In the Circle of Love
The poet Edwin Markham, who was born in 1852, and became the poet laureate of Oregon from 1923-1931, was invited to read his poem “Lincoln, Man of the People” at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in 1922.
But UUs most often remember him for a tiny little poem that expresses his Universalist beliefs in love that is big enough to include everyone—and offers a radical understanding of belonging. The poem, called “Outwitted,” says:
He drew a circle that shut me out—
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in!
Think about what the poem says: He wanted to shut me out and say that I didn’t belong. He said that my beliefs made me someone who had to be pushed away. But because I live from a place of love, I did something very clever and sneaky—I found a way to include and welcome him, even when he wasn’t willing to include or welcome me.
That’s Universalism—love big enough to offer belonging to every human soul. Not because everyone is like us or even necessarily likeable, but because Love is big enough to include everyone.
What Justice Looks Like
Sometimes, it is tempting to think about justice only as something “out there,” something that is about causes and actions and social change. But justice is also about how we treat ourselves and the people around us and in our families. The way we treat people individually has a big impact on those larger issues, even if it’s hard to tell right away.
Dr. Cornel West tells us, “Justice is what love looks like in public.” You can tell yourself this quote too, to remind you of why justice is so important. When we work for justice, we are embodying love in our communities; this is how we change the world!
Meditation on Lost Love
This month’s theme of love can be a joyous and uplifting topic but as we know joy and grief are woven fine. Join Ministerial Fellows Elizabeth Bukey and Scott Youmans for a meditative service on lost love February 11 at 8:00pm EST.
Love
February 2015
“Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” —Zora Neale Hurston
Articles
Living by Love
You don’t have to be Christian to admire this ancient and beautiful religion and wish to learn from its wisdom. Read more »
Sharing the Love
Love is a way of life. It should be how we make our way in the world. And truth be told, we should be preaching love every Sunday. Read more »
Love Is…and Isn’t
Love is patient—as opposed to people who rush to judgment; as opposed to those who insist that everybody should agree immediately on the obviously right answer, whether or not they have had time to think it through. Read more »
CLF Invites GA Delegates
Would you like to represent the CLF at the UUA’s General Assembly (GA) this summer? Read more »
Tucked In
On a quiet suburban street on a Sunday evening, just as it was getting dark, I saw a car pull into a driveway, and then the silhouette of a man walking from the car to the front door of the house, carrying a sleeping child. Read more »
Because of Your Dollars
“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is such a struggle since coming back home from deployment. Thank you for being there for me, as it is hard to be with people right now.” —Tim Read more »
From Your Minister
Before I had the good fortune to serve the Church of the Larger Fellowship as senior minister, I was part of a team that designed and launched the Standing on the Side of Love Campaign at the Unitarian Universalist Association. Read more »
REsources for Living
A few years ago, Unitarian Universalists got a new nickname. In 2010 lots of UUs went to Arizona to protest the way immigrants were being treated. Read more »
Did You Know…
That you can buy many fun items with the CLF “I Carry the Flame” logo? Check them out at CLFUU.org Shop. Read more »
Living by Love
Podcast: Download (16.8MB)
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You don’t have to be Christian to admire this ancient and beautiful religion and wish to learn from its wisdom. And that wisdom has a simple core. Above all else, before all else, shining out through all the accretions of twenty centuries, is the central teaching of Jesus: whatever we do, we should be motivated by love and act in love. Read more →
Sharing the Love
Podcast: Download (12.7MB)
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Love is a way of life.
It should be how we make our way in the world. And truth be told, we should be preaching love every Sunday. Read more →
Love Is…and Isn’t
Podcast: Download (3.6MB)
Subscribe: More
Love is patient—as opposed to people who rush to judgment; as opposed to those who insist that everybody should agree immediately on the obviously right answer, whether or not they have had time to think it through. Read more →
CLF Invites GA Delegates
Podcast: Download (1.4MB)
Subscribe: More
Would you like to represent the CLF at the UUA’s General Assembly (GA) this summer? Read more →
Tucked In
Podcast: Download (1.6MB)
Subscribe: More
On a quiet suburban street on a Sunday evening, just as it was getting dark, I saw a car pull into a driveway, and then the silhouette of a man walking from the car to the front door of the house, carrying a sleeping child. Read more →
Because of Your Dollars
Podcast: Download (614.1KB)
Subscribe: More
Read more →“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is such a struggle since coming back home from deployment. Thank you for being there for me, as it is hard to be with people right now.”
—Tim