Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA

A diverse, welcoming community of open hearts and minds since 1948

August 2010 Blog Posts (18)

Unitarian Words in Oval Office Inspire President Obama

The end of August, I wrote the post about UU Parker's words being in President Obama's office. This evening (Sept 2) on All Things Considered (NPR's news show) they had a story which also gave Unitarian Theodore Parker credit for the origin of King's words, and also Lincoln's. It is the theory of some of the UUCA staff that the NPR staff must be reading our church web site, saw my blog, and decided to do the story. What do you think??

My original blog -

There's a new rug in the… Continue

Added by Rev. Linda Olson Peebles on August 31, 2010 at 10:00pm — No Comments

Just in Time for Labor Day... Boycott Snapple

This just in ... from AFL-CIO Working Families Group:

THE LOW-WAGING OF AMERICA

"For 100 days, more than 300 Mott’s workers in Williamson, N.Y., have been on strike, fighting the low-waging of America. The Dr Pepper Snapple Group, the corporate conglomerate that owns Mott’s (of apple juice and apple sauce fame) has been trying to cut their pay and benefits—even though the company reported a net income of $555 million in 2009. (In addition to Mott's apple… Continue

Added by Laura Dely on August 30, 2010 at 2:28pm — 2 Comments

OWL Alive at UUCA!

This weekend, UUCA is the setting for an exciting learning experience for 65 folks from SW VA up to NYC! They are here to teach and learn about facilitating Our Whole Lives, the comprehensive sexuality education program we promote. Folks are being trained to be facilitators for OWL for 1st, 5th, 8th, 11th grades, and Young and Older Adults! From early morning to late at night for three days, the energy is high, the commitment is deep, and the vision is clear - to help bring wholeness to our… Continue

Added by Rev. Linda Olson Peebles on August 28, 2010 at 2:50pm — No Comments

Pakistan Flood Relief Fund Established

Since the world learned of the floods now devastating Pakistan, conditions have worsened dramatically. More than 17.2 million people are affected by the floods - more than the Haiti earthquake, the 2005 South Asia earthquake, and

the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami combined.

The growing enormity of this humanitarian disaster has compelled the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) and the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) to launch our UUSC-UUA Joint Pakistan Flood… Continue

Added by Rev. Linda Olson Peebles on August 25, 2010 at 4:40pm — No Comments

Northern VA nest of quilt revival in the 1970' and since then too

I know that many people do not know that we are sitting here at the source of a major revival in quilting in the USA. I got on the wagon in the 1970s and have not left it since then so there is a lot that I take for granted that everyone knows. Just in case you don't know some of the history, there is an annual event that for many of us used to be the yearly kick off for once more designing a new quilt, connecting with any of the guilds that include more than a thousand members...you get the… Continue

Added by jill herndon on August 20, 2010 at 7:30pm — No Comments

9500 Liberty, a Documentary - Sept. 15th

Hi - I haven't been blogging in about 6 months now. But, I am back because I have some exciting news.

9500 Liberty, an interactive documentary directed by Annabel Park and Eric Byler is coming to UUCA. UUCA VOICE is having a fundraiser to educate the congregation and the community about questions/issues surrounding immigration and immigration reform. We are hoping this will deepen the discussion we will be having around Immigration reform this year.…

Continue

Added by Sharon G. Williams on August 20, 2010 at 6:30pm — 2 Comments

The language of discrimination

Shannon (Shay) O'Reilly, a young adult who grew in our congregation, has started writing a weekly column in the Iowa daily paper. Much of her work focuses on human rights and other issues important o most of us UU's. The link below is the latest, talking of the dehumanizing language which is employed to make it easier to hate.
http://www.dailyiowan.com/2010/08/19/Opinions/18246.html

Added by Tom O'Reilly on August 19, 2010 at 11:12pm — 1 Comment

What is a holiday among family?

So many of us have families that take time together to tear each other apart.

