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.
President
Mary Grace Ketner
Secretary
Vicki Lee Mattern
Treasurer
Nancy White
At Large Member
Sonya Graham
At Large member
Peter Van Dusen
Operations & Maintenance Committee Coordinator
John Bradshaw, Patrick Shearer
Member Services Committee Coordinators
Clem Chow, Jeff Ketner
Program Committee Coordinators
Henry Halff, Stephanie Shearer
CUUC Website Manager
Margaret Batschelet
Although our church is a church and not a political or activist organization, I think we are drawn to participate in a UU Congregation because on some level that we need to be part of something that contributes to creating a better world.
We like the intellectual, spiritual and ethical challenges and encouragement to become the people we want to be. We enjoy the social and fellowship aspects. We appreciate the opportunities to contribute to the quality of the lives of others. Hopefully church also helps us develop faith and inner peace.
"But we don't join a church in order to change the world," you might say. Perhaps not. However, the congregation or community provides a context from which to respond to the incomprehensible dilemmas of our lives, and to the insanity of our society.
I mean C'mon have you taken a good look at what's normal these days? We are asked and coerced to participate in so many irrational aspects of our society. Plus there are aspects of life that seem absurd, and beyond our control. CUUC supports us as we find creative and meaningful ways to respond to life, in its wonder and its glory, but also its absurdity. Our responses, both individual and collective help us to find meaning or ascribe meaning to our lives.
Does the news ever make you want to throw up your hands and scream? If so you will probably appreciate Swami Beyondananda s advice: "Don't get mad, get odd." Often it doesn't make sense to us to conform to society. So we seek out groups like ours, because we want to be part of a society that does make sense. It comforts us to belong to a group that maintains and demonstrates our UU values.
One thing that inspires me is seeing the good works that come out of our congregation. It really warms my heart to hear of June and Nancy's efforts with UUHAC, Henry's program on GLBTQ's, or continued advocacy on behalf of Katrina evacuees, just to name a few. My position with CUUC has also been a platform for community organizing of the "10 Tree Challenge."
What floats your boat about CUUC? Is it Glenna's fabulous work providing RE for our children? The lay leadership that has put so many quality programs together? The physical beauty of our sanctuary and grounds? The classes and groups that we have held? Whether or not you consider yourself an activist or someone trying to change society, you make a difference here at CUUC. Whatever good we manage to create with our efforts has a ripple effect. Have faith in that! And If I can help you find a way to have more fun and meaning in your participation, don't hesitate to call.
Yours in a joyous struggle!
Phil
I am proud and happy that our Social Action Committee has chosen to reach out to a high school gay/straight alliance group by offering out facilities for a spring social event. One morning this week I woke up to a news item on National Public Radio mentioning that some BGLT group was meeting at some Unitarian Universalist Church in some town (I wasn't really awake yet), and again, I felt proud. It is time for us to be doing these things!
About ten years ago when the Institute of Texan Cultures was hosting an exhibit of paintings by African American artists, I worked very briefly with San Antonio collector and arts advocate Aaronetta Pierce. One day I happened to mention something about my church, and she asked which church I went to. So I told her, thinking--like you may have--that she probably never heard of us.
"When we were in college," she said, "The Unitarian Church was the only place that would give our Black Students Association a place to meet. I will always be grateful for that." Then she looked at me and smiled, as though I had really done something grand.
Embarrassed at hearing praise I thought I hadn't earned, I passed it off, muttering something about UU churches always competing to be the most liberal. Why hadn't I just thanked her for making me feel so proud, so utterly proud, of my denomination?
Now, half a century after her experience and well beyond the black Civil Rights movement, there is a renewed cycle of rights to be won by freedom-loving citizens. In our liberal environment, it seems like a natural next step, but it is not a step to be minimized. People are dying trying to take this step!
Our back yard is something that is easy to give and costs us nothing, a fallen petal under a dancers heel, Yevtushenko might call it. It would be easy to someone minimize what we are doing, but, this time, it won't be me! We could be doing something so grand that someone will be grateful for a lifetime! I am happy and proud that we are taking the steps to give it.
