The Story of the Birth of Jesus
January 1, 2010Once, a long,long time ago–before you were born–another baby was born. The story is that the baby’s mother, Mary, and his father, Joseph, had to leave their home city of Nazareth and goon business to the town of Bethlehem. To go from Nazareth to Bethlehem Joseph walked, but Mary, who was going to have a child soon, rode on a little donkey. They reached Bethlehem late in the evening and went to the inn to ask for a room for the night. But the town was crowded with people, and the innkeeper told them that there was no more room at the inn, and that they would have to find another place to stay. At last Mary and Joseph found shelter in a small barn with the animals. When the baby was born that night, Mary said, "His name will be Jesus," and she wrapped him warmly and laid him in a manger. There he went to sleep.
That night there were shepherds in a field nearby looking after their sheep. And suddenly there was a bright light all about them, and an angel came to them. The shepherds were afraid, but the angel said, " Fear not, for I bring you good news for all people. On this day, there is born in Bethlehem a child, and you will find him warmly wrapped and lying in a manger." And then there were, not one angel, but many angels saying:
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward all people." And the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger.
There were also in that country three kings,who had seen a new star rise in the East and had followed it. The star seemed to come to rest just above the barn where the family was staying, and when the three kings entered there, they found Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus. The kings remembered this very first birthday of Jesus by bringing him gifts. This story is a story of long,long ago, but this year, and every year, we still remember Jesus’ birthday by giving gifts and by singing, like the angels:
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward all people."
Family Stewardship
January 1, 2010We define stewardship as the act of caring for our congregation, our community, and the Unitarian Universalist movement. People care in various ways: by giving of their time, by sharing their talents, and by contributing financial resources (a.k.a. treasure). Unitarian Universalists have a long, rich history of contributing to their congregations, their communities, and the world. This important aspect of our congregational life begins with the role model of good stewardship in the home. Examining how we spend our time and money as families may help us evaluate how we can be good stewards in the congregation as well.
“For a child to develop into a functional adult and good citizen of the world, the family must mirror society. Volunteering helps kids learn that service—not self-interest—holds our world together.”
As family counselor John K. Rosemond states in his article “Volunteering For Kids,” parents can begin teaching the social value of volunteerism by assigning simple daily household chores to children as young as three years old. Such children learn that being a member of a family involves not just sharing the family’s wealth, but also its work. Parents can impress upon children the importance of community service with a simple civics lesson: without volunteer support, there would be no community sports programs, no scouting, no 4-H, no homeless shelters, and no summer programs at the local Y. By including children in community and congregational service activities, parents can teach that one person can make a difference in this world. Guiding a younger child toward compatible community service requires that parents help the child answer the following questions: What are my interests? What do I really enjoy? What’s something I’ve always wanted to do? Would I prefer working with large or small groups? Indoors or out? What problems in my community or congregation need solutions?
Jim and Kathy McGinnis, founders and directors of the Institute for Peace and Justice, list seven ways to teach our children stewardship in their newsletter, Parenting for Peace & Justice:
Tithing for the congregation. Children can give a percentage of the weekly allowance.
World Bank donations. This program is similar to the UU Guest at Your Table Box.
Shalom Box appeal letters. Decorate a shoe box and use it to store appeal letters received from charities. At quarterly family meetings, discuss which letters to honor and what amount to give.
Split our energy savings. Encourage family members to turn lights out, lower thermostats, and save energy in other ways. Then, spend half the money saved on a fund for those who need utility bill assistance. (The other half can go toward a family event.)
Alternative gifts. Encourage children to be generous with their time and talents by making their own birthday and holiday gifts.
Exposure to hurting people. Prepare, serve and eat meals at a local agency, visit shut-ins, travel and work in countries with poor people.
Discussing our will. Explain to children that groups working with hurting children will receive the same bequest as each of them.
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To assist you in exploring these issues in more depth, we’ve attached reprints of two articles—“Children, Money and Values: Ten Principles” by Susan Vogt, and “Helping Children with Allowances and Savings,” from Parenting for Peace and Justice Newsletter.
