Like so many things, there are deep roots to Mother’s Day (and yes, the placement of that apostrophe after the “r” and before the “s” is important to story). During the 19th century, there have been several attempts by women’s peace groups to establish a holiday which celebrated peace, rather than war. It was not uncommon, for […]
This service was a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the formal founding of the congregation. Looking Back; Looking Forward It was the early 1940s, and a woman named Carrie Baker moved to Charlottesville from Montclair, NJ. In a letter to a friend she said that she liked her new home well enough, except for one […]
It being Earth Day, this was the perfect Sunday to celebrate Flower Communion. Especially in light of the discontent and disquiet current being felt in the congregation, it was the right time to remember the beauty of our community and how each of us contributes to it. I want to tell you the story of the […]
I want to thank those of you – both here and not here this morning – who have taken the step of formalizing your membership in this community. The two things I like to say to new members are: congratulations (because you’ve joined a wonderful congregation), and thank you (because by your joining, and by […]
No fooling — On this morning when our Christian brothers and sisters celebrate Easter, we will have our annual “Rite of Spring” service of words, sounds, and images, to help us consider all of the “spring-inspired” truths our human kin have found and that we, and our world, so desperately need to hear. [The TJMC […]
The poet, peace activist, and Buddhist monk, the Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh, makes quite a bit of “smiling” as a spiritual practice. “Breathing in, I relax body and mind,” one of his breath prayers goes, “Breathing out, I smile.” “Smile, breathe, and go slowly,” is his advice on how to live. A woman came up […]
This is the text of the reflection I offered to the congregation. It is a continuation of my response to a blatantly racist note delivered anonymously to our Director of Administration and Finance, Christina Rivera. Here is a link to the immediate response of senior congregational leadership (which includes a photo of the note), as […]
This is the audio for the service held on Wednesday, February 28, following the discovery of an anonymous note sent to Christina Rivera. Due to the limitations of the website format and the length of the service, it is presented in two parts. Click the headphones to begin, and continue here. The music has been […]
On, Sunday February 4th, the congregation I serve engaged in an Association-wide project titled, “The Promise & The Practice of Our Faith.” It was designed to give our overwhelmingly white congregations an unfortunately rare — if not entirely unique — experience of centering the voices of People of Color. A packet of resources was created from which […]
Rev. Wik explores the symbol of the Bodhi Tree and the Buddhist concept of Dukkha.
