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WHAT
IS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM
(A very short version by our
former DRE, Susan Nykolak)
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM is a faith
guided by principles
relating to attitude and behavior.
It is concerned with how people treat each other
and the earth and it’s creatures.
It encourages personal growth
and the search for meaning in life.
It does not dictate how one should
feel, think or believe.
It supports a questioning and open mind,
thinking for oneself,
loving hearts and helping hands. |
RE NEWS:
It is our pleasure to announce that the Board of Trustees has approved the recommendation, made jointly by the DRE Search Committee and the Reverend Catherine Torpey, to hire Jennifer Greene as our Director of Religious Education for the coming year. Jennifer is a member of the Bellport Congregation and some of you may know her from Long Island UU activities such as Sophia Fahs Camp.
IT'S NOT
EASY TO BE A UU KID
Excerpts from a sermon by:Rev. Anne Orfald
Unitarian Fellowship of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
I
want to tell you, it doesn't always feel so lucky to be a UU kid. Sometimes
it is very hard. ...I was the only one in my school, except for my brother
and sister, who was a Universalist. It can be pretty lonely. Of course,
we didn't talk about religion that much, but when we did sometimes my
friends would tell me I was going to hell, because I didn't believe the
right things.
My church taught me that Jesus was a good man and
a good teacher, but he was not God. And my church taught me that there
was no place called hell, where God sent those who were bad, to burn forever
and ever. No such place as hell. And my church taught me that God was
not a person -- not a Father like so many believed, but that God was a
spirit of Love, which is deep inside of us, like a bright light. Maybe
sometimes that light is a bit dim, but it is in each of us, no matter
what our religion. My church also taught me that we don't have all the
answers -- not about God or the universe, or about life and death. I was
taught that there are things we don't know for sure.
 Well, when that's the kind of teaching you get,
that we don't have all the answers and that there are some things we aren't
certain about, when you are up against someone who says they do have the
answers and they are absolutely certain that you are wrong in your religion,
it's not easy! It doesn't always feel lucky to be a UU kid. Have some
of you had experiences like that? How does it feel for you? Even for adults,
it isn't always easy. What can we say back, when we are pushed to believe
as others do?
Maybe we can say, "In my religion we believe
it is wrong to try to make other people believe what we do. We believe
that the one thing that matters more than anything else is how we treat
each other. If we are kind to each other and don't hurt each other, that's
what matters, no matter what our religion is. We believe that we have
to help each other and try to work together to make the world a better
place. If we can all agree on how to treat each other, we don't have to
all agree on our beliefs; we don't have to all be the same religion. So
don't tell me I am bad or wrong because I don't believe what you do. That
hurts me."
It's not always easy to be a UU kid. If it gets
hard sometimes, let's talk about it and figure out together how to make
it easier.
This year Family
Worship has generated over $500
for the charities of their choice this year including: UUSC:The Unitarian
Universalist Service Committee, Save the Children, Habitat for Humanity,
PULSE, UNICEF, Chalice Lighters and The Sierra Club.
For
a pictorial of a typical Sunday at SNUUC click here.
HOLIDAYS at SNUUC
This poem was written
by a 10 year old member of the Stonybrook RE Program, Katharine
Lynch. She shared it with me and I have her permission to share it with
you. It is a wonderful segue into this holiday season:
 A
ring of endless light
Circling in flight
But not always
Sometimes it’s dark
Day and night
Light
Dark
A ring of endless light
Dazzling darkness
Death
Life
All part of ring of endless light
Circling through darkness
Light through infinity
An unbroken circle
A ring of endless light
Water
Land
Light
Dark
Day
Night
A ring of endless light.
THE GREATEST TABLE
Michael J. Rosen & "Share our Strength" Project
The greatest table isn’t set Inside
a single home ~ Oh, no, it spans the continents, And no one eats alone.
The table in your dining room, A picnic bench, a tray, A party tent, your
beach blanket, A small sidewalk café, A banquet hall, breakfast
in bed, A lunch box, take-out sack, The circle at a campfire roast, Or
any teatime snack~
Each one is just another leaf In one uncommon
table, Where all the guests have cooked or baked Or brought what they
are able, Where all of us can help ourselves, And all of us are fed, And
no one has been turned away With just a crust of bread.
The greatest table, like a tree, is growing leaf by leaf, And widening
its canopy to welcome more beneath. Its tablecloth is flowering and covers
all our knees; Its branches bend with every food from pineapples to peas.
Who hasn’t eaten? Join us here, pull up another chair. We’ll
all scoot over, make more room; there’s always some to spare. Baskets
mound with crusty breads, there’s soup in simmering pots, And bushels
brim year-round with fruit ~ now pears, now apricots. And always in the
company there’s someone we can toast: An elder, infant, long-lost
friend, an honored guest, the host. The table talk is musical, with every
language shared; In every face the thankfulness is more than any prayer.
