It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere

What's In "Justice GA" For Me?

2012-01-23T13:19:00.000-08:00

In an article at uuworld.org that came out today, it was written:

"This GA, termed a "Justice GA," will be almost entirely focused on social justice issues related to immigration."

I know immigration is an important national issue. I know Arizona SB1070 is a horrible piece of legislation. Yet if I made up a list of issues/causes that I'm engaged in and/or working on, immigration wouldn't even make it into the top 20.

What's in "Justice GA" for me?

"Justice" GA?

2011-02-07T12:05:00.000-08:00

Why doesn't somebody just tell us the truth?

GA 2012 is NOT going to be a "Justice" GA. GA 2012 is going to be an "Immigration" GA.

Help Rev. Ron Robinson and The Living Room

2010-03-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

Hello dear readers.
Life caught up with me so I've been quiet for a while. I don't know if that will change much, but I felt that I needed to post this. It's from Rev. Ron Robinson and it's about a great opportunity to help him and his merry band in Tulsa. Give what you can; I definitely will.

Consider this: At a bad economic time of recession. At a time in our Tulsa area when community centers have been closed down, especially in our lowest income areas like ours. At a time when parks which are so critical to the life and health of communities and families have had budgets slashed. At a time when our state is dead last as the healthiest state. When our 74126 zip code has the lowest life expectancy in our area. When 40 percent of the vacant residential properties in our two mile radius have been abandoned, not for rent or for sale. When we live in a food desert. When nothing new is beginning for our children, and instead our schools are cutting out teachers, programs, in ways not seen before in our history...

...Being a group of crazy local residents in this area, we believe another world, another community, another response is possible. So working with the University of Oklahoma Graduate Design Studio we are developing plans for a place for extensive community gardening, gazebo for entertaining, space for families, a living kitchen right by the garden where people who grow can cook and dehydrate on the space, where we can have cooking lessons, community meals, play equipment, a firepit, where folks can watch fireworks and the stars at night, where it will be an outdoors third place environment, sustainable, bringing hope. So...

We, A Third Place Community, now have a chance to purchase a city block, an acre, up on a hilltop overlooking downtown Tulsa, at 60th and N. Johnstown Ave. where two abandoned homes are rundown and abandoned. Right across from where one of our community gardens started last summer is now located. A location bridging two ethnically diverse neighborhoods, one incorporated in the city of Tulsa and one in the unincorporated Turley part, where people and school children walk.

We have had our offer of $15,000 accepted for the property, paid in cash at closing. Now to make it real we have to raise the funds as soon as we can. Which means we have to ask everyone for help and to pass this on to their email lists and social media in order for us to reach our goal:

Be a part of this groundbreaking, ground transforming initiative, at this time, and at this place. Be a part of the group that makes another world possible. People from right here, and from around the country and even the world have a chance to make this real, to be listed on our sign at the site of LivingKitchen Garden Park Givers. Your name, your family, your children's names, those whom you want to give it in honor to or memory of.

We need as soon as possible to raise the $15,000, even as the OU Design Studio is finishing up the plans and visuals that we will pass on as soon as they are completed.

We need just one person to give $15,000, or 15 people to give $1,000, or 150 people to give $100. That is how we make it real. Be a part of this opportunity, right now, to be a part of this original list of Garden Park Givers. Reply and let all know you are helping. Let's raise it by Easter, April 4. Talk about a resurrection of hope and spirit of life. Pass this notice on to all and let them know you are contributing at what amount and give them a chance to change the world too between now and Easter.

Send checks made out to A Third Place Community Foundation to 6514 N. Peoria Ave., Turley, OK 74126. We are a 501c3 non profit organization. Sorry we don't have an online donation avenue possible yet, but don't let that stop you. Do it the old-fashioned way.
Send a message that another response, another world, another kind of community is possible.

Go to www.turleyok.blogspot.com or become a fan of us on Facebook and follow how we are doing, what we have done, and our activities coming up and dreams. This initiative is a great one, but even greater is on the way.

Pledge, donate, surprise yourself and the world and all those who don't know that a small group of dedicated citizens can change the world. Pass on the Possibility.

Ron Robinson
A Third Place Community
"small acts of justice done with great love change the world"

Who Do We Say We Are????

2009-08-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

hello dear readers.

Since the UUA now has a new president, I thought I would repost this from a couple of years ago. With the beginning of a new administration, I think it's worth asking again.

The question about the UUA(or UUism): besides same-sex marriage, does the UUA(or UUism) have any passion for anything?

It doesn't seem to be spiritual development/formation or maturation, because if it were there would be more curricula out there. It doesn't seem to be religious literacy, or the kids who go through most UU Religious Education programs wouldn't come out as religiously ignorant as they were coming in and most adults would understand that the religious world is bigger than their past or current congregation. It doesn't even seem to be REAL social justice or we would be reaching out and working with the other religious progressives out there no matter what their religious stripe. (where is the UU version of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker movement?)

For all their faults (and speaking as a former fundamentalist I know there are many), mega-churches have passion. They know what drives them: bringing people to Christ.

What drives the typical UU church? Where is their passion? In all this talk about growth in UU circles, nobody seems to be looking at the facts; the churches that are growing, no matter what theological stripe, have PASSION. They know what they want to do and try to find ways to do it. They have a story and can articulate it. They know their mission and can articulate that as well. These churches have DREAMS (and I'm not talking about strategic plans but real dreams). They see their place in the world. Most of all, they are NOT afraid.

So.....where's the UU's/UUA's passion?

Why I Wish Rosemary Bray McNatt Had Run For UUA President

2009-06-12T08:25:00.001-07:00

(if Rev. McNatt happens to read this, I hope she sees this as the compliment it was intended to be)

I have been asked why I have been disappointed in the campaign run by both Hallman and Morales. I think it can be boiled down to one word: deflection. Both candidates deflect more often than they answer questions directly. And deflection can only go so far; at some point a candidate must answer the question posed or lose credibility.

That said, I think I should tell why I wish Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt had run for UUA President.

If you, like me, have read Rev. McNatt's memoir, then you know that Rev. McNatt can be brutally frank about the rough parts of life. No deflection there. And that's something that I think that the UUA needs...brutal frankness.

Also, I think there is something to being a minister in New York City....a sort of no-nonsense directness that Rev. McNatt would have brought.

A third thing....Rev. McNatt (I believe) has a following among many UUs that could be marshaled in a positive way. With that, I think there are some internal discussions that could happen (like the continuing humanist/theist thing....or what exactly we mean when we talk about congregational polity) in a different way because some people would come to the table who might not have before.

Fourthly, Rev. McNatt's former life as a journalist means that she has a way of communicating that doesn't automatically put people off. No "minister-ease" or "theology-ease".

But of course, I am seeing these things from afar. And maybe I am projecting qualities on Rev. McNatt that she doesn't have. However I do think that there are some issues that the UUA is facing that really could have used Rev. McNatt's presence.

The UU Presidency Campaign I Would Like To Have Seen

2009-06-09T22:47:00.000-07:00

Robin Edgar asks me who would I like to have seen running that is not running. I think that's a great question.

After GA in 2006, a really well-connected UU friend told me that they thought that a friend of theirs was seriously considering running for UUA President. When I asked who that person was, my friend told me that they would tell me once that person made a decision one way or the other.

The person who was considering a run was.....Rosemary Bray McNatt.

But Rev. McNatt is not the only person who I think would have made this campaign interesting. Pluse the grapevine told me that Marilyn Sewell and Terry Sweetser seriously thought about running.

The candidate I think we needed in this campaign was somebody who has a real vision and is really passionate about being the public face of Unitarian Universalism. And could articulate that passion. I just don't think either Laurel or Peter are that person. But I could be wrong. Or it could be that I'm just truly disappointed in the campaign both of them have run. Who knows?

'None Of The Above' for UUA President

2009-06-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

Now that we are 3 weeks out from the election of a new UUA President, I thought that I would throw my $0.02 in on the campaign and the candidates.

I endorse 'None Of The Above'. It pains me to do that but it is the right endorsement for me.

I have watched both candidates campaign and (hate to say it) find nothing inspiring in either one of them. When asked direct questions about how they are going to deal with certain things related to the budget and staffing, both deflect. When asked about things related to anti-racism (whatever you feel about the UUA's anti-racism programs, it is a legitimate issue), both deflect. All their answers seem like non-answers.

But most of all, what is driving each of these candidates to run for UUA President? What is their passion? While both Laurel and Peter look to be nice people and I truly believe that both believe that they can and will bring something to the Presidency, in hearing them at different candidate forums neither one of them sounds like they have a driving passion to be President. And I'm sorry, while competence is important, passion is just as important. And I don't see that passion in either Peter or Laurel.

So, while I know that either Laurel or Peter will be the next President of the UUA, my endorsement goes to 'None Of The Above.'

Sanctimonious-ness, UU-style

2009-02-14T11:22:00.000-08:00

So I'm going through UUpdates looking at the titles of different posts, and since I try to read the ones written by UU seminarians I was intrigued by the title "A UU Seminarian in Bibleland 2."

I knew things were not going to go well for me when I read the first paragraph:
So, another issue with being a UU Seminarian in Bibleland is that I'm listening to the rhetoric, and reading the Bible, but being a UU, I introduce reasoning into the mix, unfettered by the need to have everything neatly equal Jesus is Lord and the Bible is Inerrant.

Ah yes, UU sanctimony at its best. "I introduce reasoning into the mix," this seminarian says; as if the other members of that class are just blind followers and don't use reason. UUs don't hold the market on reason. I know many reasonable people who believe in the inerrancy of the Bible.

I know what many of you dear readers are thinking---Real Anonymous, this seminarian didn't mean it the way you're reading it. You're right, this seminarian probably didn't mean it the way I read it. But it was said. We UUs aren't the only ones who reason. And just because others reason out something else, doesn't mean we should assume that our reasoning is the best.

Sanctimony doesn't serve us well. While most of us don't believe that Jesus is Lord or that the Bible is inerrant, there is much to learn from those in the other side. I hope this seminarian is really taking advantage of the blessing they have in being a UU in Bibleland.

The Answer To The Purposes and Principles Brouhaha

2009-01-25T13:00:00.000-08:00

I've given it some thought and finally came up with the perfect answer to the whole debate on Article 2 of the UUA By-laws.

Keep the Purposes. Drop the Principles.

Simple.

Credentials Credentials All Over The Place pt. 2

2008-12-05T19:55:00.000-08:00

Steve Caldwell wrote a comment to my original post that I've been mulling since I read it.

