the common
DESCRIPTION
The newsletter of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Castine.TRANSCRIPT
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION OF CASTINE AUGUST 2009
PAGE 1
August CalendarPulpit
August 2, 9, 16
The Rev. Mark Worth
August 23
Dr. Lynn Parsons
August 30
Jim Scott
Events
August 7, 7 pm
film, “Milk,” Parish House
August 11, 7 pm
concert, Trio Cleonice
Tuesdays, 12:30 pm
Meditation, Parish House
Thursdays, 9 am-12 pm
Farmers Mkt, Common
The CommonGeneral Assembly Meets in Salt Lake CityDelegates elect Morales president, debate issues, share faith
From June 24 through 28, a total of 3,385 Unitarian Universalists from far and wide gathered in Salt Lake City for the denomination’s annual General Assembly. Represented were 582 congregations from all fifty states, plus the District of
Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and three Canadian provinces.
Mark Worth portrays our new president on page 2, and I describe briefly on page 3 some of the other happenings of this UU festival. Kent Price, editor
FROM THE BOARD ANNE PARSONS, PRESIDENTWe are governed by an elected board and appointed committee chairs and members. This works for continuity, but it’s not very agile. At April’s Leadership Workshop it was suggested that we move toward task forces for specific and limited jobs requiring quick response. For example, we needed to offer refreshments following the July 18
concert. With just a week’s notice, a task force of two led by Sandra Richardson volunteered and accomplished the job.
Board members and committees will continue to identify goals, but we hope members of the congregation will want to take on finite and well-defined tasks. So don’t be surprised if you are asked!
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION OF CASTINE AUGUST 2009
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MARK, MY WORD
The Rev. Peter Morales of Golden, Colorado, is the eighth president of the Unitarian Universalist Association. At our annual General Assembly, held June 24-28 in Salt Lake City, delegates elected Morales over the Rev. Dr. Laurel Hallman of Dallas, Texas, by a vote of 2,061 to 1,481.
Morales is the first Hispanic-American to be elected UUA president. He succeeds the Rev. William Sinkford, who was the first African-American to head any predominantly White denomination in the United States. Only 7.2 percent of Unitarian Universalists identify as persons of color. No woman has yet served as president of the UUA. Moderator Gini Courter and Financial Advisor Dan Brody, both running unopposed, were re-elected.
Morales was born in San Antonio, Texas, in the city’s west-side "barrio." His mother’s family were Mexican-Americans
from the borderlands of south Texas. His father’s family came directly from Spain. Peter spoke Spanish before he spoke English.
In college at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, he met his wife, Phyllis. They were married in the Unitarian Church in Stockton, although at the time neither of them knew anything about Unitarian Universalism.
During the Vietnam War Peter and Phyllis emigrated to Canada, to avoid the military draft. They settled in British Columbia, where he worked in a lumber mill, then as a reporter for a small community newspaper. Their son, Miguel, was born in Canada. After Peter turned 26 (no one over 26 was being drafted), they returned to the United States.
In graduate school at the University of Kansas, Peter concentrated in American Religious History. After winning a Fulbright Lectureship to Spain, Peter taught American Literature and American History at the University of Oviedo. The Morales family returned to the United States to seek medical treatment for then four-year old Miguel, who had been diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer.
As their son’s cancer went into remission, and after the birth of their daughter, Marcela, Peter
and Phyllis purchased a small newspaper in southern Oregon. They bought one of the very first laser printers and was one of the first two or three newspapers in the country to use desktop publishing technology. Known as a technology pioneer, Peter was offered the job as publisher of the much larger Cottage Grove Sentinel. His editorials defended gay rights in the face of a right wing attempt to reduce rights.
Around this time Peter and Phyllis became active Unitarian Universalists. After serving on the Board of the UU Church in Eugene, Oregon, Peter decided to go to Starr King School for the Ministry, the UU seminary in Berkeley, California. Upon finishing seminary Peter was called to be the minister of Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, Colorado. During his years in Golden the congregation has increased from 400 to 775 members.
The Rev. Peter Morales
continued on pg. 3
“I want to grow our faith...”
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION OF CASTINE AUGUST 2009
PAGE 3
continued from pg 1
Speaking of his aspirations for Unitarian Universalism, Rev. Morales said, "I want to grow our faith, to reach all those people who are looking for a
non-dogmatic, liberal religious community. I look forward to working with partners in many other progressive and justice-seeking religious groups. There are tremendous issues that we will be facing in the coming years, and we’re going to need one another."
The Rev. Laurel Hallman writes, "I congratulate Peter and his campaign staff on having won ... I am grateful to Peter for having lifted up the issues he has and for being good company as we toured the country together, telling all of you our dreams for this faith that all of us love." Rev. Morales, who has been elected to a four-year term, was installed as president on June 28.
