In the past, I’ve described Fools Mission as a “radical” social experiment; yet I’ve recently come to think differently about that language. The original sense of the word radical comes from French and Latin: “of or pertaining to the root, having roots.” One possible image is a return to foundational ideas or principles in the […]
I was so pleased to be invited to deliver a sermon at the worship service of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Sunnyvale, California on August 7, 2016. In light of the results of the 2016 election, I felt motivated to post it here, as well. I hope that you find some comfort and hope, along […]
Fools Mission recently collected stories about the State of the Union from friends and fools alike, and now you can read them here! On Sunday, January 25, 2015, over 20 of us gathered at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Redwood City to participate in the first People’s State of the Union. A national initiative sponsored […]
As the holiday season draws to a close here at Fools Mission, we reflect on the old and dream of the new. Our consciousness-raising multicultural ministry has brought together young and old, rich and poor, citizens and immigrants, privileged and underprivileged. We build community among people who would otherwise be unlikely to get to know […]
Our November breakfast meeting (we call it The Fools of the Round Table) reminded me why I love Fools Mission. The social hall at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Redwood City (UUFRC) was humming as 25 adults and kids gathered in the social hall. The cast of characters were a typically diverse mix—an SRI Scientist, […]
At Fools Mission, the value of accompaniment begins with embracing a life of service. We celebrate when moms are reunited with their daughters, or undocumented immigrants shed tears of gratitude for supportive companionship. Nothing can quite compare with connecting a homeless person with shelter, a grade-school kid with reading skills, or an immigrant parent with […]
For fools and most friends of fools, the jester hats and clown noses require no explanation. They speak to the identity of the fool down through the ages: the trickster, the disrupter, the speaker of truth to power, the healing power of irony and laughter. Humor is as much a part of the story as […]
Sometimes things become clear all at once. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does there is an impact. On Saturday, January 11, 2014 I attended a diversity training event sponsored by the North Fair Oaks Youth Initiative. There were about 40 young people, some leaders and six fools present. The training was presented by […]