In my opinion, the real reason for having professional associations and credentialing for the musicians and other professionals in our congregations is the code of ethics that comes from professional associations.

It's not important if one has an alphabet soup of academic letters after one's name.

But avoiding unethical behavior like a musician violating copyright laws or any church professional using power and authority to take advantage of a congregant sexually is important for our congregations.

As I said in my original post, I understand the need/want for credentialing both ministers and religious educators. But Steve's comment really points out my concern.

When one is talking about the arts (music, writing, acting, etc.), what are the codes of ethics? Pardon my ignorance, but I've never heard of a musician's code of ethics. By their very nature the arts are incestuous (creatively incestuous, not the other incestuous); and music especially so. So the issues that would come up in other professions' codes of ethics do not apply.

And even when you start talking about issues of copyright and so forth, those are really matters of law and not ethics because issues of fair use and what is in the public domain is very different when one is talking about the arts. And they become even more complicated when one is talking about the arts in a church setting.

But my real concern is the message that credentialing musicians might send. As the music program of a church is going to be mostly populated by those who are NOT professional musicians, won't credentialing musicians turn off those really gifted musicians who aren't professional?

Again as I said in my original post, I understand wanting quality music programs. What I don't understand is how credentialing musicians brings that any closer.

Credentials Credentials All Over The Place

2008-12-04T10:48:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.
I've been meaning to write about this for a while, and now I have a few minutes to do it.

I get it! UUs like credentialing people. Really, I get it!

And for some things I can understand the want for it.....I understand the need for credentialing/fellowshipping ministers. I understand the want for credentials for religious educators (although I have some reservations about what that process is and how they go about it).

What I don't......repeat DON'T......understand is the need for credentialing musicians. Can somebody please explain this to me?

Let me be perfectly clear, I understand the want for really good, quality music programs in church. In fact I think most UU churches are behind the curve on that front. What I do not understand is what the credentialing of musicians brings to us as a movement other than just another bureaucratic thing.

As music is one of the best avenues to get people involved in a church, I'm more than a little concerned at the signal that this sends. But hey, I've been known to be wrong. Maybe this doesn't send out the signal that I think it sends.

Opinions?

Now That The Election Is Over...The Single Best Decision

2008-11-05T18:15:00.000-08:00

I have decided to reprint a post that I wrote earlier this year. It still says what I think about this election season. This is from Feb. 21.

As you all may remember, I have said that I have done the only political post I plan on writing. I'm sticking to that. Just barely. I've been reading some articles the last few days talking about about the different campaigns; how organized or disorganized they are, strengths and weaknesses, etc. I've found them quite interesting, but I've also noticed one thing that hasn't been mentioned.
So dear readers, here's my take on why one campaign is still in this race and not watching it from the sidelines.The single smartest decision made so far in the 2008 campaign: Barack Obama's campaign is run from Chicago and not Washington.

Daylight Savings Time Ends

2008-11-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

Yee haw!!!!!!!!!!!

The most ridiculous time of the year is coming to an end. We get our hour back.

Life is good.

Are Minorities Really To Blame?

2008-10-10T07:31:00.000-07:00

Ok dear readers, I have a question.

Are minorities really to blame for the financial mess?

Now I know that some of this is because of sub-prime, but can a whole financial system break down because minorities were given bad loans? C'mon now, I have a hard time believing that.

I am asking this because I don't like the spin that's being placed on this as being something that's caused by the "other". In fact, I'm sickened by it.

Dow Down 778, Do You Have Any Money Left?

2008-09-29T17:33:00.000-07:00

What a day dear readers, what a day.

Mondays are my light days, so I can work from home if I so choose. I did. And decided to go back and forth between CNBC and MSNBC to see what was going on as far as the bailout was concerned. Well....the answer came a little after 2:00 EDT. 228 nay, 205 yea.

Where do we go from here ladies and gentlemen? Here are some questions:

-Does the market really need $700 billion dollars?
-What protections should there be for the public and taxpayers?
-Is there any situation in which judicial review is a bad thing?
-What should happen in bankruptcy court in regards to mortgages?

Like I said, a few questions for consideration.

Those who know me in my non-anonymous life know that governance issues play a large role in my life. I also spend a bit of time trying to help those who make decisions understand how those decisions might play in the public eye. And my professional persona is cringing at how this is going to play tomorrow morning. It's not going to be pretty dear readers, not pretty at all. I'll probably write something about that later in the week.

Anyway, I hope you all are not panicking. Panicking is not good for anybody.

Hopefully Charlie Rose will talk about this tonight. My guess is he will.

The Long Goodbye, Paul Newman 1925-2008

2008-09-27T07:15:00.000-07:00

Well it just came over the wire that Paul Newman has died at age 83.

Since my favorite line in all of movie-dom comes from "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof", I am sad at the news. But Newman lived a good life and even though he was taken away by cancer, he lived his life the way he wanted.

So dear readers, take a little time out to watch a movie that stars Paul Newman and celebrate a life well lived.

Is It Really A Bailout?

2008-09-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

Hello dear readers.

I haven't written since the AIG mess, mainly because I've been watching CNBC most of the time when I'm not either working or in my class.

I can't answer the question as to is this really a bailout, but I'm upset at how this is being framed; as if everybody whose home has been foreclosed on was greedy and stupid and should have never gotten a home in the first place. If I remember this right, when the housing crisis started, the issue was not really the people who were working two jobs to keep their home, but "flippers" who thought they could make some quick money in the housing market and took out very risky loans to begin with. Am I remembering this right?

Well.....back to financial news....CNBC or Bloomberg.

It's 10:45.....Do You Know Where Your Money Is?

2008-09-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

Well, the market goes down 446 points. What to make of that?

I must say I'm surprised that there isn't more postings on the financial situation, but I'm not really all that surprised. Bread-and-butter and money issues have never been big issues to talk about in many UU circles.

Anyway......should the government have bailed-out AIG?

Things Are Heating Up

2008-09-15T19:47:00.000-07:00

Hello dear readers.

Seems like things are heating up in the UU-blogosphere over cultural misappropriation. I'll have a post about that soon.

Right now, though, I'm watching CNBC and all the talk about the financial markets. Very interesting stuff if I do say so myself.

What should/is going to happen to AIG?
Was the government wrong in not helping Lehman?
What the hell is Bank of America thinking buying Merrill Lynch?
Is this the beginning/middle/end of the financial crisis?

oh well, back to CNBC. And maybe Charlie Rose will talk about this tonight.

An Interesting Sounding Book

2008-09-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

So I got to read the Times Book Review this week and came across a review of a book that I had heard about and have been intrigued by since I saw the title in the indie-booksellers newsletter.

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff.

If you like historical fiction or mysteries, this sounds like it might be the book to pick up sometime. I plan to when I get to read for pleasure again.

I'll be back to writing about UUA stuff when life slows down next month.

The New Study Action Issue

2008-07-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

Hello dear friends.

It never ceases to amaze me how UUs continue to find ways to make themselves irrelevant to more and more groups of people.

Let's talk about the new study-action issue that was passed at GA this year. Now before I go on my rant about it, let me be clear, I do think that how food is produced is an issue for concern.

That being said dear friends, if we're going to talk about ethical eating/food production, we need to remember that for a sizable portion of this country, food is being priced out of their reach. Especially fresh fruits and vegetables. And all these wonderful upper-class hippy ideas of co-ops and going local is just not possible for a number of people in this country.

Where is the discussion of this issue in the new CSAI? Did I miss it? Is there any talk of working with consumer groups that are working on this issue? Because this is not just about small farmers and farm workers, but about a whole system. And this is not just about poverty and hunger either. (it's not just the poor who are being priced out) This is also about geography and economic development, race and class, and so many other things.

Just a few thoughts. I'll probably have some more later.

Never Eat A Lemon Before Going On TV

2008-07-11T16:24:00.000-07:00

Hello dear friends.

With Mmse. Peacebang taking a break on Beauty Tips.....I thought I would bring this up.

I just finished watching a segment on The NewsHour about the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac soon-to-be mess which was very interesting.

However, somebody needs to get their hands on Karen Shaw Petrou and give her a makeover like yesterday. And once they're done with that, tell her to relax her face when she is going to be on TV; it looked like she had just eaten a lemon before they started the segment.

Back to life in the real world............

There Should Be Some Advantage To Being A Fair Share Congregation

2008-05-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

Hello dear readers.

I seem to be getting all sorts of good gossip these days, but this one is the most important to me.

It seems that the President of my district (Central Midwest for those of you who didn't remember) is a part of a congregation that is not in full Fair Share status with either the UUA or the district. Or at least that's what the gossip is.

This does not seem fair to me. There really should be some advantage to being a Fair Share congregation.

Is this a common occurrence in other districts? How can the President of a district faithfully stand there and talk about congregations contributing to the district at Fair Share levels and yet not be part of a congregation that is doing just that?

I'm developing a headache trying to make sense of this. So I shall stop here.

When 'I Told You So' Are The Only Words That Come To Mind

2008-05-16T18:32:00.000-07:00

hello dear readers.....

the grapevine tells me that this year's Central Midwest District annual meeting lost money. hmmm......seems as if I was talking about some of the problems a few months ago.

but since my mother told me that if I didn't have anything nice to say to not say anything, I think I will keep my mouth shut.

until next time...............................

The Pope Speaks

2008-04-16T18:18:00.000-07:00

and says this gem..........The clergy sex abuse scandal was sometimes "very badly handled".

Well......no Sh*t Sherlock!

and we went through a Papal Conclave to get him???????????

read more at: http://www.yahoo.com/s/859266

What Bible To Buy

2008-04-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

I see that somebody on one of the other blogs has asked for recommendations as to what Bible translation to buy.

It doesn't surprise me that most of the recommendations are some version of the NRSV. I have 2 different NRSV study editions myself. I wonder though, if we liberal folk limit ourselves because we tend to only go for the NRSV.

So I'm going to make some other recommendations; Bibles that will work in UU settings, but aren't the NRSV.

1. The Jerusalem (or New Jerusalem) Bible.
As somebody who loves the poetry of the King James Bible but likes the historical-critical method, this version works for me.

2. The New International Bible or The Amplified Bible.
If you want to know what our conservative brothers and sisters are reading, pick one of these two.

3. The English Standard Bible.
There's nothing that really screams "You need to read me" from this Bible translation, but I still like it.

4. The New American Bible.
This is the official Catholic Bible, and is really good if you want a basic understanding in what Catholics consider their canon and what we Protestants have as ours.

I hope that others who have recommendations will post them.

Enjoy your Bible reading.