The next time you sit down to eat, The greatest table’s set, Connecting
you with each of us Who hasn’t eaten yet. So if you’re hungry,
join us here, Pull up another chair, We’ll all scoot over, make
more room; There’s always some to spare.
HALLOWEEN AT SNUUC: WHY?
On Facing Fear: Notes
from the other side
This holiday is perhaps almost as sacred to children as are Christmas
and Hanukah. The Pagan roots of this holiday are truly ancient and diverse.
All Soul’s Eve is the Christian version, where souls for the departed
are honored and remembered; Samhain, the witches’ Sabbath, where
departed souls may be contacted for comment perhaps, and in Fairy Folklore,
where the harvest must be protected from animals on the prowl for food,
fearing the harsh winter’s approach.
 Although
no gifts are exchanged, the sense of excitement and anticipation felt
by children is extremely intense. Of course, there is the tradition of
"begging" door to door, resulting in the collection of untold
and unexpected treasures! Perhaps more importantly, is the chance to "try
on" being someone or something "else." This is a unique
phenomenon. This is the time to enjoy the chance to "be" other
than what you are, or perhaps to be your "other" self. The most
difficult part is deciding which "other" self to be, there are
so many. Do we choose the Shadow Self? Do we choose the "spiritual"
self? The "possible" self? Thus, you will see: witches, goblins,
dead "things", ugly things as well as beautiful creatures and
fantasy characters. Each character represents some "aspect"
of the inner self or inner possibilities lurking in each of us.
Why does our UU Sunday School make this into a 3 day celebration, you
might wonder? It begins with the RE sleepover on Friday evening, continuing
with the LIYUUTH Creepy Con Saturday evening, and culminating in the Halloween
Bash on Sunday! First let us examine the loftier aims: Each child must
read and sign a UU Covenant that defines what behaviors are acceptable
at the event. They must honor this commitment or be "banished",
sent home and miss the fun. So, fun, good "safe" fun, does have
a price here. Perhaps the most important point made in the UU Covenant
for Children is the piece about inclusivity. They are "not allowed"
to leave any one present, out of the fun. This actually is a rule! Have
you EVER seen this in more traditional Sunday Schools? Not only have I
not; I have seen and experienced the opposite.
Yes, they come in costume; they eat all night,
they watch some "scary" movies (age appropriate of course..),
they do crafts projects, play group games and beat several pinatas open.
They even sleep,…a little. Yes, there are no official classes on
Sunday. We descend upon the Sanctuary to "show off" our wild
imaginations, to inspire the adults, I think, and then proceed to party.
Yes, UNICEF boxes are given out, and brought back full; candy is hoarded,
and shared… The light and dark sides of the human spirit appear
and reappear, seemingly taking turns showing themselves off.
The body has inner wisdom (you don’t have to "tell" your
skin to heal from a cut), the body itself is "dumb;" it only
believes what your mind tells it. That is why it may react so violently
to scary movies and experiences. It thinks they are real. It tries to
"survive," and goes into the heart racing, "fight or flight"
mode. You must tell it then, that this is only a "fear" reaction
to a non-threatening stimulus, and then it will calm itself. But you must
initiate this; it will not happen on its own!
And so, we provide our children and youth with opportunities to experience
"fear" in a safe way, as they bond together, with our arms ready
to catch them if they fall. Thus, when they are out in the "real"
world, they will have at least some idea of how to handle fear so that
they are safe, we hope, in the end. In light of recent events, this is
most important.
So, these are both fun and learning experiences for our children here
in RE. Through these experiences, we are giving our children the chance
to "Be the best people they can be," as our weekly Children’s
Worship Blessing states.
Other
RE-SNUUC stuff...
Registration/Teacher Stuff
RE
Registration Form
RE
Behavior Covenant
RE
Yearly Permission Slip
RE
Chaperone Driver Guidelines
RE Adult
Ethics Covenant
RE Youth
Ethics Covenant
RE
Teacher Evaluation Form
RE
Family Worship Survey
Good Stuff
Tolstoy and Thich Nhat Hanh have given renditions of "The
Three Questions" : When is the best time to do things? Who is the
most important one? What is the right thing to do?
The story is about compassion and living in the moment;
always a worthwhile concept to reinforce with your children and youth.
What works in their lives? What does not work? Is there room for awareness
and faith in oneself and in one’s community?
Thich Nhat Hanh, the Buddhist Monk, in his book :"The
Miracle of Mindfulness," talks about suffering caused by the lack
of wisdom, in the case of a society. "Take the situation of a country
suffering war or any other situation of injustice. Try to see that every
person involved in the conflict is a victim. See that no person, including
all those in warring parties or in what appear to be opposing sides, desires
the suffering to continue. See that it is not only one or few persons
who are to blame for the situation. See that the situation is possible
because of the clinging to ideologies and to an unjust world economic
system which is upheld by every person through ignorance or through lack
of resolve to change it. See that two sides in a conflict are not really
opposing, but two aspects of the same reality. See that the most essential
thing is life and that killing or oppressing one another will not solve
anything.
taken from Touchstones
by The Rev. Barry Andrews UU Congregation at Shelter
Rock
“A couple of weeks ago the Wall Street Journal ran
an article on college recruitment on the basis of religious affiliation.