The Grumps
January 1, 2010Once upon a time there was a family of Grumps. Papa Grump, Mama Grump, Sister Grump, and Brother Grump. Everyday they would grump at each other from morning to night.
Papa grumped at breakfast, “My porridge is too hot!”
Brother grumped at lunch, “My soup is too cold!”
Sister grumped at dinner, “It’s no fair. Brother got a bigger piece of cake than me!”
As for Mama Grump, she would roll her eyes, bang the plates down hard, and grumble, “If you don’t like what you’ve got, go fix it yourself!”
No one ever said, “Thank you!” No one ever said, “Please!” No one ever said, “I’m sorry!”
As you can imagine, all that grumping had a terrible effect upon the Grumps looks. Their faces were wrinkled up sourly, as if they’d been sucking on lemons. Their hair stuck out in all different directions because of their pulling at it in fits of temper. When they walked, their heads hung down so low, all they could see were their belly buttons; so every other step they would bump into something, getting scrapes and bruises on top of scrapes and bruises. It’s no wonder the Grumps hardly ever looked at each other.
The Grumps lived in the middle of a dense and gloomy woods. Under the great trees night and day seemed almost the same, except for the chill that night brought with it. Mama Grump often warned Brother and Sister not to wander away from the house, because they could get lost so easily in the dark tangle of trees and underbrush.
One morning Sister was feeling particularly grumpy. Brother Grump had stepped on her mud pie, because she had broken his stick, because he said, “You smell!” because she had sat on him thinking he was a mossy rock. Sister decided that she was going to leave her family to go wherever she pleased on her own.
So she headed into the woods muttering to herself, tripping over tree roots, scraping against pricker bushes, and aimlessly wandering this way and that, until her head bumped up against a tree. “Waaaaaah!” Sister stumbled, fell backwards, and landed hard on her sitter. She looked up ready to let loose a terrible grump at the tree, when “huh!” she saw something she had never seen. Before her was a small clearing, and stretching from the tops of the trees to the patch of ground in front of her were bright shafts of light.
Sister forgot all about her grumble. Looking into the brightness she could see the green of leaves, the yellow and blue of flowers, and a sudden flash of red as a bird flew past. She picked herself up and lurched forward into the light, feeling its warmth upon her.
In the middle of the clearing sister stumbled upon a spring. As she peered down into the calm water at its edge, she was startled by a dirty, twisted face peering back at her. At first she drew back, but then she realized the face was her own. Full of wonder, she began to smooth back her hair, and wash the dirt off her skin. Ever so slowly, her mouth untwisted and began to curve up at the corners while a good feeling warmed inside her.
Suddenly Sister wanted her family with her. She hurried back through the darkness and prickers trying to remember the way she had come. She would surely have been lost forever if her family’s grumping hadn’t been so loud, penetrating even the darkest and densest of thickets. Led on by her Papa’s roar, “Who’s been sitting in my chair?” she reached the house at last.
Sister rushed through the door. In her haste she knocked over Brother’s chair, and one of its rockers came off. “Look, my chair’s all broken! Sister did it!” Brother wailed.
“I’m sorry!” said Sister.
Mama, Papa, and Brother all stopped and stared at her in surprise. There she was all smiling and shining at them like she’d discovered the bees secret for making honey.
Somehow Sister managed to lead her family back through the tangled darkness to the clearing of light. Perhaps it was the red bird who signalled the way. Finally, there the Grumps were; blinking in the bright light, surprised by beauty, and warmed to their forgotten hearts. It wasn’t long before Papa, Mama, Brother, and Sister were all splashing and preening in the spring water, delighted with themselves and each other.
From that day on the Grumps made their home in the light. They held their heads up when they walked, hardly ever tripped, and looked upon each other with new warmth. They said, “Thank you!” “Please!’ and “I’m sorry!” quite often. In fact they were no longer Grumps. On their mailbox they printed in neat letters “Smith.”
Let my people go
January 1, 2010Moses was reluctant to be the one to free his people, and the job was by no means an easy one. When Moses first went to the Pharaoh to ask him to let the Hebrews go, the Pharaoh responded by telling his overseers to make the Hebrews work harder. This made the Hebrews angry at Moses. It looked as if they were never going to escape the hardships in Egypt. But God was persistent and didn’t let Moses give up.
