Tag Archives: unitarian universalism

RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY

Posted on January 14, 2014 by revsteffi

Religious authority has to do with how you know WHAT you know to be true and just; what source informs your actions. Depending upon the religious context in which you find yourself, the answer could be as simple as … Continue reading →

Posted in hope, spirituality, unitarian universalism | Tagged accountability, beloved community, exploration, mystery, religious authority, Religious contexts, sacred texts, source, tradition, truth, unitarian universalism | Comments Off

Lift Every Voice!

Posted on November 14, 2013 by revsteffi

We all hold in our memories images, stories, and words describing (in great detail) and relaying the potential (no, the imperative) for – “perfection”! Very early on we are handed a vision of what that “perfection” should look like, what … Continue reading →

Tagged imperfection, unitarian universalism, voices, worship resource | Comments Off

Pastoral Care

Posted on October 25, 2013 by revsteffi

I came to congregational ministry by way of Chaplaincy. In 2000 I enrolled in a six-month Chaplaincy program at New York University hospital, drawn to the idea of being present to people in their times of deepest sorrow or joy. … Continue reading →

Posted in spirituality, unitarian universalism | Tagged covenant groups, pastoral care, presence, shared ministry, unitarian universalism | Comments Off

Chaos Theory & Peace Reality

Posted on November 29, 2012 by revsteffi

(An excerpt of the 12/02/12 sermon delivered at the UU Church of Santa Clarita) December can be tough for many of us: highlighting the chaos around us as well as the disorder within. Highlighting the discordance between what we’re told … Continue reading →

Posted in current events, hope, science, spirituality, unitarian universalism, worship resource | Tagged chaos theory, christmas, peace, unitarian universalism | Comments Off

Taptenwechsel

Posted on August 30, 2012 by revsteffi

There’s a lot to be said for what my mom used to call “Tapetenwechsel” – a change of scenery (in German, literally, a change of wallpaper). Stepping out of familiar environments now and then certainly challenges me to look at … Continue reading →

Posted in current events, hope, spirituality | Tagged current events, goals, hope, new church year, religious community, shared ministry, unitarian universalism | Comments Off

Justice GA 2012, Phoenix, AZ

Posted on June 20, 2012 by revsteffi

As I sit down to write, Unitarian Universalists from all over the country (and world) converge on Phoenix, Arizona. Around the convention center the air is filled with shrieks of recognition as old friends, acquaintances and colleagues reunite; the murmur … Continue reading →

Posted in current events, hope, unitarian universalism | Tagged change, general assembly, innovation, justice ga, unitarian universalism | Comments Off

“Transcending Thoughts” (05/06/12 Sermon Excerpt)

Posted on April 30, 2012 by revsteffi

This service is entitled “Transcending Thoughts”. Which caused at least one Facebook friend to ask me if that meant I’d be sharing thoughts ABOUT transcending (something you might expect from “mainstream” clergy). Or, if thoughts themselves would be transcended during … Continue reading →

Tagged concord, transcendence, transcendentalism, unitarian universalism | Comments Off

Welcoming Spring

Posted on March 20, 2012 by revsteffi

As the season of Spring transforms the earth, we explore the universal yearning for and promise of personal and societal transformation. We honor the religious stories and rituals of the season that transform fear into love, ignorance and arrogance into … Continue reading →

Posted in current events, spirituality, worship resource | Tagged celebration, Spirituality, spring, unitarian universalism, vision | Comments Off

Grace

Posted on March 14, 2012 by revsteffi

Grace is something for which we prepare ourselves. It is the guest we invite and for whom we clean house. It is the guest whose anticipated arrival causes us to see the everyday of our lives with new eyes; it … Continue reading →

Tagged grace, Spirituality, unitarian universalism, waiting | Comments Off

On Congregational Life

Posted on November 30, 2011 by revsteffi

Nurturing Congregational Life is a matter of nurturing relationships within and among individuals – among those who gather within Unitarian Universalist covenants, as well as with those far beyond. This involves not only a keen attention to and appreciation for … Continue reading →

Posted in unitarian universalism | Tagged unitarian universalism | Comments Off