Introductions

[Skinner]

We'd love to hear all about you! If you're a new member please introduce yourself to the group

[Skinner]

I’m Mary Benard, the Editorial Director of Skinner House Books & UUA Publications. Goodreads has long been one of my favorite ways to keep track of what I’m reading and discuss great books with friends so I’m thrilled to be one of the moderators of this new book club. I hope it offers you a unique experience to discuss books that support and enhance your values.

To get started, look at the discussion boards below, where you’ll find prompts, and post a comment to share your thoughts!

If you have any questions, you’re welcome to message me on Goodreads or email me at mbenard@uua.org

[Louise]

I'm Louise Nayer, a writer from San Francisco. I've been involved with the Unitarian Church for many years and look forward to doing some reading with the group and talking about important issues.

[Skinner]

So nice to have you here Louise!

[Skinner]

Thanks Kenneth! In turn, I think it would be great to hear Quaker insights on the ideas we discuss.

[Becky]

Hi all! I'm Becky Brooks, a writer living in Baltimore. I was thrilled to hear about this discussion group, having just started reading Just Mercy. I'm working on a side project right now focusing on creating resources for studying justice and look forward to our conversations! My five-year-old twins keep me running, so having a group is a wonderful way to keep me accountable to articulate the thoughts that arise with books like this.

[Mary]

Excellent. Welcome Becky!

[Margy]

I'm the Web Team manager for the UUA and a pretty avid reader, so I'm looking forward to reading this book. I just spent hours cutting a pasting the list of books that I've read for the last 10 years into Goodreads -- it seems like a great place to keep my reading list.

[Mary]

So glad you're here Margy!

[Leah]

I'm Leah Rampy, a member of UU Arlington (VA) church. I'm particularly focused on climate change, earth ecology, and permaculture. I read Just Mercy and was blown away by it! I'm looking forward to the discussion. Thanks for starting this group, Mary.

[Mary]

Glad to have you Leah. I'm pretty sure we'll be doing a book focused on climate change in March or April, so stay tuned!

[Lara]

Hi Mary and everyone -- thanks for creating this group! My name is Lara Hoke, and I'm the minister of the UU Congregation in Andover, Massachusetts. I look forward to seeing what folks in this group have to share!

[Gail]

Hi-
I'm Gail Forsyth-Vail. I work at the UUA Faith Development Office. I look forward to a chance to talk with folks through this group.

[Mary]

Thanks for joining everyone! I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

[Barbara]

Hi I'm Barbara Cornell, hospital chaplain in Edmonds, WA. I was sick at the beginning of the month and had some unexpected time to read Just Mercy! Great Book! Looking forward to the discussion.

[Mary]

hi Barbara, I hope you're feeling better now. Welcome.

[LauraJo]

I'm LauraJo, I've been a UU member for only a few years but am striving to become more interested in social justice issues.

[Mary]

LauraJo, I hope this group helps you with that. Nice to meet you.

[Janis]

I'm Janis LaRocque, coordinator of the Book Club of the Unitarian Fellowship of Houston. Our book club began in 2000 and are always looking for good books to read in fiction and non-fiction. We're a small but loyal group that loves to read.

[Mary]

Hi Janis, that's great! Welcome.

[Ellen]

Hi, all! I'm a rabid reader who attends the UU Fellowship of La Crosse, Wis. I also published three books in the 1990s and do free-lance editing. I love mysteries and histories. Our fellowship book group is currently reading "Jesus for the Non-Religious."

[Jeanne]

Hello all, my name is Jeanne, and I've been a UU since 1986 - originally a member of 2U in Chicago, later of UUMAN in Roswell, GA - and now that I've moved to the country I'm only an occasional attendee at services. Member of a small but wonderful non-fiction book club - I'm always on the lookout for fellow travelers in the wide world of literature.

[Ellen]

Janet wrote: "Hi, I'm Janet from Unity Temple UU Congregation in Oak Park, IL. I am also a rabid reader and am grateful for this group. Right now my group at church is reading Being Mortal but a wider racial jus..."

I so understand. Being snowed in without reading material is awful. There's usually SOMETHING in the pantry you can craft into something edible. But books...

