Chris Walton, editor of the UU World magazine, and Deb Weiner, Director of Electronic Communications, both of the Unitarian Universalist Association, hosted a reception of Unitarian Universalist bloggers.

I was fascinated to hear about the different ways Unitarian Universalists (UUs) participate in the blogosphere — including writing a personal blog, writing a blog as a religious professional, political blogging, Live Journal blogging, and writing as a regular contributor for someone else’s blog.

Below you’ll find a list of the bloggers who showed up….

Chris Walton, a.k.a. Philocrites, which he launched in 2000, and turned it into a blog in late 2002. Chris maintains a large compendium of UU blogs.

Ian Evison, congregational services director of the Central Midwest District, which he just began a couple of days ago. www.cmwd-uua.org/blog

Christine Robinson blogs at iMinister. She writes some about personal interests, some about church in general. “I actually spend more time reading other people’s blogs than writing mind,” including people in her congregation who blog.

Fred Wooden, blogging at Aside from the Obvious, is the minister at Fountain St. Church in Grand Rapids. He started out his blog as a daily email diary sent out as a way to allow his new congregation to get to know him.

Deb Mero, who doesn’t hang out in the world of UU blogs, but rather with political blogs. “I’m trying to tone down the anti-religious bias that lives in lefty blogs.”

Phil Lund, Phil’s Little House on the Prairie, Lifespan Program Director for Prairie Star District. Started blogging in 2004, often about family ministries and families. “I’m writing things as I’m thinking them through.”

James Ford, Monkey Mind, “just a potpourri of things that catch my attention.” He’s interested in UU life and Buddhism.

Don Cooper, who writes as Linguist Friend on Chalice Chick’s blog (“everything I do is really parasitic in the sense that she allows me to post stuff on her blog”). He writes about everything from his family’s experience starting a mixed-race UU church in the South in the 1950’s, to new translations of the Bible.

Kit Ketcham, blogging at Ms. Kitty’s Saloon and Road Show. Just about a year of blogging, her blog has evolved into a commentary into the insights she gets in just living from day to day.

Chalice Chick: “I just write pretty much about whatever I’m thinking about or feeling about.” She’s

Chance Hunter, blogging at Making Chutney, which he has been writing for five years or so. He’s now added another blog called Open the Door.

Hafidha Sofia Acuay, of Never Say Never to Your Traveling Self. “Sometimes it takes me a long time to come up with a post.” She participates in other online communities, such as Church of the Younger Fellowship.

Lance Rochelle, who used to blog as I Am the Brain on Live Journal. “It’s interesting to see where it’s gone since I started in 2001…. There wasn’t really a lot of good content then.”

Lance Brown does a personal blog on Live Journal as a way of keeping track of his friends. “I spent so much time keeping track of my friends [on live Journal] that I didn’t do anything with my friends,” so he has cut back on his blogging.

Kenneth Sutton writes two blogs: Home Fries, which is mostly an aid to his memory; and Tenth Life, which the blog of his avatar in Second Life.

Deb Weiner says she doesn’t have a blog yet, and there has been a lot of discussion about whether UUA staff should blog, and on what terms.

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