read more →
My Graveyard of Honor
AFGHANISTAN — I can never go back, but it doesn’t let me leave. It latches on to you like an addiction, mentally and physically, and tears you apart like a ravenous dog. Read more →
Remembering our Beloved
In the March 2021 issue of Quest, Rev. Jennifer shared a prompt to send us remembrances of incarcerated loved ones whose deaths may have not been marked by the outside. Here are some of the names and reflections we received. Read more →
For Your Reflection
In this section, we offer questions for reflection based on the idea explored in this issue.
Quest April 2021
April 2021
But what we can do, as flawed as we are, is still see God in other people, and do our best to help them find their own grace. That’s what I strive to do, that’s what I pray to do every day. —Barack Obama
Articles
Believing Grace
Does believing that God’s grace extends to everyone prove there’s an end to suffering? Read more »
Looking for Sandworms
One of my favorite books is Frank Herbert’s science fiction classic Dune. Read more »
CLF Votes to Ordain Ali K.C. Bell
In our UU tradition, ministers are ordained by congregations. Only the vote of a congregation can give someone the title “Reverend.” Read more »
Notice of the CLF Annual Meeting
Per Article VII, Sections 1 and 2, of the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) Bylaws, the 48th Annual Meeting will be held via video/telephone conference call and screen sharing on Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 6:30PM EDT. Read more »
Why Pray?
Growing up in a mostly secular family, I had very little exposure to prayer in my home. Read more »
Quest April 2021
But what we can do, as flawed as we are, is still see God in other people, and do our best to help them find their own grace. That’s what I strive to do, that’s what I pray to do every day. —Barack Obama Read more »