Moses and his brother, Aaron, went back to the Pharaoh. Aaron threw down his staff before the Pharaoh, and it turned into a snake. The Pharaoh summoned his magicians, who threw down their staffs, which also became snakes. And the Pharaoh still would not listen.
Because of the Pharaoh’s hardheartedness, ten plagues were inflicted on the Egyptians. In the first plague, Moses and Aaron went to the Pharaoh again, as he was going to bathe in the Nile. Moses said, "God sent me to say, ‘By this you shall know that I am the Lord. See, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall be turned to blood. The fish in the river shall die, the river itself shall stink, and the Egyptians shall be unable to drink water from the Nile."
When the staff struck the water, all the water in Egypt turned to blood. But the Pharaoh’s magicians did the same, so the Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened.
Seven days later, Moses again went to the Pharaoh. "Let my people go," he said. "If you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs; the river shall swarm with frogs; they shall come up into your palace, and into the houses of your servants and of your people, and into your ovens and your kneading bowls; the frogs shall come up on you and your people and on all your officials."
The Pharaoh refused to listen, so Moses let loose the plague of frogs. The Pharaoh’s magicians did the same, and the Pharaoh did not know what to do with all these frogs; so he promised to let the Hebrews go if Moses would get rid of the frogs. Moses promised the frogs would all die the next day. After the frogs were dead, they were gathered into huge piles, and the land stank.
Once the frogs were dead, the Pharaoh went back on his promise, so in the third plague Moses caused gnats to swarm over all of Egypt, on both the people and the animals. The Pharaoh’s magicians told him that this was beyond their magic, but still the Pharaoh would not listen.
As a fourth plague, Moses caused great swarms of flies to cover the Egyptians, but the Hebrew people were not affected. The Pharaoh begged Moses to pray to God to make the flies go away. Moses said he would if the Pharaoh would let them go and not trick them this time. The Pharaoh promised, but as soon as the flies were gone he changed his mind again.
The fifth plague caused all of the Egyptian cattle, horses, sheep, and camels to die, but not one of the cattle of the Hebrews died. Still the heart of the Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.
For the sixth plague, before the Pharaoh, Moses threw soot from the ovens up in the air, which caused boils to break out on people and animals. Even the Pharaoh’s magicians were afflicted with the boils; but still Pharaoh would not listen.
The seventh plague was hail, which ruined most of the crops. Next came the ou and your people eighth plague, locusts, which ate the remaining crops. The ninth plague brought darkness over the land for three days. But still the Pharaoh was not willing to let the Hebrew people leave Egypt with their flocks and herds. Then God announced the tenth and final plague, and Moses reported to his people, "Thus says the Lord: about midnight I will go out through Egypt; every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits upon his throne to the firstborn of the female slave who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the livestock." So that the plague would not affect the He- brews, they sacrificed a lamb and spread its blood on their doorposts. In this way, God would know to pass over that household and let the Hebrew firstborn live.
Finally, all the Egyptians rose up and cried out to the Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go. He agreed, and about 600,000 men, women, and children and all of their livestock set out. But once more the Pharaoh changed his mind. When he saw that all of his Hebrew slaves were gone, he and his army set out after them in chariots.
As the Hebrew people were camped by the Reed Sea, they saw the Egyptians coming, and they were very much dry ground afraid. Moses told them not to be afraid, and he stretched out his hand, with his staff, and divided the sea on dry ground. Once Moses and his people were across, Moses again stretched out his hand, and the sea closed in upon the horses, chariots, and chariot drivers who were pursuing them.
Moses and his people were now free from the Egyptians, but they had many years of wandering in the wilderness yet before them. Eventually, however, they found Canaan, the land that had been promised to them.
Background for Passover
January 1, 2010Passover (Pesah) is an ancient Jewish festival which celebrates the Exodus of the Hebrew people from slavery and oppression in Egypt. The name Passover is taken from the Exodus story found in the Hebrew scriptures in the Book of Exodus: "During the tenth and final plague inflicted on Pharaoh to break his will, God passed over the Jews and struck down only the Egyptian firstborn. It was that night that the pharaoh finally agreed to let the Jewish people go. Ever since then, Jews gather together on that night to commemorate and contemplate the meaning of freedom.
