Berrien UU Fellowship Newsletter January 2008

January 2008

Beth * Birthdays * Bob Milne Concert * Calendar * Contact Us * Religious Education * Viola
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Beth Lefever, Religious Leader and Student Minister

BUUF’s Mission Statement:
To Question,
To love,
To serve,
To celebrate differences— Together.

our chalice, created by Lisa Dalgleish and the RE kids

In the BUUF is the monthly newsletter of the Berrien Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 4340 Lincoln Avenue, Saint Joseph, MI 49085-8712. Articles should be given to the newsletter editor no later than the 20th of the month.

ALONG THE WAY . . . BUUF Religious Leader Beth Lefever

I rushed to make my 6:35 a.m. train in South Bend, a half hour down the road. We'd had a winter storm and the roads were worse than I'd thought. I always leave plenty of time, and had left that morning even earlier than usual, but the roads were very bad and travel, quite slow.

I was preoccupied with wondering whether I'd packed all I would need, and thinking about the final class presentation I was scheduled to make later in the morning. I became increasingly tense as I realized the roads were bad enough that I might not make my train. It became a nerve-wracking race, with me driving faster than I should -- but possibly not fast enough -- and still slower than some other drivers who undoubtedly also had been caught unaware by the weather.

I made the station with moments to spare - if I ran. I did. I then settled in, relieved, and began reviewing my presentation. After a while I put my papers away and pulled out a novel, still worrying that I'd forgotten something I was going to need this trip.

After about a half hour the train stopped, and we sat for several minutes before a voice came over the PA. There'd been an accident up ahead. A train had hit a car at a crossing and we would be significantly delayed as officials made their way to the scene from points south. The voice filled us in with updates as they came in: it would be at least forty-five minutes, if not longer; all the tracks were blocked; anyone wishing to return to South Bend should speak to the conductor.

I fretted a bit. I would be late but I had some leeway. It's a three-hour class. As long as I got there with a half hour to spare I'd be able to present my paper. I returned to my book.

Then the conductor came down the aisle answering questions as he walked. He commented that the delay was in waiting for the coroner to arrive at the scene.

Suddenly, all of my concerns were very much put in perspective. I finally got outside myself. Someone, probably much like me, had been hurrying to their destination, preoccupied with what they were to do that day, worried that they were running late, trying to drive as fast as possible while still being safe… and then it all ended for them. No final papers to present. No business meetings to attend. No parent-teacher conferences to get to. No runny noses to wipe, dishes to wash, or clutter to bemoan upon returning home. Nothing.

They had started out that morning just like I, and now, for them, it was finished.

I am glad I was merely delayed. I am grateful I made the train safely. I am sad for them and their loved ones.

And once again, I am taken aback by the knowledge of how very tenuous it all is.

As we enter into yet another new year, let us keep in mind what is really important, and delegate that which isn't to a lesser position in our psyches.

May you all have a safe and gracious new year.

Blessings,

In the BUUF . . . January 2008

We join, in the spirit of love, to develop our religious attitudes objectively and honestly that life may be more meaningful.

BUUF’s Board of Trustees meets on the 4th Sunday of each month following the service. Contact Dave Sarra for more information.

Pastoral Letter . . . Rev. Viola Moore

Dear Members and Friends,

In reflecting on my birthday celebration I find that at the party I saw members and friends whom I have known for 14 yrs. in a new light with more dimensions than I ever imagined. This showed me how little we know of each others and how much is of who we really are is hidden. I am suggesting that we are all multidimensional beings with thoughts and feelings which seldom surface in our usual casual meetings. We need to tell our stories. Novels are made to be read. Stories are told to be retold. The culture is carried by stories and our stories reveal the context of our lives. Nothing in contemporary life encourages story telling. In telling our stories we are also recording history. How I wish I knew you all better and also that you knew me better. I want to hear your story and I want to share mine. What is hidden is not a deliberate shutting off of knowledge, it is just that frenzied modern life allow neither time nor opportunity for story telling.

