A Musician and His Trumpet: A Story from India
From Long Ago and Many Lands
In order to answer the soldier’s question, Kassapa told this story.
In olden times a certain musician, carrying his trumpet under his arm, stopped to rest on a bench in the market place of a small village. He laid his trumpet down on the ground beside him. Nobody else seemed to be anywhere around, for all the villagers were at home having supper.
Being lonely, the musician picked up his trumpet and began to play. He blew it three times, and then set it on the ground again beside him.
When the villagers heard the trumpet blowing, they were puzzled, for none of them had ever seen or heard a trumpet before. They said to one another:
“What is it that is making that charming and delightful sound?”
They rushed out of their houses and gathered in the market place. There they found the musician. They asked him :
“Sir, what was it that made that charming and delightful sound?”
“Friends, it was this trumpet that you see lying on the ground here beside me that made that sound.”
One of the villagers then picked up the strange instrument which had been called a trumpet. He looked it all over. He put it down on the ground again so that it stood up on its large round end. He called to it:
“Speak, O Trumpet! Speak, O Trumpet!” But the trumpet did not make a sound. Another villager turned the trumpet over and put it down on its side. He also called:
“Speak, O Trumpet! Speak, O Trumpet!” But the trumpet did not make a sound. Another man put the trumpet down on its other side and spoke to it. Another shook it this way and that way and called. The crowd began calling too:
“Speak, O Trumpet! Speak, O Trumpet!”
But no! The trumpet did not make a sound! The trumpeter smiled and thought to himself:
“How foolish these villagers are! How can they hope to hear the sound of the trumpet by trying other ways to play it than the right way?”
Finally, with the villagers watching him, the musician picked up the trumpet and again blew it three times. After this he walked off with the trumpet under his arm, and disappeared down the path.
The villagers were left to think things through for themselves. Everyone began talking at once. Finally, they agreed on the right answer to their puzzling. This is the way one of the men explained it:
“When the trumpet was connected with a person who blew his breath into it, it made a sound! But when the trumpet was not connected with a person and no breath was blown into it, then the trumpet made no sound at all.”
Kassapa then turned to the soldier and said:
“It is precisely so with us and our bodies. When the body is not connected with Life then it can not walk forward or walk backward. It can not stand or sit or lie down. Then, too, it can not see things with its eyes, or smell things with its nose, or taste flavors with its tongue, or touch things with its hands. Then it can not understand with its mind. We say the person is dead.
Conversation and Story for Sabbath
Tell the children,"The Sabbath is a very old Jewish celebration. Long, long ago, when the Jewish people worked hard for many hours everyday planting in the fields and caring for their farm animals, the seventh day of the week was set aside so they could rest from their work and worship their god. For the Jews, the seventh day was their day of worship and they called it Shabbat. Do you know what day of the week Jewish people worship’" Pause for answers and comments.
Continue by saying, "Yes, the Jewish Shabbat began at sundown on Friday and ended at sun-down on Saturday. Today Jews celebrate Shabbat in many different ways. Some customs include setting the Friday evening Shabbat table in the home with the best dishes, with wine, with sweet braided bread called challot and with candle-sticks. A blessing, or special words, is spoken to mark this time as holy before the meal is eaten.On Shabbat morning, the family attends services in the synagogue. On Saturday evening a special blessing is said thanking God for the Sabbath and a new week has started.
"But others observe Sunday as their Sabbath,their day to rest and worship their god. Who are these people! What is their religion called?" Pause and invite responses.
Introduce the story, The Creation. Say, "Making the seventh day of the week a day of rest and worship comes from an old, old story of how the world was made. We think that when this story says a ‘day,’ it is really talking about a long period of time–maybe even thousands and thousands of years! This is the story."
Read the story, The Creation.
Background for "What is Advent?"
The word Advent, which means "coming," was originally used for the Coming of the Christ, and applied only to that day. After the sixth century, its meaning was expanded to include the whole period of preparation for this day–as it is now.
The Advent season marks the beginning of the Christian church year. The orthodox Christian church year is based on the three main incidents in the life of Jesus–Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost–which form the framework of the Christian year. Each of these great festivals was preceded by a period of preparation to enable Christians to meditate on the spiritual significance of these events in the life of Jesus.
Although the birth of Jesus, or the Nativity, is the major holy day, the four Sundays of Advent are recognized as the Advent season, a time of expectation and quiet reflection. Advent begins on the Sunday nearest November 30, St. Andrew’s Day. For Unitarian Universalists, Advent means less than it does for more traditional Christians. However, Advent can provide an opportunity to deepen our awareness of the spiritual values inherent in the winter festival season.