[[deleted user]]

Greetings from Maryland! I have been a member of the Silver Spring church for over 30 years. I teach American Studies at the University of Maryland and write about clothing and gender.

Pink and Blue: Telling the Boys from the Girls in America
Sex and Unisex: Fashion, Feminism, and the Sexual Revolution.

I have visited book groups, but never been able to commit to a regular scheduled meeting, so this seems ideal!

[Linda]

Hello, I'm Linda. I live in San Diego, CA and attend a UU church in Santee, CA. Been a UU for 4 years. Have been active with our Justice Ministry Cmte and have participated in actions locally, at the State Capitol in CA, and the love protest in AZ with UUA in 2012.

[Adrian]

Hello everyone!

I'm Adrian Graham, a long-time member of the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore (Hi Becky! Hi Jo!). I am the author of the recently published UUA pamphlet, Finding What We Believe. I have been a member of Goodreads for years and years, but haven't before engaged with a book group here; I'm hoping this changes things!

Professionally, I'm an administrator in a large Reform synagogue. My primary reading interests relevant to this group are in theology, religious history, and spirituality (just finished Karen Armstrong's The Case for God), but I'm also interested in practical applications of religious teaching, including ritual, spiritual practice, and social justice.

I'm looking forward to learning together with you all.

Peace!
Adrian
aka @UUXMNR

[[deleted user]]

Adrian wrote: "Hello everyone!

I'm Adrian Graham, a long-time member of the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore (Hi Becky! Hi Jo!). I am the author of the recently published UUA pamphlet, Finding What We Believe..."

Hi Adrian! Nice to see you here!

[Adrian]

Jo wrote: Hi Adrian! Nice to see you here!

Likewise! :-)

[Pierce]

Hello all!

I'm Pierce Alquist, the Publishing Assistant at Skinner House Books & UUA Publications. Before that, I was an intern at Beacon Press so this is my kind of book club! If you have any questions, you're welcome to message me on Goodreads or email me at palquist@uua.org.

[Craig]

Hello Everyone!

I'm excited about this book discussion. I've heard a lot of good reviews and look forward to reading it through and discussing it via Goodreads.

I'm Craig. I live in Jacksonville Beach. I'm relatively new to the UUA. I'm still learning a lot and look forward to new experiences and friendships. At this time I haven't found a church that I feel comfortable in so the search continues. Thanks for letting me be a part.

[Kat]

Katy Carpman here, a religious educator in Houston, Texas.

Joining the discussion a bit late, and looking forward to conversation.

[Janice]

Greetings of The Season:

My name is Janice Marie Johnson and I serve as Multicultural Ministries and Leadership Director, Unitarian Universalist Association. I've read this book twice. It has given me a powerful, intimate, and in-depth look at the systemic nature of racism within this particular aspect of the legal-prison-industrial complex. It also gives me glimmers of hope. For this, I give thanks. I'm happy to be in this book group.

[Janice]

Marsha wrote: "Hello all! I'm chair of the Cedars UU Church Justice Network in Bainbridge Island, WA. We have several book groups within our congregation. The Cross Cultural Book Group is the newest group, and we..."

What other books has your book group read, Marsha?

[Frank]

HI all - I am Frank Dukes, long-time member of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church, Unitarian-Universalist in Charlottesville, Va. I am currently co-facilitating Beloved Conversations (UU curriculum on race) and work at the University of Virginia, where I lead a project called University & Community Action for Racial Equity (UCARE). I look forward to exploring with other UUs books that I am used to reading by myself.

[Barbara]

I'm Barbara Kemp, another avid reader, from UUCL Lexington Kentucky. I'm learning a lot about Rosa Parks, and I thought I knew her story! This group will be a good way to push me to read more important literature than I normally pick up.

[Karen]

Hello, I'm Karen from South Church in Portsmouth, NH. I am looking forward to reading thought provoking books that I might otherwise miss and taking part in the discussions.

