Earth Day Created by a Unitarian Universalist

Thanks to Ron Hammond, I learned that Earth Day was actually an idea of a Unitarian Universalist: Morton Hilbert, a professor of public health and civil engineering who was a world authority on public water supplies. He was also, in his retirement years, a member of the Eastshore UU Church in Bellevue.

earth day lake

Hilbert encouraged his graduate students to work for the establishment of Earth Day though they would all credit him as being the inspiration for the day.

The idea for an Earth Day had its beginnings in a conference sponsored by the U.S. Public Health Service as a way to get college students interested in the environment. Hilbert, who was in attendance, helped students obtain a government grant and worked with them for two years to get the first Earth Day established in April of 1970. It is considered to be the beginning of the modern environmental movement.

Join us this Sunday, April 24, for a celebration of Earth Day. The folk duo, Emma’s Revolution, will be singing as well as our children’s choir.

Rev.Lo

 

And Transylvania is … where?

My friend Jill and I had sworn to one another that no matter where we were in ministry in the summer of 2000, we would take youth on a trip somewhere. So when I got a call from her in the fall of 1999 asking me if I wanted to take youth to Transylvania come summer, I said, “Sure!” And then got off the phone and looked up where Transylvania was on the map. I was still in the United Church of Christ at the time and was not aware of the importance of Transylvania to Unitarianism. By the end of that trip, I was well aware of the importance and on my way to becoming a UU and leaving the UCC.

I learned many things about Unitarianism and Transylvania that summer. The whole Dracula thing is just so annoying and frankly, offensive- though we did visit the supposed castle. Unitarians in Transylvania celebrate communion and use the Lord’s Prayer. They also affirm a God and on many pulpits, you will see these words: “Isten egy” which means, “God is one.”

Interior of the UU wooden church of Cizer

Interior of the wooden church of Cizer, Cluj*

The ministers wear heavy black capes to preach in. There is a societal pecking order in Romanian society: Romanians at the top, then the ethnically Hungarians (which the Transylvanians are) and then the Gypsy or Roma people. When the 40 or so of us all went camping, there was no fancy gear. The main tent was an old Russian Army tent. The “cook stove” was a huge cast iron kettle where many of our meals were made. There were several cultural differences between the American youth and the Transylvanian youth. The one I was most aware of was that when U.S. youth were asked anything in a discussion, they automatically jumped in and answered. The Transylvanian youth were slower to speak, spoke with their heads down, and spoke softly. Under the dictatorship of Ceausescu, neighbors spied on neighbors. People hid their beliefs and their feelings. A concept totally foreign to the youth from the U.S.

Two years later, the UCC church I served and the local UU church as well as Jill’s church in Michigan worked together to bring 16 Transylvanian youth and 4 adults to the states. Many of you may be aware of the Partner Church Program that was started after Romania began to open up again after Ceausescu was deposed. UU Churches in the U.S. were matched to Transylvanian churches. The program consisted of many Americans visiting their partner churches in Transylvania and sponsoring Transylvanian ministers to visit the U.S. But no one had raised money to bring Transylvanian youth to the states. The UCC and UU churches raised $30,000 to make this happen. Given the difficult economic situation in Romania at that time (2002), this sort of trip would forever been out of reach for the Transylvania youth.

Merry Cemetary of Sapântsa by Spiridon Ion Cepleanu

Merry Cemetary of Sapântsa by Spiridon Ion Cepleanu

One of the things we did was set up an entire day of volunteering at the animal shelter and at the Food Bank. This concept of service or volunteerism was entirely new to the Transylvanians. The youth had also requested to see a hospital and a farm. We took them to both. As it was June, strawberries were in ripe so we all had a blast picking them at an organic farm. We then contrasted that experience by visiting a factory farm. One of the young women on the trip said that tasting the strawberries was familiar but new- a way to connect an experience of home to an experience in the U.S.

This summer, Paige Marler, Kensi and Kylie Hartman, and Ashley Lacy will join a national youth trip to Transylvania. While there they will do many of the things I got to do in 2000 such as visiting the historical Unitarian sites. They will also have the chance to do a service project. In support of this project and to raise awareness of our Transylvanian roots, the youth will be holding a Hungarian dinner on Saturday, April 16 at WUUC. Rosemary Lowden will be showing her photos from her trip there this fall.

I would encourage as many of you as possible to attend this event; more information can be found here. And then, to come to church on Sunday, August 21 to hear these youth report back to us about the trip and their experiences.
Rev. Lo

* Photo Credit Original uploader was Albabos at ro.wikipediaTransferred from ro.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Kurpfalzbilder.de usingCommonsHelper.

Writing the Next Chapter of our UU History

Writing the Next Chapter of our UU History

Last Saturday, the Rev. Jon Luopa took those of us gathered at the District Assembly on a romp through contemporary UU history. It was brilliant. Below are some of my notes.

1920’s – 1930’s

  • Unitarians were embroiled in the “humanist vs. theist” controversy.
  • Was God necessary?
  • The focus of Unitarianism at that time was on the ethical.

