Category: Celebrations of Life

“We Begin, Again, in Love: Renewal, Resurrection, and the 7th Principle”

In the past several years many UU congregations have begun honoring the Jewish High Holy Days each autumn with the responsive reading “We forgive ourselves and each other and begin again in love,” from A Litany of Atonement, written by UU minister Rev. Rob Eller-Isaacs. These holy days occur near the fall equinox, which is the time when the dark hours of the day begin to surpass the light hours here in the Northern Hemisphere. As we join together on this Easter Day, it feels fitting that we honor spring’s longer day-light hours with a reminder to renew our commitment to love and healing, to begin the resurrection of the growing season with reconnecting to the Earth and the web of life that surrounds us. We are not separate from the Earth, and we are called to connect with all life in service, love, and a commitment to mutual well-being.

Rev. DiAnna Ritola is an Interfaith Minister and a Dianic Wiccan priestess. Her community-based ministry centers on spiritual counseling for trauma, intimate relationships, and sexuality along with rituals to honor life events and passages. DiAnna lives in NYC with her wife, Michele, two dogs (Brigid and Finnbar) and a cat (Lilith), and is doing her best to transform her small yard into a food and flower oasis. In May 2020, she published her first book Mismatched Luggage: Unpacking Your Sexual Baggage for Your Spiritual Journey. Her website is www.DiAnnaRitola.com

Rev. Ritola’s presentation may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/167091241833574

“To Tell the Truth: A celebration of Women’s History Month”

A founding member of Alternate ROOTS, a service organization for community-based artists in the South, deNobriga served as ROOTS’ executive director and planning/development director for ten years. She continues to serve on the board, working on various committees as needed, and sharing the institutional memory of 40 years of continuous membership.

Raised in Kingsport TN, deNobriga holds an M.A. in Theatre (Directing) from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, and a B.A. with honors in Speech Communications and Theatre Arts. Her early employment included directing and managing community theatres in Smithfield and Sanford, NC and performing with The Road Company, a professional ensemble in Johnson City, TN. DeNobriga was a Visiting Artist for two years for the NC Arts Council, and a Fellow in the Rockefeller Foundation’s Next Generation Leadership program and in the Rockwood Leadership Institute.

She is now a consultant, specializing in strategic planning, building organizational capacity, designing staff/board retreats and guiding creative conflict engagement. She trained as a mediator at the Atlanta Justice Center and is a board member for Arts & Democracy and Alternate ROOTS. She served two terms as Councilmember and one as Mayor for the City of Pine Lake, where she lives with her wife Alice Teeter, published poet and bon vivant.

Kathie’s presentation may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/2878832765693360

“Finishing the Fight and Equality’s Call”

As we near the end of Women’s History Month, the titles and themes of two newish children’s books on brave and revolutionary women provides inspiration and fodder for a look at the status of gender justice in a non-binary world.

Rev. Marti Keller comes into 2021 with a lengthy involvement in issues impacting the human rights of women identified persons, including being the director of community and government relations for Planned Parenthood in Northern California and 20 years of leadership with the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation. She was given their ministry to Women Award in 2020 in recognition of “her commitment to anti-racism and intersectionality in the approach to women’s issues.” Her roles included heading the Margaret Fuller Awards Panel, presidency of the Board, co-facilitator of the New Prophetic Sisterhood of UU religious professionals, creator of the UUWF sermon award, and affiliated minister.

Rev. Keller’s presentation may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/931565920992683

“Beware the Belittled: A new world view on the old ‘Hell hath no fury’ line”

Paula Larke is a storyteller, motivational speaker, spoken word/vocal innovator, bassist and percussionist. She has used her music, passion, and humor nationally, for over 38 years, to unite, chide, inspire, and restore faith in the human potential for harmony. Her primary work is in community – schools, churches, state fairs, businessmen’s luncheons, workplace employee training – every kind of community gathering allowing her access. Most recently, Paula has been a teaching artist in Eastern Kentucky and Clarkston, GA, adapting her delivery for Appalachian and international refugee audiences. “It has been an enriching experience, seeing through eyes so different from my own” she affirms.

Paula’s CD, “UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY,” produced with activist/percussionist Kim Nimoy, is a performance libretto, designed for use in schools and colleges.

You can view Paula’s presentation here: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/1057859461370558

“Calling In Democracy”

Loretta Ross is a Visiting Associate Professor at Smith College teaching “White Supremacy in the Age of Trump.” She started her career in the women’s movement in the 1970s, working at the D.C. Rape Crisis Center, the National Organization for Women, the National Black Women’s Health Project, the Center for Democratic Renewal (National Anti-Klan Network), the National Center for Human Rights Education, and SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective. Her forthcoming book is Calling In the Calling Out Culture.  Her most recent publications are Reproductive Justice: An Introduction and Radical Reproductive Justice.

Ms. Ross’s presentation may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/171350467934921

“What’s really stopping mental health justice progress? A story from the trenches”

Dominic Thomas is a father of three, husband and believer in progress who once served at First E and is also a

professor and consultant. He regularly volunteers in a variety of causes and groups, particularly as a Scout leader. Some of his current work focuses on digitizing the global maritime industry as well as enabling crisis response improvements in mental health scenarios.

Dominic’s presentation may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/1926571450814452

“Still Loving in the Midst of Chaos”

Our Fellowship Minister, Rev. Marsha Mitchiner, has served the Congregation for over two decades, since ordination by us, following her study with Lanier Clance. She counsels, connects, and contacts members and friends, and for those who need it, performs the laying-on of hands in her role as a massage therapist. Many of us can vouch for the quality of her work, and appreciate the wisdom, restraint, and compassion she brings to the job of caring for our Congregation.

Marsha speaks once each quarter, and helps smooth the functioning of the Congregation innumerable times in between.

Marsha’s presentation may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/432123741232472