Dear Friends, On July 6, I leave Mankato for a two-week vacation out East. I’ll spend a week disconnected from social media of all kinds, and another week visiting friends and family in Pittsburgh and Buffalo. It will be good to see familiar faces. We will miss long body hugs and holding hands. We will … Continue reading July 1, 2020 Minister’s Message
UU-Youth Faith Lab Opportunity For those whose youth are yearning for ways to connect with other youth this summer, please invite them to join the faith lab community! This pilot program runs from July 10th-31st and registration is now live! UU Faith Lab registration is live! What’s Faith Lab? A hybrid online, personalized and small … Continue reading UU-Youth Faith Lab Opportunity
Bouncing Back, Moving Through – a reflection “…You know that there is no bouncing back. There is only moving through… What happens to us becomes a part of us. Resilient people do not bounce back from hard experiences; they find healthy ways to integrate them into their lives.” Eric Greitens Monday was the first heavy … Continue reading CFD Director’s Corner 07/01/2020
Dear Friends, Summer is upon us, officially and in all ways that we can note with our senses—heat and rain, blue skies full of fluffy white clouds, lush plant life, rhubarb and peaches galore. Yes, gnats and mosquitoes, too. Still, summer is delightful, and it offers much respite from busy and fraught lives, even when … Continue reading June 24, 2020 Minister’s Message
Friday, June 19th, known as Juneteenth, marks the day in 1865 when the enslaved people of Texas learned that President Abraham Lincoln had signed the emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, and effective as of January 1, 1863. The 3rd Annual Mankato Juneteenth Celebration is a march organized by the Greater Mankato Diversity Council. We will all gather … Continue reading Celebrate Juneteenth
Dear Friends, It has been 97 days since your UUFM leadership closed the Fellowship in response to COVID-19. That feels like a long time. We are doing our best, as a religious community and as individuals, to protect our most vulnerable people, including healthcare workers. We are finding ways to stay connected as a religious … Continue reading June 17, 2020 Minister’s Message
Notes from the Director Dear Friends, As I continue to keep you all in my hearts and thoughts, please know that I am just an email or a phone call away. While I am no longer holding virtual “office hours”, you can reach me on my personal phone at 507-995-7929. My typical workdays are Tuesday, … Continue reading CFD Director’s Corner 6/17/2020
Dear Friends, Sometimes, my days just don’t go as planned. That is true for some of my weeks as well. I know I am not the only one. Today was one of those days. And it’s always unsettling to me because I mistake my wishes and my plans for reality. And so I did the … Continue reading June 10, 2020 Minister’s Message
Notes from the Director Dear Friends, As I continue to keep you all in my hearts and thoughts, please know that I am just an email or a phone call away. While I am no longer holding virtual “office hours”, you can reach me on my personal phone at 507-995-7929. My typical workdays are Tuesday, … Continue reading CFD Director’s Corner 6/10/2020
Dear Friends, I spent most of Tuesday in The Cities, engaging in two silent protests organized by Black clergy. I wore a collar, a stole, and a mask. And I was thoughtful about how close I was standing to so many people, all of us trying to keep apart and failing in the moment. Life … Continue reading June 3, 2020 Minister’s Message