On This Day

2008-04-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

Since today marks 40 years since the death of Martin Luther King Jr. I thought I would republish an old post that is about him. I'm cutting out some parts, but I think the questions are still valid.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
According to your sermon, you believe that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have been for marriage equality. I couldn't disagree with you more. From everything that I've read and heard about him, Dr. King was a typical black preacher of his time. He would have had a hard time with the women's movement (just look at how he interacted with the women in his life). And if you look at his complex relationship with Bayard Rustin, you can see that Dr. King had more ambivalent feelings about homosexuality than most black preachers. (I know part of the complexity with Rustin was due to Rustin's association with communism, but that's another subject)

So I guess my question is this: is your belief that Dr. King would have been for marriage equality a matter of faith(using Paul's definition of it as being the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen)? Or is there something out there about Dr. King that I haven't seen?

My concern is that we liberal religious folk are trying to co-opt people that we admire and use them for causes that we are involved in even though those we admire may not or wouldn't have been.

A Post of Interest

2008-03-31T18:22:00.000-07:00

Hello dear readers.......

I'm back after a blogging break and thought I would point you to a post that I think is worth reading.

For those of you who know her, Kim Hampton has a blog talking about her experience at seminary. The most recent post that I've read is about her going to a worship service. Take a read at it:
http://eastofmidnight.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/built-for-silenceor-why-i-am-not-a-quaker

Maybe I'll talk to her some more about it at the Central Midwest District meeting at the end of the month.

"Nobody Puts Baby In A Corner"

2008-03-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

Hello all.

Mademoiselle Peacebang sends a note of thanks to Patrick Swayze on both of her blogs. Take a look at them if you're a Swayze fan.

While the focus of Peacebang's posts are Swayze's role in Too Wong Foo, I would just like to put in a word for Dirty Dancing.

I remember the first time I saw Dirty Dancing. The music. The dancing. The setting. Everything combined to make the perfect movie in my teenaged eyes. And then there is my favorite scene, when Baby and Johnny are dancing on the log to "Hey Baby". Ahhhhh.....the height of romance to me. And in many ways is still my standard for romance.

I have truly "had the time of my life" watching Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing. And I know that many wish Patrick a good recovery and many days of dancing ahead.

If You Don't Stand For Something You Will Fall For Anything.....or Why Lent Matters

2008-03-06T12:14:00.000-08:00

There's been much discussion of Lent these days on UU blogs. I find that wonderful. As someone who finds the Lenten season more important than any other season in the liturgical year, I like the fact that UUs are actually talking about something that is explicitly Christian.

Anyway....the passage in Mark (1:12-13) that tells of the journey into the wilderness says:

12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

Jesus, these verses say, was DRIVEN into the wilderness. What does it mean to be driven like that? And to be surrounded by wild beasts yet have angels waiting on him. Wouldn't that have been a sight to see?

It was after this time in the wilderness that Jesus starts his public ministry. It was his public ministry that brought him to his death.

My parents taught me the saying that I'm using for the title of this post. You must stand for something or you will fall for anything. This is part of the reason that Lent matters to me. Jesus stood for something and was willing to die for it. What would I be willing to stand up for and die for if necessary?

In these days, what is the wilderness? What are the wild beasts? Are there angels out there wanting to wait on me?

These are the questions of Lent. And that is why Lent matters. (at least to me)

Daylight Savings Time Starts Sunday, Are You Ready?

2008-03-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Well dear readers, DST starts Sunday. Are you ready? I must admit that I'm not. After my last post on it, that probably comes as no surprise. The only upside this year is that it was already planned that I was going to miss church this Sunday. So at least I won't be one of those people who comes into church late because of the time change.

As you can see, I'm looking for an upside.

Looking For Humor

2008-02-27T08:19:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

I'm working on a sermon that is going to be about humor and religion and want suggestions as to who to quote from.

I do have some people picked out...a lot of the usual suspects; Twain, Swift, Colbert and Stewart. Now I'm looking for more on the religion side. Know of any good religious humorists? Or places to look for stuff on religion and humor?

There Should Be No Daylight Savings Time

2008-02-22T13:21:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.
I needed to know what day Daylight Savings Time starts this year and since it's not in any of the calendars I bought I had to look for it online.

Daylight Savings Time starts on March 9th. March 9th. And it doesn't end until November 1. Eight months (almost)

Does anybody else remember when DST started in April? Mid- to Late April at that? And why do we need it anyway? It doesn't save the energy that they say it does. Why is it in the summer instead of the winter, when you really do need to save sunlight? Why 8 months instead of 6 like it used to be?

As you can see, dear readers, I have no use for DST.

The Single Smartest Decision Made in the 2008 Campaign

2008-02-21T07:27:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

As you all may remember, I have said that I have done the only political post I plan on writing. I'm sticking to that. Just barely.

I've been reading some articles the last few days talking about about the different campaigns; how organized or disorganized they are, strengths and weaknesses, etc. I've found them quite interesting, but I've also noticed one thing that hasn't been mentioned.

So dear readers, here's my take on why one campaign is still in this race and not watching it from the sidelines.

The single smartest decision made so far in the 2008 campaign: Barack Obama's campaign is run from Chicago and not Washington.

Maybe there's something about the air out here.

Why I'm Still Writing On This

2008-02-19T10:43:00.000-08:00

ChaliceChick asked me why I'm still writing on this. I hope this post will explain some.

I was raised in a very working class home and church was a big part of my life. We did lots of things for the church and traveled quite extensively because of it. I know that this is coloring my view of the whole registration/hotel issue and I don't apologize for that. This is more than about $15 for me.

I find it amazing that other comparably sized religious groups find ways to accomodate those of lesser means and yet we seem to keep having problems.

I know this is a really short explanation, but hopefully it will shed some light on me.

Why Frontenac? or Class and District Assembly pt.2

2008-02-19T05:32:00.000-08:00

oh my dear readers! I truly did not expect to start off a firestorm, but I might as well go with it.

Since ChaliceChick did some research on hotels in the area of the Hilton-Frontenac, I decided to do a little more research, both on that hotel and some others. But a little info first.

Last year, in Oak Brook, the rooms were in the $90s (I can't find a hotel receipt but do remember that much), but less than $100, at the Marriott. (I do find it interesting that we will be paying more in a suburb of St. Louis than we did in a suburb of Chicago)

In 2006, in downtown Madison, the rooms were $85.

In 2005, in Arlington Heights (another suburb of Chicago), the rooms were $74 at the Sheraton.

So I don't think it's irrational to ask this question: WHY FRONTENAC?

Here is a little info on the Hilton-Frontenac: it has 263 rooms and it's normal rate is $143.10. Yet if the district had chosen the Hilton at the St. Louis Airport, it would have picked a bigger hotel (395 rooms) and one with a lower rate ($89.00).

But even more than that......why choose Frontenac, which only has 1 choice, when you could have gone to the airport or Westport and had many?

Let's look at some more hotels at the airport.

The Renaissance has 393 rooms and a rate of $89.00. The Marriott has 601 rooms and a cost of $89.00. Both of these would have had ample meeting space. Then there are the smaller hotels if one needed/wanted to go elsewhere. And most are within walking distance

Then there's Westport (as you can see, I know a little about where hotels are clustered in St. Louis). The biggest hotel at Westport is the Sheraton. It has 2 hotels there with a combined number of rooms of 510 (300 in one and 210 in the other) and ample meeting space. There are also a number of hotels in/around Westport within walking distance of the Sheraton if people wanted to stay somewhere else for whatever reason.

So again.......WHY FRONTENAC?

Class and District Assembly, or What I'm Asking For pt.2

2008-02-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

Well dear readers I'm having so much fun being in a cranky mood I think I'll stay that way.

I decided to look up a few things about where the CMwD assembly is going to be. I'm not thrilled. So here's the next thing I'm asking for.

CAN WE NOT HAVE DISTRICT ASSEMBLY IN THE MOST EXPENSIVE SUBURBS??????

This year the assembly is in Frontenac, a ritzy suburb of St. Louis. Last year the assembly was in Oak Brook, one of the ritzy suburbs of Chicago. Not only do these suburbs have class issues, these suburbs also have racial issues. Why are we picking places like these? Aren't there hotels that fit the district's requirements that are in places other than Frontenac and Oak Brook? Or are we really trying to send subliminal messages to those in lower socio-economic classes and to people of color that we don't really want you?

Some People We Want Are On A Fixed Income, or What I'm Asking For

2008-02-17T18:09:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

Ogre asks me what I'm looking for when I'm talking about things related to District Assembly. I think that's a legitimate question and one that should be it's own post instead of a comment on the last post.

Ok....here's what I'm asking for. If you'll read my post "Sleeping Arrangements", you'll see that I'm asking that there be a lower cost alternative to the ritzy hotels that we use for the annual meeting. That is the fixed cost. And I know that it might just be the way I was raised, but when the "special" room rate is $105+tax, then we're talking about the only people who can afford that are in a different tax bracket (or have expense accounts). Unless there are 4 people in a room, that is a high cost for a church meeting.

What I'm asking for is the acknowledgement that there are people in our churches who want to be involved who are in fixed incomes, and try to make some accomodations for that. All the great religions ask us to remember the least of these. Doesn't seem to be much rememberance of that in UU circles.

As for the students, it still goes back to the fixed costs of the hotel room and transportation, as you can always bring your own food and food costs are mutable. But that is still $105+tax for 2 nights. If there were a lower cost alternative, then maybe there would be greater participation by people of all socio-economic classes in the work of our districts and association.

That's what I'm asking for.

Yet Another Thing About District Assembly

2008-02-17T08:54:00.001-08:00

I seem to be having problems with both GA and District Assembly this year. Must be going through a cranky phase.

Anyway, dear readers, I went through the brochure for the CMwD meeting again and saw that there is a Young Adult/Full-Time Student rate of $45. But guess what, dear friends; your meals are not included and you still have to pay for your room.

So not only do you still have to pay for a room, pay to get to St. Louis and pay $45 registration, you have to pay for ALL your food. So I guess the District is telling you to bring your own or starve.

Ain't being a UU grand?????

Sleeping Arrangements At District Assembly

2008-02-17T08:45:00.000-08:00

Well hello again dear readers.

Steve Caldwell brings up the idea of using local churches as places for people to sleep during District meetings as a way to cut down costs.

I'm all for options, and that is one, but I must be honest and say that my preference is a bed. I just think we ought to be able to find less expensive beds, be able to cut the registration fee and still have a good meeting.

Is there any way that there could be alternative options as far as hotels go? Have the ritzy hotel and have a Days Inn as the other option?

