Happy April, all Starrs! I hope you were in some way enlarged by the season of Easter and Passover which just concluded. I enjoy Spring as an experience of renewal, whether in regard to the traditions of Easter, resurgence of new plant life or in new personal growth. I was raised Unitarian Universalist and I … Continue reading Andy’s Flaming Chalice – April 2013
Greetings, all Starrs! I send you wishes for the very happiest of Marches. March was once the first month of the calendar year, which traditionally began when the earth emerged from cold, snow and ice around the Vernal Equinox. The retreat of winter made March a good month to resume or initiate military campaigns; the … Continue reading Andy’s Flaming Chalice – March 2013
February greetings! This is the month of groundhogs, sweethearts and leap years. It also brings President’s Day, which honors the birthdays of two U.S. Presidents critical to our national political development, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Their actions are highly instructive about getting along as a community of individuals. Washington, after having successfully prosecuted the … Continue reading Andy’s Flaming Chalice – February 2013
A New Year is upon us! Some of us greet the new year with resolutions about behavior to begin or extinguish, goals to reach, mistakes to avoid. I’m not one of those people, but I’m always interested in hearing about other people’s resolutions because there is a traditional opportunity for fresh starts as the year … Continue reading Andy’s Flaming Chalice – January 2013
Hello, Starr King family. Did you find a state of mind that kept “thanks” firmly embedded in Thanksgiving? It’s perhaps my favorite holiday and its glow of well-being generally lingers; rat-a-tat-tatting out a list of my gratitudes is always good practice. One of my foremost gratitudes is belonging to this spiritual community. You give me … Continue reading Andy’s Flaming Chalice – December 2012
November greetings! It’s going to be a full month! Keep your eyes out for news of the Welcoming Congregation Refresher Program, which will examine how we are doing with “inclusive language.” And November kicks off with Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, giving us the opportunity to remember and appreciate those who … Continue reading Andy’s Flaming Chalice – November 2012
October greetings! I love the autumn months, and by October the season has generally begun in earnest, with the appearances of winter squash and pomegranates, perhaps even a few early persimmons. A season of savor and depth. In autumn we tend to move indoors, gather together and take stock of our lives and relationships. The … Continue reading Andy’s Flaming Chalice – October 2012
Greetings! Many of you will have had the opportunity by now to greet and welcome two special people to our congregational life: Ministerial Intern Roy King and Director of Religious Exploration Darcy Baxter. They both took up the reins of their new roles in mid-August. They come with splendid talents and we are delighted that … Continue reading Andy’s Flaming Chalice – September 2012
Greetings to you. Gee, it’s amazing that August has already rolled around; how quickly time passes! I hope that your August includes some end-of-summer treats like another picnic or barbeque, a bit of vacation, extra time with children and pets or perhaps some peace and quiet to contemplate the beauty around you or dig into … Continue reading Andy’s Flaming Chalice – August 2012
July greetings! We are entering the famous “Dog Days” of summer, often a very warm period variously counted from early July to late August or even September. I always associated “Dog Days” with a blood hound snoozing on a shaded porch: an example worth emulating! In fact, the term “Dog Days” honors Sirius, the celestial … Continue reading Andy’s Flaming Chalice – July 2012