This is the second in a series of parables for the wonderful folks who make this church run. My aim in publishing them, other than my own amusement, is to help make this church programs so good that every newcomer will say, "This is a church where people really care."
One day, as the Little Red Hen was scratching in the garden, she found a few grains of wheat. When she announced her discovery to the barnyard, a great cheer went up. Everyone knew that the Little Red Hen was a master baker. They all looked forward to that day, in a few months' time, when her marvelous bread would grace their table.
"This wheat should be planted," said The Little Red Hen. "Who will help me plant this wheat?"
"I will," said the Duck.
"Actually," said the Little Red Hen, "I've never planted wheat before, and I would like to get in touch with the earth. I think that I'll plant the wheat myself." And she did. Unfortunately, because the hen was unskilled in cultivation, come harvest time, there was very little wheat to harvest.
Undeterred by the skimpy harvest, the Little Red Hen asked, "Who will help me cut the wheat?"
"I will," said the Cat.
The Little Red Hen took one look at the cat and said to herself, "I sure won't get much in the way of a harvest if I put that cat in control." So she said to the cat, "Thanks, Cat, but I think I'll do it myself." And she did. Unfortunately, her own wheat-cutting skills left something to be desired, and she took far too long to make the harvest. About half of the wheat was infected with red rust.
The little red hen saved what she could of the harvest, and then asked, "Who will help me thresh this wheat?"
"I will," said the Dog. The dog set about threshing the wheat. However, the Little Red Hen, looking on, thought to herself, "That dog is doing it all wrong. I'd better do the threshing myself if my bread is going to turn out right." She thanked the dog for his efforts and began threshing the wheat herself. Unfortunately, threshing is more difficult than it appears, and the Little Red Hen's granary had about as much chaff as wheat. Still, she pressed on.
"Who will take this wheat to the mill?" she asked.
"Not I," said the Duck, who remembered being slighted during the sowing.
"Not I," said the Cat, who remembered being slighted during the harvest.
"Not I," said the Dog, who remembered being fired from the threshing.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen, who actually wanted to do it in the first place, just to make sure that it was done her way.
The Little Red Hen returned from the mill, with her small sack of ground wheat and chaff. She knew that she did not have to ask for help in baking the bread because she, after all, was the master baker. She prepared the bread as best she could, but all that came out of the oven was one very small loaf that tasted very strange because of all the chaff in the flour. Still, knowing how much the barnyard looked forward to her special bread, she asked, "Who will help me eat this bread?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
It is said that the Little Red Hen convinced a passing horse to dine with her, but he has not been seen again since that day.
The title of this service is the theme for our annual church retreat, which will take place after the service.
Mary Grace Ketner is president of our congregation for this year, 2005-2006. She is a storyteller and an Educational Specialist at the Institute of Texan Cultures
A look at our sixteenth president and the religious and personal beliefs that guided him through a crucial period of American history.
Steven Botts is a longtime member of the worship commitee and also the newsletter editor. He has done a number of services at CUUC, mostly on matters pertaining to religion and belief. He is also a sometime poet and an occasional writer of stories.
"You must be crazy" - A personal reflection on the values and benefits of being an activist, and a report on the top reasons for being (or not being) someone who tries to change the world.
Phil Schulman, the consulting minister at CUUC, has been a lifelong advocate of ecological awareness and social justice. At age 11, he first petitioned the citizens of his town to save the forest behind his home. Since then there he's written editorials, served as a board member of a national human rights organization, participated in myriad campaigns for peace, ecology and social justice., spoken at rallies, vigils and demonstrations, walked on peace pilgrimages across the US, France and Palestine. He says he's delighted to share his passion with us all.
We are completing our study of Buddhism. We have a shrine in our classroom, and Elly and Crystal meditated in front of it (sort of) - any way, we talked about the shrine and heard the story of the "CAT WHO WENT TO HEAVEN". Everyone was glad that Good Fortune, the cat, finally got the blessing of Buddha. If you have not read this Newberry Award winning Children's book, please do so. There are copies at Cody Branch Library and also at the Central Library downtown. The week of 2/19, we will meet 'Sumalee' whose parents are Buddhists from Thailand and the following week, we will meet 'Duc' whose parents are Buddhists from Vietnam. These 2 weeks follow a curriculum from the Shawnee Mission UU Church in Kansas. Different religions are offered as we meet a US child (fictional, I think) whose family practices that religion. It talks a bout customs, festivals, and religious practices from that child's perspective. On 2/19, We will learn about WESAK, and Joan Bradshaw will lead us in some Yoga exercises. On 2/26, we will learn about the Vietnamese New Year or TET. We will be looking at some Buddhist stories. Since the 26th is the All Church Retreat and the Soup Lunch, perhaps I will bring some Pho in honor of the Buddhists.
