PeaceBang

Happy Birthday, Tim Gunn!

For “Project Runway” fans, this is just really funny, and couldn’t we all use a laugh tonight?

Welcome, Boston Globe Readers!!

Boston Globe religion reporter Michael Paulson gave me a shout-out on his blog today so I thought I’d give any new stoppers-by a more substantive, truly Unitarian Universalist-oriented entry to read than my latest cultural commentary. But for now, that dog is prancing by the door and that can’t be good. Get that leash, Max! Mama’s comin’!

[Post-doggie walk, we’re back!]

The archives are pretty well-organized, and if you’re new to blogs all you need do is scroll around under the categories to the right that appeal to you and click to find related entries. I do everything from theological reflection to sermon excerpts to “random rants” to movie and book reviews (I was one of the only religion writers –however minor — to lambaste Elizabeth Gilbert’s best-selling Eat, Love, Pray last year, causing quite a furor in the comment sections) … and for those of you who are planning to go whale-watching this weekend, you might enjoy this reflection on whales. Hey, we’re nothing if not varied in our offerings here at PeaceBang!

Want to weigh in on the songs that make you cry? Dozens of other readers did so recently here. Blogs are fun. PeaceBang aims to be fun, provocative, interactive and to help demolish the stereotype of clergypeople as pious, one-dimensional characters who are so focused on ancient ideas and scriptures that they don’t have both feet firmly planted in the here-and-now, with a dash of hot sauce to go with their spiritual and pastoral dimensions. Visit often, comment freely, and see you around the blogosphere. Or at the MFA tonight. Or at Fenway this weekend, if someone wants to invite me!!

Peace.
Bang.

I’m A Blog Mom!

It’s always rewarding to hear from people who say that PeaceBang or Beauty Tips For Ministers inspired them to start their own blogs.

Here’s producer and journalist Anne-Marie Dorning on how a woman named Millie Garfield and I inspired her to start a blog called Massachusetts Mom.
I first met Anne-Marie when she called to see if I would be willing to appear on “Nightline” two winters ago. I declined at first, then went to my Parish Committee to see what they would say. They were all for it, so Anne-Marie came with her crew and filmed this little segment for “A Sign of the Times.” I hated the lead-in, which insinuated that I give fashion tips to my congregants (hello Martin, the name of the blog is Beauty Tips FOR MINISTERS — what about that isn’t clear?), and my congregation and I cringed at the cut-in of the cross that doesn’t exist on our building. Other than those small details (oh, and the suggestion that I spend most of my spare time cruising the malls maniacally pawing through the racks at Macy’s seeking clergy-appropriate garb) and my squealing embarrassment at my own appearance (does anyone really like seeing themselves on camera? Can we re-shoot this now that I’ve lost 30 lbs.?), it was a good segment, a fascinating day, and all the more fun and memorable for the involvement of my delightful colleagues Donna and the Eclectic Cleric.

Mazel tov on your blogging, Anne-Marie!

Why I’m Loving On Rev. Gidget Right Now

PeaceBang reader Rev. Gidget sent me a link to a trip to Turkey hosted by The Society For Biblical Studies. I am doing the whoo-whoo happy dance because this is EXACTLY what I wanted at EXACTLY the perfect time, and how often does that happen??

I have been searching for a week on-line for something that was religiously-themed but not Bob Jones University material and here Barb came to my rescue with this totally perfect option and for that I owe her a million billion thanks and also some cocktails on me when we next see each other. Can you tell that I’m breathless?

On a related note, did you check out the faculty of the SBS? I know! Wotta bunch of babes, eh? So much for mainstream America’s idea of the stereotypical egghead Bible scholar! Smart, fit and gorgeous isn’t what I expected but I ain’t complainin’. It’s just… well, can I keep up with these Indiana Jones hotties? Good thing I have almost a year to work my walking legs and touring tootsies, and NO CUTE SHOES are going with me on *this* one. We’re limited to one bag, anyway. What, no separate suitcase for my toiletries? What if I want to give myself an Aveda tourmaline face masque in Kudasi? What if I want to paint my toenails in Athens?

In all seriousness, though… there’s a focus on the god Asclepius on this tour, people! And he and I are like THIS.

Excuse me, I must go do the happy dance again. Max will join me, as he’s very good at it (think Snoopy dancing to Schroeder’s music).

You Need A Little Meg Barnhouse

Hey, this is so great. I can share with you this tiny, sweet song I like to sing to my puppy. It’s called “My Love For You.” He loves it.

Go to Meg Barnhouse’s site and listen away, ’cause she’s generous enough to include the entire song for sampling.

“All Shall Be Well” has ministered to me for years, and I bet you know who I’m thinking about when I listen to “Somebody Fall.”

Do yourself a favor and buy the whole album of “Meatloaf Thoughts In A Mango Town” while you’re at it.

See you soon, loveys.

God Is NOT Optional: Another Perspective

Terri Pahucki contributed this to the comments on the “God is Optional, You Are Not” banner that is displayed in front of the UU congregation in San Francisco,

I don’t know that UU’s should have any sign relating to our theology; it’s just too diverse in language, and slogans cheapen it’s depth. My church has a “Standing on the Side of Love” equal marriage banner on the side of the church. (This banner was vandalized when it was first hung–so it definitely made a statement, and got attention). But it was a statement based on principle and action, not theology. Attempts to sloganize our theology only end up focusing on what we are NOT, rather than what we ARE, I think. Our beliefs–and the language we use to describe them– are just too diverse. It is important that people experience God (or transcendence and holiness) when they come to church– but I don’t think that experience can be sloganized.

