Last week’s shootings in Roseburg has impacted our lives in many ways, along with the threats at our educational institutions in the Rogue Valley. These acts stir up fear, uncertainty, and judgment in ways that keep us at bay from each other or going about our business as usual. Life as we once knew it has been altered and in some ways forces us as a religious community to look more deeply at who Unitarian Universalists claim to be in the world. As we stand on our UU principles and continue to affirm the inherent worth and dignity of people and promote the goal of world peace, we can be assured our principles still ring true. People are inherently worthy, though some of the choices they make are certainly not. Peace is a goal that we can continue to strive for as a response to counter violence.

If we UU’s want to keep our principles alive and pass them on, every small effort to affirm and promote them is called for during times like these.We must reach out to each other when we are fearful, or uncertain of what to do, or when we find ourselves making poor judgments in our every day lives. No one of us has the answers to ‘what can we do about this so it never happens again?’ However, we do have each other that can give us the courage to face all the questions that get raised when events like this happen. Reach out, support, listen compassionately, and courageously support each other in the days ahead. Saturday in Medford is an opportunity to stand with Muslims, inherently worthy people, and counter hate with love. Come to Alba Park at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10 and let us stand together in solidarity for peace and religious freedom. For more information go to this link Medford Rally Blessings to all.