The Risk of Birth

The Risk of Birth Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church Christmas Eve, 2023   In 1973, the poet Madeleine L’Engle wrote these words:   “This is no time for a child to be born, With the earth betrayed by war & hate And a comet slashing the sky to warn That...

Saying “Yes” to Mystery

Saying “Yes” to Mystery © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church December 3, 2023   The other day the Washington Post reported that a lobsterman in Maine had pulled up a two-colored lobster. The lobsterman, named Jacob Knowles, was fascinated by his discovery and...

Completing the Gift

Completing the Gift © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church November 19, 2023   The poet Mary Oliver gave us this poem, called The Gift:   Be still, my soul, and steadfast.Earth and heaven both are still watchingthough time is draining from the clockand your...

The Generosity of Attention

The Generosity of Attention © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church November 12, 2023     One of my fondest memories of relief trips to the Gulf Coast was the day in Pearlington, Mississippi, when we had two lunches. Both of which involved fried catfish.   We...

Relinquishing Privilege

Relinquishing Privilege © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church November 5, 2023   I wasn’t sure that Darren Walker still had a job. After I finished reading his opinion piece in the New York Times, portions of which Pat just read, I looked him up on line to see...

The Thinning of the Veil

The Thinning of the Veil © Reverend Janet Parsons Gloucester UU Church October 29, 2023   In the fifth Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry and his friends find themselves dueling with wizards from the dark side, called the Death Eaters....