Part of the joy of my party was getting to know some of you better, especially the children. The cards and notes were especially welcome for they showed your political colors, which I appreciate. The world of persons is the biggest show on earth. Recently while sitting in the airport waiting for my plane to Syracuse to be repaired, I was again impressed by the beauty, the variety, and the self-revelation by dress in the parade of persons who passed me intent on their own business. I struck up an acquaintance with a young man from Guangzhou, China who was going to Syracuse to inspect a factory which builds instruments to measure vibrations. I was so happy to tell him I had visited his hometown and had attended the opera there at the university. He guessed I was sixty yrs. old and I told him I was going to up to Syracuse New York to celebrate my 89th birthday. I think he needed new glasses.

As we begin the New Year we might begin to think about how we can get better acquainted so that we don't miss each other, miracles that we are! Since being here means so much and can never be cancelled, it is important that we be known to each other in our fullness. If you do not wish to be so known, that's a spiritual problem. Self-disclosure can add to our joy of living and increase the happiness of others in ways we cannot imagine We are making history as we tell our stories and defining our place in it.

Small meetings in homes offer opportunities of knowing each other in a different setting and revealing context. I noticed this several years ago at our winter retreat at Tower Hill Camp. Committee meetings can be joyful celebrations. When we share a meal, that is a holy communion because then we are open and not on guard. Our presence to each other as spiritual centers is important for showing what love can do to transform ordinary time into the Eternal. This becomes the Eternal Now lifting us above clock time into a different dimension, that place where we see visions and dream dreams. These experiences redeem our personal as well as our community life. Let us make the New Year 2008, one of "Getting to know You" as the unique miracle you are, unrepeatable, once only to throw your weight on the side of justice. Justice that is also power and love, the love which wants all eternity. Happy New Year!

BUUF Ministers
Religious Leader — Beth Lefever, minister@buuf2.org
Rev. Dr. Roger Brewin, Rev. Donald Wheat, Rev. Viola Moore (Emerita)
Board of Trustees
Dave Sarra, President, president@buuf2.org
Rev. Viola Moore, Vice President
Dick Berndt, Treasurer, treasurer@buuf2.org
Amy Eklund, Secretary
Bea Takeuchi * Tom Hackley * Gary Cook
RE Director — Teresa LaPlante, DRE@buuf2.org
Most PHOTOS for In the BUUF by Heartha Whitlow
Office Administrator/Newsletter Editor — Gretchen Ohmann, office@buuf2.org

In the BUUF . . . January 2008

RE Vision
The purpose of the Berrien Unitarian Universalist Fellowship religious education program is to provide:

A sense of community
Knowledge of UU history
An understanding of world religions
A spiritual sense
Connection with nature
Social action
A grasp of how to talk about UUism with other children

Adopted by the RE Committee January 2000

Religious Education . . . Teresa LaPlante, DRE

Welcome 2008!

As each new year begins, I personally have a great inner need to remove any signs of the holidays just celebrated as soon as possible. Not that I did not enjoy them greatly; I did. But more that I feel that it is now time to move forward, leaving behind that which is past. I don't stop with the decorations. Generally, I have a sort of "spring cleaning" of both my home and my life. Resolutions? I never call them that -- I'm just ready to move ahead with my life! So, as 2008 begins, may we all be able to move forward with our hopes, dreams, and plans, accomplishing all we can in 12 months, for the years pass so quickly!

A Belated Christmas Message

Many have asked for my talk on Christmas in written form, so I am including it here, for those who are interested:

Have Faith . . . in Christmas

He was born on December 25 of a virgin mother. His birth was celebrated annually with great celebrations that included lighted trees and nativities where shepherds came, attracted by a great light.
He came from heaven to be born as a man, to redeem men from their sin.
Among his many titles were, "Savior," "Son of God," "Redeemer," and "Lamb of God."
His followers kept Sunday (his Sabbath day) holy. They ate sacramental meals of bread and wine in remembrance of Him, symbolic of the body and blood of his sacrifice. It is written, "And thou hast saved us by shedding the eternal blood."
They were baptized by blood ("washed in the blood of the lamb," they said) and by water.
He was mediator between heaven and earth and was a member of a Holy Trinity.
He died and was resurrected again after 3 days.
His followers looked forward to a final day of judgment in which the dead would resurrect, and to a final conflict that would destroy the existing order of all things to bring about the triumph of light over darkness.
He was born 600 years before Jesus Christ.
His name was Mithras.