When are we going to acknowledge that the best way to get people to participate is to not have too many financial obstacles in their way?

Even More On The District Meeting

2008-02-16T17:12:00.000-08:00

Hello again my dear readers.

H Sofia reminded me that I had not included the price of meals into my analysis of the upcoming CMwD annual meeting. And I must thank her for that.

Lunch on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday seem to be the only meals included. But where does that leave all us hungry souls on Friday when we arrive in St. Louis? Up ---- creek it looks like to me. So that means one must add something to our $621.14 total for a meal on Friday. Let's assume that you can get a meal for $15-$20/person. (might be pushing it there, as I don't know if there are any restaurants around the hotel and you know the price of a hotel restaurant is going to be more than that) So the price of dinner on Friday will be anywhere between $35 and $50 depending on taxes and tips.

Let's add it up again friends. $621.14+$35=$656.14. Or it could be $621.14+$50=$671.14.

So that means a party of two can do District Assembly for the low, low price of $700. (almost)

And yet we talk about wanting to grow. Growth and expansion of representation doesn't happen when it costs $700 do be a part of things.

It's District Meeting Time

2008-02-16T11:04:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

I'm looking over the brochure for the Central Midwest District annual meeting and can't help but think about how, in many ways, hypocritical we are.

Registration for the meeting is $155 for a full-time adult. This doesn't count dinner on Saturday evening, which is $35. So, before adding in the price of the hotel room, the price is $190 per adult. Now let's add in the hotel room. The special price for our meeting is $105/night. If you are going to stay both nights (since our meeting runs Fri-Sun), that comes to $210+taxes (which are 14.83%). That total is $241.14. Let's imagine that a couple wants to come to the meeting. Let's add it up, shall we. $155x2=$310. Add in the price of a room which will be $241.14. Add in the banquet at $35/person for a total of $70. The grand total for 3 days at a UU meeting will be $621.14.

$621.14?!?!?!?!?!?

This total, my friends, doesn't even include the cost of getting to St. Louis for those of us who are not locals.

$621.14

And yet we seem to talk a lot about trying to include as many UUs in the process as possible. Why don't we quit telling that tall tale. If we wanted more people involved, we would find a way to do this less expensively.

I know......if you volunteer for two hours the registration gets reduced to $115. Even if both people in my scenario above volunteer, the price is STILL $541.14+expense of getting to St. Louis.

As much as we don't want to talk about it, we don't want you if you can't afford to be one of us.
(and yes, dear readers, I have the same complaint about GA)

Birthday Thoughts.....and More Thoughts On General Assembly

2008-02-12T15:58:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

Yes, your trusty servant shares her birthday with Honest Abe and Charles Darwin. I must say that that's hard to live up to.

Anyway.....a couple of thoughts that went through my mind as I was walking about in the bad weather here today......
-Why was Smokey Robinson and the Miracles' "My Momma Told Me" running through my head?
-Weather really does change one's mood

But on to the GA stuff........
I'm trying to understand those who say that there's nobody at fault here. I'm sorry friends but somebody must be responsible for this mess. (I'm only talking about on the UUA side, this is NOT about Homeland Security)
I don't know how many of you remember this little bit of news.....but.....the GA Planning Committee went to the UUA Board sometime in 2007 and asked if it would be ok to move the 2010 GA, which is set for the Twin Cities, to another city if their labor issues were not resolved.
(long story....but my understanding is that they have been resolved)
I bring this up only to ask the following question.....since the Planning Committee was given assurances that the security checks would be gone, when they saw that they weren't (in 2005 or 2006), why did they not do the same thing they did with regards to the 2010 GA? The Planning Committee could have gone to Board and asked for the exact same thing. And, if they had done it early enough, they could have gotten out of this mess and moved GA to a different city.
This, my dear readers, is why I believe somebody must be responsible for this situation. And let me state for the record that I don't blame or fault the GA Staff; this is not their mess. They have to live with it just like those of you who will be going to GA.

Real ID and General Assembly pt.3

2008-02-09T15:22:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

As many of you can tell by now, my mind gets twisted around things and won't let them go. This whole showing ID to get into the convention center is one of those things.

If you live in a state that cannot/does not comply with the Real ID law (there are 5 that have said they will not comply and 15 that might not be able to comply), then come May 11, you are going to have problems entering federal buildings, not to mention getting on a plane.

With the convention center being in a federal security zone, I have no doubt that Real ID is going to be enforced.

I doubt that any members of the GA Planning Committee read this blog. If by chance any do, I beg you to find out what the implications of Real ID are going to be on the convention center and get that out to the wider UU community fast.

As for those of you who are planning to go to GA, make sure your Passport is in order. And if you need an updated one, jump on it. It takes 4-6 weeks for you to receive it once you've turned in everything you have to turn in, so that means you have only a few more weeks to work it out.

Bring Your Passport or, Real ID and General Assembly pt.2

2008-02-08T08:41:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

Big thanks to Joel Monka for the link to the Real ID pages. It just shows how confusing this really is.

But now we can talk about economic issues related to General Assembly. Joel, in his response to my question, says that he is going to bring his Passport just in case. While I think that is a good idea, that brings up this point. There are some of our fellow UUs who don't have Passports.

What's a Passport running these days? $100 or so???

So on top of all the other costs associated with GA, some of our fellow UUs might have to pop an extra $100 or so just so they can enter the convention center. Interesting.

Talk amongst yourselves.

Real ID and General Assembly

2008-02-07T18:23:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

I have a question for those of you in the know: if one lives in a state that does not/cannot comply with the Real ID law.....how will this affect one's ability to enter the convention center in Ft. Lauderdale?

Dewey Defeats Truman

2008-02-06T09:07:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

To be honest with you, I didn't watch anything about the "Super Tuesday" vote (I was much more inerested in watching House), so I didn't know anything about the results until about an hour ago.

The only thing I can think of is: Dewey Defeats Truman

It has been reported that HRC sent out a press release saying that it was a big night for her in Missouri (after the AP called it for her)only to have the vote go the other way. While I do blame the media for calling states too early, everyone should learn from 1948 and never say anything before all the votes are in.

But then.....how would cable news fill 23 hours of the day??????

Why UUs Need Lent

2008-02-05T14:21:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers. No rant today.

Everyday Unitarian on their blog asks whether or not UUs need Lent and comes down on the side of no we don't, but it's good nonetheless. Well dear readers, I come down on the other side.

UUs NEED Lent.

There are not many times during a year that UUs are asked to SACRIFICE anything, if they're asked to at all. Lent is all about sacrifice and what that sacrifice means. And I think that's a lost virtue and one that UUs need to recover.

In the 20th century U/U/UU thing of running away from anything that remotely smacked of Christianity, too many of the old virtues got thrown away. Sacrifice, service, duty, honor, commitment.....in the 19th century Unitarian and Universalist world all these words had meaning. They were considered good things. It is my hope that they will return.

Youth Are Nice, They Just Don't Grow A Church

2008-02-04T18:20:00.000-08:00

In rant mode, it comes across that I am against youth programming. Or at the very least I am making this an either/or situation. That was not my intention.

Let me state this plainly dear readers. I am not against children/youth and their programming.

I say(and continue to believe) that if a church wants to GROW, they must have a substantive ADULT program. No matter what size their children/youth program, a church does not GROW through said children or youth. They GROW through ADULTS.

This my dear readers is my rant.....there seems to be a backwardness about this that infuriates me. UUs run around in circles talking about wanting to grow then do everything that is antithetical to that growth.

But I shall shut up now before I start another rant.

Growth Happens Through ADULT Programming, NOT Youth Programs

2008-02-04T12:14:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

I looked at the Winter 2008 issue of Interconnections today and the front page article is about growth through youth programs. So friends, I'm going to go into rant mode again.

Growth happens through ADULT PROGRAMMING, not Youth programs.

I know that there must be somebody out there who reads the studies on church growth. I know there is somebody out there who knows that the growth happens when there is substantive programs for adults (whether they have youth to bring or not).

I know that there has to be somebody out in UU-land who knows that all of this talk of children/youth and family programs leaves out those who are NEITHER. Where is the programming for them?

Singles ministry anyone? How about elder ministry? Empty-nesters? Partnered with no children? Don't these people exist in our churches? Where is the outreach to them?

Alright.....rant's over. Talk amongst yourselves.

Stop Treating Your Church Like the Sierra Club, or Why Tithing Matters pt.2

2008-02-01T16:27:00.000-08:00

Oh my dear readers! I was going through UUpdates a few minutes ago and came across this:

Let me suggest a modest proposal which, I believe, can help solve the financial problems of the Unitarian Church of (blank). The proposal is this: take this congregation off of your “charity” list! Do I have your attention yet? If not, I beg you! Remove this congregation from the list of causes and services you support, it doesn’t belong there.

Amen and Hallelu to that!!!!!
Your church is NOT the Sierra Club. (I'm not picking on the Sierra Club, so no comments along that line please) Your church SHOULD hold a different place in your life and deserves to be seen that way.

It's nice to see more UUs talking like this. Gives me hope that one day UUs will actually ASK people to give more than 5% to their church.

Bless you dear minister at the Unitarian Church of (blank). I hope you get everyone in your congregation's attention.

Are We the Post-Modernists????

2008-01-31T12:25:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

While in class today we talked some about postmodernism/postmodernists. One of my classmates asked if there was any denomination that would be considered postmodern. I said that I didn't know of any Christian denomination that was, but that in a lot of ways Reconstructionist Judaism can be. In the ensuing conversation our professor said "In many eyes Unitarian Universalists are considered postmodern." I was stunned (although I don't know why I was).

Are we really post-modernists? I've always considered us the most modern of the Modernists, but I could be wrong.

What do you think?

Las Vegas Was Burning! Las Vegas Was Burning!

2008-01-25T17:50:00.000-08:00

Is it just me? or did any of you, my dear readers, think of Sodom and Gomorrah when the news came over the airwaves that the Monte Carlo hotel was burning earlier today?????

One thing must be said though, everyone in the hotel was evacuated safely. Isn't that wonderful? All emergency services departments should learn from that.

Been Out Of The Loop

2008-01-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

I've been out of the loop since early last week. I'm waiting to see the minutes of the UUA Board meeting which was this past weekend. That should make for some interesting reading.

But, my friends who are members at First Unitarian Church tell me that there's something going on there. They haven't told me what, but I can't wait to hear.

I'll post more soon.

Hey Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?

2008-01-19T16:49:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

I was going through a little list of blogs that I try to read on a regular basis and noticed that The Lively Tradition hasn't written in a while.