We will delve further into Eastern Religions in March with: Confucianism, and spend some time on Taoism. We will also look at a comparison of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism with a look at the poster - the Vinegar Tasters and the Tao of Pooh. And this month we will meet 'Mei'.
April will bring an intergenerational service (Easter/Flower Communion) and a RE service for Earth Day (4/23). We will close out the regular RE year on 5/21 when your children do the service.
I am having so much fun teaching your children! Check out the clay figures that Elly, Crystal M & Micaela did made after we did a guided meditation. See the lovely mandelas on our wall also from Elly & Crystal M. See our shrine. We have a Buddha, candles, incense and a spider mum plant there. We also have a lovely Zen garden, courtesy of John Bradshaw.
This summer and next RE year, I hope to be talking about tolerance. I think that it is a number one priority. I am currently looking for some curriculums for the next RE year. One possibility is Dr. Seuss. This curriculum talks about all the 7 UU principles, using the works of Dr. Seuss and is a multi-age curriculum. Now is the time for the parents to let me (and Henry and Joan ) know what you would like your children to learn about next.
Some of our children participated in the service auction. Elly Mattern(and Crystal and their Mom, Vicki) auctioned off 2 pans of delicious butterscotch brownies. (If you were not there, you missed a treat! The ones they made for dessert went fast!) The Gullick kids, in absentia, auctioned off a trip to the zoo with Maggie, a trip to Potters Corner with Micaela and a trip to Laser Quest with Michael. There was Baklava from the Wiesen family (also in absentia since Sally's Garden had a gig.) Crystal Grant helped Swami Jean Halff tell fortunes. You also missed Crystal Grant and Elly helping take 'round the items and Crystal Mattern helped Henry by writing up who bought what.
Hope that your Valentine's was super special and that the rest of the month is good as well.
Glenna Jones-Kachtik
DRE/CUUC
"We are all flowers in the Great Spirit's garden. We share a common root, and the root is Mother Earth. The garden is beautiful because it has different colors in it, and those colors represent the different traditions and cultural backgrounds."
Grandfather David Momongye (Hopi)
In Beauty May I Walk, Words of Wisdom by Native Americans
I am much impressed with the dedication of CUUC members, and am pleased to volunteer for work on building and grounds. This is because I am more practical than philosophical, and because I came from an Episcopal background, where attractiveness of the physical facilities is important, to accompany the stately cadences of the liturgy.
In case this kind of information is not too parochial and boring, I thought to provide a glimpse of who I am, visitor, hanger-on, and self-described member-postulate, likely to become an actual member.
Retired after 33 years of teaching mostly underprivileged high school students, 8 in El Paso, 25 in San Antonio. Widowed last August (cancer). Three daughters: Massachusetts, Oregon, and California. Two living grandchildren -- lost another in May '05 to meningitis.
Interests: Environment, alternative energy (have a all-electric car), alternative medicine (including cancer), minorities, 3rd world, societal issues, nature, music, doing-it-yourself, antique cars, Green Party, education, books, music Bilingual, vegetarian.
May relocate to a Latin American country as volunteer English teacher.
Allen Lawrence
On March 5, 1:30 PM-4:30 PM, the Worship Committee will conduct a retreat on the shape of our worship program. Anyone concerned with the worship program, including leaders, potential leaders, and participants should plan on attending. This church has a strong tradition of participatory, lay-led worship. Sustaining this tradition requires us to periodically examine where we are and where we should be going. Your input is needed, please plan on attending.
To keep abreast of the Worship Committee's activities, please join their mailing list by sending an email to cuuc-worship-subscribe@yahoogroups.