The central meaning of Pesah is liberation– from slavery to freedom–and so is called the "season of our liberation." But Pesah has an- other name–the holiday of spring celebrating the liberation of the earth from the grip of winter. Therefore, the holiday of liberation is the holiday of spring with the themes of hope and rebirth. Pesah proclaims the possibilities of liberation and renewal, reminding us that freedom is as intrinsic to human nature as blossoming trees is to the natural world.
After the destruction of the Temple, Pesah became a home festival, its observance kept alive through the generations even under great oppression and persecution. The last supper shared by Jesus and his disciples was a Passover Seder (ritual meal). When appropriate, either at Passover and/or Easter, tie the Jewish and Christian scriptures together recognizing the source of the Christian mass and communion service with the Jewish Seder. In contemporary Judaism, Passover is sometimes celebrated in community Seders.
Many Unitarian Universalist churches (and many Christian churches) now observe Passover with a Seder. Through participation in an age-old tradition, we connect with our Jewish heritage. Although there ate Jews who believe it really happened as it is written in Exodus, there are others who believe that some parts of the story are true and some are not. There are some Jews who say they cannot believe in a God who would kill the first-born child of every Egyptian family or break the laws of nature to save certain people. But no matter what the many beliefs ate about the story, this is a celebration which speaks to all who value freedom.
Pesah acknowledges the universal human yearning for freedom and expresses compassion for all the people in the world who are not free. The Seder is a time of hope and gratitude celebrated with family and friends. It is a time for each person to rededicate themselves to the cause of liberty and justice.
The Spirit of God is There When Someone Dies
January 1, 2010Many years ago a baby was born and as that baby began to breathe for the first time, the spirit of God was in the baby’s breathing.
The baby nursed and slept and opened her eyes and nursed and slept some more and as time went by the baby could do more things. The baby learned to sit up and to crawl and soon the baby learned to walk. Now she could go all over, exploring everything. And the spirit of God was in her exploring.
Soon the baby was a girl who could run and talk and pedal a bike. And the little girl became a bigger girl who went to school and leanred to read and write and do arithmetic. And she could swim and ride a bicycle and row a boat. And she could play a piano. And she could make all kinds of things: bird houses, cookies, and gardens. And the spirit of God was in her learning.
Before long the girl was a youth who went to high school. She Iearned to drive. She began to think about what she would be when she was all grown up and she could decide more things for herself. And the spirit of God was in her deciding.
Now the girl became a woman. She found work to do and she found people she loved and she had her own home. One day she became a mother and had children of her own. She cared for her children, played with them, and taught them lots of things. And she worked to help make the world a better place for all people. And the spirit of God was in her loving.
Time went by and this woman grew older. Her children grew up and they had children and the woman became a grandmother. The time came when she retired from her work. She had more time to do the things she liked to do for fun, like playing with her grandchildren. And the spirit of God was in her playing.
This grandmother grew older and older until she was a very old woman. Some of her grandchildren even had children and she became a great-grandmother. Now she tired more easily and she moved more slowly. She couldn’t see or hear things as easily as before. And the spirit of God was with her in her aging.
And then this very old woman’s body became very tired and her family knew she was dying. As they went to visit her they did whatever they could to make her more comfortable, they talked with her about all the wonderful things they remembered doing with her, and they shared their sadness at the thought of losing her. And some of the time the very old woman was sad that she was dying and some of the time she was glad. And the spirit of God was with her in her dying.
And then the very old woman’s breathing became slower and slower and her breath became softer and softer and then she breathed her last breath out and she died. And the spirit of God was with her.
Later her friends and relatives came together and they shared their sadness and they talked with each other about the things she had said and done in her life. And the spirit of God was in their remembering.
Who tells UUs what to believe?
January 1, 2010A Stepping Stone Year by Margaret Gooding, and We Believe by the UUA
Goal:
To understand our faith as one which encourages the use of reason and that is comfortable with changing, if our understanding changes.
