Guest Blog by Rev. Sally Fritsche “Is not prayer a study of truth? A venture of the soul into the unfound infinite? No one ever prayed heartily without learning something.”           ~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson Prayer isn’t for atheists like me – at least, that’s what I used to think. Until I prayed for Ernesto. … Continue reading An Atheist’s Prayer

Guest Blog by Sigrid Cummings When QUUF was designing its sanctuary expansion, a Memorial Circle and Columbarium was included in the planning.  Before construction began, the congregation realized there would be insufficient funds to include it in the project.  It was moved into what they called “Unfunded Objects of Our Desire” with the goal of … Continue reading Thoughts on a Columbarium Niche

Guest Blog by Tess Taft “Give my love to the substance and the shadow…”    ~ Roger Rosenblatt When I think of retiring, I pause, horrified at the thought, because all of the cancer centers where I’ve spent so many years are the places where each inhale and exhale is bathed in the light from my … Continue reading Giving Your Love

Guest Blog by The Right Relations Covenant Team* What, exactly, makes us UUs? How are we defined, and how do we agree to treat each other? Unlike religions, which are based on creeds (statements of spiritual belief), Unitarian Universalism is a covenant-based faith, meaning agreements on interacting respectfully with one another. A Covenant is the … Continue reading Our QUUF Covenants

Guest Blog by Katy Ottaway I want to talk about treating addiction. I am going to use opioids as my example. I think of addiction as a loss of boundaries. The person has lost their boundaries against the drug – alcohol, methamphetamines, heroin, oxycontin, gambling, sex, gossip, cocaine, kratom, whatever. The boundary is no longer … Continue reading Treating Addiction

Guest Blog by Lou Manrique Five years ago I had a near death experience. I was in bed, recovering from a respiratory ailment and tried, without success, to clear my throat. I suddenly discovered I could not breath! Try as I might, I could not inhale. While making attempts to do so, I surprisingly found … Continue reading My Near-Death Experience

Guest Blog by Betty Oppenheimer Betty Oppenheimer has been a QUUF member for 25 years and has served in more capacities than we can count, including Board President, Youth Group Advisor, two Search Committees (for Bruce Bode and Nan Geer), Coming of Age Mentor, Welcoming Congregation, and just about every committee that has to do … Continue reading On Being Our Best Selves

Guest Blog by Rosemary Adang I joined QUUF for the same reason so many of us are here – a sense of community: spiritual community, community support, community action.  QUUF is, as Paula Jones spoke of in her sermon earlier this year, a community of communities. At QUUF, I’ve found communities within our larger community … Continue reading Our Community of Communities

Guest Blog by Christina Tweed We just celebrated our Homecoming Sunday service. I don’t think it was how any of us hoped it would be… together in the sanctuary, even if it was limited capacity. But I am grateful. I am grateful for those who have our safety in the forefront of their minds in … Continue reading Keeping Connected in These COVID Times

Guest Blog by Nan Toby Tyrrell For me, when the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah comes in September, it’s a time that I relish. It provides me a chance to look into the deepest parts of myself and examine what changes I can make to live a better life. How can I find ways to honor … Continue reading Sacred Times ~ Rosh Hashanah