Editor: Steve Botts, stbotts@texas.net
Nosotros, las congregaciones miembros de la Asociación UU, convenimos en afirmar y formentar el valor y la dignidad propria de cada persona.
CUUC has the tradition of holding short services and a brunch on alternate Sundays throughout the summer. Short services include many of the same elements (music, readings, joys and concerns...) as a regular service except there is a brief meditation instead of a sermon and lasts about 30-45 minutes. This year, instead of an elaborate brunch after the service, we would like to offer more simple, morning refreshment snack at 10:00 before the service. There will be a sign-up sheet for hosting the brunch in the coffee room.
Short service dates are August 1, 15, and 29. Hosts are still needed. Here are the responsibilities for a Sunday brunch host:
This edition of the newsletter contains some thought-provoking ideas and a proposal for a monthly adult RE class by Mary Grace Ketner.
Also featured is the first report from the Futures Committee. The report gives the results of a survey by the Futures Committee and what these findings imply, as well as some recommendations for improvement with a view toward enhanced growth of CUUC.
Furthermore, there are some thoughts and concerns by Stephanie Shearer, the monthly RE report from Glenna Jones-Kachtik, write-ups on Toastmasters and an upcoming art show and silent auction featuring, among other offerings, some of the work of CUUC member Phyllis Kacher
Besides all that, there's also a statement from the UUA concerning the "Unborn victims of violence act of 2004" and a couple of newspaper articles that might be of some interest to CUUC, as well as some info on the next series of offerings from the Remarkable Film Group.
And then there's an opportunity to host a foreign high school student for the 2005/2006 school year. Then, of course, we wind up with the calendar of upcoming events.
Recipients of this newsletter are encouraged to submit any information they wish to share or express any thought and feelings they might have about material presented here.
At a religious education class last winter, many of us read and discussed with Rev. Barbara Coeyman Our Covenant: The 2000-01 Minns Lectures/The Lay and Liberal Doctrine of the Church: The Spirit and the Promise of our Covenant by Alice Blair Wesley. We were all surprised at the contemporary tone of the covenantal rules established at the early meetings (1637) of the First Church, Dedham (MA):
Rule 1: Decide before leaving each meeting what question to discuss next week. That way people are more apt to share considered thoughts.
Rule 2: Each week the host of the house would begin, speaking to the agreed-upon question, then everyone else could speak by turns. Each one could, as they chose, speak to the question, or raise a closely related question and speak to that, or state any objections or doubts concerning what any others had said, "so it were humbly & with a teachable heart not with any mind of caviling or contradicting."
Rule 3: Speak your own understandings or doubts. No arguing. The record reports that all their "reasonings" were "very peaceable, loving, & tender, much to edification."
It is interesting to me to observe how we engage each other in the matter of differences. We do this in small ways in the fairly regular "Talkback" part of our order of service, and we take some precautions, knowing it is a fairly edgy thing to do, one that visitors and some members are not always comfortable with. In a recent report of a four-year study by the UUA's Commission on Appraisal called Engaging our Theological Diversity, Rev. Mike Young, a UU pantheist with a Buddhist practice asserts "The community most likely to keep us alive and growing is not one in which we all agree; but rather one that tolerates, affirms, even cherishes the broadest, richest diversity. Not because there is no final truth, but because there may be and our own incompleteness suggests we may not have it yet."
Both the Talkback portion of our service, which keeps wanting to grow past its 5 minutes--and the healthy participation in Barbara's RE classes last year says to me that we would welcome more opportunity to talk about the things that matter to us, to come closer to completing our knowledge. The Dedham church illustrates that discussion is part of our heritage and the Commission on Appraisal Report shows it is part of our UU identity. Please know that I am looking for a way for us to be able to "discuss" important values at greater length using important content to pose the "question."
Here's my proposal: one Sunday afternoon a month after soup lunch we discuss one chapter of the Commission on Appraisal's report Engaging our Theological Diversity for 90 minutes. We order the book together and proceed through chapters on our History, Culture, Values, Theology, Worship, Justice Making, and Community at the rate of one topic a month. We use the simple rules of the Dedham Church to proceed through this timely study of ourselves and what we UUs are all about these days. I'll start, then invite others to be "the host of the house" for later sessions.
What do you think?-Mary Grace
The purpose of the Futures Committee is to offer input to the board and coordinators on the future directions this church should take. Its first report deals with the input received from more than half the members and friends of CUUC inter-viewed between June 17 and June 27, 2005, and some of the implications of those interviews. We encourage a thorough discussion of this report at the board meeting and ask for guidance on how to proceed, so that we can provide a second report at your August board meeting about growth, congregational changes, and whether or not to seek outside assistance.
