VFP's Memorial Day for Peace

I'm looking forward to leading a Memorial Day Service tomorrow at the UUCiA.  Memorial Day can be a hard day, emotionally, when you really think about the meaning of it all.  But it's so important.

On Monday, May 28, I will have the honor of giving the Opening Words at the Smedley D. Butler Brigade of Veterans For Peace's Memorial Day for Peace.  You can read about it at this link.

May no more people, military or civilian, die in war.  May we make it so.  The Religious Society of Friends (the Quakers) say it best: War is not the answer.

Protest of "Secure Communities" coming to Massachusetts

On Friday, May 11, I joined with other Unitarian Universalists in the protest/rally of the ICE "Secure Communities" coming to Massachusetts. I wrote up the event for the Standing on the Side of Love blog; click here to see the post.  It was inspiring to be a part of it.  To the left is a picture I took, showing just a little of the wonderful crowd.

Article on "Welcoming Faiths" in today's Eagle Tribune

Photo (c) Carl Russo, Eagle Tribune (April Welcoming Faiths Meeting)

There's an article in today's Lawrence Eagle Tribune about LGBTQ Welcoming Communities of Faith (or "Welcoming Faiths" for short)!  Here's a link to the article: click here.  It's a nice piece quoting lots of great people from the group, from several different member congregations.  (For the record, I said "If it weren't for same sex marriage, I wouldn't be married at all" and "historic" rather than "historical"... not that I'm vain!)

Welcoming Faiths has a Facebook page and a website/blog.

Photo (c) Carl Russo, Eagle Tribune (me with our banner)

The mission of Welcoming Faiths is "to promote equality and inclusion for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning individuals and families and to reach out and assist those seeking a spiritual home.  Our member congregations encourage active support for LGBTQ people and their families, assuring that they are welcomed, comfortable and safe in every aspect of congregational life.  Our member congregations also strive to increase awareness of issues of equality and justice for LGBTQ persons and to serve as beacons of fairness and loving affirmation in the Merrimack Valley and beyond."

I hope more congregations in the Merrimack Valley will join Welcoming Faiths.  Our current members are:

Ballard Vale United Church of Andover
23 Clark Road
Andover, MA 01810
www.bvuc.org

Christ Church (Episcopal) Andover
25 Central Street
Andover, MA 01810
www.christchurchandover.org

Christ Church United
180 East Merrimack Street
Lowell, MA 01852
www.wewelcomeall.org

North Parish of North Andover
Unitarian Universalist
190 Academy Road
North Andover, MA 01845
www.northparish.org/index.php

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
390 Main Street
North Andover, MA 01845
www.stpaulsnorthandover.com

South Church in Andover
41 Central Street
Andover, MA 01810
www.southchurch.com

Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover
6 Locke Street
Andover, MA 01810
www.uuandover.org

Universalist Unitarian Church of Haverhill
15 Kenoza Avenue
Haverhill, MA 01830
www.uuhaverhill.org

West Parish Church of Andover
129 Reservation Road
Andover, MA 01810
www.westparishchurch.org

We can be reached at: welcomingfaiths@gmail.com

The Arc of the Moral Universe....

Yesterday was quite a day.  First, the depressing news that North Carolina voted for Amendment one.  But then, to my surprise, the wonderful news that President Obama made a statement in favor of same sex marriage... a historic moment by any measure.

Read UUA President (Rev.) Peter Morales's statement at this link.

The quote of the day?  It seemed to be Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Amen.

On another justice topic, please join Centro Presente and others tomorrow, Friday, May 11 in Boston to stand with immigrant families: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. in front of Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the JFK building in Boston.  Here's the link on the event from UU Mass Action.  I hope to see you there!