The use of the Advent wreath originated a few hundred years ago among Lutherans in Germany. The wreaths are made of evergreens and are either suspended from the ceiling or placed on a table. Four candles are fastened in holders to the wreath, representing the four weeks of Advent.
On the first Sunday of Advent one candle is lit and allowed to burn during a ceremony of readings, prayers, and songs. On each of the following Sundays an additional candle is lit at the beginning of the ceremony until the fourth Sunday when all four are lit. Candle colors have varied over the years: some churches use white liturgical candles, others use three purple candles signifying repentance and one pink signifying joy (third Sunday). Sometimes on Christmas Eve a large candle is lit in the center of the wreath to symbolize Christ, the light of the world.
For children in our culture, the weeks approaching Christmas are often fraught with stress, as the media, the retail sector, and even the schools build up an ever-increasing sense of anticipation and excitement. Some families observe both Hannukah and Christmas, which can create even more excitement. We can help children deal more constructively with these pressures by focusing on an attitude of quiet preparation and patience. Also, these activities help them to see that they can play an active and cooperative role in getting ready for Christmas.
The Children’s Crusade
"What are we going to do?" Martin Luther King asked his friends. He was worried; it looked like they were going to fail in their mission. Martin Luther King was trying to lead the black people in Birmingham in a struggle to end segregation.
In King’s day, segregation meant that black people were not allowed to do the same things or go to the same places as white people: Black people couldn’t go to most amusement parks, swimming pools, parks, hotels, or restaurants.They had to go to different schools that weren’t as nice as the schools for white kids.They had to use separate drinking fountains, and they could get in big trouble for drinking out of fountains marked for white people. They weren’t allowed to use the same bathrooms; many times, there was no bathroom at all that they could use. They weren’t allowed to try on clothes before they bought them.
Black people didn’t think that was fair; there were white people who agreed with them. But in many, many places, especially in the southern part of the United States, segregation was the law–and if black people tried to go someplace they weren’t supposed to go, they could get arrested, beaten, and even killed.
Many thousands of people were working in the 1950s and 1960s to end segregation. But one spring, Martin Luther King was in one of the largest and strictest segregated cities in the south–Birmingham, Alabama. There he could find only a few people who would help. At night they would have big meetings at a church; they would talk about segregation and ways to change things. Four hundred people would show up for the meeting, but only thirty-five or so would volunteer to protest; and not all of these volunteers would show up the next day for the protest march. Those who did would gather downtown, parade through the streets, carry signs, chant, and sing, sending the message that segregation had to end.
You see, the people were very scared. The sherif in Birmingham was a man named Bull Conner. And black people didnt know what Bull Conner might do to them if he caught them protesting. Martin Luther King had already been in jail once, and others were afraid to follow him. Besides, they werent sure protesting would do any good.
So things were bad. Very bad. Martin Luther King had run out of ideas. He was about ready to give up. And then that night, at a meeting, something surprising happened. When King asked who would demonstrate with him and be ready to go to jail, if necessary, a whole group of people stood up, and everyone’s mouth dropped wide open. The people who had stood up were children. The adults told them to sit down. Martin Luther King thanked them and told them he appreciated their offer but that he couldn’t ask them to go to jail. But they wouldn’t sit down. They wanted to help.
That night, Martin Luther King talked with his friends. "What are we going to do?" he asked. "The only volunteers we got were children. We can’t have a protest with children." Everyone nodded, except Jim Bevel. "Wait a minute," said Jim. "If they want to do it, I say bring on the children." "But they are too young!" the others said. Then Jim asked, "Are they too young to go to segregated schools?" "No! "Are they too young to be kept out of amusement parks?" "No! "Are they too young to be refused a hamburger in a restaurant?" "No!" said the others. "Then they are not too young to want their freedom. That night, they decided that any child old enough to join a church was old enough to march.
The children heard about this decision and told their friends. When the time came for the march, there were a thousand children, teenagers, and college students. And the sheriff arrested them and put them in jail. The next day even more kids showed up-and some of their parents and relatives too–and even more the next day and the next day. Soon lots of adults joined in. Finally, a thousand children were in jail, and there was no more room for anyone else.
Sheriff Conner had done awful things to try to get the children and the other protesters to turn back. He had turned loose big police dogs and allowed them to bite people. He had turned on fire hoses that were so strong, the force of the water could strip the bark off trees. He had ordered the firemen to point the hoses at the little kids and roll them right down the street. People all over the country and all over the world saw the pictures of the dogs, the fire hoses,and the children, and they were furious.
