As Unitarian Universalists we have a covenant with our Association and amongst our churches. Often called “the Principles” this covenant ends with the words: Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. With this in mind, most ministers spend time every year on spiritual contemplation and retreat, study, reading, and continuing education.  This past summer, during my study weeks, I was out of the office, but I was working hard to read, watch, listen to, and analyze new teachings on theology, church management, stewardship, history, religious iconography and science. This time set aside for study and reflection in the minister’s year ensures that the understanding and vision of the professional leader, and all the lay leaders working with her/him does, indeed, expand.  Since it’s always fun to know what other people are reading, here’s a partial list of where my mind went this summer:

Quiet by Susan Cain…the Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking

The Three Marriages by David Whyte which will lead one to look up his poetry at http://www.davidwhyte.com/poetry.html

And speaking of poetry one of you loaned me The Human Line by Ellen Bass, and I can’t stop reading it!

Understanding the Bible by John Buehrens

A House for Hope – the Promise of Progressive Religion for the Twenty-first Century by Rebecca Ann Parker and John Buehrens – so you’ll be hearing from the pulpit how our theology (yes, we have one J ) depends upon but also moves beyond the social gospel

What Money Can’t Buy by Michael J. Sandel

The Growing Church, ed Thom Belote

Three Prophets of Religious Liberalism with an intro by Conrad Wright

The Greater Journey by David McCullough, which, if one loves art, might lead to looking up http://www.johnsingersargent.org/, or http://www.marycassatt.org/, or http://picturingamerica.neh.gov/downloads/pdfs/Resource_Guide_Chapters/PictAmer_Resource_Book_Chapter_10A.pdf, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Robert_Gould_Shaw_Memorial_-_detail.jpg, and then you’ll have to watch the movie Glory, which really is just a great film

And because I was in Romania with 11 amazing teenagers (and two patient and fanstastic First U adults!) this summer where we visited that place deep inside ourselves that demands justice against all odds…

Black Elk Speaks by John Neihardt
Bury Me Standing by Isabel Fonesca

Continuing education for the ministry is never confined to study weeks alone but continues throughout the year, based on the goals set by the Minister and the Board of Trustees, the interests and needs of the Worship Council, and the Minister’s own professional curiosity. This weekend I’m away in Philadelphia (actually, in Chester, PA – check THIS story out: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/08/14/philadelphia-woman-faces-600-day-fine-for-feeding-needy-neighborhood-kids/ ) studying at Widener University.  This part-time program of study – Human Sexuality Education – Super O.W.L. !! – is designed for working professionals, and, if I do it right, will lead to a PhD down the road. I’ve already gotten emails from other UUs who are graduates of the program and doing great work in the world, and for our churches.  In Yarmouth, stay tuned for an Adult RE offering of Adult O.W.L. (Our Whole Lives comprehensive sexuality education) where we can explore in-depth the relationship between our bodies and our spirits, and talk more deeply about what I’m studying and why.

Many blessings, and I can’t WAIT to see all of you at the Maine Farm Supper on the 15^th and Ingathering on the 16^th. Warmly - Jennifer

 

Worship Update and Pilgrimage Opportunity...

For more about the Sr. Youth Mission Trip this past summer, join us for Partner Church Sunday on Sunday, September 30th at 10:30am and hear about the adventure, pilgrimage, work and partnership from the teens themselves!

I am helping to lead an amazing Sacred France pilgrimage in spring of 2013. To learn more go to:

http://www.invisibletemple.com/france.html

Faith In Action ...

