How to Put Love at the Center

Since Hurricane Helene, Rev. Claudia, congregational leaders and I have had many conversations about how our plans for the year have changed. This is, of course, only my second year here with you all as your Lead Minister. Last year was an “ok, so how do we do things...

Standing on the Side of Love

Dear Ones, I’m writing to you as a recently minted trustee for UUCA, on the eve of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day — the same day the chief justice will swear in the next president of the United States. It strikes me as a strange and dissonant moral...

Repeating Collective Stories

My family is not a storytelling family. No, we are a story repeating family. We will tell the same stories over and over when we are together, often using the same words and the same inflection and the same jokes. I do this too. My wife Allison will roll her eyes and...

Launching a New Year

As we begin 2025 I hold deep gratitude for the gift of a week off that all our staff is given at the end of the year. It was a joyful and relaxing to be with family and friends in Florida where I moved from to serve this congregation. I recall during my interview one...

A New Journey

Here we are, at the start of another calendar year. For those of you who read my December blog, you have a sense of where I feel we are heading, and the gentle reminder that wherever we are going, we are going there together, so we must be brave, be prepared, and hold...

Helene on Me: Flood Back Love

 Hurricane Helene’s impact on Asheville was devastating, leaving behind a trail of destruction that seemed insurmountable. Yet, amidst the fallen trees, flooded streets, and damaged homes, a remarkable spirit of resilience emerged. Our community, known for its...