I think this is an excellent reflection, and was very happy to see that Terri expounds on it further over at her own blog, UU Intersections. I had never seen this blog until today and I am very moved by Terri’s beautiful writing. Her Easter season posts are exquisite, and I am very interested in her opinions on strengthening Unitarian Universalism through more shared spiritual practices and experiences. She reminds me of the old joke: Unitarian Universalists are those who, when they die and reach the afterlife, see two doors. One is marked “Heaven” and the other “A Lecture About Heaven.” The Unitarian Universalist goes through the door marked “A Lecture About Heaven.”

To My Preachin’ Buds Out There

Tell the story, my friends.* God bless your Holy Week.

*The video you want is Emmylou and Robert Duvall live. Click on the icon.

Excellent Book for Training Pastoral Associates

It has been a real joy to train our first group of Pastoral Caregivers at my church. As I prepare to go on sabbatical, it means the world to have a terrific team of lay pastors to “walk the parish” and to make calls and visits on behalf of the church. We introduced them to the congregation this past Sunday and will do a formal Commission in the fall.

But for now, I just want to share that although I read a ton of books in preparation for the training sessions, and have taken many classes, seminars and workshops on pastoral care, I found this book to be the best guide of all in organizing our sessions.

A Pastor In Every Pew: Equipping Laity For Pastoral Care by Leroy Howe. I just think that, chapter for chapter, Howe’s book is the most conversant with the realities of pastoral caregiving, that it anticipates all the most significant questions and anxieties that arise for laypeople learning to do pastoral care, and that, although written from a strictly Christian perspective, it is the most useable for Unitarian Universalists.

It looks like ChristianBook.com has them on sale.

Four stars and two thumbs up!

Great Blog

I was already a regular reader and fan of most of the blogs that were cited in the 2008 UU Blog Awards, but this one is new to me and I think it’s really excellent. I’ll be returning regularly, and shout-out to the author of Sisyphus.

Single Girls’ Friday Night and Fave New Blog

I had one of those frustrating single girl days today where I really wanted to take a whole day off and do something purely fun, but no one called and no one seemed to be around (I’m almost always the one to generate social plans, to be honest, and I get tired of it), so I went into the city in an effort to get some space in my head that isn’t occupied by work and school. I’m rather anxious about the holiday at church for some reason (probably because there’s Sunday, 12/23 to prepare and the next day is the big production of Christmas Eve). I have two papers due before December 18th. I’m keynoting a church retreat in January — those lectures loom — and am guest preaching for two different congregations in the next months. There’s a christening to think about, too, which I’m doing in three weekends for the daughter of good friends. And a holiday concert with Sweet the Sound that same weekend for which I need to prepare (and attend two rehearsals).

In my quest to shake some new thoughts into my brain, I went to the Massachusetts Historical Society’s book sale only to find that there were only about 20 books for sale. BIG disappointment. For some reason I had envisioned a huge used book sale and hours of happy browsing. I ate some dinner next door at a Thai joint and then walked to look at the decorations at the Prudential Center.

I sat for awhile at Barnes & Noble and read and drank a latte. Restless, lonesome, pathetic. I hate nights like that. I hate that no one talks to strangers. I hate observing human relationships from a distance when everyone seems paired up with friends or family but me. I hate conducting important relationships mostly over the phone. I hate standing on the outskirts of family life looking in, trying to respect everyone’s privacy and need to cocoon with their own. New England is a very invitation-only culture: other places I’ve lived we always had a much more open door policy with friends stopping by and no need to schedule and plan, plan, plan. Not here, though. Here it’s all about getting on each other’s calendars. Things are much more structured; it makes me want to tear my hair out sometimes and wander sobbing through the woods. I have too much pride to call friends and say, “WHATCHYA DOING? CAN I PLEASE COME OVER?” but this isn’t getting any easier with age. A girl doesn’t want to have to have a dinner party or organize a potluck or restaurant outing every time she wants some company, but sometimes it feels like it. Thank God for other single friends who understand. I live in fear that every last one of them will find a Significant Other and it will be me alone, driving around on a Friday night chatting up the baristas at Starbucks just to have someone to talk to.

Please, please don’t write to me and tell me that even married and partnered people get lonely. I know they do. But I don’t want to hear it, because it’s not the same, okay?

When I got home my friend Sari had sent me a link to a beautiful blog called The Daily Coyote. The author lives in a one-room cabin in Wyoming with her cat, Eli and a coyote named Charlie whom she rescued when he was ten days old. It’s so beautiful and it makes me think gee, that’s a romantic and gorgeous life out there but I’m such an extrovert I’d be miserable living like that. If I’m howling at the moon on a Friday night because I can’t find enough human interaction in the city of Boston, can you imagine me in a one-room cabin with a coyote and a cat?

Still, I love the opportunity to read about it, and to peek into that kind of simplicity and peace.

This is Charlie. We love him.