Sunday, June 5, 2016 From Rev. Elea Kemler Karen, I charge you to hold you to some of the most beautiful ways you are a minister. Hold onto your joy. Hold onto your playful, bubble-blowing, creative self, the part of you that is always finding things to do with rocks and water and fire, …
Charge to the Minister – for the Ordination of Karen G. Johnston by Rev. Elea Kemler Read More »
Here is what can happen when we reach out across divides with solidarity, generosity, and integrity to bridge the distances. Here is what can happen when you follow through on good works. Inspired by a letter written by a Unitarian Universalist minster and endorsed by many UUs and others representing multiple faiths in Utah, the …
Undeniable Reality of Connection: An Interfaith Letter Gets a Response Read More »
There is a Japanese art form originating in the 15th century called kintsugi. It is the process of repairing broken ceramics by mending them with a clear lacquer resin that is mixed with gold powder (or other powdered metals). In filling these cracks, these broken aspects of the pot or the jar, the cup or …
Part II: We Do Not Fear Change, But We Do Feel Loss (Click here for Part I.) What is smaller than a split-second? A mili-second? A nano-second? All long enough for my heart to skip a beat, worried I was too late. When I opened the nest of my hands, the slightest moment of fear …
March 15, 2015 First Parish Church of Groton Karen G. Johnston Candidate for the Unitarian Universalist Ministry Intern Minister (for audio version of sermon click here) O, Oracle of Wikipedia! I beseech thee! I am unknowing and seek your wisdom: pray tell me, what meaneth “Ides of March”? It turns out that in long-ago days …
It was a Sunday of worship when those gathered were paying homage to the efforts and sacrifices of the civil rights movement. It could have been the Sunday before the MLK Jr. holiday. It could have been the fiftieth anniversary of an important milestone in the civil rights struggle: the March on Washington or crossing …
This sermon was delivered on February 22, 2015 at First Parish Church of Groton, MA. audio version here Somewhere in Asia – Japan or Malaysia or some other country – there is a picture on a Buddhist monk’s smart phone. It is of the dining hall at Changmyay Meditation Center just outside of Yangon, Myanmar, …
Unitarian Universalists have a long history of courage in tackling issues around human sexuality—from campaigning for human rights, to pioneering innovative work in the Our Whole Lives sexuality curriculum… join #UUs this month for a discussion of sex–the challenging parts, the beautiful parts, the spiritual parts, and even the downright goofy parts. UU or not, …
When I was a social worker/home visitor and got paid for playing with toddlers, I worked in a community that was predominantly Spanish-speaking. This means that I learned a couple of songs in Spanish that are typically sung in Puerto Rican families (at least in Holyoke and Springfield, Massachusetts) to their little ones. “Que Linda …
Maybe you were like me when the George Zimmerman trial was going on, shocked (not necessarily surprised) that the defense would come up with something so totally messed up as to say that Trayvon Martin was not unarmed because he used the ground upon which he was standing (and defending himself against an unprovoked aggressor) …
Furtive Movements: The New Jim Crow Over & Over (part I) Read More »