The Spiritual Odyssey Collection
June 7 - Paul Baerman
Paul will explain why he thought he might be Jesus, and also discusses the sound of falling rain.
June 14 - Betsy LaForge
"My circuitous path of inquiry." What blessings, books, and blisters taught me about humanity, happiness and heart.
June 21 - Ralph LaForge
"The solace of gentle and fierce landscapes." I have never – even now – considered myself a “spiritual being." That said, in no small way, my early childhood Catholic education, military experiences, the cosmos, and over the last 20 years, American Indian/Alaskan Native encounters have ever so slowly influenced the way I live my life now. I was not transformed. There was no certain enlightenment or spiritual awakening. I have no essential printed creed (save Carl Sagan’s “Pale Blue Dot”). The natural world and the cosmos, via the optical lens, have become my daily practice. In order to photograph, one must see, focus, and allow the light to illuminate. This is the way I see life now.
June 28 - Bill Mahoney
“What Do You Get When You Cross a Catholic with a Unitarian Universalist?” Bill describes how his exploration of this question has pushed him to make peace with that uncomfortable intersection between faith and reason. And how, in the process, he unexpectedly became better friends with neighbors, God, and himself.
July 5 - Carol Scott
"My Religious/Spiritual Odyssey"
July 12 - Anthony Pascone
"In the garden of spiritual offerings." From pious papist to dabbler in occult knowledge and practices, I have truly taken time to smell the garden of spiritual offerings that is out there for all of us to explore. Yet, I take delight in the knowledge that as UUs, we can let our own spiritual journey be guided by the truths that reveal themselves, sometimes randomly, during the time we exist on this plane. Although, I consider this somewhat ‘spiritually lite’ compared to others, I invite you to come hear what I have learned and what works for me.
Due to technical difficulties, this podcast is not available.
July 19 - Maria Inez Robayo
"On being Latina, Catholic & UU." I will present my story of a Catholic Latina that became a Unitarian Universalist and share the challenges that I had to overcome during my spiritual journey.
Due to technical difficulties, this podcast is not available.
July 26 - Rick and Georgie Searles
"Yoked Together in our Spiritual Journey." How we got to ERUUF and the arc of our spiritual evolution over the past 50 years.
August 2 - Jeff Moe
"Jeff's Journey: Rites, Relationships, Stories, Sayings." From a 65 years of age vantage point, I look back at my rearing in the Lutheran church, Christian conversion in high school, living in a spiritual commune in the '60's, creating a moral life without God, living through divorce, raising children and creating rituals with my life partner Audrey, learning meditation practice, and deepening my spirituality at ERUUF and with my chalice group. Participants can react to my stories by identifying their own rituals, relationships, personal stories and aphorisms; their guideposts on their own path.
August 9 - Kimberly Slentz-Kesler
"How far away can the apple fall? Bridging familial divides with patience and love." How my spiritual identity has been forged through decades of religious and political conflict with my family.
Those who wish a transcript of Kimberly's spiritual odyssey and/or the slide presentation should contact her directly at
