The Cloud in the Paper © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church April 14, 2024 Diana Beresford was orphaned at the age of 12. Both of her parents died within months of each other, and she was left in the care of an indifferent uncle in the city of Cork, in Ireland. While the … Continued
Universal Resurrection © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church March 31, 2024 There is so much that we understand about this time of year, this time when life begins to emerge from the cold, barren earth. We know enough science to anticipate this emergence, to celebrate it and be grateful for it, but to … Continued
Our next read, “The Bill of Obligations” by Richard Haas, will also be our springtime GUUC Common Read with a discussion after church coffee hour (date to be announced). The book is easily available, inexpensive, not a long read, and vital to one’s grounding before the 2024 presidential election.
Countless Small Actions © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church March 10, 2024 We had a good time talking about butterflies in our service last week. For those who weren’t here or watching online, I was talking about how personal transformation in our lives can begin in an extremely small way. I used … Continued
Imaginal Cells © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church March 3, 2024 He was an enemy of the earliest Christians, a Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus, who was charged with hunting down the apostles and their followers, and ordering them dragged off to prison. He was resolute in his mission to stamp out … Continued
Reparations Service. 2/18/24 Remarks Dick Prouty As you look around this sanctuary today and take in the wonderfully designed woodwork and stained-glass windows, how many of you are aware that this building was built in large part by the fortunes of families on Cape Ann that earned much of their money in the slave … Continued
Confronting the Past, Creating the Future © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church February 18, 2024 In April of 1862, at the height of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed a law giving freedom to enslaved people in the District of Columbia. This was before the Emancipation Proclamation that declared all enslaved … Continued
Toward a Truly Liberating Theology for UU’s © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church February 11, 2024 It was Dr. Paul Farmer, the late founder of Partners in Health, who introduced me to the concept of Liberation Theology. I was devouring Tracy Kidder’s book, Mountains Beyond Mountains, about Dr. Farmer’s work in Haiti … Continued
Next Book Discussion Join us to read and discuss member JoeAnn Hart’s new book High Wire Act and Other Tales of Survival, on Wednesday March 13 at 1 p.m. in the social hall. The author will be our honored guest. Some copies are available from members.
The Stories Behind the Music © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church February 4, 2024 Today is the time and the place to call upon the memories of the ancestors. Today we are hearing of heroes, and of giants. In the words of our author Qiyamah Rahman, “It is that time and place to … Continued