So.....LT.....where are you? Inquiring minds want to know.

Why Tithing Matters

2008-01-15T16:24:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

While I was scrolling through UUpdates earlier today, I came across this:

“We, the members of the Unitarian Church of Staten Island, challenge YOU, First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, to a high-five challenge.” This means, they challenge a majority of the pledging units of First Church to give at 5% of their annual adjusted income.

5%?!?!?!?!? The challenge is for 5%?!?!?!?!?!? This is all we're asking of members of our churches? 5%?!?!?!?!?!?!?

This, my friends, explains why the megachurches are building multi-building complexes and UUs can barely build outhouses. 5%?!?!?!?!?!?

When did UUs devalue tithing? And why did this happen? If you want quality you must give money to it. The work of the church needs money. The facilities require upkeep; this requires money. If you want staff, you must be willing to pay them a reasonable salary. And the challenge is for 5%?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Call me old-fashioned, but we need a new(old) attitude. If you believe your church matters to you, you need to give it enough so that it can do its work without worry.

Bibles Bibles All Over The Place

2008-01-11T09:53:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

Since we've been talking about the Bible so much, I decided that it would be a good thing to look at all the different Bibles available at your local big-name bookstore (I'm not counting Christian bookstores in this because they normally only carry a few).

Your local Barnes and Noble can get you copies of the following Bible versions:
-the Amplified
-Contemporary English
-English Standard
-Geneva
-God's Word
-Good News
-Holman Christian Standard
-the Jerusalem
-King James
-Living
-the Message
-New American
-New American Standard
-New Century
-New International
-New Jerusalem
-New King James
-New Life
-New Living
-New Revised Standard
-Phillips Paraphrase
-Revised English
-Rheims-Douai
-Today's NIV

By my count, that makes 24 different versions. What a choice for UUs to pick from. If you were going to buy one, which would you choose?

So Many Versions, So Little Time; or More Than Just King James and His Bible

2008-01-09T15:16:00.001-08:00

Hello dear readers.

I had no idea that there would be so much discussion on Bible translations. This is very heartening to me; I'm going to add a label because of all this discussion.

It seems that I will keep having to say this: for STUDY I use either the NRSV or New Jerusalem Bible. I used to study with the New American Bible, but somebody related to me got my copy and I haven't bought a new one yet. I own copies of the King James, New King James, NIV, NRSV and Revised English Bibles. They all help me in some way. And there are a couple that I plan on getting in the not-to-distant future.

My point about the King James version was that I liked it for the poetry of it. I know it is not the most literal translation (King James had his motives), I just like it. And while I think it would stretch kids' minds to have to slog through 17th century English, if an RE program chooses to go with a different translation, more power to them. As long as the kids get some Bible, I don't particularly care which edition they get.

So let's talk Bibles and the editions we like and don't like and why.

How Most UU RE Does Kids A Disservice

2008-01-07T15:29:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

I have been asked to elaborate on how I think that UU RE does a disservice to kids. This will be a short post on it and depending on reaction I might post more later.

First.....I think most UU RE ignores the fact that we live in a particular culture. We are Westerners (at least we were the last time I looked). And yet most kids who come out of UU RE cannot talk intelligently about the foundational stories and myths that make up Western culture. Before you can do really good interfaith work, you need to know something about where you come from.

Second.....most UU kids are woefully ignorant of their own history. (I could say the same thing about most UU adults) Things happened before 1961 and it would be helpful if UU kids got a good grounding in that and yet there seems to be little effort to get kids to see that they are a part of a line (or tradition).

On the social justice side, UU kids have no idea that they are part of a tradition there either. How many of them know about the Social Gospel movement? Or the U/U beginnings of insititutions like the Red Cross? They aren't the first Us/Us/UUs doing this type of work and they won't be the last and they need to know that.

There are many other things I could talk about but these are probably controversial enough.

Discuss as you wish.

King James, His Bible and Proof-Texting

2008-01-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

Hello again dear readers.

In my last post I said that I would proof-text out of the KJV in my next post, and so I shall. Fausto did most of his proof-texting out of the book of Matthew; I will do one from Mark and one from Acts.

Mark 12:28-32.........
28 And one of he scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heard, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he.

Acts 10:34-38........
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

As you can see, I tried to use verses that carry both Unitarian and Universalist themes. Of course, all this is a matter of opinion, so I'm open to all who want to correct me.

Like I said before, I definitely know the limitations of the King James version of the Bible. That's why I use the NRSV and New Jerusalem for study. For poetry, I use the King James. There's something about the thee-s, thou-s and thy-s that works for me.

King James and His Bible

2008-01-06T23:33:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

I'm going to follow Fausto's lead and do a little proof-texting with the King James Bible but just thought I would talk a little about the KJV and why it's still important.

I do recognize that the KJV is not the most literal translation of the Bible. The Revised Standard Version, the New Revised Standard Version and the New Jerusalem are better if you are looking for more precise translations. For the sheer poetry of it though, especially in places like the Wisdom and Poetry books (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Lamentations, Song of Solomon and the like), the King James can't be beat.

Here is Song of Solomon 1:2-7 out of the KJV:
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.
4 Draw me, we will run after thee, the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: they upright love thee.
5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.
7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

Here it is out of the NRSV:
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine.
3 your anointing oils are fragment, your name is perfume poured out; therefore the maidens love you.
4 Draw me after you, let us make haste. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will exault and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you.
5 I am black and beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
6 Do not gaze at me because I am dark, because the sum has gazed on me. My mother's sons were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept!
7 Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon; for why should I be like one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions?

Now I know it's a matter of opinion which one sounds better, but to my ears, the King James comes off one's tongue better than the NRSV.

I know there are problems with the KJV. I think, however, that UU children MUST be familiar with it in order to understand so much of Western literature that we do them a disservice by not teaching it to them. But of course, I think most UU RE programs do kids a disservice anyway.

Proof-texting in the next post.

Why They Won......or Body Language Matters

2008-01-05T17:52:00.000-08:00

I've thought about it some more and have come to the conclusion that all the analysis of Iowa is much too complicated.

Dear readers here is a simple explanation of why those who won won: they both have approachable smiles. And in a lot of areas of life, politics especially, approachability is one of the determining factors in who gets ahead and who doesn't.

Never underestimate the power of a smile. When a person is genuinely smiling, it radiates off them in waves. And if you want a good test of authenticity, have a toddler around. They can tell better than most who is really feeling something and who isn't.

More later......stay tuned........

Here I Am Baby......Signed, Sealed, Delivered.....I'm Yours

2008-01-05T17:38:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

I got to see the end of Barack Obama's speech in Nashua today and kept thinking just how important music is to a gathering. The use of Stevie Wonder (one of the best that R&B has produced) was a good idea. People who are already hyped-up will just bop along to the music and be happy.

So let's talk about the role of music in our churches. What are we doing right and what are we doing wrong?

Why We Should All Read, and Know, The King James Version of the Bible

2008-01-04T15:53:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

In their comment to my last post, Anonymous pointed out something that I've believed for a long time: the King James Version of the Bible is pure poetry(and the basis for much of Western Literature). And as much as UUs like poetry, the KJV really should be heard more often from our pulpits.

I was raised a fundamentalist. Until the New International Version became the standard read in most conservative churches (now they use all sorts of versions), all little fundie and evangelical kids quoted the KJV. (I think mainline kids did too) And while I now use the New Revised Standard Version or the New Jerusalem for study, when I'm in a tough spot and need to pray or meditate, I always quote the KJV to myself.

So....all you RE directors should push for your kids to learn the KJV. It comes in very handy later in their lives. And it will help them understand just how beautiful Barack Obama's Iowa speech last night was and why it was so moving to so many.

There Is Power...Power....Wonder Working Power....

2008-01-04T00:19:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers. I'm sitting up listening to Barack Obama's Iowa speech and just have to say this (I will explore it more later).......

There truly is wonder working power in black preaching.

If you get a chance to do this.....sit back and close your eyes and listen to Barack make that speech again. (tape it if you can.....I'm sure C-SPAN will replay it over the weekend) The cadence of it alone makes it soul stirring. But then listen to the words. Really listen. Whatever your political stripe, these words formed an inspiring speech.

More later.....stay tuned..........

Have You Used OpenOffice????

2007-12-30T15:19:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

This is a techie question. Have any of you used OpenOffice? The school is trying to move more to it and I would like people's impressions of it.

What Politicans Should Learn From The Pope

2007-12-28T10:08:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking some more about the death of Benazir Bhutto. And while now there are conflicting reports as to what actually caused her death (was it bullets or explosion?), it has very little to do with my proposition.

Do you remember when Pope John Paul II was shot? I do. And afterwards they covered the Popemobile.

When Benazir Bhutto emerged through the sunroof of her armoured vehicle, she became the most vulnerable (and in fact when she was shot). With her death, I think we should start asking our politicians to start riding around in some version of the Popemobile. While there are things it probably wouldn't protect a person from, at least there would be some protection from the majority of extremists. This way the pol could still be visible to the crowd and try to connect and be reasonably sure of safety.

Is God Keeping You From Watching The Rose Bowl?

2007-12-28T09:51:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

According to the Religion News Service, the UUA is going to be doing some advertising during the bowl games.

I know that many of you dear readers probably like the UUA ad campaign; I think it's a waste of time and money. And I especially think that this one is a real waste of time.

For those of you who are football fans like I am, you know that the people who get the most attention are the people who hold up the John 3:16 signs. Unfortunately for us, we don't have a Bible verse that most of us agree on enough to hold it up on a sign at a football game.

Study after study have shown (and continue to show) that the best way to get people to come to church is through personal invitation. And yet, many UUs don't have the courage to invite someone they know to come to church with them. Growth does not come through osmosis friends. A church must work at it. How many UU churches have something like "Family and Friends Day"? Or any concerted outreach that doesn't involve advertising?

I want to hear stories. Let's talk about the ups and downs of church growth.

For Those Interested In The "Prosperity Gospel"......

2007-12-27T20:14:00.000-08:00

here's a news story that you might want to read:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071227/ap_on_re_us/prosperity_preachers

Assassination Of A Leader

2007-12-27T12:51:00.000-08:00

I've been watching the news most of the day to get as much information about the death of Benazir Bhutto as I can.

Those of us who have studied the Near East and the subcontinent for any length of time know just how important Benazir Bhutto was. It is a truly sad day.

Ms. Kitty has written more fully on being scared for leaders. I recommend her post to you.

Assassination is not a new trick in hoodlum's bags. The real shame is that one will never be able to stop extremists bent on making a point.

