Having always loved music, and having (fortunately) never experienced much loss in my life, the death of Albert Hidalgo hit me very hard. Albert was the pianist who conducted the regular Thursday night gig at which I sang and my brother, Dave, played trumpet, along with two other musicians at a local eatery.

For three years Evan and I went to the Bulldog Restaurant and Lounge every Thursday evening, as did any number of other regulars. Albert had been playing there for twelve years and he had a loyal following. He also had a following at Parisi’s Ristorante in South Bend, where he’d played weekly for fifteen years. Everyone loved Albert. I loved Albert.

Though singing has always been a part of my life, to one degree or another, it was Albert who taught me how to work a crowd. It was Albert who taught me how to bring the audience into the joy of the music. It was Albert who made lounge singing a love affair for me.

He did this not through anything overt, but merely through his sly smile, the slightest of nods, obvious pleasure at a job well done, and through the generous sharing of his own joy in the process of making music. He never hesitated to lend anyone the microphone, and graciously allowed me to become a regular member of the band. I became ever more skilled under his subtle tutelage, and when he was pleased with me, my heart soared.

I knew the gig wouldn’t last forever; Albert was 70 when we got started at the Bulldog, but I surely wasn’t prepared for it to end when and as it did. Albert was killed in a car-train collision on a snowy Friday night in January while on his way to play at Parisi’s. I got the call Saturday morning as word began to flow out among his many friends. Since then, I have been slowly learning to navigate the steep, hard road of grief.

I am different because of Albert. I am changed.

I am more in touch with my joy; I am more in touch with my pain. I am deeper, lighter, broader.

Albert graced my life, as we do for those to whom we are special.

My wish for you is that you all may have an Albert in your lives.

And my hope is that we all may be an Albert in the lives of others.

Dear Members and Friends,

December 1941, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt in a fireside address to the nation said,"We have nothing to fear except fear itself! "He rallied the nation to support the war against Facism. Not until the McCarthy era did we have a new epidemic of fear. Ronald Reagan "snitched" on any actor he judged had Communist sympathies. Careers and lives were ruined. Bishop Oxnam of New York City was examined before the tribunal. At his trial, he coined the couplet "Breathes there a Christian with soul so dead, Who never has been called a red?" Anyone concerned about the poor was suspect. The inquisition broke his health, and he died soon after being exonerated.

Now,once again, we live in a culture of fear. We hear constant reminders of how treacherous our enemies are, and how vulnerable we are to sneak attacks. Add to this the constant fear-mongering by the advertising industry reminding us of the terrors of non-conformity in appearance, style and behavior. Let me list our daily fears: fear of the state and the states' fear of the people, fear of war, fear of the racial, religious, politicaI, idealogical and sexual contamination. Then there is the deep fear of disorder and the imposition of order, fear of change and fear of stasis, fear of technology and the projection of alternatives, fear of "the Mob," fear of hell for the state of the soul, fear of urban dysfunction, fear of Utopian futures. We know that fear is a productive agent in violence, resistance, solidarity, artistic expression and thought. The emotional and psychic texture of fear pervades our daily living. We should examine the processes by which fear spreads, dissipates and is countered. What does our faith have to say about fear?

Fear can be overcome by feeling comfortable in your own skin. When you feel at home in the world, you are not afraid, for you know anthropoiogically every person on the planet is at least your twelfth cousin. How often Jesus reminded us to love our neighbors! We know we stand on the palladium of love, that love which is both justice and power. Our faith connects us with all that is elemental and natural. We are a part of nature, so that wherever we are on Earth we are relaxed and related to everyone and everything. Remember Luther's dictums, "Everyone is responsible for every thing!" Too bad he did not remember that when he sided with the princes against the peasants. If you think of yourself as citizen of the world rather than as an American, Swede or a Korean you will arrive at a very comfortable solid rock.

On a rainy Sunday afternoon it would be a good exercise to examine how fear has been used by church and state to control, manipulate and exploit the fearful. One of our freedom songs says,"We are not afraid; we shall overcome some day!" BE OF GOOD CHEER; ADORN YOUR SOUL WITH GLADNESS!

Love,

* see Yoko Ono's recent page in the NY Times "Imagine Peace!" Jan 6 2008.

Burning Books

I have in my possession a very old book from my childhood, published in 1911. My stepfather had received it, in a box with many other books, from a Polish doctor in the area whom he did some work for. Many of the books were in Polish and could not be read by us, but this one was in English. The book was called “The Science of Eugenics” and we children (who were voracious readers) looked upon it as a sort of weird medical journal, most of it ridiculous. A lot of it bored us, but we were intrigued with the parts that talked about how to be beautiful (young girls, you know) and were titillated over the naked pictures in the part that talked about sex.