Mithras (or Mithra) was a god for men. Women and girls were not even allowed to join in worship, let alone lead. (So, in some respects, I guess that made Christianity the "liberal" religion of the day.) Like Jesus, Mithras was shown as a shepherd and a prince of peace, yet he was primarily a god for soldiers. Roman soldiers, in particular, worshipped him -- hmmm . . . maybe soldiers need that inner peace of spirit to balance their actions in war….what do you think??

As a writer, I am a firm believer that universal truths are often unconsciously revealed through stories as writers connect with that one Spirit of all. The great poet Rudyard Kipling did this when he wrote the following hymn to Mithras:

Mithras, God of the Morning, our trumpets waken the wall!
'Rome is above the Nations, but Thou art over all'
Now as the names are answered, and the guards are marched away,
Mithras, also a soldier, give us strength for the day!
Mithras, God of the Noontide, the heather swims in the heat,
Our helmets scorch our foreheads; our sandals burn our feet,
Now in the ungrit hours; now ere we blink and drowse,
Mithras also a soldier, keep us true to our vows!
Mithras, God of the Sunset, low on the Western main,
Thou descending immortal, immortal to rise again!
Now when the watch is ended, now when the wine is drawn
Mithras also a soldier, keep us pure till the dawn!
Mithras, God of Midnight, here where the great bull dies,
Look on thy children in darkness. Oh, take our sacrifice!
Many roads Thou has fashioned: all of them lead to the Light,
Mithras, also a soldier, teach us to die aright.

What a short step that hymn is to…

Onward, Christian soldiers. Marching as to war. With the cross of Jesus going on before!

Yes, Jesus and Mithras had a lot in common.

In the BUUF . . . January 2008

UUC of Greeley CO window designed by Judith Meyers

To contact Teresa, e-mail
DRE at buuf2.org

Mithras banquetting with the Sun god. Rome, 4th century,

At the first Council of Nicea, over 300 years after Jesus died, the early Christian church fathers settled a lot of "facts" about Jesus. Making his birth December 25 was a no-brainer, because Jesus was a "sun god" and all sun gods had their birthday coincide with the sun. Before Mithras, there was Krishna, and even, way back in Egypt, around 3000 years BC, there was Horus. Many writers claim that a figure of Horus as a baby was laid in a manger, in a scenic reconstruction of a stable, with a statue of Isis (Egypt's virgin goddess) placed beside it. Horus was, in a sense, the Savior of mankind. He was their avenger against the powers of darkness, he was the Light of the world. His birth festival was Christmas without Christ.

Besides Horus, Mithras, and Jesus, the sun god list is long: Helios, Osiris, Dionysus, Garuda, Apollo, Freyr, and, of course, Re, are only some of them. Sun Gods were often described as "lights of the world" (like the sun). The early Christians had simply continued a custom their fathers and grandfathers before them had practiced...they celebrated their god's birth--when the "sun" was born, the "son" was born. They could not imagine doing it any other way. After a few months of getting darker and darker, the sun basically begins a new year of life at the winter solstice, around December 25. Hence, the sun is born -- call him what you will--

Jesus, SON of Jehovah (some believe)
Horus, SON of Re
Apollo, SON of Zeus
Garuda, SON of Kasyapa

SIDE NOTE: Jesus was often portrayed as having no father, aside from Mary being told by an angel that the "Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee." Mithras, too, is said to have no father -- springing from a rock or a cosmic egg.
I hope that knowing that many Gods have shared Christ's birthday through the years does not dishearten you. It shouldn't. The many sun gods celebrated on December 25 shows the great universal need for this story, however it is told, whoever tells it, whatever age we live in. The Light lives on!

Whether you believe that Jesus Christ was the only true God born of a virgin, or not, you, in some way or another, feel the pull to celebrate as December 25 nears. You get washed up in the tide of Christmas cheer even as you say, "you know, Jesus wasn't really born on December 25," or "it's a pagan holiday, after all."And even as you greet one another with "Merry Christmas!" the very word -- Christ-mass -- may sit wrong with you as you wonder if you are really being true to the truths you know. No worries! For Christmas-like Mithraism before it--celebrates the light. And you are celebrating the light. You believe in the light. You rejoice in the light! You hang lights in honor of the light. Call that light what you will.