GA pt.3

2007-12-27T12:39:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

I already knew nothing was going to change regarding GA because there is some protest(I am the last person who wants the UUA to lose the estimated $800,000; and while it doesn't seem like it here, I don't protest that many things). That's why I wrote on the blog. I know that Homeland Security is in charge of the port and the convention center is in the port. Since this bed is made, I know it has to be laid in. That doesn't mean that I can't be concerned and voice that concern.

I know quite a bit about the GA process(I'm good friends with a former Planning Committee member). If I remember correctly, the Planning Committee went to the board this year and asked for the authority to change the 2010 GA if the labor issues were not resolved in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Now, my question is, if they could do this 3 years out, why didn't the same thing happen in 2005 when it was seen that things were not going to change in Ft. Lauderdale?

Skip Christmas......Celebrate Boxing Day

2007-12-26T19:36:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

I LOVE Boxing Day. I love it so much that I have come to the decision that from now on I will skip Christmas and do Boxing Day instead.

Why? you ask.

Simple. We had a party today and it was just wonderful. Just a group a people sitting around a table having dinner and good conversation; politics, religion, travels, education, hobbies and just about any other subject you can think of was talked about.

We did the dinner in traditional British style; leftovers redone. We made a Shepard's Pie, vegetable soup, had pears with a Stilton filling and petite quiche for appetizers, and served mince tarts and a cheese board for dessert.

It was quite simply one of the best days we've had this year. And just think about it; don't have to worry about presents or cards; the food you have is food you already have and you get to open your home to people you want to share it with.

So for all of you dear readers who think the cesspool that is known as Christmas is way too over-the-top, skip it and do Boxing Day instead. I think you'll enjoy it.

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year? pt. 2

2007-12-25T14:04:00.000-08:00

ChaliceChick has asked me to explain a little more what I meant in my last post. I'll be happy to.

My question is about people for whom the holiday season is not the most wonderful time.

I'm thinking of a friend who just lost an in-law. Or someone who is in the grips of depression. Or the person who doesn't have much family and friends who are scattered.

In most churches during this time of the year, there is so much talk about anticipation and waiting and happiness and the coming of the light (that is what advent means after all), that I think there is a kind-of willful blindness to those who don't see the coming of the light or are grieving or are having some other problems.

I'm just wondering if/how churches deal with those who are suffering during this time of carols and presents and dinners and so forth. Is there any acknowledgement of the other side of the holidays and that even those who like this time of the year can feel a little "put-upon" by it?

I hope that makes some sense.

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year?

2007-12-24T12:54:00.000-08:00

As one of the people who has to work one or the other of my jobs during this time of year, I'm always mindful that there are many people for whom the holiday season is not that great.

How do we liberal religious folk deal with them? Do we deal with them at all? Or do we shunt them over to the side in this forced gaiety of the season and tell them to essentially "Wait 'til next year."?

There Is A Difference Between A Cruise And A Convention, or GA Boycott pt. 2

2007-12-23T10:32:00.000-08:00

After my first post about boycotting GA I thought I was done with the subject, but it seems that I'm not.

The people who say that those of us who want to boycott GA are being upset over nothing; that there are real issues with GA that we need to be talking about instead of ones that deal with civil liberties/security issues. And anyway....all sorts of people go through that port to go on their cruises so the screening people are probably more sensitive than most. Do I have the argument right?

Maybe it's just me, but I think something needs to be pointed out: THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CRUISE AND A CONVENTION.

The cruise LEAVES the port at 4:00 (in most cases and in most ports). No matter what time you enter the port, you are going to be getting on a boat that will LEAVE at 4:00. It is not the same with a convention center. A convention, by necessity, means a lot of going in and coming out. So pardon me if I feel it wrong that I would have to show identification EVERY time I want to come back into the convention center.

I will give those who say that every thing will be ok a point; other conventions have been there with what seems to be little problem. I don't hesitate to point out that the Convention and Visitors Bureau isn't going to be the most forthright if there have been any problems. Have we talked to some of the other conventions to get their impressions?

I agree that there are other GA issues that we can talk about. I work my ass off on two jobs to save enough money to go to both GA and my District meeting every year, so I'm all for working on those other issues. But I don't think that just because there are other issues to resolve about GA that somehow we shouldn't continue to discuss this issue for this GA. If this makes me a sh*t-stirrer, so be it.

Be Good To Yourself, or Don't Have New Year's Resolution Guilt

2007-12-21T18:39:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

My mother's birthday is in early January so I was looking online for something else to give her along with what I've already planned. As she is a crafter, I decided to go to one of the crafting websites that we both like and came across this:

New Year's Resolutions
by AW

Okay, this year will be different. I am not going to vow to lose 20 pounds or get my house completely organized (although heaven knows I really should do both!). This year I am going to make some resolutions that will be fun to keep. Maybe then I will have a better chance at success.

And since a large part of my world revolves around (blank), I think it only fair that some of these fun-filled resolutions should help me develop my skills and knowledge as a (blank). Alright then, this year, I, AW, resolve to:

1. Learn at least one new (blank) technique.
2. Teach at least one person to (blank).
3. Make at least 6 items to give away to people who need and would appreciate them.

I must say that I like this person's attitude. Why should New Year's Resolutions be a kind of punishment? Why not have fun with them?

So dear readers, what good New Year's Resolutions do you have? Not the lose 20 pounds one; I mean the learn ballroom dancing/speak another language one?

What do you want to learn? What can you teach somebody? What can you make and give away?

In Praise of the Girdle

2007-12-19T14:17:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers. This post is going to sound more like it belongs on PeaceBang's "Beauty Tips For Ministers", but since Ms. Bang is taking a well-deserved hiatus, I feel the need to write this.

I was flippin' through channels earlier today and for a couple of minutes ended up on a "What Not To Wear" wannabe. Now I'm not a fan of makeover shows (I think they say much more about the people around the person getting the makeover than the person getting the makeover), but I can occasionally stomach it to watch them trying on clothes.

As I was saying, I ended up on the WNTW wannabe. And the woman who was getting the makeover came out in a skirt and top outfit that would have been really cute on her if you didn't see her belly pooch.

While all the makeover shows talk about the need for women to have really good foundation wear (bras mostly), they have neglected one of the most valuable foundation garments: the girdle.

I don't really care how many shapers one has, they don't have the power that a really good girdle has. It holds you in in a way that the shapers cannot. Also the really good ones don't bind or constrict. And when you want to deal with more than one area, a one-piece (or full) girdle provides more coverage than two or more shapers.

So all my dear lady readers celebrate one of the best things to happen in foundation garments. The girdle is great and it's not the same one that your mother used 40 years ago.

Why I Love The New York Times Online

2007-12-16T16:58:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

Lest you think that I have forgotten that I told you that I was in the process of writing a post about Oprah's speeches last weekend, I want to point you to Frank Rich's column in today's New York Times.

I shall be adding it to my post about the Oprah-Barack show.

If you want a direct link try: http://www.ntimes.com/2007/12/16/opinion/16rich.html?em&ex=1197954000&en=583bbb0a70ae5ebc&ei=5087%0a

How Do We Choose????

2007-12-15T12:06:00.000-08:00

Since I'm waiting to see the reaction to my post about steroids and baseball, I must say that I didn't expect the response to my "Free Michael Vick" posts that I have gotten. I must say that I'm grateful for it. I thought I was going to get more vitriol from the PETA types.

I'm appreciative of Chalicechick's postings. I am especially interested in hearing that somebody might get 2 years for cockfighting. While I don't think that's likely to happen (going by my research into previous cases), it is interesting to find out.

I think this brings in a whole different issue: How much culture influences moral decisions and law.

Cockfighting happens in many places around the country with little notice and when most people hear about it they might cringe a bit but there's little outrage. If these same people hear about a dogfight, it seems as if the person involved is a different level of "slime". Yet, if we were in India where cows are sacred, they would have the same reaction to dogfighting that most Americans have to cockfighting.

So, how do we make the distinctions?

There Are No Children Here, or There Is No Such Person As A Baseball Purist

2007-12-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

So.....Former Sen. Mitchell spends 20 months on a report that has less power than the paper it's written on. Bully for him.

As someone who has never liked baseball (football and basketball are my sports), I'm still trying to figure out what the big deal is.

There are no children playing professional sports friends. If any of those who Sen. Mitchell names in his report as having taken steroids did it, they were grown when they did steroids (which are not illegal; if it weren't for steroids half of my family would be dead because of asthma); they knew the risks and chose to take them.

But what upsets me more than the fact that valuable news time was taken up by this, is the feigned outrage of so-called baseball purists.

As many of you dear readers will remember, I live near St. Louis. Everybody in the St. Louis area knew that Mark McGuire was taking something (anybody else remember when the Andro was discovered in his locker????), yet the Cardinals were breaking all sorts of attendance records. Why? Because people wanted to see Mark McGuire hit those home runs. They didn't care that he might have been taking something. The same goes for Roger Clemens or Barry Bonds or Miguel Tejeda or Sammy Sosa. People like power baseball. They go to the ballpark to see those home runs being hit and those fast balls go by batters.

There are no children here. Let's stop acting like there were.

Free Michael Vick, pt.2

2007-12-11T15:44:00.000-08:00

I deliberately did not talk about Michael Vick's race because that is a side issue to me. I think the real argument will get lost if race comes into this.

I really think this is about the animal that was involved. I suggest this because I've never heard of someone receiving this amount of jail for financing, supporting or betting on cockfighting. Also, the treatment of racehorses (except for the really special breeds) would make most people sick; yet financing that and destroying the horse after it doesn't produce anymore is commonplace.

What makes dogs so damn special?

I know I've probably just made my dear animal-rights readers mad, but I really don't care. I just want an explanation.

A Football Aside

2007-12-10T15:39:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

This post will be very short as I am working on a post about Oprah's speeches this weekend, but as this happened today I felt compelled to comment.

Free Michael Vick!

23 months for financing dogfighting? Do those who get caught financing or training cocks to fight get the same treatment? Or was there something else going on here because he was a famous football player?

Freedom REQUIRES Religion?????

2007-12-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.

I've been looking over the UU blog response to Mitt Romney's speech yesterday and have found what I expected to find: dismay at his denigration of the nonreligious or other-religious.

I think those blogs are missing an even bigger point; the line in the speech where Gov. Romney says "Freedom requires religion." Let me tell you dear readers, this line scares me more than the assumption that the only religions that count are the ones that have a G-d (where does that leave most practitioners of the major Eastern religions?).

Freedom REQUIRES religion?!?!?!?!?!?