Shalom/Salaam,
Mark
A TASTE OF GAGeneral Assembly is a three-ring festival of faith, with many more workshops, worship services, award-winning sermons, and late-night fun than anyone possibly could devour. Here’s a brief sampling.
The first two days were devoted primarily to one of six tracks in “UU University,” an exploration in depth of either theology,
stewardship, governance, justice, or multigenerational or multicultural aspects of congregational life. I chose Theology, taught by the Rev. Dr. Galen Guengerich, senior minister at the Church of All Souls in Manhattan, and I loved every minute. Some examples of the thought-provoking material we bathed in for nine hours.
“Faith looks at the world as it is and imagines the way it could be.”
“UUism embraces both the certainties of science and the mysteries of the spirit.”
God, like beauty, defies description or measurement. But “beauty both transforms and transfixes.”
Ethics concern “what we want to do versus what we ought to do.”
A DVD of all six UU University double sessions is on order, with delivery expected in November.
Colorful banners graced the hallways, inviting attendees to Stand on the Side of Love.
Surprisingly, delegates rejected a proposed revision of the Seven Principles, Purposes, and Sources of the Association, recommended 25 to 0 by the Board of Trustees. Though the changes would have involved style, not substance, by the narrow margin of thirteen votes--586-573--delegates chose the poetry of the current Sources over what was regarded as a clunky prosaic revision. I voted in favor, to move things along, but my editor’s heart was with the victors.
Even more surprising was the failure to approve the Statement on Conscience on Peacemaking. UU’s vote against peace?
It’s more complicated than that, of course, but to reduce the vote to its basics: some people did not like the statement because they felt that it disrespected veterans and current service members; others were against anything that seemed to countenance even just war; and still others were persuaded by the struggle between the first two groups that it would be impossible to craft anything that could be said to represent the Unitarian Universalist Association as a whole.
Other votes were taken on six Actions of Immediate Witness, on the ballot via petition signatures gathered at GA. Among these were calls for US ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and for a Commission of Inquiry on US-sponsored Torture. Ed.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION OF CASTINE AUGUST 2009
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TRIO CLEONICE: ENCORE!Brilliant. Exciting. Inspiring. Emotional.
Exquisite. Splendid. Powerful. Absolutely amazing! Well, you get the idea. The Trio Cleonice on July 18 gave us the gift of impeccably performed chamber music by Haydn, Brahms, and Ravel, and the nearly 100 persons who attended were thrilled and delighted to be a part of the evening. If you missed it, do not make the same mistake twice.
Yes, the Trio Cleonice is returning for an encore appearance, this time performing the works of W.A. Mozart, Franz Schubert, and Hans Werner Henze, a modern composer. We can promise an evening you won’t soon forget as these wonderful young musicians prepare to take their talents to Germany, where they have been invited to compete in September in the First International Chamber Music Competition Hamburg. You can say that you heard them before they became famous!
Trio Cleonice
Tuesday evening, August 11, 7 pm
Meeting House, on the Common
$5 suggested donation
The Unitarian Universalist Association’s Congregational Study / Action Issue for 2008-2012 is Ethical Eating. Why do we eat what we do, and what are the environmental and human justice implications of our
consumption habits? What moral guidelines, if any, should govern food production? Do animals have rights? What should influence our personal and congregational food purchases? Are you aware of the contributions to global climate change of meat production? Do you plan to change your eating habits because of your knowledge?
As world population increases and more and more people seek out the good life as defined by U.S. consumption
patterns, the multiple effects will be unsustainable. Does the UU vision of environmental justice and the interdependent web of life influence our actions? If not, why not?
The UUA has produced a number of materials to guide and inform the ethics of food production and consumption, and the topic is being covered by books (The Omnivore’s Dilemma) and film (Food Inc.). If you are interested in group study of the topic, tell Mark Worth, Lynn Parsons, or Kent Price.
MILKOn Friday, August 7, at 7 pm in the Parish House, we present the award-winning
movie, MILK, about the life and death of Harvey Milk, the gay San Francisco city council member gunned down along with Mayor George Moscone. Sean Penn was named Best Actor for his portrayal of Harvey Milk, and the film was also honored for Best Screenplay.
ETHICAL EATING; FOOD & ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION OF CASTINE AUGUST 2009
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PARTNERSHIP HAPPENINGS
A raffle for Aquino kids
What do our partners in Aquino & Cansayan in the Philippines need? More than we can provide, including running water, electricity, mobility, better incomes, for a start. We cannot and indeed should not instantly provide a cornucopia of goodies, but we can lay the foundations of hope, of possibility, of opportunity.