Input received on these questions:
If we assume that the majority of those interviewed recognize that some growth is absolutely necessary, some changes will need to be made. To paraphrase one respondent's response: folks at CUUC do not appeal to the mainstream. If we decide that is important to the survival of this congregation,
1. Our Sunday morning worship services need to be more spiritually satisfying. Toward that end, the Program Committee has designed a form for the use of those involved with worship services, suggesting that the service include the following elements:
Further, the Committee will have a way for any member of the audience to give written comment after the services, which can provide feedback on what we are doing well and on what we can improve. This information can offer ideas for future services, as well as ideas for worship service training workshops offered to all church members and friends. And, finally, we recommend that when you are involved in a worship service, have fun, get creative, and include others in the service planning and implementation.
2. We need to understand how to express tolerance and be tolerant. From "What do Unitarian Universalists believe?" by David O. Rankin
"Political" in this instance refers to the belief systems and actions of governments and political parties. One of the issues here is the response by UUs, as reflected in General Assembly resolutions, which tend to be "liberal." Not everyone who attends CUUC is a "political liberal." If we continue to act as if they are, they will not feel welcome.
3. We need to find alternative ways to express our commitment to social action. Because we are a small group at this point in time, we would recommend that the congregation become involved in an activity that can also act as a unifying force and a stimulus to church growth. An example would be carrying out activities that make us a "green" church, such as water-saving landscaping and energy-saving retrofitting. We assume that members and friends will remain involved in social justice activities of their choice in the community and that information about these activities will be shared with others who might be interested.
WE WILL BE ASKING FOR YOUR INPUT ONCE AGAIN TO PREPARE A SECOND REPORT TO THE BOARD ON AUGUST 10, 2005. Here are the questions we will be discussing with you. We will be calling you after August 7.
The Futures Committee:
June Kachtik, chair
Sonya Graham
Phyllis Katcher
Stephanie Shearer
The mission of our religious education program is to lay a foundation for lifelong commitment to UU values and traditions. Because we believe the entire congregation benefits from intergenerational experiences, we encourage children's active participation in and meaningful contributions to the community's worship. We seek to promote each child's own sense of worth and an appreciation of the search for truth and meaning.
The nursery is available for any child ranging from newborns to those who are not yet ready to join the other children in a more structured class.
We will meet two times in July. The first meeting we talked about Ecology and we read THE LORAX. We discussed what we as citizens could do to conserve our natural resources and your children are very savvy! Our earth should be in good hands with them. We also planted begonias in our own pots that everyone got tot ake home.The coming Sunday 7/17, there will be a Parent's Covenant Meeting and the children will be doing an activity with me! At present, it is a kind of science type thing - but that could change if I can not find the kind of paper it needs.The next RE Class is 7/31. At present, I am planning to talk about the chalice and why we use it and I am planning on everyone decorating a chalice to take home with them.I am planning on attending the worship committee meeting on 7/24 and we have floated around about having a RE Committee meeting every other month, I have requested some information from the UUA on a curriculum called Alike and Different.Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!Glenna Jones-Kachtik, RE Director
The topic I have been preoccupied with this month is the future. The future of our church and its program,of the next decade as my husband turned 30 (!), and the future of our family as I became an aunt for the first time. As I try to figure out what I want to happen, I am reminded of how burdensome this dilemma of the future has been in my life. Growing up an upper middle class white woman in the 1980s and 90s, I have been given almost every opportunity to choose from. The trouble has always been the same for me and most of my peers... With so many options, what do I do? I have watched and experienced becoming paralyzed or apathetic in the process of deciding, without confidence that the result will be "potential fulfilled." At my best, when I am able to step outside of myself,outside of my hopes and fears, I see a clear set of choices based on the circumstances I find myself in at present. I don't worry about missing out on something that I could have chosen or worked harder to create. And I don't predetermine the steps after the next one.I let choice be the luxury of freedom instead of a burden. It's a gift and a miracle when I can step outside of myself!I want to bring the same simple attitude to matters of our church that I have when I'm least striving to identify myself ahead in the future. I want to find the next steps for us by cherishing what we have now. stephanie shearer