Even more disconcerting is the rest of the line in the speech: "And religion requires freedom." This my dear friends ignores most of human history (not to mention the real beginnings of the republic). Religion has been used to restrict the freedom of the "other" throughout time. Did Mitt miss that in history class?

Anyway....Jon Meacham and Sally Quinn were on Charlie Rose last night and gave what I thought was the best analysis of the speech so far.

Have You Read.....Eat Pray Love?

2007-12-05T14:38:00.000-08:00

I haven't. But since Oprah has had the woman who wrote it on her show twice in a few months, I'm assuming that lots of people on her staff (and Oprah as well) have read it and like it.

I'm usually scared of books that are TOO popular, so I'm debating if it would be a good thing to read. If you have a review of it, I'll be glad to listen.

The Advent Sermon I Want To Hear

2007-12-03T12:48:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers.
This would probably work for any of the big days of the liturgical calendar, but it seems appropriate here.

------------------
A time comes in your life when you finally get it. When in the midst of all your fears and the insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out "ENOUGH!" Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And like a child quieting down after a tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world with new eyes.

This is your awakening. You realize that it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change; or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that there is no Prince Charming and you are not Cinderella and that in the real world there aren't always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter). And any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you. In the process a sense of serenity is born.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who and what you are; and that's OK. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will be there for you and that it's not always about you.

And you begin to sift through all the trash you've been fed about how you should look and how much you should weigh. What you should wear and where you should shop. Where you should go to school or what you should do for a living. Who you should choose for your friends. Who you should marry and what you should expect of a marriage. Those ideas about the importance of having and raising children or what you owe to your parents.

You learn that it is truly in giving that you receive the most. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a consumer looking for your next fix. You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life. You learn that you don't know everything and it's not your job to save the world. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. Romantic love and familial love and worldly love; how to love, how much to give in love and when to stop giving or walk away. You learn to look at things as they really are and not as you would have them be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that just as people grow and change so it is with love. You learn that you don't have the right to demand love just to make you happy.

You look in the mirror and come to terms with the fact that you will never be a perfect 10; nobody is, not even those airbrushed models. And you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head and agonizing over how you stack up. You learn that your body really is a temple and you begin to care for it with respect. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and taking more time to exercise. You learn that fatigue diminishes the spirit and can create doubt and fear. So you take more time to rest. And you learn that just as food feeds the body, laughter feeds the soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play. You learn that for the most part, in life, you get what you believe you deserve and that much of life truly is a self-
fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You also learn that no one can do it all alone and that it's ok to risk asking for help. You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn't always fair; you don't always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to good people.

On these occasions you learn not to personalize things. You learn that God isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers, it's just life happening. You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we often take for granted; a full refrigerator , clean running water, a warm bed, a long hot shower.

Slowly you begin to take responsibility for yourself, by yourself and to make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than your heart's desire.

Put up a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. Make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. Finally, with courage in your heart and with faith by your side you can take a stand, take a deep breath and begin to design the life you want to live as best you can.

So, don't just wake up. Experience the awakening.

Suffer the Little Children, or The Price of Milk As A Moral Issue

2007-11-30T10:11:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers. I just returned from grocery shopping and had this post in my head while on the way home.

I always base how I feel about the economy by one thing: the price of a gallon of milk. So I guess you can tell I'm not real thrilled about the state of the economy right now.

The cheapest I saw a gallon a milk today was $3.69. $3.69?!?!?!?!?! This is utterly ridiculous. Luckily for me, I only use milk for cooking and a gallon will last me a while. However I know this is not the case for many, if not most, Americans.

All the world's major religions call for showing compassion and remembering the least of these. Milk is one of the few universal foods and is an important part of the human diet. How does $3.69 for a gallon of milk show compassion? Is it remembering the least among us?

In all of my posts about church growth I've always talked about how me need to look at the megachurches and see what they are doing. I'm going to do it again here. Churches that grow talk about bread-and-butter issues, everyday life issues, in a way that those who don't have graduate degrees can understand. And they do it using scripture from holy books. How many UU churches are talking about the price of milk, not as an economic issue, but a moral one? Where are the UU churches that are talking about the bread-and-butter, everyday life issues that people really worry about?

In all the UU talk about social justice, where are the UU activists who are talking about the these issues? (yes I know that there is the UUs for a Just Economy) Are we working with other religious progressives who have been at the forefront with these kinds of issues?

I Believe The Children Are The Future? or, Who Do We Say That We Are pt.3

2007-11-27T13:15:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers...I am going to say the most politically incorrect thing that can be said in UU circles, but I truly believe it.

The children are NOT the future of UUism.

The future is NOW people! Church growth does not happen because of youth programs. Church growth happens because you keep the ADULTS who bring the youth. (no ad campaign is going to work unless you have something to back it up) What are you offering them? Why do we have the same number of members now as we did 30 years ago?

Where is the Adult Religious Education curricula? Why has there not been the same effort in adult curricula that there has been in children/youth curricula?

UUs are squandering such an opportunity for real growth by not looking at the situation as it is. The growth in churches regardless of theological perspective is having adult programming that puts people in small group, intimate contact with others. Look at the megachurches (I know you don't want to, but you should). Do you see all the small groups that they have? Do you see what those groups are formed around? Do you see their educational offerings (not just about spiritual matters but on all kinds of things)?

The church is supposed to be about building relationships and spiritual/moral growth. We do ok with the kids in UUism. We just don't do it with adults. And that's the shame.

The Oddities of Education

2007-11-26T18:35:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers. I hope all of you had the Thanksgiving that you wanted.

On this first post of the after-Thanksgiving break, I thought I would talk about somebody else. Those of you in the Central Midwest District, and even a few of you who are outside of this district, probably know Kim Hampton. I've known her a while because of my travels in the district and think she is a really nice person to know.

For those of you who know her, Kim is getting ready to enter seminary in January. In the little updates that she sends out, she sent this great little nugget:

I've finished all the paperwork that Earlham requires except for one; the health form. You
might ask.....why the health form? It's simple, I have to show proof of my immunizations.
Now, I haven't had to show proof of immunization at all since I became an adult, and the only
time my parents remember having had to show the little card was when they registered me
for elementary school. But now that I need it, I can't find it. So now I'm running around like a
chicken with it's head cut off trying to think of all the places that might have that information. It
always seems to happen that way.......

So I thought I would make this post an open one.....what oddities of education have you, or someone you know, run into? And how did you handle it?

The Book Is Dead.......Again

2007-11-20T14:34:00.000-08:00

I like Jeff Bezos. I loooooooooooooooooooooooooove Amazon.com. I think Kindle is a bad idea.

People have been talking about the death of the book since Gutenberg invented movable type. And while Bezos says that he doesn't think the book is dead, he's acting as if the book is dead.

Digital works for some things. Music. Movies. TV.

But not books. There is just something about holding that bound paper in your hands that does not come from e-(or digital) books. There's even some loss with having books on tape (or CD). [don't get me wrong, I enjoy books on CD when I'm traveling long distances] Reading a book is an experience. You can't dog-ear pages on a screen. You can't highlight lines that touch you.

So while I wish Jeff Bezos and Amazon well, pick on something else besides books. There are so many things that technology can improve on.......books aren't one of them.

Who Do We Say That We Are? pt.2

2007-11-16T09:32:00.000-08:00

Because Ogre and I seem to disagree about what Jesus said, I thought I would put the scriptures here on the page. The passage is Matthew 16:13-17. (I'm using the King James Version for fun)

Mt 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
Mt 16:14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
Mt 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mt 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mt 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

So it seems we are both right. I just think that we know the answer to the first question. We know what people, those who know about us anyway, say that we are.

My question is: Who do WE say that WE are? Part of the reason that the new UUA ad campaign is not going over well in a number of UU circles is that there is no there there. Unless we know what we are, there will never be a really effective broad based outreach/mission/planting program in the UUA.

So my question still stands: Who do we say that we are?

Just As I Am, or The Rubber Meets the Road with Congregational Polity

2007-11-15T13:03:00.000-08:00

When I was flipping through the local paper for the umpteenth time yesterday, I really got down to reading this article that comes from the Charlotte Observer.

For those of you who know of it, Myers Park Baptist Church (in Greensboro) was essentially excommunicated from the North Carolina State Convention because they welcome gays and lesbians without trying to change them. After the vote to expel Myers Park, six churches quit in protest to what they call a violation of congregational polity.

It is my firm hope that the UU churches that are near Myers Park will stand with them and let it be known publicly that there are other religious entities that are willing to work with them in furthering the cause of welcoming GLBTs into our collective religious life.

But even more, I think that we as an Association must start speaking very loudly for the cause of congregational polity (and not just among ourselves). The Baptists are our cousins (just like the Disciples and their offspring,Quakers,Mennonites and the UCC to a lesser extent), and all of us should be very worried when a Convention of AUTONOMOUS congregations kicks out a member of that Convention because they are acting autonomous. What does this say about congregational polity? And is this a slippery slope, not just for the Baptists, but for us as well?

Who Do We Say That We Are?

2007-11-14T15:41:00.000-08:00

Yes dear readers, for those of you who know your Bible, you will recognize the title of this post as a re-framing of Jesus' question to his disciples: Who do people say that I am?

For this post however, I am not worried about what other people think about us but rather what we think about ourselves.

As I was doing some research today, I came across this survey on the Disciples of Christ website
(http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=jpybty63fj3u4jtg9drdkg_3d_3d). I am really struck by the introduction and thought it would be a good thing to ask UUs.

Here's the introduction:
Who do we say that we are? Identity is a vital concern for all parts of the church. Many long-time (Disciples) worry that we may be losing crucial characteristics of our common life. New (Disciples) want to know about the distinctive gifts of this community of faith. All of us need to have clarity about who we are in order to be faithful and effective witnesses to (Jesus Christ).

A church’s identity must be firmly rooted in scripture and yet flexible enough to adapt to changes in culture and the shifting demands of mission. Early Christians in Jerusalem had to learn what it meant to be faithful in Antioch and Rome. Our (Disciples) forebears, as they moved from the frontier to the city, had to rethink such matters as congregational autonomy and the goal of “restoring” the New Testament church. Today, we wrestle with what it means to be disciples of (our Lord) in a world that is increasingly pluralistic, globally connected, and yet so often violently divided.

Isn't that interesting? If you change the word Unitarian or Universalist for Disciples, this is something we need to wrestle with?

So here are the questions that have come to my mind:
1. What are the crucial characteristics of our common life?
2. What are the distinctive gifts of this community of faith?
3. Since the number of people in our communities of faith do not consider themselves Christian, what are we faithful and effective witnesses to/for?
4. In the same vein, what are we disciples of?