The combined SAT scores of recent high school graduates were ranked in
terms of the religious orientation of those who took the test. Number
one on the list were the Unitarian Universalists with an average combined
score of 1209. UU youth were followed by Jewish graduates with a combined
score of 1161, and Quakers next at 1153.
This is quite an impressive achievement for our UU youth, a consequence,
no doubt, of the high value that is placed on education and achievement
in UU families. Where our children are involved we have high hopes and
great expectations.
The most significant measure of our their lives—as,
indeed of our own—is not based on IQ tests, SAT scores, college degrees
or annual salaries. The measure of our lives is to live responsibly in
the world we have inherited and to respond compassionately to the human
problems we confront.
To be part of a religious tradition and community is the birthright of
every child. Young people will not learn the values and ideals we want
them to have from TV, the movies or on the streets. If we wish to create
a world that our children can trust and a future they can believe in ,
they need purposes and principles that have stood the test of time. We
become decent, responsible and caring persons by living the familial web
of love and respect, reinforced by a spiritual tradition and religious
community that brings families together and reminds us of our obligations
to one another.”
Our Whole Lives (OWL)
This program is a Unitarian Universalist course in
human sexuality which is sponsored by the Long Island Area Council for
Unitarian Universalist Societies (LIAC). A flyer describing the program
has been distributed to all SNUUC youth in the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades.
Social Justice 'fun fact'
Do you know the name of the Unitarian identified
as the Father of Social Security?
Arthur Altmeyer is known as the person who did more than anyone else to
shape the institution that administers Social Security Program of the
United States. He worked closely with fellow Unitarian, U.S. Representative
Thomas Elliot of Massachusetts, to draft the enabling legislation.
After being awarded his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, and writing
two books, he was summoned to Washington by Franklin D. Roosevelt. He
became chairman of the Social Security Board in 1937, where his dedication
to social justice helped shape the nation’s Social Insurance program.
He was later elected president of the National Conference on Social Work
and adviser to foreign governments.
Altmeyer was a member of the First Unitarian Society of Madison, Wisconsin,
whose meeting house was designed by another notable Unitarian, architect
Frank Lloyd Wright.
Remember the Sutra’s words:
In the time of war
Raise in yourself the Mind of Compassion
Help living beings
Abandon the will to fight
Wherever there is furious battle
"..Use all your might
To keep both sides’ strength equal
And then step into the conflict to reconcile"
-Vimalakirti Nirdesa
A time to remember the words of Gandhi
Our first task in approaching another people,
another culture, another religion is to take off our shoes,
for the place we are approaching is holy-
Else we may find ourselves treading on another’s dream.
More serious still, we may forget that God was there before our arrival.
Our SNUUC symbol
This ecumenical symbol, this circle of oneness, is
composed of the symbols of the major religions of the world. It was designed
by Louise Pollard and is used on the cover of our Order of Service and
Stained Glass Logo, which was made by Ihor Nykolak.
- The Christian Cross is derived from the wooden cross
on which Jesus was crucified.
- The Hebrew Star of David is composed of interlaced
equilateral triangles and adopted by Judaism as its symbol.
- The Greek Cross is characterized by arms of equal
length, which is often used by the eastern branch of Christianity.
- The Chinese symbol called Yin and Yang is the eternal
opposition of contrasting and complementary passive and active, female
and male, negative and positive principles of the universe.
- The Crux Ansata or Ankh of ancient Egypt, is the
symbol of generation of eternal life, and combination of male and
female elements.
- The Crescent and the Star, ancient Byzantine symbols
of Constantinople, was adopted by the Ottoman Turks upon their capture
of the city, and now commonly used as a symbol of Islam.
- The Hindu Wheel of Life, symbolizes the endless
round of birth and rebirth known as “samasara,” the cessation of which
for the Hindu is tantamount to salvation.
- Buddhhism, which is an offshoot of Hinduism,
very much as Christianity is derived from its parent Judaism, is often
symbolized by the stylized representation of the Lotus Flower.
Our Linden Tree
We are very proud of our tree. It is listed in a
directory of big trees on Long Island. We did not plant it. It was on
the property when it was purchased. Known also as basswood, the tree is
old and has survived many a storm, and many a child climbing on it. Every
year it is slower to leaf out than other trees. But by mid-June to early
July it is in full bloom and has tiny yellowish flowers. Their aroma is
irresistible to bees Linden trees survive in nearly any soil and its heavy
shade creates a welcome canopy, and as we all know, it is a good place
for a picnic.
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