First U Book Review

In celebration of First Unitarian Church of Baltimore’s newly updated lending library, we are asking for your help in taking some great new books for a test run!

To participate in the First U Book Review program, simply stop by the RE office on the first floor of the education wing, find a book that interests you and leave your contact information to borrow it. A list of suggested books here, featuring some of our newest additions.

After you’ve read your chosen book, write up a review with your thoughts, send it to Director of Lifespan Religious Education, Becky Brooks and we will publish it on the RE-Connect blog and the Beacon newsletter. Reviews should be 200-250 words and may be edited for publication if need be. 

Adults, youth and children are all welcome to participate! We have an ever-growing selection of books available. Questions? Contact Becky for more information or stop by the RE office!

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Are you on facebook? Come by and see the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore sometime! If you "like" us, you can receive updates on events and happenings at your favorite Unitarian Universalist church right in your news feed. See you round the virtual block!

Selma: Past and Present DVD presentation, May 27

Join us Thursday, May 27 at 7:00 pm in our historic Enoch Pratt Parish Hall for this very special event.  Charles Blackburn will offer a DVD presentation of the Unitarian Universalist Civil Rights Heritage Pilgrimage to Alabama and Mississippi in February 2009 with commentary about his Civil Rights activities of 1964-66 in the same locations.

Charles Blackburn was a Unitarian Universalist minister and served churches in CA, AL and NY. He was minister in Huntville, AL during the Selma period, 1964-66. After leaving the UU ministry Charles was an organizer for the American Civil Liberties Union, establishing ACLU affiliates in five southern states and 15 city chapters in five other southern states. For 25 years Charles was a fundraiser for numerous Maryland organizations, including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Univ. of MD and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Charles retired in 1995. He and his partner of 32 years, Glen Dehn, were plaintiffs in the ACLU lawsuit which attempted to obtain equal civil marriage for same-gender partners.

The Zoerheide Lecture Series begins June 2!

The First Unitarian Church of Baltimore welcomes Rev. Dr. Bill Murry for the inaugural lecture of the Zoerheide Lecture Series that will address important political, social, and ethical questions of contemporary life. 

On Wednesday, June 2, 7:30 pm, Dr. Murry, will offer the presentation: “Humanism's Welcome: constructing a just immigration policy," addressing the question of a reasonable response to immigration reform. In the light of the recent Arizona legislation, religious humanism offers tools to arrive at conclusions for the good of society and that are just for immigrants

Dr. Murry, past president and dean of the faculty at Meadville/Lombard Theological School in Chicago, is the author of Reason and Reverence: Religious Humanism for the 21st Century. Dr. Murry is currently serving as the Sabbatical Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia.

The Zoerheide Lecture Series is free and open to all. Reception to follow. The church is located at the corner of Charles & Franklin Streets. Facilities are wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices available. For fliers or more information contact the church office: office@firstunitarian.net or 410-685-2330. 

Spirituality Book Group Meets Sat., May 22, 5:30 pm

Poetry lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world, and makes familiar objects be as if they were not familiar. 

—Percy Bysshe Shelley, A Defence of Poetry (1840)

Come explore creative and inspiring spiritual expression about topics ranging from flowers to death and rebirth to the divine!  We'll "lift the veil" to address many issues relevant to us as Unitarian Universalists in our search for our inner truths, beauty, and our relationship to the world by reading our personal selections (see assignment below!) as a group .  In addition to fruitful discussion, we'll also be doing some creative expressions of our own, inspired by selected poems.

We'll meet at 5:30 pm on Saturday, May 22nd in the Downstairs RE Rooms.  Bring a poem that you've read or written that inspires you and your potluck contribution of an appetizer, main dish, side dish, drink, or dessert.  

This is part of an ongoing series of spiritual book explorations.  If you can’t make this date or have questions, please let discussion leader, Whitney Novak know of your interest in the program and any titles you’d like to throw in for consideration.  Responsibility for planning discussion questions and activities will be shared amongst participants. Let Whitney know if you would like to be a co-planner.  Contact Director of Lifespan Religious Education, Becky Brooks to register or visit our registration page online here.