I have not figured out why this happens and have instead opted into just celebrating one on one in a harmony I can love.

I have excluded some family from my attentions, to side step the small and large cruelties.

This is a You Tube published song from a Kennedy Center concert that I picked up from a family member's Facebook page.

I think it speaks to me about the necessity… Continue

Added by jill herndon on August 16, 2010 at 7:30pm — 2 Comments

Q: Why do we need religion?

A: Because as we learned vividly at Auschwitz, our lives must have meaning.

Rev. Oliver Thomas addressed this question in the Religious Forum of USA Today on Monday, August 9, 2010. I suggest you read his article at: http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-08-09-column09_ST_N.htm

Thomas has found that people seek religion for many reasons including… Continue

Added by David McTaggart on August 12, 2010 at 6:30pm — 1 Comment

UU Witness in Phoenix

The Unitarian Universalist presence in Phoenix on July 29th continues to
draw media attention. The following was recently published :
Religion Dispatches, "A Primer on Activism from Unitarian
Universalists," by Kim Bobo, founder and executive director of
Interfaith Worker Justice.

Added by Rev. Linda Olson Peebles on August 11, 2010 at 2:02pm — No Comments

UUCA Has a History of Solidarity with Immigrants

The UU Church of Arlington, focusing this year on Standing on the Side of Love with immigrants, is walking on a path we've trod before. Our church has a track record of caring about refugees and immigrants.

Citing the church history compiled 12 years ago - -

1956 "UCA contributed two tons of clothing and more than $2,000 to Hungarian refugees, and helped care for three young Freedom Fighters and a family that had fled Hungary to Virginia, until they could become… Continue

Added by Rev. Linda Olson Peebles on August 10, 2010 at 5:35pm — 6 Comments

A Chautauqua Summer

I'm blogging from Chautauqua Institution in northwestern New York where I am the Minister of the Week for the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship here (by the way, UUCA's Bob Hopper is the president of the Fellowship). Chautauqua is a porch community where people appreciate and celebrate life-long learning, the arts, and natural beauty. Terry and I have been spending part of our summer here for over 20 years, enjoying the inspiring lectures, the… Continue

Added by Rev. Michael McGee on August 7, 2010 at 2:00pm — 1 Comment

Win the Underground Railroad Quilt Raffle!

Unlock the secrets of the Underground Railroad Quilt with an original design by UUCA’s own Quilt Covenant Group. One lucky winner can stay cozy and warm this Winter while reflecting upon a unique part of American history and the legendary “quilt code” said to be embedded in each block design.

Tickets: Ticket sales start after services at church in September and continue into the Services Auction in November where the winning ticket will be drawn. All proceeds go to… Continue

Added by jill herndon on August 6, 2010 at 4:30pm — 2 Comments

Ushahidi: Swahili for Witness or Testimony - Using it For Social Justice and Crisis Management

When UUCA launched this online church in the fall, I recall discussing how our blogs and social media could be used by our accompaniers in Guatemala and also by other UU efforts and also those of the UU Service Committee. The concerns expressed were that those in Guatemala, for example, who might blog would be persecuted.

It's a good time now to bring the conversation back now with examples all over the world of accompanier like behavior done by the residents themselves -- in Kenya,… Continue

Added by June Herold on August 3, 2010 at 4:07pm — No Comments

An Altar for Los Días de los Muertos

Years ago, at a tricky time in our marriage, Joe and I created an altar in the Mexican style, to honor the "Days of the Dead" in our own unique way--making peace with our more obnoxious ancestors.

It sat on the radiator below the south-facing windows in the dining room. There was our triptych mirror reflecting our own souls, flowers, candles, pictures of our ancestors, our beastly housemates, symbols of life, love and the spirit. It was beautiful and it reminded us constantly of the… Continue

Added by Cynthia Adcock on August 3, 2010 at 11:30am — 3 Comments