Have you ever raised a glass and found yourself at a complete loss for words? Have you ever found yourself with a toast on your lips and no glass to raise? Is your worst fear that of speaking in public? Is your greatest joy that of speaking in public? Do you often wish that you had more friends and connections outside of church and work? Do you yearn for more programs and activities at CUUC? Do you yearn for a little company on Monday nights when your wife is at the women's group? Do you worry about your husband yearning for a little company on Monday nights when you're at the women's group?If you answer "yes" to any of these questions (or even if you don't), you might be a future Toastmaster (http://www.toastmasters.org/). Toastmasters, International is an organization devoted to helping members to speak, listen and think more effectively. Members can practice these skills, and have more fun than a barrel of monkeys, by participating in the activities of local Toastmasters clubs.Thanks to a prodigious effort on Patrick Woosley's part, Northwest Toastmasters (http://nwtm.homestead.com/),> a local Toastmasters' club, meets every Monday evening at 7:00 P.M. at the church. No need to make a reservation, just come and visit, or better yet, participate. Meetings last for about an hour. They usually start on time, so its a good idea to come a bit early. Henry Halff
UU Housing will be holding an art show and silent auction as a fundraiser, on July 23rd from 6-8pm.Suggested donation is only $5.00 for the reception, so come and enjoy the art plus food, drinks, and musical entertainment. There are a number of talented local artists participating in the show, including our very own Phyllis Katcher.For more information visit
Action of Immediate Witness-UUA General Assembly 2005SummaryThe Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly of 2005 petitions the U.S. Congress for a redress of grievances where the Congress has denied the religious liberties of Unitarian Universalists and people of other faiths by its enactment of the "Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004".
This Act of Congress legislated a specific religious theology of intrauterine and fetal personhood into civil law that violates the religious faith and principles of Unitarian Universalists and persons of other faiths. We petition this Congress to correct its violation of religious freedom by enacting legislation that would nullify or repeal the "Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004".The "Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004" (H.R. 1997) defines the fertilized ovum (zygote), embryo and fetus as an "unborn child", as a "child in utero", that is "a member of the species homo sapiens, at any stage of development, who is carried in the womb". This legislation violates the religious beliefs and principles of Unitarian Universalists, which rejects legislation of any "theology of fetal personhood".
A UUA General Assembly Resolution of 1982 "oppos(es) all efforts through legislation or constitutional amendment to restrict that right [to terminate a problem pregnancy] or to impose by law a "theology of fetal personhood'. See: http://unitarian.ithaca.ny.us/socialJusticeCouncil.html.H.R. 1997 violates the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". H.R. 1997 violates the establishment clause by imposing on all women the sectarian faith-based opinion that human personhood begins at conception. It violates the free exercise clause by seeking to restrict the freedom of conscience of women.This fetal personhood law violates the 14th Amendment, which defines citizens as "persons born" (not the unborn) that are entitled to the protection of the U.S. Constitution.This fetal personhood law violates the 4th Amendment: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons", which is denied pregnant women where "fetal rights" are placed in conflict with maternal rights.
Could the state take into custody a pregnant woman to protect fetal rights that are allegedly endangered by the mother, analogous to seizure of the child because of child endangerment?This fetal personhood law violates the 13th Amendment: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist within the United States" where involuntary servitude to sectarian religious dogma and compulsory motherhood are imposed upon expectant parents and where abortion denied becomes a sentence of compulsory motherhood that could well risk the health and well-being of the mother, her fetus and her born unwanted child.We affirm that compulsory motherhood is as onerous as compulsory abortion where no pregnant woman is a free woman under the Fetal Personhood Law (H.R. 1997) and where miscarriages could carry a threat of prosecution for involuntary manslaughter due to alleged "maternal negligence".The additional danger of H.R. 1997 is that it provides a foundation for more draconian State laws that will provide punishments for the "crime" of "fetal murder."
The UUA 2005 General Assembly petitions all members of Congress to correct this violation of the Constitution by enacting H.R. 1997 and to refrain from passing legislation that imposes any sectarian religious belief or doctrine upon "We, the People".We further encourage UUA congregations and individual members to petition their Congressional Representatives to nullify or repeal the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004
Nineteen-year-old Gerardo Flores of Lufkin was sentenced to life in prison Monday in a landmark test case of a state fetal protection law. An Angelina County jury deliberated just under four hours, finding him guilty on two counts of capital murder for his part in killing his unborn twins.The case will be appealed, possibly all the way to the Supreme Court, defense attorney Ryan Deaton said after the verdict.