And the main question: Who do we say that we are?

The First UU Genius Award, or Why There Should Be a Boycott of the Ft. Lauderdale GA

2007-11-11T15:17:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers. I have decided to take a small break from posting about Independent Affiliates to post about another UUA thing that I'm interested in.....General Assembly.

Those who know me in real life know just how much I love GA. I love GA so much that I'm worried about this new "5th Principle" committee. I'll write about that in another post.

This post, however, is not about any future GAs; it is about 2008.

By sheer coincidence, my parents just returned from a cruise of the Western Caribbean. When they let me know that they were back home and to talk a little about the cruise, I asked them where the cruise started from. (I thought it was Ft. Lauderdale, but wanted to make sure)
"Ft. Lauderdale," was their reply.
"Did they check your ID?", I asked.
"We had it ready, but the lady said not to worry about it since we were with the cruise line and on one of their buses."

Once I got that confirmation, I became even more uneasy about the 2008 GA than I was before.
So I think it's time to give out the first Real Anonymous UU Genius Award to the person or persons who came up with the brilliant idea of having General Assembly at a convention center that's in the middle of a port; making race/ethnicity a bigger issue than most UUs think.

Let's examine this shall we. Having a government-issued ID is not that big a deal for most of us. The issue becomes the people who will be checking that ID. As it is in airports, so it will be at a port. I can see it now.....UU males of color(especially youth) are going to be profiled all in the name of national security and there's no protest the UUA can make because they knew this would happen going in.

I know that GA sites are chosen years in advance. However, my guess is that Ft. Lauderdale was chosen AFTER Sept. 11, 2001. If it was, why was it chosen? Or did this issue not cross the minds of whoever made this decision because, as UUism is 97% white, they would not be the target of the profiling?

So I have made my decision. I will boycott the 2008 General Assembly in Ft. Lauderdale in protest of the decision to hold it in a place that is so obviously fraught with national security issues and ignored our own commitment to anti-racism and anti-oppression. I would encourage you to do the same.

What Drives Us? or, Is There Any Passion in Unitarian Universalism???

2007-11-07T12:34:00.001-08:00

Hello dear readers. I have decided to bring this up again because it's something I think we need to be talking about.

And I guess I should point out again this post is not about SEX. This post is about PASSION, or in other words: what drives you?

The question about the UUA(or UUism): besides same-sex marriage, does the UUA(or UUism) have any passion for anything?

It doesn't seem to be spiritual development/formation or maturation, because if it were there would be more curricula out there. It doesn't seem to be religious literacy, or the kids who go through most UU Religious Education programs wouldn't come out as religiously ignorant as they were coming in and most adults would understand that the religious world is bigger than their past or current congregation. It doesn't even seem to be REAL social justice or we would be reaching out and working with the other religious progressives out there no matter what their religious stripe. (where is the UU version of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker movement?)

For all their faults (and speaking as a former fundamentalist I know there are many), mega-churches have passion. They know what drives them: bringing people to Christ. What drives the typical UU church? Where is their passion? In all this talk about growth in UU circles, nobody seems to be looking at the facts; the churches that are growing, no matter what theological stripe, have PASSION. They know what they want to do and try to find ways to do it. They have a story and can articulate it. They know their mission and can articulate that as well. These churches have DREAMS (and I'm not talking about strategic plans but real dreams). They see their place in the world. Most of all, they are NOT afraid.

So.....where's the UU's/UUA's passion?

What You Bring To The Party? or Independent Affiliates pt.4

2007-11-05T09:49:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers. I have a correction to make, and since it fits in with the rest of this email I hope you will be able to tell what that correction is.

Anyway, dear readers, this is my 5th post about the Independent Affiliates issue and I noticed that the first 4 all talked about the IAs that were rejected. For this post I thought it would be a good idea to talk about the 5 that were deemed worthy.

Let's look at the list of the approved IAs:
-Council of UU Camps and Conferences
-DRUUMM
-Partner Church Council
-Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry
-Universalist Convocations

With the new rules about IAs, I can see how 2 of them made it through. A third one is a possibility. The other ones I question and I thought that I would talk about one of them in particular and then open the conversation. Those who know me in real life would be surprised by the one I'm going to talk about, that's why I'm not going to talk about that one but a different one.

The new rules state that an organization applying for IA status must present:

a statement outlining how its purpose, mission and structure models interdependence through engagement with our member congregations, coordination or collaboration of effort and resources; and a statement outlining how the organization supports the transformation of institutions and our world to be aligned with those values expressed in our Principles;

Now, dear readers, using this part of the rules, can anybody explain to me how the Council of UU Camps and Conferences got IA status? How do they SERVE congregations? (as there is a difference between serving and providing a service)

So, as the title of this post asks; what do these 5 groups bring to the party of Unitarian Universalism? How do they make us better? What was it about them that made them more worthy of IA status than the ones that were rejected?

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? or Independent Affiliates pt.3

2007-11-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

My last post was about passion (well written if I do say so myself) and since I asked questions about passion in a UU context, I thought in this post I would go back to the Independent Affiliate issue and tie it in.

Just to re-cap for those of you dear readers who might have forgotten, the UUA Board rejected 44 Independent Affiliates. Among those IAs that were rejected are:
-CUUPs
-HUUmanists
-UU Buddhist Fellowship
-UU Christian Fellowship
-UUs for Jewish Awareness

All of these groups share a couple of things in common. One, they are theological. Second, theses groups are passionate about what they do. Guess that comes with having a theology.

What makes a religious organization different from groups like the ACLU, John Birch Society and the like? They have a THEOLOGY and are passionate about it. And yet the Board has decided that a religious body should not have a relationship with the organizations that bring the RELIGION to the body.

Does this make any sense?

Passion

2007-10-31T23:10:00.000-07:00

No dear readers, this post is not about SEX. This post is about PASSION, or in other words: what drives you?

And even though I have written the only political post I plan to write, I am going to ask a question about a political person and then move into a more UUA-specific question about passion.

First to the question about the political person. Is Hillary Clinton passionate about anything anymore? I thought I knew Hillary. I admire her quite a bit. But looking at her these days is like watching paint dry. There is no spark in her. What happened? In days gone by, Hillary would have been at the forefront of the S-CHIP debate (no dear readers, this is not a post about SCHIP so please no responses about it). But have you heard from her at all during this? I haven't. Which makes this all the more frustrating; Hillary used to work on women's and children's issues. These were almost like air and water to her: essential. She used to be known as having so much passion for these issues that even her critics talked about the passion she had. Where did that passion go? Can't you run for President and be passionate at the same time?

Anyway.....that's enough about Hillary.

The question about the UUA: besides same-sex marriage, does the UUA have any passion for anything? It isn't spiritual development/formation or maturation, because if it were there would be more curricula out there. It doesn't seem to be religious literacy, or the kids who go through most UU Religious Education programs wouldn't come out as religiously ignorant as they were coming in and most adults would understand that the religious world is bigger than their past or current congregation. It doesn't even seem to be REAL social justice or we would be reaching out and working with the other religious progressives out there no matter what their religious stripe. (where is the UU version of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker movement?)

For all their faults (and speaking as a former fundamentalist I know there are many), megachurches have passion. They know what drives them: bringing people to Christ. What drives the typical UU church? Where is their passion?

In all this talk about growth in UU circles, nobody seems to be looking at the facts; the churches that are growing, no matter what theological stripe, have PASSION. They know what they want to do and try to find ways to do it. They have a story and can articulate it. They know their mission and can articulate that as well. These churches have DREAMS (and I'm not talking about strategic plans but real dreams). They see their place in the world. Most of all, they are NOT afraid.

So.....where's the UU/UUA passion?

When I Say.....

2007-10-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

When I say I am a Christian.....
I'm not shouting "I am saved". I'm whispering "I get lost. That is why I chose this way."
When I say I am a Christian.....
I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm human, sometimes weak, and pray for
strength to carry on.
When I say I am a Christian.....
I'm not bragging. I'm admitting I have failed at a lot of things.
When I say I am a Christian.....
I'm not claiming to be perfect, my flaws are too visible but God believes I'm worth it.
When I say I am a Christian.....
I do not wish to judge. I have no authority. I only know I am loved.

The Only Politcal Post You Will Read Here

2007-10-28T17:14:00.000-07:00

See this man

Know this man

Touch this man

Embrace this man

Support this man

Believe this man

Trust this man

Belong to this man

Take care of this man

Love this man

Pray for this man

http://www.barackobama.com [Judgement+Character tempered by Experience=CHANGE we can believe in]

Why Barack Obama?

1. The U.S. has to stop this continual fighting of/about/for/against the 1960s. In this campaign there are only 2 choices if we want this to stop. Pick somebody born before Jan.1, 1946 (i.e. John McCain) or pick somebody born after Jan. 1, 1960. As long as there is a boomer president, the 1960s will never be over.

2. There needs to be new thinking on U.S. foreign policy. As JFK said "Never negotiate out of fear, but never be afraid to negotiate." Who in this race best represents that?

3. The country needs somebody who understands that most of the U.S. is Purple not Red or Blue.

That's enough for me.

Last Independent Affiliate Thoughts for the Week

2007-10-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Readers. This is going to be a short IA post because I'm heading out to St. Louis to see Barack Obama at St. Louis Union Station.

I printed out Linda Laskowski's IA post so I could read it and think on it. If you haven't read her post just follow this link http://pcdtrustee.blogspot.com/.

I continue to be stuck at this:
The easiest thing for us would be to react to whatever came before it, continuing a system by which Affiliates were actually encouraged to remain separate (more workshop slots, more opportunities for exposure), even though they may have had few resources and would have benefited from collaborating.

Why am I stuck? Mainly, dear readers, because more questions keep coming to my mind.
Question 1: How did the past rules regarding IAs encourage them to remain separate?
Question 2: Hasn't the General Assembly Planning Committee always had the authority to set the number of workshops that any organization gets? Or did the Board set that and the Planning Committee just implement and enforce it?
Question 3: "More opportunities for exposure"? Is there something wrong with IAs getting as many opportunities for exposure as they can?
Question 4: "few resources". What kind of resources are you talking about? Money? Or something else?
Question 5: Weren't many of these IAs collaborating already?
Question 6: What benefits of collaboration does the Board think the IAs were missing from their supposed non-collaboration?

That's it for today, dear readers, talk amongst yourselves. You can also read my first and second posts on the IA issue; "Opposite Side of the Street Parking" and "You're Breaking My Heart".