[Melissa]

Hi All. I'm Melissa from Trout Valley, IL. I wander between UU congregations in Chicago and suburbs but haven't yet found my home. I'm a freelance writer with two kids and I love to read. Hobbies are social justice, politics, raising boxer puppies and cooking. I look forward to enjoying discussions here.

[Karen]

I'm Karen, and a recent transplant from the Boston area to Mtn View CA. I was a long time member of First Parish Watertown and now I'm looking for a church. I like the congregation in San Jose and I'm thinking of joining there. I'm looking for a UU book group that will push me to read challenging books and discuss them with other UUs, especially while I'm not really settled in a church yet.

[Lyn]

Hi! I'm Lyn, currently serving as the Interim Parish Minister for the UU Congregation of York, PA. I'm just now getting into GoodReads and am glad to have a group to join right away. I started a UU Church Leaders group for books that are mainly technical, and I'm hoping to include books that are pastoral, historical, and justice-oriented down the line.

[Skinner]

Welcome Lyn! We love your Church Leaders group as well.

[Babette]

Hello everyone -- I'm Babette from Marblehead, MA. I'm a 3rd generation UU. My husband and I attended several UU churches while raising our daughter and are now trying to figure out what comes next. (Sleeping in Sunday mornings is winning so far!) We hope to commit to a congregation this fall.

I love religious writers Karen Armstrong and Bishop John Shelby Spong.

My question is: is this group active and, if so, what are we reading now?

Many thanks!

[Pierce]

Lyn wrote: "Hi! I'm Lyn, currently serving as the Interim Parish Minister for the UU Congregation of York, PA. I'm just now getting into GoodReads and am glad to have a group to join right away. I started a UU..."

Welcome, Lyn! If anyone is curious you can find Lyn's UU Church Leaders group here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/.... The current read is Nothing Gold Can Stay by Mark Belletini.

[Pierce]

Babette wrote: "Hello everyone -- I'm Babette from Marblehead, MA. I'm a 3rd generation UU. My husband and I attended several UU churches while raising our daughter and are now trying to figure out what comes next..."

Hi, Babette! This group is active and we'd welcome book suggestions and comments on any of the discussion boards. We pick a group book each month. The pick for August is Interfaith Leadership by Eboo Patel and the tentative pick for September is Cultivating Empathy: The Worth and Dignity of Every Person—Without Exception by Nathan C. Walker. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[George]

Hi I'm George a Unitarian Universalist at Evanston IL.

I'm joining this group in hopes that some members are interested in discussing the books that we are reading. I'd love to connect with members of other UU communities. Seems like most of the fun of reading books is in sharing what you thought about as you read.

My skype is gdogmoney (please don't judge me - I made this username two decades ago when I was in college:-) Hope to hear from some of you; maybe organizing a regular book chat.

[Kerry]

Hey everyone! I was part of a congregation in high school based on Kirkwood, Missouri. I moved to the east coast and spent a few weekends at a congregation in Silver Spring, MD.

Now I'm living in South Korea teaching English, but am looking for a way to talk about religion, social justice, the environment, and other related topics. I really look forward to discussing our next read!

[Scotty]

Looking forward to the discussion too, Kerry. --Scotty

[Leann]

Hello! I've been a UU member for 7 or 8 years now, but wish I'd discovered UUism earlier. I've used Goodreads to keep track of my reading and book lists for several years and am glad to find this active group!

[Jim]

I am Rev. Dr. Jim Sherblom, a recently retired UU minister, having served as senior minister at First Parish in Brookline for eleven years, and new to Goodreads. I am now writing my spiritual memoir which is targeted to be published next September.

I have just uploaded many of my more recently read books over from Amazon to my Goodreads bookshelf. I look forward to participating in this UU oriented reading discussion group. Jim

[Mary]

Welcome to our new members! We're glad to have you.

[Paul]

Hello, I am a member of Follen Church in Lexington MA and a life-long UU; well technically just a "U" (Unitarian) for years until the churches merged. I have been on Goodreads for a few years to keep track of my readings and get recommendations. Most of my reading is either science-fiction / thrillers or more recently biographies and a mix of other non-fiction. Hopefully this group will have some recommendations to broaden my horizons. I plan to share this group with my social justice committee.

- Paul