When deciding what direction my stewardship moment should take, I considered different angles. I first thought about being painfully directâreminding the congregation that we canât do all the great stuff we do and all the great stuff we want to do without having enough money to pay for it. Then I thought about adding that … Continue reading Why I Belong
Iâve been attending First UU since August 2012, and I joined not too long after. Having heard about the UU faith when I was a Christian, I knew right away that this was where I needed to be. I knew that Iâd be welcomed no matter who I was or what I believed, and that … Continue reading Why I Belong
On occasion I am beyond flattered by circumstances, Most recently it was being recognized at the Wichita NOW Chapterâs Annual Colleen Kelly Johnstonâs âShe Makes a Differenceâ Dinner, along with Julie Burkhart and Marge Zakoura Vaughn. More about the event later, but first I want to clear up something often misunderstood. NOW is an acronym … Continue reading A Feminist Life
In the grand scheme of things, where do we ultimately fit in? Itâs a question that has sought a question for millennia. Many men and women, each greater thinkers than I, have come up with answers that will probably beat anything that I can come up with. However, living as a transgender person is a … Continue reading Cybele and Me
First UU of Wichita is gearing up to go through the process of earning the Green Sanctuary Certification from the UUA. This involves an extensive effort to build awareness of environmental issues in our congregation through many dimensions of our personal as well as social lives. We have formed a Green Sanctuary Committee to lead … Continue reading Green Sanctuary Certification
âSometimes I think the only real division into two is between people who divide everything into two, and those who donât.â Â Gloria Steinem, âMy Life on the Roadâ (2015) Unitarian Universalists understand that nothing in this world can be divided into two distinct parts or opinions. Â But one issue, high profile in Wichita always … Continue reading Once Upon a Feminist Life: Our Minds, Our Bodies, Our Choices
People, regardless of their gender, sexuality, or any other trait, are always in transition. From daughter to mother, brother to uncle, we all undergo changes in our lives. However, trans people experience transition in a very unique and often challenging way. The idea of “passing” (that is, being acknowledged as one’s preferred gender) is spoken … Continue reading The Art of Passing
Ten years ago a friend had a startling reaction to my casual reference to âwe feminists.â âIâm not a feminist,â my 20-something friend responded indignantly, much to my surprise. I knew her to be someone who thought clearly about women’s issues. A few questions from me followed.   âDo you believe in equal pay for equal … Continue reading Feminist Life
I was packing a sack lunch for a resident at the homeless shelter where I worked when I realized I was a man. I was twenty-four. It was not when I asked my mother at age four if she was absolutely sure I was a girl. It was not when I felt infinitely more comfortable in … Continue reading Trans Voices: Introduction
[This post is the first in an on-going series of social justice stories and reflections from members of the First UU Wichita congregation. If you would like to submit a blog post for publication, please contact our Social Action Coordinator Margi Ault-Duell at socialaction@firstuu.net. Enjoy!] Once upon a feminist life⊠Written by Del Smith When … Continue reading Once Upon a Feminist Life
Now seeking applications for our 2016-2017 Share the Plate Award! We’re moving into a process for selecting Share the Plate recipients that involves the participation of the whole congregation. Organizations can apply directly or be nominated by our members to receive support from us for one year. Any organization that is nominated by a FUUW … Continue reading Share the Plate Award
The Bylaws task force is nearing completion of its draft and wants to make it available and known to as many church members as possible. We will have two “listening sessions,” similar to the covenant process: #1 – Sunday, Feb. 8, after church #2 – Wednesday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m. We also want to solicit … Continue reading Bylaws Under Revision
Presented by the Children’s Religious Exploration class of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Wichita, this video explores the principles of Unitarian Universalism and what it means to practice them. This film was written and designed entirely by the kids.
(A shorter version of Reverend David Carterâs message will be published on the Opinion Page of the Wichita Eagle, most likely Sunday, March 23rd, according to Phillip Brownlee, Opinion Editor. Watch for it and share it with friends.) An Unsubtle Message The unsubtle message of the March 9th Eagle article, âAbout 1 in 10 Wichita … Continue reading Unitarian Universalists Speak Out
(Del Smith heard Forrest Church speak at her UU Church in Long Beach, CA, in 1998. She now admits that she was excited that he was the speaker, but only because his father was the late Frank Church, liberal senator (ID). Rev. Churchâs message that âacceptance trumps toleranceâ quickly converted her to being a fan … Continue reading Unitarian Universalist Religious Pluralism
