“Permission for Maximum Joy” a worship service crafted by both the Rev. Scott Sammler-Michael, senior co-minister and Intern Sabrina Trupia. Joy is a great thing and should be present in everything that we do. We should not be afraid to laugh, dance, sing, clap and get into it when we feel moved during a ritual. Raise energy! Sammler-Michael reflected on churches that had strict policies on what you could and couldn’t do during their services. One wouldn’t allow men to... Read more
Affirmations can help you create a successful spell. Not too long ago I said that spellwork is not just waving your hands; rattle off some words and voila. I focused on the importance of intent and effort. These are all still true and very important to remember. Again, without having clear intention and putting in your effort then your chances of a spell working are slim. However, affirmations are just as important and need to be added. Important knowledge like... Read more
Well once again, it’s Earth Day. This celebration, founded in 1970, is a day to educate people on environmental issues. However, in my opinion, it is also a day to celebrate Mother Earth, give thanks for her nourishment and give back. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle to keep Her healthy. Recently, I interviewed an elderly man in my town who saw a need to step up and donate a few shade trees to our township. He acknowledged that a few were dying,... Read more
Vulnerability was the Soul Matters theme the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair New Jersey focused on this month. My congregation has been following the themes for a few years now and they really make you reflect and work on the issues. In 2023, one would think that for us, as people in general, vulnerability would not be such a problem. After all, the Salem Witch Trials were over 330 years ago and in 1865, the United States adopted the 13th... Read more
Spell work is not just waving your hands; rattle off some words and voila. This was one of many reasons I left Catholicism: I was just blindly going through the motions; no feelings involved. Spell and work are two words that may look and sound easy. However, it’s the second word that is more important than the first. As they say, “nothing worth it comes easy.” I will never forget the Pagan chat rooms on AOL. For a newbie, that... Read more
Centering, a variation on the Soul Matters theme, is the focus of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, New Jersey. A very important topic, one that we need reminders about often or even a reintroduction. If you are not centered, everything can seem out of whack. If you are off center, you are off balance. You may even feel lightheaded or dizzy. Stress will often cause this along with a host of other circumstances. Once you are centered, you can... Read more
Intern minister Sabrina Trupia’s recent sermon titled “Joyful is the Dark” has me thinking how I have grown. That entire service at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, New Jersey, where I attend, was focused on darkness. The Time for All Ages adaptation from Lemony Snicket’s story “The Dark” vividly brought me back to my childhood. Although I have mentioned my childhood fears in my previous blogs, this is an important topic and needs to be shared again. I had... Read more
Recently, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, New Jersey’s Mental Health Task Force held a Creative Arts Wellness Day. This was perfect timing for me. For the past two months my mom has been in the hospital and rehab interchangeably. The task force held three workshops — Sound Rejuvenation, Fiber Fun and Soulful Collage simultaneously. I chose the Sound Rejuvenation which was a sound bath led by Scarlet Gorton, MDiv and MSW. Gorton is a sound practitioner who works with... Read more
Fear is a word we all are all accustomed to in some degree or another. For me, it is something I know far too well. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, New Jersey’s recent service “Courage to Grow” dealt with fear. The whole month the congregation focused on courage as part of the Soul Matters program. The skit based on the Buddhist tale – “The Way out of Fear,” had a student warrior battle with fear. The Rev. Scott Sammler-Michael,... Read more
About a month ago I was sitting in the sanctuary readying myself for the weekly worship run through. Looking over the script up in the Tech Booth, I immediately see the headline for that week’s sermon — daydreaming. I thought that sounded very interesting to me and wondered where it was going. I didn’t have time to read it, nor do I particularly like reading the sermon beforehand. Unfortunately, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, New Jersey had a tragedy... Read more
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