The Social Action Committee is responsible for the church's collective efforts to improve the human condition and sustain the earth. This article is a report on the committee's current and recent activities.
Katrina Relief Effort. In September 2005, the committee approached Roddy Stinson, a columnist for the San Antonio Express-News, about adopting a family evacuated from New Orleans to San Antonio in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Stinson connected us with a family of six, Karen Rogers and her six children, who had recently moved here from New Orleans. We helped Karen set up her household, get connected with schools and community services, find medical services, and find a job. We also helped to welcome them to the community by inviting them to social activities at the church.
The Katrina Relief subcommittee met on Wednesday, February 15. At that meeting we decided to bring the project to a close because all important goals for the Rogers' resettlement had been met. We noted that the family still faced many social challenges that did not stem from their relocation to San Antonio. Acting on our pastoral care policy, we have located the social services best equipped to deal with these problems and are putting the Rogers in touch with those services. (Contact: Joan Bradshaw, joanbradshaw@sbcglobal.net, 341-8506)
Gay and Lesbian Concerns. On January 22, the committee conducted a service addressing Gay and Lesbian Concerns in the UU Community. One goal of this service was that of exploring opportunities for projects that addressed gay and lesbian concerns. We were fortunate enough to have Marla Dean, the faculty sponsor of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Earl Warren High School, pay us a visit. Marla returned to church on February 12 and attended our Social Action Committee meeting. At that meeting we offered the church as a venue for her GSA's annual picnic, and agreed to explore other opportunities for cooperation with the Gay and Lesbian student community. (Contact: Henry Halff, henry@quiensabe.com, 493-7501)
The Ten Tree Challenge. Our minister, Phil Schulman, has initiated a program known as the Ten-Tree Challenge. This project's goal is to enlist 100 groups to plant trees (10 trees, each) in the San Antonio area. At our meeting in February 12, John Bradshaw noted that Phil had obtained on the order 100 trees from CPS, and that these trees are free for the taking. (Contact: Phil Schulman, schulman@satx.rr.com, 614-2014)
The UU Housing Assistance Corporation (UUHAC). The UUHAC helps to rehabilitate some of the more decrepit houses in the San Antonio area and thereby make them available as low- and moderate-income housing. They hope to enhance their visibility in the community by raising funds for, and then producing a video on their activities. The cost of the video is about $2,000, and through a matching grant for half of this amount, the fund-raising effort for the video is all but complete. Check the fund status yourself on the fund-o-meter posted in the coffee room. If it is not over the top, help to get it there yourself with a contribution. (Contact: June Kachtik, junekac@aol.com , 342-0135)
To keep informed of the church's Social Action activities, please join their mailing list by sending an email to cuuc-justice-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
All parents and those with an interest in children are welcome to join the PCG. The group meets for one hour after church on the third Sunday of each month for the purpose of getting to know each other better. By creating an open, supportive, nurturing environment, we promote and facilitate spiritual growth and mutual, interactive care for one another. We follow the typical covenant group rituals - opening words, a question everyone answers briefly for the purpose of transitioning to the group experience, discussion of a topic, and a closing question and words to send us on our way. Discussion topics vary from month to month. This summer we also went swimming on the Guadalupe River in Kerrville and explored Natural Bridge Caverns. In addition to regular meetings and family activities, as a covenant group we committed to providing a service to the church and to the community. PCG prepared and led the worship service of 8/28/05 and hosted a group of young people away from their families at one of our church picnics.
The Women's Support Group is open to women and friends of the church. We meet every 2 weeks, on a Monday night at the church, starting at 7 p.m. and usually finishing before 9 p.m. Each woman usually talks for about 10 minutes about anything she wishes. However, you don't have to talk if you would rather not. What is divulged is kept confidential unless otherwise stated. It is a great way to get to know the women in the church on a more personal level in a safe environment. We invite you to come and join us and let us get to know you.
The Cuuc men's group meets every other Sunday from 6:30 - 8:30 P.M. The current schedule is 9/25,10/9,10/23. All CUUC men or visitors are welcome to join us.
Group leadership rotates from meeting to meeting. The leader for each meeting is also the host, and he is responsible for furnishing snacks and drinks.
