First Reading Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian; and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of […]

The naturalist, John Burroughs, wrote this: The laws of life and death are as they should be. The laws of matter and force are as they should be; and if death ends my consciousness, still is death good. I have had life on those terms, and somewhere, somehow, the course of nature is justified. I […]

There’s a famous Hasidic story about the rabbi who disappeared every Shabat Eve ‘to commune with God in the forest,’ or so his congregation thought. Once they assigned a cantor to follow the rabbi on his Shabat Eve trip into the forest to observe his holy encounter. Deeper and deeper into the forest the rabbi […]

Opening Words from Rabbi Bob Orkand, Temple Israel: As the soot and dirt and ash rained down, We became one color. As we carried each other down the Stairs of the burning building, We became one class. As we lit candles of waiting and hope, We became one generation. As the firefighters and police officers […]

In the 25th chapter of the book of Exodus there’s a passage about sacred space. The Hebrew Scripture has God say to Moses, “And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, after the pattern of the tabernacle (the portable sanctuary in which Jews […]

Opening Words There’s a famous Hasidic story about the rabbi who disappeared every Shabat Eve ‘to commune with God in the forest,’ or so his congregation thought. Once they assigned a cantor to follow the rabbi on his Shabat Eve trip into the forest to observe his holy encounter. Deeper and deeper into the forest […]

Opening Words for Father’s Day from Carl Sandburg’s The People, Yes A father sees a son nearing manhood What shall he tell that son? Life is hard; be steel; be a rock.’ And this might stand him for the storms and serve him for humdrum and monotony and guide him amid sudden betrayals and tighten […]

Introduction: The following paper was written for a study group of 30 Unitarian ministers. I’ve been a member of the group since 1973 and often use poetry at our twice-a-year retreats, both during discussion of our topics and at our regular chapel services. The group decided to dig into the theme of poetry as it […]

The story of Arnold, from a little book: Nenshu and the Tiger, by Martin Bell. Keep in mind that the author of this story was an Episcopal priest. THE STORY Once there was a bird with fur. He had a long yellow beak and pleasant green eyes. Everyone who knew him called him Arnold. But […]

Reading: Matthew 6: Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them…But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your (Spirit) who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And in praying do not heap up empty […]