Now the white people of Birmingham began to worry. All over the world people were saying bad things about their town. Even worse, everyone was afraid to go downtown to shop because of the fire hoses and the dogs. So they decided they might have to change things. A short time later, the black people and the white people of Birmingham made an agreement to desegregate the city and let everyone go to the same places.
Today, when people tell this story, many talk about Martin Luther King. But we should also remember the thousands of brave children and teenagers whose courage defeated Bull Conner and helped end segregation in Birmingham, Alabama and the rest of the United States.
Free to Believe
"Hey Dad," called Raychel," is it okay if I go over to Heather’s house for dinner tonight?"
"Didn’t you go over there twice already this week, honey?"
"But tonight is special. There’s a meeting of a club from Heather’s church called the Handmaidens. She asked me to join. They play games and go on camping trips and they do good stuff like helping poor people. She said there are some things club members have to believe and some things they have to promise to do-but it’s no big deal. I think it sounds cool."
"Wait a minute here, my dear," Raychel’s dad liked rhyming words when he could. "What church is Handmaidens connected to? You already have a church."
"I don’t know much about the church," said Raychel, "All I know is that they have a girls’ group called the Handmaidens and a boys’ group called the Soldiers. Heather’s brother, John Peter, has asked Tony to join that one. Sometimes the two groups do things together. It sounds really neat."
"I think we should know more about what you are supposed to believe and what you are supposed to do to be a member of this club before you decide to join," said her dad.
"But Dad," argued Raychel, "We’re Unitarian Universalists. Didn’t you tell us we’re free to believe anything we want? What if I decide to believe the things the Handmaidens believe? That’s okay isn’t it?"
"It might be okay, but only after you have done a lot of hard thinking about it. Unitarian Universalists don’t just believe anything. We ask lots of questions and make sure that the beliefs –and the things people do because of them — are things that make this world a better place," explained Raychel’s dad.
"Tell you what though, you go to your friend’s tonight and tomorrow we’ll all talk about it. Then, if you still want to, you can join them."
The next day, Tony and his parents joined Raychel’s family for dinner. At the dinner table, as usual, everybody was talking at once. Raychel’s dad, Val, stood up and banged his spoon on the table to get everyone’s attention. In a big, booming voice he said, "Hear ye, hear ye, the dining table will come to order.
"Raychel Morgan, will you tell us about your visit to the Handmaidens?"
"It was boring," sighed Raychel. "First they read from the Bible, and everyone recited the Handmaiden’s Creed, which was all about obedience to authority and the leaders — whoever they are. Then we played a game with words from the Bible. Heather’s mother talked to us about how important it was to be a Handmaiden and how we had to try and get more kids to be Handmaidens so more people would get the message and be saved. I wanted to ask, "What message?" and, "Saved from what?" but nobody else was asking questions. Anyway, I didn’t like it."
"Sounds a little different from our church," said Raychel’s dad.
"It was really different from our church and our youth group," Raychel continued. "But when they asked me about our church I couldn’t think of anything to say. They knew exactly what to say about their church and what they believed. But what do UUs believe?"
"Raychel has asked a very important question," said her dad, "Can anyone here sitting give answer to that question?" He was having fun talking like a real judge.
"Well, what about the words we say at the beginning of church," Tony offered, "you know" love is the doctrine of this church, the quest of truth is its sacrament and service is its prayer…?"
"I can say the words, but I don’t get what they mean," said Raychel.
"Those words are a perfect place to begin," said Raychel’s father. "We believe that love is the strongest power in the world–stronger than hate and stronger than fear. I like to call this power God, because that’s the best word I know for a power that is so much bigger and stronger than any person. Your mom doesn’t like to use the word God, because it makes her think of an old man sitting up on a cloud. But even though she doesn’t use the same word to describe this power of love, she believes in it the same way I do. And ‘doctrine’ simply means something that is taught. So the first line means that we teach love."
"What about the next line, ‘the quest for truth is its sacrament?’ What does that mean?" asked Raychel.
"Well," continued Raychel’s dad, "a sacrament is an object or an act that is considered very, very special in a religion. Other words used to describe these things are ‘sacred’ or ‘holy.’ A quest is a journey to find something. So the second line means that we consider searching for truth to be a very special and important part of our religion. And to us, searching for truth means more than never telling a lie."
"Like what?" asked Raychel, getting confused again.
"For one thing, it means that what might be true for us today might not be true tomorrow if we learn something new."
"You mean like when people used to think the world was flat until someone noticed it was really round?" asked Tony.
"Or that only birds could fly until someone invented an airplane?" added Raychel.
"That’s it," answered Raychel’s dad.