Have you signed up to be part of our First U First Tuesdays at Preble Street Resource Center in Portland? We prepare and serve dinner to the hundreds of folks in the greater Portland Area struggling with homelessness. I'll be there in October and on through the church year, so sign up in the Gathering Room and join me! - Rev. J

Summer Greetings from Rev Jennifer

11 of our Sr. Youth went on mission this summer to our Partner Church village of Gyepes, Romania.  On their way to the village they took a pilgrimage to ancient and modern Unitarian sites – places that are sacred to our faith.  They’re looking forward to sharing their experience with you in a Partner Church Sunday worship service this fall. Until then here’s a little preview of what they saw, and what they did:

Day 1 - The beginning of the journey is beautiful – the mountain resort town of Sinaia in the Carpathian mountains. At this point we are in Romanian-speaking Romania. Teens who have been working on their Hungarian catch-phrases are trying to understand why they don’t work here.

Day 2 – The next day we travel further into Transylvania, to Bran Castle, aka “Dracula’s Castle” and learn the not-so-nice and all-too-real history of Vlad Tepes – “Vlad the Impaler”. In the afternoon we reach Deva, and the fortress which is our first pilgrimage site looms above the town. The grown-ups are beginning to wonder why the teenagers do not need to sleep at night, but when we catch them crowded together, terrified by the ghost stories they’ve stayed up telling each other, all is forgiven.

Day 3 – First thing in the morning we travel up the mountain to the fortress of Deva. We are “beginning at the end” for inside this fortress is the cell where the first great Unitarian preacher, Francis David, spent his last days. Francis David was lauded by King John Sigismund for his great oratorical skills, and progressive thinking, and together with Queen Isabella and Dr. Giorgio Biandrata they made Transylvania the first place in the world where religious tolerance could flourish. However, King John died young, and the next rulers were not religious progressives. They forbade Francis David, or anyone, to “innovate” in religion, upon threat of imprisonment and death. Unable to change his very nature, David proposed that prayer never be directed at Jesus, but only to the God to whom Jesus himself had prayed. He was immediately removed to the fortress at Deva – the furthest place one can be from the capital city of Kolozsvar and still be in Transylvania. We stood before the cell where he died, and each person paid his or her respects to this man without whom none of us would be here, together, claiming our progressive liberal faith, and our fellowship.  A few of us were in tears at the words David left for his captors to find: Neither the sword of popes, nor the cross, nor the image of death — nothing will halt the march of truth.

Day 4 – We are on our way to Kolozsvar, headed deep into the heart of Transylvania. En route we visit Gyulafehervar to walk and pray in the same church King John and Queen Isabella attended – a 1000 year old cathedral that is now Catholic. We then travel to “The Church of the Edict” in Torda, the very place where the first Edict of Religious Tolerance was issued in 1568. We can now feel as well as see the famous lithograph of Francis David preaching the beginnings of the Unitarian faith.  Tonight it’s on to Kolozsvar, and a chance to stay at the Unitarian highschool and seminary, and maybe meet the Bishop. The teenagers are beginning to wonder why the grown-ups cry so much and are ridiculously angry when all the signs leading into Kolozsvar are written only in Romanian, but when they find out there’s pizza for dinner, all is forgiven.

Day 5 – The Bishop spoke with us for over an hour this morning and we learned many things about life as a Hungarian Unitarian during communism, and now, in the aftermath. The Bishop has a big job! We wondered at how he does it, and stays so positive, and so willing to talk and laugh with all of us on a busy weekday morning. Then we visited First Church of Kolozsvar –‘the most beautiful church I’ve ever seen’, said more than one teen- and stood near the rock that Francis David stood on when he preached to the citizens of Kolozsvar and converted the entire city to Unitarianism.  We wondered what we could preach that would change our world so profoundly. In the afternoon we left the city to visit the famous “Alabaster Village” of Mesko. For those of us returning to Transylvania it was a beautiful thing just to be in one of the Hungarian Unitarian villages again.

Day 6 – Today was for fun – we went to the medieval walled city of Segesvar to walk, eat, explore the ancient and beautiful Lutheran church with its vast and complex graveyard, and shop for presents for our family and friends. Tomorrow we will get serious again as we travel to Marosvasarhely to visit the Cultural Palace, the unforgettable stained glass windows of which teach us quite a bit about Hungarian myth and legend, and to learn more about religious oppression during communism, the uprising that brought it down, and the complicated aftermath that Hungarian Unitarians (and other ethnic and religious minorities) are still living with.

