Winter 2014, Vol.XXVIII No.4

Features

Offenders among us
Whether we realize it or not, we likely all know sex abuse victims and offenders. Can we be in community with both?
By Kimberly French in Life

Safe churches need policies and vigilance
'We want congregations to be as proud of being free of sexual harassment, abuse, and misconduct as they are welcoming of LGBTQ people.'
By Kimberly French in Life

Reforms take aim at clergy misconduct
It is easy to think of clergy misconduct as a Catholic or evangelical problem. It's not.
By Kimberly French in News

Selma's challenge
In the past, our religious forebears had stood on the brink of making a difference in racial justice, and had wavered. Not this time.
By Mark Morrison-Reed in Ideas

Departments

A necessary starting place
Kimberly French reports on clergy sexual misconduct; Donald Skinner retires after a distinguished career.
By Christopher L. Walton in From the editor

Tough times
We progressives are prone to believing progress is a lot easier than it is.
By Peter Morales in From the president

Something more spiritual
The Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence, Kansas, has nearly doubled its membership by being open to change.
By Donald E. Skinner in Life

Up to our necks
As a nation, we are buried up to our necks in a history of violence against people of color.
By Meg Riley in Life

Seeing your sanctuary in a different light
Candlelight transforms a meetinghouse for Christmas Eve.
By Sonja L. Cohen in Spiritual landmarks

A tree remembers
A children's book tells Anne Frank's story from the perspective of the tree outside her hiding place.
By Sonja L. Cohen in Life

Susan Frederick-Gray v. Joe Arpaio
The Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray joins federal class-action lawsuit against Maricopa County Sheriff Joseph Arpaio.
By Elaine McArdle in Life

What can you see from your back porch?
I used to think my grandfather's worldview was limited and small-minded.
By Travis Tennessen in Spirit

I couldn't not go
Featured online in another form:
I couldn't not go
More than 1,500 Unitarian Universalists took part in the People's Climate March. I was one of them.
By Sonja L. Cohen in Spirit

Will we accompany them?
What is the 'gospel' Unitarian Universalists have to share with migrants and deportees on their often forced and dehumanizing journeys?
By Colin Bossen in Spirit

31 UUs arrested at White House
Featured online in another form:
31 UUs arrested at immigration protest at White House
Unitarian Universalists made up largest contingent in interfaith action July 31.
By Elaine McArdle in UU news

Reeb Project fights voter suppression in North Carolina
Featured online in another form:
Reeb Project aims to fight voter suppression
Charlotte congregations and All Souls in D.C. cooperate to work on voters' rights in North Carolina.
By Elaine McArdle in UU news

Faithify crowdsources $100K in pledges in first two months
Featured online in another form:
New crowdfunding site draws $100K for UU projects
Donors pledge $100,000 through Faithify.org for Unitarian Universalist projects in first two months.
By Gary Band in UU news

UUs hold vigils for Ferguson, Mo.
Featured online in another form:
Missouri UUs hold vigils, collect food for Ferguson
UUA president decries 'profoundly unsettling' images of police action after killing of Michael Brown.
By Elaine McArdle in UU news

41 Mt. Vernon St. sold for $11.5M
Featured online in another form:
UUA sells last Beacon Hill building for $11.5 million
41 Mt. Vernon St., former Beacon Press headquarters, will become condominiums.
By Donald E. Skinner in UU news

Board approves revised budget
Featured online in another form:
UUA balances budget with cuts, $400K loan from endowment
Board approves revised budget to address $1.3 million shortfall; 'InterConnections' ceases publication.
By Elaine McArdle in UU news

Bethany House: From dormitory to transformational community
Featured online in another form:
From dormitory to transformational community
Bethany House, a Universalist-founded boarding house for young women in Boston, adds transitional housing mission.
By Christian Schmidt in UU news

Obituaries

End of an era (Announcing the end of InterConnections)

Dealing with intruders in worship (from InterConnections)

Community news can nurture civic health
News organizations need to bridge the divide between journalism and the public.
By Dan Kennedy in Forum

Charles Dickens and the notion of evil
Although his true villains are never redeemed, Dickens' novels demonstrate that good wins in the end.
By Susan Jhirad in Bookshelf

Books to buy for UUs
Gift ideas for Unitarian Universalists.
By Sonja L. Cohen in Ideas

James Lord Pierpont and the mystery of 'Jingle Bells'
The debate over where the Unitarian wrote the holiday favorite rages on.
By Kris Willcox in Looking back

Letters, Winter 2014
Readers respond to the Fall 2014 issue.
in Letters

Blog roundup, Winter 2014
Online responses to UU World.
By Heather Christensen in Letters

Traffic report, Winter 2014
Top ten stories at uuworld.org.
By Christopher L. Walton in Letters

Online Extras

Audio recordings of selected essays

Families Weave a Tapestry of Faith

All are welcome, to a point
Anti-abortion activists interrupted a Unitarian Universalist worship service, then complained when they were ushered out.
By Darcy Baxter

O gremlins, O St. Anthony!
My faith is in science, but I try to keep an open mind.
By Meg Barnhouse