Yesterday I conducted a memorial service. As I prepared for this as is my wont I interviewed the individual’s daughter. I actually prefer more family members when possible, but if I can snag a daughter, I’m at least moderately confident I’ll get most of the details. (Those who only have sons are probably going to get a sketchy biography. It appears the majority of sons are moderately confident their parents were born. It goes downhill from there…) I got a... Read more

The other day I was at a meeting and realized that several of the people with whom I was speaking didn’t get my allusion to the fact the Beatles were associated with the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, or, for that matter even what Transcendental Meditation was. I had one of those increasingly frequent moments when I realize I’m getting old… My personal history is now becoming wrapped up not with current events but with history. And I’m aware of an... Read more

I’m not sure what to make of it. But as I write this I am two hits on this blog shy of having been visited one hundred thousand times. This is my one thousand forty-seventh post in that time. Which, by the by, began on a Friday, September the 8th, 2006. I began with a poem from Hanshan. Here’s another, this one in Red Pine’s translation…Since I came to Cold Mountainhow many thousand years have passed?Accepting my fate I fled... Read more

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It can be hard using newfangled technologies such as the computer machine. Here’s a little tip from the government… Thank you, Jan. Oh, and about those pictures we took… Read more

Following the closing ceremony for the day Saturday night Jan & I had to pack up and drive the three hours to Providence so that I could be present for the church’s annual congregational meeting. (Big news out of that: the First Unitarian Church of Providence voted unanimously to become a Welcoming Congregation. A little late, but nonetheless, something I’m enormously glad for and proud of…) I also preached that morning, proof of which may be found a post or... Read more

Firefly Hall starts out strong. I look forward to seeing how it goes… I couldn’t find a suitable video to illustrate this important new event. But I did find this one. Seemed close enough… Read more

ON PURCHASING A TIE The Gifts of Spiritual Community A Sermon byJames Ishmael Ford 26 April 2009First Unitarian ChurchProvidence, Rhode IslandText Once there was a disciple of a Greek philosopher who was commanded by his Master for three years to give money to everyone who insulted him. When this period of trial was over, the Master said to him: Now you can go to Athens and learn wisdom. When the disciple was entering Athens he met a certain wise man... Read more

Well, actually, gone Zenning. And, therefore, a small head’s up for both of you who follow my blog. No more postings until Sunday… One of the few things about my current life that I wish could be a bit different is that I can do so few intensive meditation retreats in a year. I love being a parish minister (well, except when I hate it. Interestingly there are no other emotions involved…). Now that love of the job is the... Read more

Robert Oppenheimer was born on this day in 1904. A brilliant, troubled, man. The father of the atomic bomb. Security risk. Read more