Most fetal murder cases involve attacks by strangers, said Assistant District Attorney Art Bauereiss, who prosecuted the case. The facts in Flores' case were a bit unusual, but the evidence supported a guilty finding, he said."Most of the family is very pleased with the verdict," Bauereiss said. Flores' girlfriend, Erica Basoria, 17, was led sobbing from the Angelina County Courthouse by her mother and older sister. While her family testified against Flores, Basoria stood by his side, maintaining she was involved in causing the at-home miscarriage. Flores' mother, Norma Flores, stood in stunned silence, surrounded by family members for several minutes after her son was led away by Sheriff Kent Henson. Under state law, a woman cannot be charged for causing the deaths of her own fetuses for any reason.
A similar federal law went into effect in April 2004, a month before Flores was charged. Bauereiss told jurors he was focused on Flores. He couldn't help that Basoria was outside the reach of the law, he said. If the babies had been killed after being born, it wouldn't have been so controversial, he said."Think what a horrible crime this would be," he said. "We wouldn't hesitate to label it for what it is."The law includes the definition of a person - with full rights to legal protection - as existing from the moment of conception.
Prosecutors chose not to pursue the death penalty against Flores, meaning he received an automatic life sentence with parole possible after 40 years. Basoria, then 16, was five months pregnant when Flores stepped on her bulging belly more than once the week before she gave birth prematurely in a bathroom at Flores' house the night of May 6, 2004. The defense said she hit herself at the same time, making it impossible to tell who killed the babies. Testimony alleged both may have wanted a miscarriage so the babies wouldn't infringe on college and social plans.
His girlfriend coerced him into it, Flores said in a taped police interview played at trial in which he demonstrated stepping on her. Bauereiss repeated the clip for jurors during his emotional closing statement. No one would ever know the potential those unborn lives could have held, he said. Family would never get to see the boys' first steps, teach them to tie their shoes or take prom pictures.Worst of all, he said, Flores' own children could not save themselves."Those babies could not raise their hands in self-defense to say, 'No, Daddy, no, Daddy!'" Bauereiss said, emotion nearly choking his words.
Basoria's family members sat a few rows behind him, tears rolling down their cheeks."Hold him fully accountable for this most unholiest of crimes," he finished.Deaton begged jurors in his closing statement to give Flores something besides capital murder, choosing instead among injury to a child or manslaughter, with a wider punishment range. State District Judge David Wilson on Monday morning denied Deaton's motions to include jury instruction on several other choices, including criminally-negligent homicide.
The case was tragic, just two kids in love making mistakes, Deaton said. But it was Basoria's fault for egging Flores on, he said."She invited violence into their relationship," he told jurors.Flores has 30 days to file an appeal.
Ashley Cook's e-mail address is acook@coxnews.com.(c) 2005 Cox Texas Newspapers, L.P. - The Lufkin Daily News By using this service, you accept the terms of our visitor agreement and privacy policy.Registered site users, you may edit your profile.Add The Lufkin Daily News RSS feeds
FORT WORTH, Texas - (KRT) - God is a controversial word in the Unitarian Universalists Association.
I was reminded of that recently when I covered the denomination's national assembly and ran into the leader of the UU Infidels at Fort Worth Convention Center.
"We are becoming more overtly Christian," lamented Timothy Travis of Fredericksburg, Va., president of the Unitarian Universalists Infidels Fellowship.
When people passed by his booth, he called out, "Are you an infidel?" If they answered affirmatively, he offered to pin a red, white and blue ribbon on their lapel symbolizing his group's motto of being "free from faith, miracles, myths and supernatural beings."
Nearby, I met James Haught, who addressed a UU Infidels workshop called "Unitarian Universalism: A Place for Atheists?" He said he fears that "old-time agnostics" are dying off in the creedless, radically inclusive American denomination, which takes in people of many faiths and no faith.
"When I first joined our denomination, it was the faith of the skeptics, the nonconformists and the outsiders," said Haught, editor of the Charleston Gazette in West Virginia. "Now we are turning more churchy. Our national leaders throw in all this God talk. We are pretty sure it's not the Methodist-Presbyterian kind of God talk, but they won't say what they mean. Our current (UU) president advocates a 'language of reverence' but won't say what he's revering."
He referred to the Rev. William Sinkford, president of the Boston-based denomination, who created a stir among atheists two years ago in Fort Worth when he spoke about the need for a "language of reverence" to better express the spiritual side of Unitarian Universalism.
Sinkford expressed concern that there was "not one word" of traditional religious language in the seven principles of the denomination, which began as a strictly Christian body. He said the principles had served the church well in many ways.
