February 9, at 10:00 am, 3845 North Swan Street  – “What Freethinkers Can Learn from Billy the Kid”

A freethinker is a person who reaches conclusions based on verifiable information, someone who understands that when information changes, the conclusions must also change. The same is true for historians who know that history is a narrative about what actually happened in the past, not a narrative based on myth, legend, or mainstream opinion. With a little help from Billy the Kid, Jim Smith will examine the role that uncertainty plays in the process of being a good historian, as well as the reasons that understanding the process for studying history is vital for freethinking individuals.

Jim Smith is a history and humanities teacher who has been recognized as the New Mexico Teacher of the Year and a finalist for the National Teachers Hall of Fame. As an education consultant, he has led institutes and workshops for teachers throughout the United States, as well as in Europe and Asia.

Smith is the author four books, including “Ideas that Shape a Nation,” a U.S. history textbook, and “Catherine’s Son,” a novel about Billy the Kid that was selected as finalist for the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards as best historical fiction. He has published numerous articles and book reviews for various publications.

This is a Family Program Sunday and February’s Children's Program will continue the theme of “Windows and Mirrors.” The children will explore the topic of “Communication,” which will include the skills needed to be good communicators, as well as the self-awareness to think about how others receive our communications, and how we talk to ourselves. As always, discussion will be followed by arts and crafts or other fun activities.

There will be coffee and conversation after the service, and visitors are always welcome.

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Silver City is a diverse group of religious independents seeking knowledge, spiritual sustenance, fellowship and opportunities for service to others. Our programs encompass Humanism, liberal Christianity, earth-based spirituality, Buddhism and many other traditions. If you’d like to find out more, email uufellowshipofsilvercity@gmail.com, visit our website at www.uufsc.com or visit us on Facebook at Unitarian-Universalist-Fellowship-of-Silver-City.