That's not to say that a lot of parts of Christmas in America are not just commercialization . . . they are! But I'm talking about that true celebration of spirit that speaks to each of us, the one that tells stories of Christmas miracles and great acts of love and life -- Babies born in garages, hope renewed in the poor, flames of love bursting when the light had almost gone out…

Let's face it, we are all afraid of the dark. We should be. What if the light did go out? What if the sun died? We would all die, too. It has been said that we are all spirits on a journey to return to the "great light" that we, for whatever reason, have been separated from. I cannot say if that is true or not, but I do know that a light with an unknown source is important to us. You see that light represented in movies when someone dies (going towards the light), in paintings when someone gets a spiritual revelation (the light shines down upon them), someone holy is seen with a light around them, and in many other ways. For, somewhere deep within the biological makeup of each of us is a natural yearning for light, and our religions reflect that yearning for light and fulfill it in a powerful way. But that's what religion is supposed to do: reflect and satisfy the needs of our spirit.

So, rejoice in the news that the sun has been born and rest in the comfort that he will be born again next year, too. That is the true miracle of this winter holiday many around here call "Christmas."

I had to work this out for myself many years ago when, while attending a very fundamentalist Christian church that did not celebrate Christmas (because it was pagan). Suddenly, I had to decide for myself if I was going to give up my favorite holiday for my religion. It was an important decision for me.

In the BUUF . . . January 2008

BUUF is a part of the UUA's Central Midwest District

Malvina Reynolds

Did you know that decorated trees are described in the Bible? Jeremiah 10:2-5 says:

Learn not the way of the pagan . . . for they cut a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They stand upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they need to be carried, because they cannot go themselves. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

I was a dedicated fundie who could recognize a Christmas tree when I read a description of one, and I was amazed to find that the custom was so old (Jeremiah lived long before Christ). Obviously, from the scripture, it had started as a pagan practice . . . but it also said "they cannot do evil." So, after much soul-searching, I decided that if Christmas and Christmas trees were not Christian, so be it. Out went the manger, in came the greenery and lights. Christmas (I liked the feel of the name on my tongue, so I kept it) became my holiday, free of the religion I followed. I celebrated it as a holiday of hope, joy, and wishes come true. It felt right and good to do this . . . I guess another pagan was born that day, but I didn't think of it that way then. And now that I understand it a little more, I also celebrate Christmas as a holiday of light. Religions should evolve as we evolve . . .that's how Christmas came to be in the first place.

So, have faith in Christmas, knowing that it is only one in a long line of winter holidays that celebrate our survival as a human species. Be joyful! Proclaim "Merry Christmas!" to your neighbors. Sing songs with abandon! The Light is born! We are alive! But if the words rub you wrong, if you prefer the old ways, than you would also be totally justified in saying, instead,

Merry Mithras, Everyone!
Happy Horus!
The Light of the World is Born!

RE Calendar of Special Dates

January
6 - Lesson 9: Joseph Priestley
13 - Lesson 10: Vihjalmar Stefansson: Learning from Others, Learning from Nature
20 - Lesson 11: Clara Barton: A Shy Little Girl Becomes a Brave Woman
27 - Lesson 12: Louisa May Alcott

February
3 - Lesson 13: Malvina Reynolds: Love is Like a Magic Penny
10 - Lesson 14: Beatrix Potter
17 - Love Makes the World Go 'Round
24 - Lesson 15: Olympia Brown: Of Course a Woman Can be a Minister!

March
2 - Lesson 16: Pete Seeger: Singing for Justice
9 - Lesson 17: Norbert Capek: The Man Who Loved Beauty
16 - Inter-Generational Service: Spring Celebration
23 - Lesson 18: P.T. Barnum (Part 1): Advertising Yourself
30 - Lesson 19 (Part 2): Greatest Show on Earth!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Sharon Roberts	January 10
Patrick Ohmann	January 17
Michael Laborn	January 27

In the BUUF . . . January 2008

We Are A WELCOMING CONGREGATION
This Unitarian Universalist community welcomes and celebrates the presence and participation of bisexual, gay, lesbian, and/or transgender people.

