Summer 2009, Vol.XXIII No.2

Features

'One tribe, one people'
Unitarian Universalism is growing rapidly in Africa, uniting people from many tribes to serve the poor.
By Scott Kraft in Life

A public witness
President William G. Sinkford looks back on eight years of leadership.
By Christopher L. Walton in Life

The liberal saints
Andrene Kauffman’s murals in Chicago’s Third Unitarian Church honor heroes of the liberal spirit.
By Donald E. Skinner in Spirit

Departments

'Utne' honor, farewell to 'uu&me!'
'Utne Reader' names 'UU World' a finalist for an Utne Independent Press Award.
By Christopher L. Walton in From the editor

My heart sings songs of thanks and praise
President Sinkford's farewell column.
By William G. Sinkford in Our calling

Letters, Summer 2009
Readers respond to the Spring 2009 issue.
By Jane Greer in Letters

Mailbox, Summer 2009
Evaluating Darwin's legacy, dismissing spirituality, and praising the cover.
By Jane Greer in Letters

Blog roundup, Summer 2009
Online responses to UU World.
By Christopher L. Walton in Letters

Traffic report, Summer 2009
Top ten stories at uuworld.org.
By Christopher L. Walton in Letters

The promised land is under your feet
Communities owe their health to those with the fortitude to stay put.
By Michael Schuler in Forum

Congregations organize to combat recession
Tightening their own belts, Unitarian Universalist churches help members in need.
By Donald E. Skinner in Congregational life

Lessons from an elephant sage
The most important thing Samboon taught me was how to speak from my deepest and most grounded place.
By Rain T. Van Den Berg in Reflections

Blue agave
Abstractions in nature.
By Laura Janes in Reflections

A natural aptitude
People probably thought my parents were hippies because we were out-of-the-closet Unitarian Universalists.
By Laura Pedersen in Reflections

The human condition
If the ego is about how we are separate, then the spirit is about how we are connected.
By Kenneth W. Collier in Reflections

UUA to cut staff, reduce expenses
Featured online in another form:
UUA cuts staff, reorganizes departments to balance budget
Equivalent of 13 full-time positions eliminated; Congregational Services to be reorganized.
By Jane Greer in UU news

Killer sentenced, victims honored
Featured online in another form:
Knoxville churches honor shooting victims; killer pleads guilty
Unrepentant shooter urged others to ‘kill liberals’; Unitarian Universalists name rooms after his victims during 60th anniversary celebration.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

UUs keep up reconciliation work
Featured online in another form:
Cincinnati churches continue racial reconciliation
Unitarian Universalists build relationships with descendents of black minister spurned by Unitarians in 1930s.
By Michelle Bates Deakin in UU news

Being UU in Utah
Featured online in another form:
Utah a 'great place to be a Unitarian Universalist'
Unitarian Universalist Association's General Assembly meets in Salt Lake City, June 24-28.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Board ends affiliate status
Featured online in another form:
UUA board votes to end independent affiliate status
Hears update on UUA cost-cutting measures, places new Principles and Purposes on GA agenda.
By Jane Greer in UU news

California UUs partner with Tijuana families
Featured online in another form:
California congregation forms ties with Tijuana families
Unitarian Universalist fellowship delivers food, supplies, and letters to new-found friends in Tijuana.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

CLF supports new military ministry
Featured online in another form:
New website helps military UUs connect
Church of the Larger Fellowship launches military ministry website.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Moderator Courter seeks second term
Featured online in another form:
Gini Courter seeks another term as UUA moderator
Priorities include shift to policy governance, accountability to congregations, antiracism, and 'excellence in ministry.'
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

UUs participate in global warming conference, rally
Featured online in another form:
Unitarian Universalists promote clean energy on Capitol Hill
Thousands of young people gather in Washington to lobby for changes in energy policy.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

UU fights S.C.'s 'I believe' license plates
Featured online in another form:
UU minister challenges S.C. 'I believe' license plates
Judge calls legislature's plans to issue license plates depicting a cross a violation of church-state separation.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Nomadic Americans, elephants, and UU saints
Questions for spiritual reflection and adult group discussions.
By Jane Greer in What in the World?

John Murray's conversion to Universalism
How an 18th-century Calvinist embraced Universalism and became the first minister of a Universalist church in America.
By Kimberly French in Looking back

Online Extras

A religion for hard times
Faith is what’s left when you stop responding to radical uncertainty with panic and denial.
By Doug Muder

Graduation day
Parenthood makes life serious and challenges you to push past limitations you have accepted too easily. But those issues don't go away when you decide not to have children.
By Doug Muder

The love truck
The Karma Fairy is laughing her head off at the SUV in my driveway.
By Meg Barnhouse

The church board and the Illuminati
What did the Décor Committee know, and when did they know it?
By Meg Barnhouse

Flat tire and a beating heart
A heartbeat is one thing you want to do like everyone else.
By Meg Barnhouse

Reclaiming my space in the sisterhood
The International Convocation of Unitarian Universalist Women revived me.
By Joanna Fontaine Crawford