Materials:
• A Bible
• “Bumper sticker” supplies (strips of paper, markers etc.)
• Story: “The Boy Who Collected Beetles”
• Exerpts from The Scopes Monkey Trial
• List of “Used-to-thinks”
Background:
The “search for truth,” one of our UU principles, often leads UUs to new and different beliefs. The emphasis on the use of reason and the willingness to change one’s beliefs based on new information are hallmarks of our liberal faith tradition.
Darwin’s theory of evolution provides a dramatic example of new information that changed the way people thought about how the world began. Although the majority of people today accept the theory of evolution, there are still voices advocating the teaching of creationism in public schools. This lesson may stimulate discussion of other “used to thinks” in your family.
Activities:
• Read the first couple chapters of Genesis in the Bible, in which the seven days are described.
• Read “The Boy Who Collected Beetles.”
• Introduce the Scopes Trial. Then, take turns reading aloud the excerpts from the Scopes Trial.
• Play Used-to-Thinks.
• Make a bumper sticker to express a belief of yours.
Discussion:
The use of reason is one of the most important beliefs in our faith. We understand that the story from the Bible is an ancient legend, over a thousand years old. Times were different then. We can accept that it’s a beautiful myth and it is poetry. But we are comfortable replacing it with a different understanding of creation, as scientific evidence suggests the theory of evolution.
Unitarian Universalists believe that change happens and is a natural consequence of searching for the truth. We know that our own experience causes us to change, and that sometimes we make mistakes and must change. If we had slogans about our beliefs they might be: “Change Happens,” or “Mystery is Beautiful.” If you were to make your own bumper sticker, what would it say?
Why do people have to die?
January 1, 2010& Lessons of Loss by Carol Galginaitis
Goal:
To hear stories from other cultures, and our own, about death and the feelings of grief. To learn that the physical death of a person or pet does not necessarily end the emotional or spiritual relationship with the deceased.
Preparation:
Read the Background from Lessons of Loss
Review the following book choices at your local library and select one that appeals to you.
Nadia the Willful, by Sue Alexander
Some of the Pieces, by Melissa Madenski
Pearl’s Marigolds for Grandpa, by Jane Breskin Zalben
Print these two stories from Long Ago and Many Lands:
The Mustard Seed Medicine
The Road to Olelpanti
Activities:
Read your choice of stories, depending on the level of questions and interest of your children. You might do this lesson in several sittings: read the ancient stories first and then the more modern ones. Use the following questions to engage discussion.:
"The Mustard Seed Medicine"
Why did Buddha send Kisa Gotami to find the mustard seed?
How did Kisa Gotami learn to comfort herself?
"The Road to Olelpanti"
What would the world be like if nobody died? Or animals never died? Or trees and plants never died?
What did Olebis mean when he said that through “the gladness of birth” and the “sorrow of death” people will come to love?
"Nadia the Willful"
How does Nadia react to the disappearance of her brother?
How does her father react?
What does he demand of the Bedouin people?
What happens to Nadia as she keeps silent?
How does Nadia begin talking of her brother?
What happens to her feelings as she speaks of Hamed?
How does her father react when he hears the shepherd mention Hamed’s name?
Why does Nadia get so angry with her father?
What do you think Nadia teaches her father about losing someone you love? What do you learn from Nadia?
How will Nadia’s father act differently in the future?
"Some of the Pieces"
Why do Bubbo and his family share so many stories about Dad?
How does Bubbo feel after sharing these memories?
How did Bubbo feel in the days after his father’s death?
Other than sharing stories, how else does the family remember Dad?
What does Bubbo mean when he says, “There’s a part of Dad in us, too.”?
"Pearl’s Marigolds for Grandpa"
What does Pearl worry about after her grandfather dies?
What does her father suggest that she do?
How does this help her remember her grandfather?
What does her grandmother tell her at the end of the story? Do you agree?