"Or that someone named God invented the world in seven days even though the study of science has given us different facts to believe," added Raychel’s mom. "You see, some people believe that God told the truth many years ago to men who then wrote it down in a book like the Hebrew or Christian Bible or the Islamic holy book, the Koran. They believe that this one truth is the only truth they need to know to live a good life. So they don’t question it."
"Other people, like Unitarian Universalists," she continued, "keep asking questions because we believe there is always more to know, always new ways of thinking and acting that can make the world a better place."
"So what does ‘and service is our prayer’ mean?" asked Raychel, "How can service be a prayer?"
"Most Unitarian Universalists believe words alone aren’t enough. We have to work to make a better world, not just talk about it," said Raychel’s mom.
And for a moment, strange as it seems, everybody in this noisy wonderful family was quiet.
"So," said Raychel’s dad, "what do you think?"
"I think Unitarian Universalism is a hard religion to explain," answered Raychel. "But from now on, when I’m asked, I’m going to say, "we believe in love, we believe in searching for truth, and we believe in making the world a better place."
"I think that’s a very good answer Raychel," said her dad. "It says a lot about how we think in just a few words. And in this family, anything said in just a few words is amazing indeed!
"So, Raychel. Do you think you’ll be joining the Handmaidens next week?"
"Well, dad," said Raychel, "I think I ask too many questions to make a good handmaiden."
Marlene’s Stamp Album
Did you know that there are 43 famous American Unitarian Universalists and at least 4 Canadian UUs who are honored on postage stamps? In The UU Kids Book, by Brotman Marshfield, CLFer Marlene Powell learned about these stamps and decided to start her own collection. But she had an idea to make the collection even more interesting. On each page of her album Marlene wrote a paragraph or two describing the person on the stamp — what she or he believed in and did that made them famous. Here is an example from Marlene’s album.
There are several ways to start a collection. Each stamp ever issued has an official number. You can find the numbers for the famous UU stamps in the UU Kids Book or write me at CLF and I’ll send you the list. Once you know a stamp’s number you can order it from the Scott Catalogue,(usually found in libraries), or from a local dealer. Have fun!
What makes something religious?
Goal:
To understand shared components of different religions and make a comparative analysis of local churches, temples, other places of worship.
Activities:
1. Design your own religion
Give each family member a copy of "If I Were a Founder." If you have a large group, you could break into two smaller groups and create 2 religions. If not, answer them as a whole group.
On a separate sheet of paper make three columns. Title them: Beliefs, Values, Practices. Present at least 2 examples of how beliefs, values and practices are related. For instance, if I say “I value the earth as the source of life,” the earth is an example of something I value. (Write “the earth” in the value column.) Is it also an example of a belief? Yes, a belief in the earth as the source of life. (Write “earth is the source of life” in the belief column.) What are some things I might do as a person who believes the earth is a source of life and who values the earth? I might plant a garden, or help at the recycle center. (Write “planting” in the practices column.) In other words, “I believe the earth is the source of life; I value the earth, therefore I practice care of the earth.” Here’s another example: I believe that God is a loving force in the world. I value love. I practice loving myself and others by being kind, honest and caring. A belief often points to a value. A practice often reveals both a value and a belief.
All religions have these 3 components. Look at the religion your family “founded.” What are some of the beliefs, values and practices of your newly created religion?
2. Compare area churches
Find a list of churches, temples, and synagogues in your area. (The Yellow Pages are a good place to start.) Decide which ones you’d like to visit and learn more about. Using a chart like the Sample Comparative Faiths Chart make a graph with the churches you want to visit on the vertical axis and the things you want to look for on the horizontal axis. Fill in the graph as you visit different places of worship. A good source book for visiting other churches is How To Be a Perfect Stranger. Look for it in your local library.
What do UUs believe?
Borrow the following Dr. Seuss books from your local library. Discuss UU values and principles as they appear in the stories.
Horton Hears a Who
Lesson/UU value: Every person counts, every person has the same rights. Cooperation gets things done.
Questions for discussion:
Did you ever have someone give you a hard time because you were smaller than that person?
Did you ever have to help someone who is smaller than you?
Have you ever accomplished something big because you cooperated with someone else?
The Sneetches
Lesson/UU value: Everyone is valuable; our differences are valuable. Be yourself. Don’t try to change to copy others—it won’t work.
Questions for discussion:
What made Star-Belly Sneetches better than Plain-Belly Sneetches? (Only their belief that it was so.)
Imagine a situation in which people think peole with curly hari are better than those with straight hair. How would you feel if you had straight hair? Would you really be different if you got a perm?
Is trying to look like other peole a good way to get along with them and make them like you?
What is a good way to be a friend? What do you like about your friends?
