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Rev. Xolani Kacela, Ph.D.

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      • YOUR READING COPY! The Black UU Survival Guide: How to Survive as an African American Unitarian Universalist and How Allies Can Keep It 100
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Darby Berryhill

October 30, 2021 by xk Leave a Comment

Darby Berryhill

Take On Faith – October 23, 2021

Darby Berryhill, author of 7th Heaven It Was Not, and member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Las Cruces, was the guest on Take On Faith on KTAL-LP. Berryhill sat down with Rev. Xolani Kacela for a chat about her life as a pastor’s kid, or PK.

Darby Berryhill as a toddler.

Berryhill’s book portrays in clear detail the lives that preacher’s kids endure. She writes about many struggles. They include living up to family and friends’ thoughts of who she should be, feeling pressure to put on “airs,” and attending four high schools during her teen years.

The book is a great read for listeners who have grown up in clergy families raising children. It’s a short and eye-opening narrative. 

Click the arrow above to listen to the audio.

Rev. Sherman Z. Logan, Jr.

October 4, 2021 by xk Leave a Comment

Rev. Sherman Z. Logan, Jr.

Take On Faith – October 9, 2021

The Rev. Sherman Z. Logan, Executive Minister of First Unitarian Universalist of Richmond, VA was the guest on Take On Faith. He joined host, Xolani Kacela, for a far-ranging conversation about his unique role at FUURV. They also discussed his role as a board member of the UUA.

Click on the arrow to listen to the audio or click here to download the content.

From Guest’s Church Website:

History of First UU RVA

THE ROOTS of liberal religion in Richmond, Virginia began early in the 19th Century when missionary circuit riders drifted in from the northeastern states spreading a new religious message.  In 1830 Rev. John B. Dods spent six months in the city, organizing the first joint denomination of Unitarians and Universalists. 

In 1831, their new meeting house was dedicated as the First Independent Christian Church of Richmond and John B Pitkin was the first minister to be installed by representatives from both faiths.  The unconventional views of Christianity espoused by Rev. Pitkin attracted Richmond’s young intellectuals and businessmen.

More History

Over the next 30 years the church struggled with the ever present financial problems, a succession of transient ministers and the conflict of how to justify their position as a Christian Church.  In 1862 the society’s minister, Rev. Alden Bosserman, was arrested in a “sweep” by Richmond’s Confederate Administration along with several well known Unionist Richmond merchants.  They were suspected to be operating a ‘Union Underground’ designed to move Union soldiers caught behind the lines back into the North and assist occasional slave runaways. 

Bosserman, along with Franklin Stearns, Burnham Wardwell, G. W. Frosst and Charles Palmer, was lodged in a slave jail designated for political prisoners awaiting their court hearing; former U.S. Senator, John Minor Botts, spent two months on the second floor of Lumpkin’s slave jail with a view of Shockoe Bottom’s factories through its barred windows.   

The Richmond Dispatch (04/03/1862) lists Rev. Bosserman among Castle Godwin’s prisoners.   His congregation, suspected to be an abolitionist front, continued to live with the indignity of the smear tactics aroused by their leader’s arrest for treason and a hostile community that took advantage of any opportunity to misrepresent their beliefs.  After five months in prison, living under deplorable wartime conditions, Rev. Bosserman was released as part of a prisoner exchange.

Virginia’s secession from the Union proved to be the death-knell for the church on Mayo Street.   As the war continued, the exceptional prosperity of the city disappeared under the strain of the political situation.  Slave discontent turned into rebellion, an embargo had closed the city’s port, businesses began to fail and banks suspended specie payment.  The weather was bitterly cold, cholera was rampant and there were food riots.  Without leadership or the means to meet their financial obligations, the church disbanded officially in 1875.