Hinduism
January 1, 2010The origins of Hinduism date back to the third millennium B.C.E., establishing this faith as one of the world’s oldest major religions. Hinduism is a complex and diverse faith that has no uniform dogma or creed. One of the main Hindu world views describes each soul (Atman) as experiencing a series of life-journeys through unending cycles of time. Through these life-journeys, which include the cycle of life, death, and rebirth, the soul seeks to gain union with the Supreme Being (Brahman).
This cycle of reincarnation is called "Samsara:’ To gain union with Brahman, the Hindu must live an exemplary life of self-control, nonviolence, reverence for all living creatures, charity toward and tolerance of other humans, and devotion to rituaI and worship. This journey of spiritual ascent through Samsara requires attention to the following processes and principles:
Dharma
Accepting one’s station in each incarnation or life, as expressed through the caste system.
The caste system (varna) is the framework on which Hindu society has been built for many centuries. Though the Indian Parliament has outlawed caste discrimination and education is eroding some of its power, custom and tradition are so thoroughly ingrained in Indian life that change moves slowly and with great difficulty. Caste is less a foctor than it once was, yet it still pervades Hindu society and is most powerfuI in the many small villages where the majority of India’s population lives.
The four main castes were originally organized by occupation. These four have evolved into three thousand subcastes. The maincastes are as follows:
Brahmin: priests, teachers, seers
Kshatriyas: originally soldiers; now corporate directors,
administrators, office workers, and managers
Vaisyas: merchants, craftspeople, technicians
Sudras: factory workers, field hands, laborers
Outside of these divisions are the "outsiders/outcastes," once known as "untouchabies," Mahatma Gandhi called these people the Harijans or "people of God," They did-and in many cases still do-the work that other caste members would not do. Restrictions were so rigid-and often still are-that an "untouchable" was not allowed to walk on the same side of the street as a Brahmin. Never could they eat with or live in the same areas as members of the main castes.
Some historians claim that castes were not originally a part of the Hindu religion but were created to defend the position of the Aryan ruling class against both the indigenous population and later conquerors. Throughout recorded history, however, caste has been pervasive In the scriptures and customs of Hinduism.
Karma
Today’s actions bear on the future, or "one reaps what one sows."
Maya
This material world is really illusion. Yet it is in this world that each human being must seek to overcome his or her faults and weaknesses.
Moksha
Liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth through attainment of union with Brahman.
Hinduism is sometimes referred to as the "religion of thirty-three million gods and goddesses." Traditional Hindu beliefs describe many gods and goddesses who live in the Himalayas of northern India. These deities are not God as is Brahman, nor are they fully human though they enact all kinds of human experience. Indian literature includes many myths and legends detailing the origins of these deities and of the rituals, celebrations, and festivals relating to them that have become an important part of Hinduism over the centuries.
Even with all of these gods and goddesses, Brahman is clearly identified as "god" as Westerners understand this concept. Brahman is the Creator and the Creation, though always described in three personifications: Brahma (Creator); Vishnu (Preserver), and Shiva (Destroyer)
For the Hindu, every aspect of daily life is an expression of religion. The separation of the secular and the sacred familiar to Westerners is unknown in Hinduism. The Hindu’s day begins in the morning with bathing according to prescribed rituals. The preparation, serving, and eating of meals are carried out in accordance with religious prescriptions. Most Hindu homes have a family shrine where the family’s chosen god or goddess is worshipped. Each day the family god/goddess must be bathed, given food, and decorated with fruits and flowers in preparation for the family worship.
Hindu religious practice includes many rituals, celebrations, and festivals, which occur regularly throughout the year. Many of these rituals focus on honoring the gods and goddesses. Hindu practice also involves rites of passage throughout childhood and adulthood that are important in Hindu life. These serve as constant reminders of the person’s duty as a devout Hindu, and they strengthen family ties and people’s sense of responsibility to one another.
Some of the better-known scriptures of Hinduism include the following: The Vedas, The Brahmanas, The Upanishods, and The Bhagavad-Gita. Passages from several of these scriptures will be used as resources during this unit.
MANTRAS
1. OmorAum
When chanting Om, draw the syllable out to the fullest extent of your breath until the "m" is a low, murmuring sound.
Om sounds like: Ooo ooo o o o mm mm m m . . .