Days 7-12 - We’re “home”: settled into the David Ferenc (Francis David) Unitarian Conference Center in Homorodszentmarton where we will live for several days and nights as we run the summer camp for children from Gyepes and Recsenyed, and help paint Gyepes’ community center. This is what most of us have really come to Romania for, and we are eager to begin. 

For the next several days we will breakfast in Szentmarton, then head to Gyepes for a full day of camp and paint. Right away the teenagers are in love with the people of Gyepes, the camp children, and, especially, the food. Yes, the teenagers confirm, Gyepes food is the best in the world – now if the grown-ups could please stop talking about it, all would be well…Camp is crazy and wonderful, and other work projects give our teens a chance to meet the Gyepes youth and work together. Church on Sunday and the singing of the Szekely Aldas goes beautifully – the Gyepes women and children had prepared 5 songs for us, and we were glad we had one to offer in return!

Day 13 – Leaving for the airport from Bucharest, where our Hungarian, once again, does us no good.  It was hard to leave the village, and it’s strange to be leaving each other, but we are eager to get back to our family and friends, and to begin the next church year and all the work we can do from home to further community development in Gyepes, and to deepen our partner church relationship with people we now know and love….Eniko, Tunde, Renata, Tomas, Sabe, Robi, Istvan …the list goes on and on.

Looking for that great sermon by Ken Nye? Check the Beloved Community Page to the left! - JL

To read an excerpt from the sermon/service on October 23rd click on the Beloved Community Page to the left.

October/November 2011 - The Secrets of Life & Death

On October 23rd we turn our attention from Ingathering, home and radical hospitality to begin an exploration of the secrets of life and death in both worship and adult religious education settings: How do we live life to the fullest? What happens to us when we die? What is our relationship with our ancestors? How can we affirm life when we are grieving? How do we live and love through death, and the lesser loses of aging, illness and trauma?

Sunday Worship

October 23rd - The Secret of Life - Rev. Jennifer

We begin with a Partner Church Sunday exploration of living life to its fullest. This worship service will give you a chance to see and hear some of what happened at the Unitarian children's camp we c0-sponsored this past summer in Romania, and after the service you can put your faith into action by signing up to provide all or part of an educational scholarship for one of the children in our Partner Village of Gyepes, Romania

October 30 - Ancestor Sunday with Kate Connelley

November 6 - Death & Lesser Losses - Rev. Jennifer and Ken Nye

Join Rev. Jennifer in a service she's prepared with congregant Ken Nye to explore illness, aging and loss.

Religious Exploration for Adults

The Secrets of Life & Death

What if I don't know what to believe?

Join Rev. Jennifer and guest speaker Jane Mullen on three evening explorations of aging, end-of-life issues and death.

November 8, 9 & 15th

**Please register by Friday, November 4th by contacting Joan Guild at joan@guilds.net

The Gospel of Mary

Many thanks to all the folks at the Saco UU church for welcoming me so warmly as their guest Minister last Sunday. For those of you who were interested in finding out more about the sermon topic, try these great reads:

more mainstream - The Woman with the Alabaster Jar by Margaret Starbird & Jesus and the Lost Goddessby Freke & Gandy

more academic - The Complete Gospels by Robert J. Miller, ed. & In Memory of Her by Elizabeth Fiorenza & The First Edition of the New Testament by David Trobisch

And for a copy of the sermon you can email me at yarmouthminister@yahoo.com

Many blessings,
Jennifer

Invitation to Pilgrimage

Want to feel cared for, befriended, awed and inspired? Then come to France on Pilgrimage with me! All the updated info is on the Pilgrimage & Mission link to the left.