I find myself thinking of the tragic murders of officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos. Police work is hard and dangerous. And I think about how the murderer, a troubled soul if there ever was one, chose to claim his evil act was some sort of revenge for the killing of unarmed black men. I saw some ugly things written about the police officers. I saw more ugly things come up as people have found a way to shift the... Read more

A MULTIGENERATIONAL, ALMOST TRADITIONAL, CHRISTMAS PAGEANT As Celebrated at the First Unitarian Church of Providence (This service was first based upon one originally designed for the First Parish in Cambridge, heavily re-written by Noreen Kimball & James Ford, and later further edited by James Ford & Cathy Seggel) *** (Holy family, star, wise people all gather early to the “front” of the church. One stage manager should go down to the platform, others to the “front” of the church. Pick... Read more

The good folk at Wikipedia assert that on this day in 497 before our common era the Romans first celebrated the Saturnalia. It occurred at the dedication of a temple to Saturn, god of agriculture, and marked the beginning of a farmer’s festival, itself the beginning of the autumn planting (warm climate in Rome…) A look at this holiday with its exchanging of gifts and its recurring images of light within the dark, the birth of a new year, and... Read more

Ever since I first noticed it I’ve been enchanted with the fact the Episcopal church in the US observes a festival in honor of two architects, Ralph Adams Cram and Richard Upjohn and an artist, John La Farge. For me the delight that artistic endeavor is considered saintly is doubled by the fact one of the architects named in the festival, Mr Cram, also built a church that I served, the First Unitarian Society of Newton, MA, between 2000 &... Read more

After years of struggle, James Madison’s wonderful idea to attach a Bill of Rights to the Constitution prevailed. And it was on this day in 1791 the Bill was ratified. In 1941, marking the 150th anniversary of the ratification, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared that henceforth December 15 would be celebrated as Bill of Rights Day. No doubt a flawed document. And on occasion even more flawed in its interpretation… People were and continue to be involved, after all… And.... Read more

LIGHTING ONE CANDLE A Meditation on a Path of Hope in A Despairing World James Ishmael Ford 14 December 2014 First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Text A candle is a small thing. But one candle can light another. And see how it’s own light increases, as a candle gives its flame to the other. You are such a light. Moshe Davis & Victor Ratner This Thursday evening we hosted the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence’s annual Voice for... Read more

Ella Josephine Baker was born on this day in 1903. Described as “one of the most important African American leaders of the twentieth century and perhaps the most influential woman in the civil rights movement.” She was a genuine American hero. And hers a life worth celebrating. And. She once said, “Until the killing of black men, black mothers’ sons, becomes as important to the rest of the country as the killing of a white mother’s sons, we who believe... Read more

An evening to provide a voice for the victims of gun violence at the First Unitarian Church of Providence, Thursday, 12 December, 2014. Video by Steve Ahlquist. Read more

Willie Mae Thornton, better known to many of us as Big Mama, was born on this day in 1926. She was the first to record “Hound Dog,” which, as many know, became one of Elvis Presley’s biggest hits. She had a similar experience with “Ball ‘n’ Chain,” which later catapulted Janis Joplin to fame. Read more

The great Universalist preacher and theologian John Murray was born on this day in 1741. In honor of that occasion I am reprinting my 2012 sermon on the Reverend Mr Murray and his wondrous good news… THE HEART OF THE MATTER John Murray and the Gospel of Love James Ishmael Ford 4 March 2012 First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Text Though I speak with the tongues of people and of angels, and have not love, I am become as... Read more