In the Philippines, as is the case in much of the world, education is not free. There is tuition to be paid, plus books, uniforms, transportation, and more. Several of our U.S. UU counterparts are helping Philippine children, like the Aquino kids above, be able to afford to pursue an education at all levels--elementary, high school, and college, though college attendance costs are still being standardized. Roughly $100 annually will pay for an elementary school student, and $200 will support a high school student. Individuals and congregations can sponsor a child.
Your Partner Church Committee would like to begin a scholarship program at a low level, with initial funding to come
from a raffle. $5 per ticket, with 6 tickets for $25: painless, fun, and for a truly noble cause.
What’s in it for you? How about donated oil from Gary’s Fuel? A mini-vacation at David & Dominick’s splendid Williams Pond Lodge in off-the-grid Bucksport? And more by the time you read this.
Tickets are on sale August 1 through August 30. Help a child have a future.
The Joys of Partnership
Like parenthood, partnership can be improved by learning from those who’ve been there before. Accordingly, your committee emailed other U.S. partners of PI churches and asked about their experiences. Here’s part of the response from UU San Diego. The writer, Len Pellettieri, met Mark Worth during their visit to the Philippines.
“ Welcome to the wonderful world of Partner Churching. Five of us from First UU San Diego visited Negros in March of '08 (with Mark) and all of us agree that the trip is very valuable - much more meaningful than just another Elderhostel tour. In the months before we went, Nihal helped us select Malingin as our Sister. Its minister, Miguelito "Mike" Castaneda, speaks English well and is the principal of a
nearby school. I believe they had barangay (village) meetings before we went and chose electrification as their major need. On the day we visited - and what a joy that was; we felt like we were in the middle of a movie set - the village chief and his lieutenants plus the engineer from the municipality attended. Together we started on this project. The electrification would cost five figures, the engineer said, and if we could raise a substantial amount, it would happen. Back home, I found an NGO, a local Rotary Club of Filippino professionals, made a presentation and got them to agree to collaborate. That club plus its District plus Rotary International plus a Rotary around seven miles from Malingin, together with First UU, will provide over $10,000, plus oversight, to see that the money gets spent as agreed upon. But the villagers must participate too, or else it's all charity, which just leads to further dependence. In addition to Mike's pre-planning, their sweat equity will consist of clearing the brush and site preparation
The main thing I want to convey is that I just had my 82nd birthday, and these last three years have been among the happiest of my life. I feel my life is still worth living. I'm trying to do something that will outlast it and helping people to help themselves.
I just had my 82nd birthday and these last three years have been among the happiest of my life,
...helping people to help themselves.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION OF CASTINE AUGUST 2009
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COMING ATTRACTIONS
Our guest speaker on Sunday, August 23, is our own Lynn Parsons, author of the just-published The Birth of Modern Politics: Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and the Election of 1828. His topic for the day will be “Unitarianism, the Adamses, and American Politics in the 19th Century.” We are fortunate, indeed, to have such a respected authority in our congregation.
For our Sunday service August 30, we welcome back Jim Scott, Unitarian Universalism’s roving troubadour and musical soul. His “Gather the Spirit” is the unofficial anthem of the denomination, and his appearances on stage and in pulpits are inspiring and uplifting.
HEDGES AT DEER ISLE
Chris Hedges, Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author of seven books, will speak at the Deer Isle Reach Auditorium on Thursday, August 13, at 7:00 p.m. Sponsored by Island Peace and Justice and Deer Isle/Stonington High School Adult Education, his appearance is free and open to the public.
Calling press coverage of the lead-up to the Iraq invasion “shameful cheerleading,” Hedges chose to leave The New York Times, after more than 15 years, rather than be censored by its editors. Shortly thereafter he wrote War Is the Force That Gives Us Meaning, a finalist for the 2003 National Book Critics Circle Award for nonfiction. He will speak on his latest book, Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle. ************
The Rev. Peter Morales UUA President“Ours will be a presidency passionately engaged in the great moral issues of our time: economic justice, peace, and human rights.”
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
Anne Parsons, PresidentAnne Price, Vice PresidentSally Chadbourne, TreasurerColin Powell, ClerkNancy DechterLinda TrumbullSandra RichardsonElaine Gerard-Climo, Alternate
The Governing Board meets in the Parish House at 9 am on the second Friday of each month. Observers always are welcome.
THE COMMON
The Common is published monthly and distributed in both electronic (color) and print (black & white) forms and is available at www.uucastine.org. All members and friends are invited to submit items for consideration. Send submissions or comments to editor Kent Price at [email protected]. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication.
CONTACT US
The Rev. Mark [email protected] (Meeting House)326-4886 (home)
Anne Parsons, [email protected]
Alison Bramham. Rel. [email protected]
On the Web: www.uucastine.org