1940’s – 1950’s

  • This was the period of our largest growth
  • Unitarian unity was based on social issues
  • Sermon content shifted from the theological to the political
  • Congregations became homogeneous: Democrats and Independents

1948

  • Fellowship movement starts with little Unitarian congregations without ministers
  • These were entirely lay led and took hold in academic communities
  • Tension Arose that Reflected Our 300 Year History
  • The commitment to individualism vs. the commitment to community and keeping communities together
  • We have been a “church” that has not wanted to be a church

1961

  • Consolidation of Unitarians and Universalists into UU Association of Congregations
  • This consolidation had been in the works for 100 years
  • It looked toward the future
  • Did not want to lose the past but had no way to consolidate the past
  • Unitarian Universalism had no theological resonance
  • The question asked was, “To what extent do we want to belong to a religious tradition?”

1963

  • There was enormous theological diversity in UUism
  • The philosopher John Dewey said that humanism is not a religion
  • Yet humanists act religiously in that they hold certain principles as their truths and gather in community

1967

A UU study of members showed that the majority of members were not “birthright” UU’s but “come outers” of other denominations

1970’s

  • Great issues of our time dominated our pulpits
  • The social issues of the time undermined faith in the institutions of the day; institutions like the church
  • UU’s were trying to be an institution when no one trusted the institution
  • When the political and some social issues were resolved, people left UU churches
  • UU’s were asking, “What is the purpose of the church?” “What is the theological nature of UUism?”

Today

  • UUism looks nothing like UUism 50 years ago
  • It is a totally new religion
  • Jon defines UUism as spiritual humanism
  • Instead of “come outers” filling our churches, now we have folks who have never been involved in organized religion filling our churches
  • How do we integrate these folks?
  • We have a multi-hued language rather than a common language
  • Question: why aren’t there more folks who want to be UU?!!!

Going Forward

  • People are coming to church to connect with something deeper in their lives
  • They are looking for meaningful relationships
  • They are looking for a way back into the covenant of Life
  • Purpose of the church: to build Beloved Community
  • What is “Saving” About Our UU Faith?
  • We are called to bless the world with our gifts. It is not enough to do that alone. We must bless the world together, in community

What to explore any of this further? Let me know!

Peace, Shalom, Salaam,

Rev.Lo

Looking Inward

Come Come Whoever You Are

Wanderer, Worshipper

You know that bumper sticker that says “Unitarian Universalism: Where all your answers are questioned.” I don’t like it! On the surface it smacks of elitism and intellectualism – two things that Unitarian Universalists are already accused of by many. Why add more fuel to the fire?

Oh, I think I know why we say it. It makes us feel good to think that we don’t provide answers like those mainline churches–that we respect the individual’s search for their own truth. And of course our heritage is one of questioning authority and sources of power. But the human brain seeks answers and sometimes it would be easier if there was one answer that fit everyone. We may even succumb to the allure of group think, assuming we all believe the same thing about politics or justice because we are UUs. It just isn’t true. All our lives we are each seeking answers to questions we have, both big and small. That is the crux of our fourth principle – “A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.”

So, why would a Unitarian Universalist say that my answers, freely and responsibly sought, are questioned. If you question my answers enough or with the implication that I just don’t know or haven’t been “properly” informed, I feel diminished.  And diminishing my search doesn’t aid my spiritual growth. We all walk different paths, seek information in different places, and bring our myriad of cultures to our learning. I won’t pretend that I know everything or that all my answers are right, but, then, neither should you.  Doesn’t the bumper sticker itself imply that UU’s know it all, that there is some right answer to any given question about life or spirituality or religion? That if my answer doesn’t fit yours, you will question its validity?

I seek a religious community where my search is honored and each truth I arrive at in the process is valid, a community where I learn alongside others and am inspired to continue learning because of the relationships I build. That’s why I choose Unitarian Universalism–because I know this is the potential our faith holds. What do I need from you? I want you to seek to understand me, to know where I come from and why I am on this journey with you. I want the freedom and safety to explore my own beliefs and understanding of the world, life and death, the big questions. I don’t always want to be questioned, I want to be heard. And I want to hear your story, your beliefs, your struggles. This sharing moves me and sometimes, upon reflection, I question my own answers and move to a deeper understanding of how to be alive and engaged in building a more just world.

Won’t you join me in this search?

 

Weaving the Web

spider web

spider web

I noticed with interest the myriad of spider webs glistening in the morning dew as I drove to work the other morning. Fall is my favorite time of year and I love the spider webs and spiders that are abundant right now. The intricate, near invisible designs that they weave appear so delicate, yet are strong enough to resist wind and catch the various insects that provide the spider sustenance. Sometimes the web appears damaged or is missing strands, yet it stands strong to be rebuilt or repaired. What seems to threaten these beautiful webs the most is a human touch or sweep of the broom, and yet the indomitable spider reweaves, reworks and perseveres.

I thought about our seventh principle of Unitarian Universalism as I stared at that dewy web and contemplated my place in the world. What does it mean to have respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. For me it means remembering that what I do vibrates along an invisible thread that connects me to everything. If I throw myself into the world, my actions make an impact, for good or bad. Somewhere within the web of all existence I have the power to help heal the world or to inflict further damage.

Our church community is a place where healthy, strong connections are encouraged and nourished – not only with each other, but with the wider world. The good that we do together amplifies each of our individual vibrations along the web of existence. As UU’s we strive to live in a way that honors our independence and our interdependence . While it may be easy to see ourselves as a part of the web and even sometimes the fly that gets caught, I believe it is our responsibility as Unitarian Universalists to collectively be the spider, helping to weave the beautiful web that vibrates and glistens in the sun, a web that moves with the wind but doesn’t break, a web with the potential to provide sustenance for a world that is longing for hope and justice .