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Rev. Xolani Kacela, Ph.D.

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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.

Valerie Mason John aka Vimalasara

September 8, 2021 by xk Leave a Comment

Valerie Mason John aka Vimalasara

Take On Faith – September 11, 2021

Valerie Mason John, also known as Vimalasara, teaches Buddhism in the Triratna Buddhist tradition. They joined host Xolani Kacela from her home in Vancouver, British Columbia for this episode of Take On Faith.

Valerie Mason John is the award-winning author of 10 books, and the co-author and co-founder of Eight Step Recovery: Using The Buddha’s Teaching to Overcome Addiction.

Vimalasara shared many powerful life experiences. Those included: how they discovered Buddhism after years of life in foster care, on the streets, and in prison as a youth. Importantly, they found themselves surrounded by people who meditated. That sparked their curiosity about practicing meditation.

Valerie Mason John discussed their Buddhist practice and how it helped them adopt a new mindset to overcome “stinking thinking,” which they discussed on their 2013 TEDx Talk.

Click the arrow above to listen to the audio or click here to download your own copy.

You can reach Vimalasara on their website: https://www.valeriemason-john.com/about/ or on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/valeriemasonjohn

From the guest’s website:

Dr. Valerie (Vimalasara) Mason-John, M.A (hon.doc) is a public speaker and master trainer in the field of conflict transformation, leadership and mindfulness. They was featured at TEDxRenfrewCollingwood where they gave a talk titled, We are what we think, which outlined a course of action we can take to work on the global epidemic of bullying.

Valerie is the award-winning author of 10 books, and the co-author and co-founder of Eight Step Recovery: Using The Buddha’s Teaching to Overcome Addiction. Since its publication, it has won the Best USA Book Award 2014 and Best International Book Award 2015 in the self motivational and self help category. Eight Step Recovery offers an alternative to the 12 step program for addiction. Eight Step meetings are now taking place in the UK, USA, Canada, Mexico, India and Finland. Valerie uses the pronouns they/their/them because they do not subscribe to how society defines a woman. She/Her limits their capacity to be who they truly are.

Mindfulness Teacher & Recovery Coach

Valerie is the co-creator of Mindfulness Based Addiction Recovery (MBAR). They are a certified professional Mindfulness Teacher, Recovery Coach, Life Coach, and a Compassionate Inquiry Facilitator and Practitioner. Valerie has been practicing mindfulness for over 30 years and is one of the leading African-descent voices in the field of mindfulness and addiction. She trains professionals working in the field of addiction all over the world.

They are also  the author of Detox Your Heart: Meditations for Emotional Trauma — a self-help guide on mindfulness of negative emotions.

Dharma Teacher

Valerie — also known as Vimalasara — was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Community and is a senior teacher in this tradition. Although they work tirelessly in the field of mindfulness, the Buddhist teachings are an essential part of her personal practice.

They are the chairperson of the Triratna Vancouver Buddhist Centre in British Columbia, Canada, and leads and co-leads retreats both nationally and internationally. They was also the co-founder of Healing and Insight and is a teacher on Worldwide Insight.

Playwright

Valerie wrote the box office sell-out cult play, Sin Dykes, and has been touring their one woman show, Brown Girl In The Ring, internationally for the past ten years. The show is adapted to current issues and politics, while keeping to the plot that they are related to the Queen of England. They recently co-produced blackhalifax.com — 12 short poetic dramas documenting the African-descent history of Halifax, Nova Scotia dating back to the 1600’s.

Sterling Cruze

December 21, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Take on Faith – December 19, 2020

Sterling Cruze

Sterling Cruze is an actor and author of The Diary. During this episode of Take On Faith, he discussed his life as a black gay man growing up in various parts of the U.S. The book is an eye-opening memoir.

Early in the interview, he talked about his religious upbringing, which was very interesting. Being raised as both Christian and Catholic, he later became a member of a Jewish synagogue while living with his faith, who had earlier converted to Judaism.

Importantly, Cruze provided details about learning to accept his sexual orientation as a gay man. He also illuminated his work as a author, salesperson, including insight to retail and auto sales. Then, then he opened up about acting and the impact of studying improv at Second City in Chicago on his personal and spiritual life.

His book is The Diary.  You can purchased it on amazon.com. His website is www.sterlingcruze.com.

Listen to the audio from Take On Faith by clicking the arrow above.

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