Can anyone with Confederate ancestors sanitize the flag, the monuments and most of all the history of the Southern rebellion and pretend it was all about freedom? There is no honor in rewriting history or making excuses for our ancestors. Walter Ezell, a student of American history who has some Confederate ancestors of his own, will offer thoughts about this timely issue. (Sunday Services associate: Barbara Gill)

Unitarians departed from the Jesus-as-God theology several centuries ago, but Jesus remains part of our faith tradition. In a world hungering for comfort, justice and, yes, even salvation, what can a human, historical Jesus offer beyond feel-good memes and nuggets of wisdom? (Sunday Services Associate: Sheila Jackson)

Who Do You Trust? Neil Armstrong never made it to the moon? Barack Obama’s mom faked his birth announcement? George W. Bush blew up the twin towers? Facts don’t seem to matter anymore. Rules of evidence need not apply. Did aliens invade our brains and fill them with phony facts? (Sunday Services associate: Sheila Jackson) •Solar panel dedication after the service.

Echo Bible, babble, bubble. Confirmation bias. We unfriend people who disagree with us. We watch the cable network that says what we believe. We are living in a bubble of confirmation bias.

Blue Zones Walter Ezell (Gordon Branson) Dan Buetner’s assignment from the National Geographic introduced him to cultures where people in large numbers have lived past 100. Walter will reflect on how to shape our own environment into a Blue Zone.

Thirteen years ago, four psychologists published what Steven Covey calls a “breakthrough book,” about how we talk to each other when A. stakes are high, B. opinions differ and C. emotions run high. Sound familiar? Your family? Your co-workers? People in your life who matter deeply? Come and learn a few tricks about intelligent persuasion … Continue reading Crucial Conversations