Was Tom Flynn right that there is no benefit for humanists and secularists to December celebrations? Jon Cleland Host - who has been celebrating the Winter Solstice with his family for nearly two decades - discussed that question during Sunday's public Zoom presentation, using the reality-based traditions which have both built critical thought, as well as brought joy to his kids year after year. If you missed it, no worries! You can watch the conversation right here.

Jon is a materials scientist who lives in Michigan. A member and active volunteer for UUHA, he authors the blog Naturalistic Paganism.

The discussion is also embedded below:

Winter Solstice 2021: Reason for the Season! from HUUmanists Association on Vimeo.

We hope all UUHA members enjoyed our most recent edition of the Journal of Religious Humanism. The time has already come for our journal editors to plan for our first issue of the new year. If you have ever been interested in submitting an article for our journal, we have your next opportunity:

Theme for Vol. 49, Issue 2:

How We Live Out Our Humanism

We are looking for stories of how your life is impacted by your humanist values - something that you “do” that expresses your humanist identity. Examples might include personal commitments, relationship building, or communal endeavors.

Tell us about your Humanist group’s community service, or an unusual family tradition; an occasional gathering of friends to pursue a common passion, or a solitary quest that reflects the best of humanism as you understand it.

This could be a first-person account, or a tale about the actions of others. Just be sure, if you are telling someone else’s story, that you have permission to be their narrator, or if not, rely on information already in the public domain.

Essays from 500 to 1,000 words, submitted to the editor at rabrewin@aol.com, by October 15, 2021, will be considered for inclusion for Volume 49 #2, to be published digitally by year’s end. All submissions selected are subject to editing for word count, spelling and grammar, and suitability for the issue’s theme. Author’s permission will be sought for any major changes we recommend.

Previous contributors to the Journal are always welcome, though we’re (just a little) partial to folks who haven’t contributed to the past two issues (“Humanist Elevator Speeches,” and “A Humanist Calendar.”)

We look forward to putting your positive story on the screens of the hundreds of humanist and humanist-friendly UUs, and others, who make up our readership.

Have an idea, and want to know if it might “fit” with what we’re seeking, before you commit to writing? Need a couple of examples of what we’re looking for? Contact the Editor, Roger Brewin, at 773-551-8540 or rabrewin@aol.com.