November 1, 2010

Dear Members and Friends,

“And the glory of everything” are the final words by Wilbur the pig as he settles into his comfortable home. “This is the best place to be,” said Wilbur. This is the way Wilbur felt as he settled in for the winter in the book Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White.

When we look out at our world and particularly at our nation it is difficult to find the glory. Anti-intellectualism is growing, unemployment is at 9.5%, in the secular world and especially the church.

Last Sunday I attended The Slope United Methodist Church in Brooklyn, New York. The text of the day was the cleansing of the 10 lepers and the gratitude of only one who was healed. The minister was about 55 years old and old enough to have studied Biblical criticism. He retold the myth and never once told the congregation that this event never happened. The church made it up in order to make Jesus a very special person who could do magic and many impossible things, such as walking on water and turning water into wine. The minister missed the chance to educate his people and left them as ignorant as when they entered the church. It is as if Paul Tillich had never lived. He said to me, “I have spent my life demythologizing the Christian story so that intelligent people can be Christians.”

Now with the dumbing down of the public schools, the rise of charter schools, we are a fearful people so frightened by the word socialism that it is not mentioned in our group meetings. People simply dare not mention it. We have had elements of socialism in our country ever since President Franklin D. Roosevelt who understood that at any given time 40 million citizens live in poverty. These are the same people who have no health insurance.

So where is the glory in this sorry picture? The darkening days remind us that cold and more darkness will soon envelope us, particularly those of a liberal persuasion.

Then “where is the glory in everything?”

Each one of us carries within our personal darkness of dreams denied, hopes shattered, loss of loves, betrayal of friends and a secret despair of who we really are and the meaning of our lives.

Look into the eyes of your friends, speak to children about their daily lives, listen to the music of our lake as it washes our beaches. Inhale the perfume of autumn, the scent of purple grapes, apples, cider, leaves combining with the music of the birds and the hum of friendly converse with friends and furry creatures which bless our path. Let us keep our eyes and ears alert to the glory that surrounds us and with its rays sustains us in light. We would not recognize the glory except for the darkness which bids us pay attention to the smallest glory in the acorn, the falling leaf, raindrops caressing the red, gold and yellow leaves as they fall. As Louie Armstrong sings “it is a beautiful world.” Part of this beautiful world is expressed in our BUUF as we meet and enjoy the blessings of the presence of each one of us expressing a unique personal glory. The warmth of our fellowship sustains us all and we could say with Wilber “the glory of everything.”

I am wishing for all of you a glorious Thanksgiving with family and friends.

Love,