UUSLO

As the commemoration of Columbus Day rolls around, let's take a look at what history--as it has been taught--tells us about who really belongs.

This period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is known to some in the Jewish tradition as "Days of Awe." It is also known as "Days of Repentance." Pray tell, what is so awesome about repentance? And what does that have to do with a feeling of belonging?

How is it that we form opinions, assumptions, conclusions about other people...sometimes even before we have met them? What do we carry into those first moments of meeting, and what can we set aside?

What happens when others receive more than they deserve?

Beloved Conversations is a guided series of seminars which invites people to have open and honest conversations about how

race and ethnicity shape their lives. Today, we will hear reflections on these sessions from the participants.

Expectation is a tricky thing. Should we expect the best and simply deal with anything less? Should we expect the worst and be pleasantly surprised at anything better? How do our expectations shape what we do in this moment?

That's always been the American promise, right? If you're willing to work, you can expect to get somewhere in your life. Is the dream being realized? Or does it vanish upon waking?

How do we open ourselves and our communities to provide a real (if raggedy) welcome? How do we move from perfection to practice?

"Triangulation" is a mathematical process, but also has a psychological meaning. How does it work, exactly? And what meaning does it have in creating community?

The traditional ways in which we come together can, after a time, seem unchangeable. How can we step back and take a look at existing forms...and consider some new shapes?