Our young eyes only saw those parts of the book. It was only as an adult that I learned what “eugenics” really is—creating a better world by improving the human gene pool--and I couldn’t believe that we had overlooked this backbone of Nazism when we had so often pored over that book from our childhood. Unbelieving, I asked around and learned that my sister still had the book in storage. She brought it up from Texas for me to check out. My adult eyes now saw nothing of value in the book—instead, I only saw the parts that talked about removing from society those who were seen as “inferior.”

I felt like I was holding evil itself in my hands and I couldn’t read more than a few words before dropping the book and walking away from it. I knew that the “scientific” words in this book had been partly responsible for the murdering of thousands upon thousands of Jews, Catholics, and Gypsies. I had a sudden urge to burn it—and I don’t believe in burning books! Or maybe I should give it to someone who was directly affected by the holocaust so they could burn it. Or should I let it survive as a reminder that evil can take many forms and can start its work unseen, disguised as common sense and science?

I am still not sure, so I am asking you. If anyone has a strong feeling as to what should be done to this book, I am open for suggestions. If no one has any other ideas, I may very well have to destroy it as I haven’t been able to bring myself to touch it again. Perhaps this is one case where a book burning at the end of service would be deemed appropriate.

At any rate, the book brings me naturally to the theme of our Inter-generational service—“Knowing the Beauty—yes, Beauty!--of Human Difference.”

Flower Communion

Have you had enough snow yet? Despite its inconvenience, it is rather nice to see Michigan looking like Michigan is supposed to look in February. When I grew up, snow was almost always on the ground all through winter.

This winter (the first in many years) has been close to the same—just when you think it is melting away, another snow comes. I hope that it is a sign that we are beginning to get a handle on air pollution and may yet be able to turn around global warming. Still, it will be nice when spring arrives…and that isn’t too far away!

In honor of Easter and Spring, we will be holding an Inter-generational service on Sunday, March 16, that will include a beautiful Flower Communion. Roses, daisies, irises—all the flowers can demonstrate better than words that there is beauty in differences. We are all like a bouquet of flowers—each beautiful in its own way. And as each flower, starting with the crocuses, raises its head and blooms this spring, we will be reminded again and again of that beauty, not to mention the renewal of life that spring brings!

The week before, in their Sunday class, our children will be learning about Norbert Capek, the man who created the first Flower Communion that many Unitarian Universalists hold in their services each spring. They may be doing their own Flower Communion during that class. That will prepare them to serve as flower-bearers during the Inter-Generational service, as well as introduce them to Norbert Capek’s life.

Everyone is encouraged (but not required) to bring a flower to the Flower Communion on Sunday, March 16.

Cakes for the Queen of Heaven: In Ancient Times

“How would your life have been different if, when you were growing up, the divine had been imagined as female?”

The decision has been made. The class, Cakes for the Queen of Heaven: In Ancient Times will be held during one intensive woman-filled week, May 5-10 (excluding Tuesday), 7-9pm nightly. We hope this fits into your schedule as this class is an awesome way to connect with the Woman within you as we learn about the most ancient Goddesses, such as, Willendorf. It will deal with major relationships in your life (including that fun mother-daughter one).

In Ancient Times by Shirley Ann Ranck weaves the stories of ancient Goddesses and matriarchal worship with major concerns of women today. This 5-session adult religious education curriculum (for anyone 14 years and older) includes themes such as, The Sacred Female, In the Name of the Mother and the Daughter, Womanpower, The First Turning-From Goddess to God, and Reclaiming Women's Heritage of Peace.

Class Information: This 5-session class is open to anyone 14 years and older. Classes will be held in one intensive woman-filled week, May 5-10 (excluding Tuesday). Cost for this class is $10, which will cover the cost of supplies. We need to know how many are coming, so please register by emailing your name/address/phone to DRE@buuf2.org or fill out a registration form at BUUF and give to Teresa or put it in her mailbox in the office. This class will be open to the public. Payments will be collected at the first class.

This curriculum was published by UU Women & Religion. You can read more about it on their website: http://www.uuwr.org/store.htm#curricula

RE Calendar of Special Dates
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!

Gloria Weberg March 02 Trevor Kauffman March 10 Duane Westling March 11 James Kennedy March 12 Liam Berndt March 12 Eliza Cottingham Sarra March 14 Warren Krettek March 16 Luther Buchele March 18 Mike Powers March 19 Laura Tedesco March 20 Eve Berndt March 25 Charles Long March 29

The BUUF book club has chosen Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver as the March selection. Emily Bettencourt will host the meeting at 7p on March 14. The April date has not been determined yet but we will be reading We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates. May will be another opportunity to share poems and in June we are considering A Thousand Splendid Suns as our selection.