Category Archives: blog

What if Starbucks marketed itself like a church?

Here is some of the music shared on Jazz Sunday in October. Heinz Frommeyer: Piano Steve Glaeser: Drums Adam Booker: Bass Morgan King: Saxophone

I would like to share a story about Devin Zimmerman, a member of my congregation who on Monday last was shot in his workplace by a co-worker. I delivered his eulogy this evening. This is a story I shared during … Continue reading →

Jazz from our September 21st service featuring… Heinz Frommeyer: Piano Steve Glaeser: Drums Adam Booker: Bass Morgan King: Saxophone

  At the Alaska State Museum in Juneau, I came across a case of small figures that caught my attention.  They were called “Billikens,” or “gods of the way things ought to be.” Each little figure had similar devilish features: … Continue reading →

I promised I’d post the video links from today’s service, so here they are. There’s also lots of great info on the parent website if you’re looking for more about today’s topic on the emergent church movement. I’ll be posting … Continue reading →

Haven’t graced my blog with many musings lately, but I’ve been having them. This week I realized that Texas is starting to seep into my bones. Here’s a few examples:  – I let slip a “y’all” in my sermon last … Continue reading →

The flowers are beginning to bloom again and I’m reminded how beautiful a city is San Antonio. Everywhere there is green and color. A crepe myrtle tree that we didn’t even know we had is a vibrant pink outside the … Continue reading →

Today I noticed for the first time the Live Oak outside my office window. I’ve seen it hundreds of times, even stared into its branches one Sunday morning watching a fox watch me. But I’d never noticed that it was … Continue reading →

I’m working on an illustration for Sunday’s service on the Seven Deadly UU sins. My thesis is that acknowledging sin as a violation of human relationships allows us to better overcome the desires and drives, posited in us by evolution … Continue reading →

My dear friend Rev. Elizabeth in Chicago read my last post and sent in this poem. I pondered how it might fit in with this Sunday’s sermon topic, “The Seven Deadly UU Sins,” but the only hook I could come … Continue reading →

I think I’m soon to admit defeat in my stand for truth, justice, and the Steve Jobs way. Our new fancy office phones which run over the Internet and tie into the computer system? Windows only. They let me do … Continue reading →

“Hate came to church, and it brought a shotgun.” These are the words that the Rev. Jon Dobrer said to his Fullerton, California congregation following the shootings at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville on Sunday. “Hate came … Continue reading →

Dear friends, It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that there was a shooting Sunday morning in the sanctuary of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. While the details of this message are shocking, I feel … Continue reading →

Thanks to everyone (especially Philocrites, who provided the final magic clue) for advice on how to fix my blog feed. In a nutshell, my script was defaulting to Atom .03, which WordPress doesn’t support. I took that line of code … Continue reading →

This is a request for technical advice for anyone who understand RSS feeds. As you will notice if you click on the icon in the address bar to “view” the RSS feed, it generates an error. I’ve been trying to … Continue reading →

Dear Bytes of Grass readers, You’ve probably noticed that things are getting out of date here. I’ve had a number of technical difficulties the past two months, from being hacked to podcasting mysteries. Unfortunately I will be out of the … Continue reading →

Dear friends and subscribers, I’ve just found out that my Website has been hacked and that a “malware” program uploaded to my site. I’ve corrected the issue and am working with Google to verify that my site is now secure … Continue reading →

I haven’t posted much in a while (blogging definitely is a low priority compared with all the positive family and church stuff that’s happened this year), but this photo from the L.A. Times, taken as California prepares to reinstate same-sex … Continue reading →

On this national day of prayer I offered this prayer during an ecumenical gathering in our church’s neighborhood of Dellview. I was asked specifically to pray for our troops and those waiting for them on the homefront. I’m not sure … Continue reading →

I’m catching up on my podcasting this week as I catch my breath during these last few days of study leave. Expect a couple more postings in the next few days! Origen of Alexandria first proclaimed that universal salvation was … Continue reading →

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Sam Emerson, a member of First Unitarian Church of San Antonio, died last weekend following complications from a routine surgery. Members of the congregation may remember the sermon Sam delivered in January, and a few have asked if it’s available … Continue reading →

As promised, a few photos of our two-day retreat at U Bar U, the UU retreat center in the Texas hill country. The pink building you see here is of straw bale construction. We’re definitely taking notes (of the construction, … Continue reading →

We’re spending tonight and tomorrow night in the Hill Country at U Bar U (formerly Quakerland, until a bunch of UU churches bought it from the Friends) for my sabbath. Since moving to San Antonio we haven’t gotten out to … Continue reading →

I finally broke down and bought a scooter — been wanting one for years and the time seemed right. It’s a 1994 Honda Helix 250. That’s 250cc’s, so it’s actually classified as a motorcycle since it’ll do 85+ mph and … Continue reading →

I wrote this for the church newsletter, but then I realized that I need to write on radical hospitality and generosity during our stewardship drive. So I post it here.   “I was guided by God to serve here in … Continue reading →

Today I sat listening in the car to another presidential press conference in which so many issues of our times remain unaddressed & unfixed. I post this prayer from Sunday. It was where I returned as I listened to our … Continue reading →

Last week I encountered several people (both in response to my blogging and in “real” life) who were surprised that someone who “believed like me” would be affirming to all people, especially gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons. I believe … Continue reading →

 Voices of Liberal Faith: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In October The Unitarian Universalist Association will begin a marketing campaign in Time magazine to promote our values in the larger public. I haven’t seen the materials yet, but according to UUA.org, they will include: Print ads in Time Magazine … Continue reading →

A friend asked me to write a prayer for tonight’s Christian Fellowship gathering here at church: Dear God of many names and understandings, we open ourselves to whatever insights this evening may bring. Tonight we consider anger, which touches our … Continue reading →