Revd Cody Coyne

“When all is quiet and we are small and the night is dark, may we hear the tender breathing of all who lie awake with us” Jane Rzepka When my son Thomas was about two months old, I recall one evening (amongst many) without sleep. I think there must be a biological event where new …

I hold this most sacred duty – the gathering together of a number of people who shall so agree to live by the best they know, that they shall be free to live by the best they know. – DH Lawrence Lawrence finishes his reading by saying that the “religion … must be practised.” For …

“Peace is not the absence of war; it is virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.”’ – Baruch Spinoza The suggestion that peace is about presence rather than merely an absence is found in many forms: a presence of justice, of Christ, of God, creativity. Perhaps the most well-known is Martin …

‘What need is there for profundity; everything I need is here.’ – Kenneth Collier, Garden Zen I spent last week in Derbyshire attending Hucklow Summer School. This is a retreat and programme for Unitarians (and others). The days begin with a talk and lead on to engagement groups, singing, walking, writing, dancing, eating, chatting, communing. …

Because we are imperfect and love so Deeply we will never have enough days, We need the gift of starting over, beginning Again: just this constant good, this Saving hope. – Nancy Shaffer, “Because We spill not only milk” Forrest Church, an eminent Unitarian minister, spoke of Nancy Shaffer as embodying a world “riddled with …

“Art is like beginning a sentence before you know its ending. The risks are obvious: you may never get to the end … or having gotten there, you may not have said anything. This is probably not a good idea in public speaking, but it’s an excellent idea in making art.” – David Bayles and …

True kindness presupposes the faculty of imagining as one’s own the suffering and joy of others. Without imagination, there can be weakness, theoretical or practical philanthropy, but not true kindness. – Andre Gide, Pretexts, Reflections on Literature and Morality There are times when I miss something that’s plainly in front of me; we have a …

Recognising the good we do in this world is important for ourselves