We usually start off meetings with a clearing, in which each member is allowed to talk about recent events in his life, if he wishes to, for as long as he sees fit. Next, the facilitator introduces the topic for the evening. This may involve a short reading - a poem, an article or other text. The subject could be just about anything that the facilitator would like the group to address: What's going on at CUUC, religion, economics science, health, family, friendship, etc.
Around 8:30, we wind things up by deciding who is going to facilitate the next meeting, declare this one finished, clean up, and leave.
The Remarkable Film Group consists of members and friends of CUUC who gather each month to view one feature film and discuss it afterward. Everyone is welcome to attend. The films are usually shown at church at 6 PM on the third Sunday of each month. Films are shown in a series. The attendees select the theme and content of each series normally compose of four films of a common theme, directed by the same person or featuring a specific actor or actress. Past film series have carried such themes as Women Messiahs or include films directed by John Sayles or those featuring Peter Sellers. Current leaders of the group are Clem and Joyce Chow. Any questions about this group may be directed to Clem or Joyce.
John Smith was the only Protestant to move into a large Catholic neighborhood. On the first Friday of Lent, John was outside grilling a big juicy steak on his grill.
Meanwhile, all of his neighbors were eating cold tuna fish for supper. This went on each Friday of Lent. On the last Friday of Lent, the neighborhood men got together and decided that something had to be done about John. He was tempting them to eat meat each Friday of Lent, and they couldn't take it anymore.
They decided to try and convert John to Catholicism. They went over and talked to him. John decided to join all of his neighbors and become a Catholic, which made them all very happy.
They took him to church, and the priest sprinkled some water over him, and said, "You were born a Baptist, you were raised a Baptist, and now you are a Catholic."
The men were so relieved, now their biggest Lenten temptation was resolved. The next year's Lenten season rolled around. The first Friday of Lent came, and, just at supper time, when the neighborhood was settling down to their cold tuna fish dinner, the smell of steak cooking on a grill came wafting into their homes. The neighborhood men could not believe their noses! WHAT WAS GOING ON?
They called each other up and decided to meet over in John's yard to see if he had forgotten it was the first Friday of Lent. The group arrived just in time to see John standing over his grill with a small pitcher of water. He was sprinkling some water over his steak on the grill, saying, "You were born a cow, you were raised a cow, and now you are a fish."
An Irishman walks into a bar in Dublin, orders three pints of Guinness and sits in the back of the room, drinking a sip out of each one in turn. When he finishes them, he comes back to the bar and orders three more. The bartender asks him, "You know, a pint of Guinness goes flat minutes after I pour it; it tastes better if you drink one at a time."
The Irishman replies, "Well, you see, I have two brothers. One is in America, the other in Australia, and I'm here in Dublin. When we all left home, we promised that we would have a drink in this way to remember the days when we drank together."
The bartender admits that this is a nice custom, and leaves it there. The Irishman becomes a regular in the bar, and always drinks the same way, ordering three pints and drinking them in turn. One day, he comes in and orders two pints. All the other regulars notice this and fall silent - assuming that one of the brothers has died.
When he comes back to the bar for the second round, the bartender says, "I am very sorry for your loss, and I want to offer my condolences on the great loss of your brother."
The Irishman looks confused for a moment, then a light dawns in his eye and he laughs loud. "Oh, no," he says, "Everyone's fine. I've just quit drink for Lent."
A Sunday School teacher of pre-schoolers was concerned that her students might be a little confused about Jesus Christ because of the Christmas season emphasis on His birth. She wanted to make sure they understood that the birth of Jesus occurred for real.
She asked his class, "Where is Jesus today?"
Steven raised his hand and said, "He's in heaven."
Mary was called on and answered, "He's in my heart."
Little Johnny, waving his hand furiously, blurted out, "I know, I know! He's in our bathroom!!!"
The whole class got very quiet, looked at the teacher, and waited for a response. She was completely at a loss for a few very long seconds. Finally, she gathered her wits and asked Little Johnny how he knew this.
Little Johnny said, "Well...every morning, my father gets up, bangs on the bathroom door, and yells, "Jesus Christ, are you still in there?!"
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