Om or Aum is a sound that is believed to contain the energy of Brahman, the same energy that created the universe.
2. Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram Om
(Phonetically: Shree rahm ji rahm ji ji rahm oo oo oo mm mm)
Accent the underlined syllables as you chant:
Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram Om
Translation:
Sri: a title of honor
Ram: Lord
Jai: Hail!
Om: the expression of the whole of being, of the ultimate creative energy in the universe
READINGS FROM HINDU SCRIPTURES
From The Bhagavad-Gita
"On Self-Control"
If you have self-control
and move in the world
while restraining your senses,
you are free from attachment and hate,
and attain serenity of mind.
"The Yoga of Meditation"
For one who has conquered his self by the self, the Self is a friend; but for one who has not conquered the self, the Self becomes hostile like an enemy.
One who is impartial to friend, companion and foe, to those who are remote and neutral, to those who are hateful, to relatives, to good and evil men-excels.
From The Upanishads
KATHAI
Om…
May Brahman protect us,
May Brahman guide us,
May Brahman give us strength and right understanding.
May love and harmony be with us all.
Om . . . Peace. . . Peace. . . Peace.
SVETASVATARA XII
1. O Brahman Supreme!
Formless art thou, and yet
Though the reason none knows,
Thou bringest forth many forms;
Thou bringest them forth, and then
Withdrawest them to thyself.
Fill us with thought of thee!
2. Thou art the fire,
Thou art the sun,
Thou art the air,
Thou art the moon,
Thou art the starry firmament,
Thou art Brahman Supreme:
Thou art the waters-thou
The creator of all!
The Preacher, the Farmer, and the Little Church That Waited
January 1, 2010As a boy growing up in England, John Murray dreaded Sundays.
His family, led by a stern father, rose at dawn each Sunday to spend the whole day praying and attending church. After church John’s father would quiz him on the sermon. If John couldn’t answer every question, his father would strike him with a cane, or box his ears.
Sunday was a time to sit and think about hell–a place where most people went after they died, and burned in flames forever and ever.
John’s parents believed in the Calvinist idea of God–that God decided whether a person would go to heaven or hell before that person was even born, and a person could do nothing to change this. Furthermore, only a certain few people were chosen to go to heaven. People thought that if you attended church a lot, and if you worked very hard, and if you were very good, and if you made a good living, it could mean that God had chosen you for heaven.That is why John’s father was so strict. John tried to please his father. At the age of six, he could read entire chapters of the Bible. He developed a talent for speaking and, as a teenager, he was often asked to preach in nearby churches.
When John was nineteen, he left for London and took a job at a cloth mill. But he was careful to attend church every evening and on Sunday, and he woke every morning at 4:00 to pray. He began to think that maybe he was one of the special few persons chosen by God to be saved. He started to feel and act superior to others.
Then one day in church John met Eliza, the most beautiful young woman he had ever seen. He immediately fell in love with her, and she with him. Soon after, John and Eliza married.
At this same time in London, a small group of people called Universalists were preaching ideas about God that were very different from the Calvinists. "John," said Eliza one day, "who are these Universalists?"
"I don’t know," he answered. "I hear they are evil and dangerous people."
"What do they believe?" asked Eliza.
"From what I hear; they believe some crazy idea that…well, that every person will go to heaven because God is so good!" said John.
"To tell you the truth, John." said Eliza,"I sometimes wonder myself why a truly good God would want millions of humans to go to hell, through no fault of their own. Besides, John, is anyone really completely good?"
John felt uneasy. It seemed wrong to question what he had been taught all his life.
"Let’s find out more," said Eliza.
John and Eliza learned about theUniversalist ideas about God. They spent several years carefully thinking through their beliefs. In the end, they chose Universalism.
Their friends were shocked and refused to be friends anymore. John and Eliza didn’t care. Universalism gave them hope in place of stern judgment. John discovered that he no longer looked down on people. He now cared deeply about others, rich and poor. He and Eliza made new friends, and to add to their happiness, they had a baby boy.
Then suddenly everything changed. Their baby died and Eliza became sick. John spent all their money and borrowed more to save her, but she died, also. John was thrown into debtors prison for owing money.