RE-ESTABLISHMENT began with Sunday night meetings in the home of D.R. Wilson.  At first, it was just a few friends getting together to read liberal literature and share their religious ideas.  As more people joined the group, the American Unitarian Association (A.U.A.) initiated a mission effort.  Early in 1893 Rev. George L. Chaney came to Richmond and began holding services in Belvidere Hall.  A Women’s Alliance and a Sunday school were organized and the congregation grew under Rev. Chaney’s leadership.   On December 31, 1893 eighteen people stepped forward to sign the Bond of Union that would formally create the First Unitarian Church of Richmond.

Dealing with Fear, Anxiety, and Anger

September 21, 2021 by xk Leave a Comment

Dealing with Fear, Anxiety, and Anger

Take On Faith – September 18, 2021

Dealing with fear, anxiety, and anger requires disciplined spirituality and commitment to your values. During the show, Rev. Xolani Kacela, host of Take On Faith, discusses some of the challenges churches faced and still face during the pandemic.

Rev. Xolani Kacela goes solo on this episode of Take On Faith.

Importantly, Kacela explores the struggles to build on-line community amid fear, anxiety, and anger. Kacela builds upon his Unitarian Universalist practice.

Also, he explores the spiritual practice called reconciliation. He attributes the practice to the African American mystic and spiritual teacher, Howard Thurman.

During this solo episode, Kacela shares an intimate story from his past about attempting reconciliation. He discusses the risks we encounter pursuing honest relationships in an era of great division.

Enjoy a very personal talk and discover ways for taking your spirituality to the next level.

Tune by clicking the link below.

Click on the arrow to listen to the content or click right here to download.

Excerpt from Jumpstart Your Allyship on interrogating your feelings

In the episode, Rev. XK addresses the need to confront and interrogate your feelings. Here is an excerpt from his latest book, Jumpstart Your Allyship, which covers the topic in detail.

It is important to acknowledge and accept uncomfortable feelings, knowing that they represent something tangible in your experience. But, first, you need to determine what those feelings represent. Lean into them until you have answers. Once you nail down what caused your feelings, you can confront your history and move into your new self-image.

(This work may involve you beginning a relationship with a culturally competent mental health provider. Either way, you will need to confront your feelings and find a resolution to be an effective, reliable ally.)

Jumpstart Your Allyship VideoChat

September 15, 2021 by xk Leave a Comment

Jumpstart Your Allyship VideoChat

Think Again – September 28, 2021

Click the arrow to watch the video or click here to download to your device.

This video follows up on our in-studio conversation on Think Again, broadcast on KTAL-LP FM 101.5.

This Jumpstart Your Allyship VideoChat presents a real-life conversation between two persons with opposing ideas. Watch them strive for common ground, and therefore, allyship. The two men, Randy Harris and Xolani “xk” Kacela, discuss the pros and cons Zoom meetings. They contrast Zoom with in-person meetings.

As a viewer, we hope you discover merit in the approach we take, which comes from the book, Jumpstart Your Allyship, by Xolani. We offer this videochat as an example of allyship in action.

What To Look For In The Video

We hope the videochat demonstrates two guys, one African American and one White. They have different backgrounds and views. Yet, they hash out an important issue with respect for each other.

Together, the two guys jumpstart their allyship.

Notice how “xk” kept it 100 by asking Randy a difficult question about whether he’s approaching Zoom meetings like “a Neanderthal.” That question demonstrated interrogating Randy’s status honestly. In order to make that move, “xk” overrode his fear factor. Often, prevents people from getting real with each other.

Next, Randy responded to “xk’s” challenging and personal question without getting defensive. He answered openly and sincerely, thus, moving the conversation and allyship in a positive direction.

Your Challenge

Take time to rewatch the video. What do you notice the second time? Can you imagine yourself engaging in a similar conversation with a BIPOC over a difficult topic? Where might you begin? With whom do you wish you were an ally?

Bottom line: It’s up to you to keep it 100!

You can reach Randy Harris at rharris27@hotmail.com and xk at xk@revdrxk.com.

Randy Harris, host of Think Again on KTAL-LP. Jumpstart Your Allyship Videochat.
Randy Harris (right) and Keith.

You can purchase the book, Jumpstart Your Allyship by clicking this link.

Please leave your comments below.

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