The Lorax
Lesson/UU value: We are all responsible for caring for the environment. We are part of an interdependent web of all existence.
Questions for discussion:
Why did the Lorax leave a pile of rocks with the world “Unless?” What can be done? What do you do to help take care of the world we live in?
Discussion Questions
The Fall of Freddy the Leaf by Leo Buscaglia
• How does Freddie know that summer is coming to an end?
• How do the leaves feel as the wind begins to tug at their stems?
• Why do you think Freddie doesn’t get scared when spring passes into summer, or summer into
fall?
• How do you feel when Daniel lets go?
• When you look at the pictures in this book, what signs indicate that the seasons are changing?
• What happens to the leaves once they fall to the ground?
• What is the meaning of the last two words of the story?
• How does this story relate to the UU principle that says "We need to take care of the earth, the
home we share with all living things"?
Lifetimes by Bryan Mellonie and Robert Ingpen
• People have at least one thing in common with any living object. What is it?
• What do we call the period between birth and death?
• Why is the lifetime of a bird different from the lifetime of a tree?
• What else affects how long something or somebody will live?
• What happens when an insect dies? A field mouse? A family pet?
• How does this story relate to the UU principle that says "We need to take care of the earth, the
home we share with all living things"?
Annie and the Old One by Miska Miles
• What does the Grandmother mean by "I will go to Mother Earth."
• How does she know this?
• How does Annie feel about her grandmother’s death?
• Why doesn’t she talk to her grandmother or mother about this?
• What does she do to prevent her grandmother’s death?
• What eventually happens?
• How does this conversation help Annie to accept her grandmother’s death?
Background for "Being with God in Prayer"
All people need to communicate, with someone or something beyond themselves about their joys and their woes. For some, communication with other people, or even with animals, is enough. However, many people feel the need to express their deepest thoughts and concerns to that which is the source of all, to God, and they need to feel that God hears them and responds. There are many ways in which such communication can be expressed: through worshipful viewing of God and Goddess sculptures as the Hindus do in their worship; through the inner or spiritual eye as the mystics do; through silence as the Quakers and Buddhists do; through dreams; through body movements; and through words. All of these can be forms for prayer.
There is a great variety of types and methods of prayer in the world’s religions. In some religions, such as in many of the indigenous African religions, the God who created everything, becomes very distant and unavailable after creation is finished and people who wish to speak to a spiritual power, pray to the more familiar village Gods and Goddesses who care about them. In other religions, God is so powerful that it is dangerous for women and men to speak to God directly and it is necessary for there to be some kind of an intermediary such as a priest or priestess. Sometimes, one can only reach God through prescribed words, movements, or rituals. In other cases, however, humans are encouraged to speak directly from their hearts, in ordinary language, to God.
In some religions, it is believed that prayers are more pleasing to God or more effective if the one who is praying accompanies the words with certain body movements. In many religions, the one praying bows his or her head, sometimes accompanied by special placement of the hands. In Islam the faithful turn to face Mecca, kneel, and then lower their heads to the ground. Catholics enhance prayers by tracing the outline of a cross over their chests. At Shinto shrines, prayers are accompanied by hand clapping. Some Jews stand during prayers, rocking back and forth.
Many primary age children are likely to have experienced grace at a meal, a bedtime prayer, or a prayer in church though these prayers may not have been said on a regular basis. The idea that people can share thoughts and feelings with God, as well as with those who are close to them, may be appealing to many children. There are times when the people you are close to may not have the time to listen or, for a variety of reasons, they may not be an appropriate choice of a listener. It is comforting to know that there is a power that transcends ordinary relationships that is always available to listen and to respond.
Children can begin to understand "that power" as both greater than ourselves and yet also within us. The answer which comes to the girl in the story comes, not so much from a personified being as from within her own consciousness. It can be very helpful for children to learn to tap into a kind of "spiritual energy" which can provide support and encouragement. William James writes in The Varieties of Religious Experience, "the fundamental religious point is that in prayer, spiritual energy, which otherwise would slumber, does become active, and spiritual work of some kind is effected really." This kind of energy promotes the courage to overcome fears, as the girl in the story does.
At the same time, children, and all of us, should learn to avoid asking God to do something which is clearly impossible or which would only satisfy egotistical needs. They need experiences with prayers which express gratitude, concern for others, and otherwise promote spiritual growth. They, also, need to heed the advice offered by the grandmother in the story that the response to a prayer usually calls for listening, waiting, and being prepared for surprises; prayer does not guarantee instant gratification.
The importance of learning about prayer is supported by our Unitarian Universalist principle which encourages us to spiritual growth and by the source of direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces that create and uphold life.