"I have come to pay your debts, John, and get you out of this place," said Eliza’s brother who came to John’s rescue. John replied, "My wife and my baby are dead. I don’t care whether I live or die. Just leave me."
But Eliza’s brother brought John home anyway. "Come on, John," said his friends. "Preach Universalism for us. We need you."
"I shall never preach again," John said,"but I know what I will do. I’m going to cross the ocean to America, and lose myself in the wilderness. I am done with the world."
In 1770, John sailed to America in the Hand in Hand. The ship was supposed to dock in New York City, but the captain miscalculated, and instead, the Hand in Hand got stuck on a sand bar off the coast of New Jersey. The captain asked John to go ashore to find fresh food and water for the crew.
John was glad to get off the ship and after walking some distance through the tall pines, he came to a clearing with a large house and, to his astonishment, a trim looking church made of rough sawed lumber. A tall farmer stood in front of the house cleaning fish.
"Welcome" called out the farmer. "My name is Thomas Potter."
"And I am John Murray, from the ship Hand in Hand."
"Yes," said Thomas, "I saw your ship in the bay, stuck on the sand bar, she is."
"May I buy your fish to take back to the ship’s crew?" asked John.
"You can have them for the taking, and gladly:’ answered Thomas,"and please come back to spend the night with my wife and me. I will tell you all about this little church and why it is here."
John gratefully carried the fish to the sailors, and then returned to Thomas’ home for the night.
"Come, my friend, sit in front of our fire, this chilly fall evening," said Thomas. "I’m so glad you have come. You may be the very person I’ve been waiting for."
John wondered,"Waiting for! What could he be talking about?".
Thomas explained. "You see, I grew up here in these woods. I never had a chance to read or write, but I always liked hearing the Bible read, and I’ve thought a lot about religion. Trouble is, my ideas are different from the ideas of the preachers who travel through these parts. I built this little church myself for all the traveling preachers to use. I ask them questions and talk to them, but they don’t know what to make of me and my ideas. I keep looking for a preacher of a very different stamp. I want a preacher who will teach about a loving God who saves all people, not just a chosen few."
Today, when I saw your ship in the bay, a voice inside me seemed to say, "There, Potter, in that ship may be the preacher you have been so long expecting."
John said quickly,"I am not a preacher."
"But," said Thomas Potter, leaning forward, "can you say that you have never preached?"
"I have preached," answered John slowly,"and I believe, as you do, in a loving God."
"I knew it! I knew it!" shouted Thomas."You are the preacher for whom I have waited for so long! You’ve got to preach in my church on Sunday!"
"No," replied John firmly. "I never want to preach again. Tomorrow, as soon as the wind changes, I will be on my way!"
After John went to bed, he couldn’t sleep. He thought to himself as he tossed and turned,"I just want to get away from everything…if I preach Universalism I know there will be trouble. Folks here in America mostly have Calvinist views, just as in England.Why start trouble for myself in a new country? But Thomas Potter has such faith in me. And he’s so kind. Oh, I wish I knew what to do.
By Saturday night the wind had still not changed, and John finally agreed to preach the next moming. Thomas Potter was overjoyed. He grabbed his coat and hat and ran for the door."I’m going to spread the word to all the neighbors! They can expect a sermon such as they have never heard before!"
And so, on Sunday morning September 30, 1770, Thomas Potter’s dream came true and the first Universalist sermon was delivered in America. At last he could hear a preacher who talked of love instead of punishment.
As for John Murray, after that Sunday he knew he wanted to preach. Just as he expected, there were people who were angry at him for preaching ideas so different from Calvinism. They spread lies about him and stoned him, but he stuck to his beliefs and, in 1779, organized the first Universalist church in America in Gloucester, Mass. After many years, he fell in love again and married. He and his wife, Judith, had a daughter.
And if you’re ever in Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey, the little church that waited so long is waiting for you to visit in Murray Grove.
About
Quest for Meaning is a program of the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF).
As a Unitarian Universalist congregation with no geographical boundary, the CLF creates global spiritual community, rooted in profound love, which cultivates wonder, imagination, and the courage to act.