"But I wonder whether the language of the principles is sufficient to capture our individual searches for truth and meaning," Sinkford said. "For this, I think we need what the Rev. David Bumbaugh, a Unitarian Universalist minister and religious humanist, calls a 'vocabulary of reverence.'"
He then quoted Bumbaugh as saying, "We have manned the ramparts of reason and are prepared to defend the citadel of the mind. But in the process ... we have lost ... the ability to speak of that which is sacred, holy, of ultimate importance to us ..."
Sinkford, a former atheist, continues to proclaim the need for a language of reverence and freely mentions God in his prayers. "I use the language of God, but that's a personal preference," he said. He doesn't require members to agree. "Unitarian Universalism says there are many ways to the holy."
Despite Sinkford's assurances, Marilyn Westfall of Lubbock, another speaker at the UU Infidels workshop, expressed concern that Sinkford and other leaders are trying to make Unitarian Universalism a "much more God-oriented institution." "In some of their sermons, they seem to be saying if you don't believe in God, you are not a full, whole, spiritual person," she said.
The Rev. Craig Roshaven, senior minister at First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church in Fort Worth, who conducted a Communion service for the fellowship during the assembly, agrees interest in Christianity has grown, but he says secular humanism, religious humanism and free-thinking are still significantly a part of Unitarian Universalism. His own congregation comes down on both sides of the God question.
"Some are Christians like myself," he said. "Some are humanists who don't think God language is useful. But we are all striving to help one another as we seek to live lives of wholeness and hope."
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(c) 2005, Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
VOLUNTEERS with or without children are needed for international exchange students for the 2005/2006 school year. The students will arrive in early August and will stay with the best family or parent for one semester or until the end of the school year while attending local high schools. For more information, please call Yvette Coffman at 1-800-941-3738
Web site http://www.sharesouthwest.org
e-mail info@southwest.org
The Remarkable Film Group will be featuring a film starring John Cassavetes to round off the series highlighting films mostly directed by him. The film will be selected during the group's meeting on August 21. The film featuring a John Cassavetes performance will be shown at church at 6:00 PM on Sunday, September 18.
The next series selected for the Remarkable Film Group will feature the works of director Billy Wilder. The first film in this series will be "Stalag 17". The 1953 film won the best actor's award for the performance of William Holden. The film will be shown at 6:00 PM on Sunday, October 16 at the church.
The second film in the Billy Wilder series for the Remarkable Film Group will be "Witness for the Prosecution". This 1957 film was based on a story written by Agatha Christie and featured remarkable performances by Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich and Charles Laughton. The film will be shown at 6:00 PM on Sunday, November 20 at the church.
The third and final film in the Billy Wilder series for the Remarkable Film Group will be "Some Like It Hot". The 1959 film is often considered by critics as the best comedy film ever produced. The film will be shown at 6:00 PM on Sunday, December 18 at the church.
Summer vacation is upon us, and many of us are taking off for distant parts. Mary Grace was kind enough to remind me of the Water Communion service an ingathering ritual at Summer's end that is a tradition at CUUC. In her words (and I hope that she does not mind me using them because they are very good),
We ask people to bring back water from their summer travels (or whatever). Then, at the last summer service, everyone is invited to bring their water and, by turns, come to the front and tell their summer travel story then pour their water into a big bowl. Maybe y'all can think of something good to do with the water. We once used it to dedicate the ground where the new sanctuary was going to be built; that was good. ... Even without having a good use for the water, the ingathering/homecoming nature of the service is a meaningful one to many members.
Henry Halff
Texas public radio (TPR) is a membership supported service that offers two separate FM stations in San Antonio. A business membership with a description of the member institution costs $800 per year. If more than thirteen of us who wish to support TPR for $60 a year can pool our contributions at the church, the church can then become a business member and gets a description of CCUC read over the air periodically. This is a good outreach towards a specific population. As a business member, two people from the church can go to special functions offered by TPR for business members only. However, if you choose to support TPR through the church, you will not be given an individual membership card. The church gets two membership cards that members can sign out for a definite period of time. You can still call and sign up for activities offered by TPR for their members. Just mention that you are part of the CUUC business membership. You also will not be sent a monthly copy of the "Key", the magazine for members, but you can sign up to receive it online.
The deadline for this year's membership is August 31. If you are interested, please write your check to CUUC with TPR membership designated on the memo line and hand the check to Nancy White, our treasurer. After we received a sufficient number of members' contributions, the church will then sign up as a business member. If you have any questions, please refer them to Clem
If you'd like to receive the e-mail version of this newsletter every month, send a message to Steve Botts, the newsletter editor.