Pianist Bob Milne

UPCOMING EVENTS
[don't forget to check our online calendar!]

January 6		Poetry Service. Bring your favorite poem to share
January 13	Beth Lefever	topic to be announced
January 20	Heidi Sullivan	Music Service - harpist
January 23		Bob Milne concert at BUUF (see below)
January 27	Beth Lefever	topic to be announced
February 22-24		Winter WomanSpirit in Deerfield, IL. keynote speaker Rev. Shirley Ranck. Register by February 10th!

Mark Wednesday, January 23, 2008 on your calendars! Renowned Ragtime, Boogie-Woogie, Pianist Bob Milne is coming to perform at BUUF!

This is sure to be a fun evening and a unique opportunity to hear an artist of this caliber in such an intimate setting. Tickets to this performance would make great gifts for anyone. Reserve your seats by emailing Amy Eklund at amyeklund@hotmail.com or call Amy at home evenings at 471-7170. The cost is $10 per adult, or $5 for children 12 and under. BUUF members will receive first chance at the limited seats and then we will open sales to the public after the Sunday Jan 6 church service.

If you would like a preview, you can find a video of Bob Milne at the link below on youtube. It looks like its from a master class and it will give you some idea of what he sounds like when he gets grooving: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJtEcrGtoK8

As a student in the late 1960s at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, Mr. Milne began his musical career not as a pianist, but as a French horn virtuoso. He performed in such symphonies as the Rochester Philharmonic and the Baltimore Symphony. When the performances were over, the symphony musicians would relax and 'ham it up' in the local saloon. Because he didn't carry his horn around with him, Bob soon found himself at the piano, quickly learning how to accompany the singers and entertain the crowd. It was so much fun, that he kept at it, and soon discovered that not only did people love what he was doing, they were paying him for it! Bob moved to Detroit, where he pursued piano playing full time in just about every kind of bar, saloon and barrel house imaginable. At that time, he spent his off hours listening to the other talented piano players in the area, picking up an invaluable education by observing and comparing, and learning new tunes on the spot.

On the job, while leading sing-along crowds, he developed a highly energetic playing style that would penetrate the noise in the room, convey a steady rhythm, and capture the attention of the barroom patrons. His style, he later discovered, was based on a type of off-the-beat, 'ragged' time very similar to the styles of America's early ragtime era, of the late 1800s and early 1900s.

As he continued performing night after night, he expanded his repertoire, adding early ragtime pieces, Scott Joplin rags, and John William 'Blind' Boone pieces. Ashe continued to listen and study, he delved into the boogie-woogie, Dixieland and stride piano styles. His excitement about these styles of music, as well as the classical music styles of Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, and many other composers, spurred him on to acquire every bit of knowledge about them he could find.

Today, Bob enjoys a successful career as a concert pianist, entertaining audiences in concert halls, opera houses and arena stages from coast to coast. He enthusiastically shares his knowledge about piano playing and music in general with his listeners, as well as the incredible histories of others like him--musicians and composers of all eras who learned by listening and doing. As a recording artist, Bob Milne has produced ten collections of solo piano rags, blues, boogies and folk/traditional tunes, which are available on cassette and CD.

More Bits from Beth:
Free Counseling Available: I’ve received information that Andrews Community Counseling Center offers free counseling with Masters and Ph.D. students at their facility in Room 156 in Bell Hall at Andrews University. I spoke with their clinical director and was assured that religion does not become a part of the process unless the client requests spiritual input. To schedule an appointment, call 269-471-6238. If you have questions that I might answer, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Weather-Related Church Cancellations: I hope it doesn’t happen, but if the weather becomes cantankerous enough again this winter that we must cancel Sunday services, we will put a message on the BUUF answering machine by about 8:45 Sunday mornings. We also will send out an all-church email, assuming we have power and access to our emails. So if you have a question about whether church is going to happen, please check your emails and/or call the church. -- Beth


Berrien Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 4340 Lincoln Ave., St. Joseph, MI 49085 * 269-429-2883 * www.buuf2.org * office at buuf2.org