Hopefully, many of you will remember Maria who we cared for when she was in sanctuary at the First Parish Church in Bedford. Her birthday was May 9th and it’s never too late to send her birthday wishes. Your cards can be mailed to: Maria Macario 269 Chestnut Street, Apt. 1 Lynn, MA 01902 Maria is … Continue reading Update on Maria from Sanctuary Task Force
Quotation by Quotation Recently Massachusetts celebrated being the first state to legalize same-sex marriage 20 years ago in the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health opinion. Our Winchester UU Society is a “radically inclusive” Welcoming Congregation. We publicly express our support with banners, inside and outside our building. Boston columnist Renee Graham noted that a part of … Continue reading Building Beloved Community
Learning by Learning As we come to the end of Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Month, it’s important to be reminded of the Chinese Exclusion Act. This legislation, enacted in 1882, was fueled by anti-immigrant sentiment and originally prohibited Chinese immigration for ten years. The law was renewed many times until it was relaxed in … Continue reading Building Beloved Community 5/23/24
Quote by Quote With a thank you to Liz Scott for sending on this quotation, so relevant in these moments: “Now more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: More connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish … Continue reading Building Beloved Community 5/16/24
Image by Image For centuries European artists have portrayed Jesus of Nazareth as a man who mirrors their own ethnicity. Is this an example of cultural appropriation? A recent NPR article features an historic 150 year old Rhode Island stained glass window with dark- skinned Galilean Jesus interacting with sisters Mary and Martha, but as … Continue reading Building Beloved Community 4/25/24
Month By Month In 2022 President Joe Biden issued a proclamation designating April as Arab-American Heritage Month, a culmination of many years of work by volunteers in the Arab-American community. It is an opportunity to highlight the numerous contributions to our culture by United States citizens from 22 diverse Arabic-speaking countries. Moreover, it is an occasion to … Continue reading Building Beloved Community 4/11/24
Saturday, April 27, 8:30-10:30 Purpose: Establish an organization dedicated to providing support to recently arriving refugees residing in temporary hotel shelters in Woburn and Arlington, Massachusetts Membership: CARE is recruiting volunteers willing to be trained and submitting to a simple background check who will give of their time and talent to the goals of the … Continue reading Community Action for Refugee Emergency (CARE)
Feminist by Feminist In celebration of Women’s Herstory Month, renowned feminist figures like Gloria Steinem (who recently turned 90!) are often spotlighted. As a white woman, Steinem brought an inclusive lens to the work, believing that race, gender, age, and ethnicity must be addressed together. In addition to well-known white feminists, it’s also important to recognize … Continue reading Building Beloved Community 3/28/24
Term By Term In the midst of Women’s Herstory Month, it’s a good time to highlight legal scholar and civil rights advocate Kimberle Crenshaw who coined the term “intersectionality” in 1989. Her own definition: “Intersectionality is a metaphor for understanding the ways that multiple forms of inequality or disadvantage sometimes compound themselves and create obstacles that … Continue reading Building Beloved Community
