October 2002 Newsletter

Sunday Sermons in October

All services begin at 10:15 a.m. There is religious education for children and child care for babies and toddlers.

Consider this religious tradition, dating 500 years before the life of Jesus. Who was the Buddha? And why is he smiling so much? He is said to have found the way to happiness, a way that is available to every human being. He said it was right in front of our faces, that it was simple, a way to let go of our accumulation of wounds and regrets.

There were four Noble Truths he found universally worked and an Eightfold Path for their discovery. Drawn from a book by Gary Gach, a 40-year student of Buddhism, this sermon unbaffles this often-mysterious philosophy -- one I feel closer to than any other.

Terry, a UUFD member, recently gave a fine example of the sound of Tibetan singing bowls during a service on covenant groups. He will give a little history on how they are made and different techniques of playing.

The Greek philosopher Protagoras declared, "the human is the measure of all things." Humanism asserts that matter comes before spirit, that soul is part of body, that the stuff of which this world is composed is the necessary context for the ideas and ideals that enrich human life. Further yet, Humanism contends that the human race created religions out of that unique self-awareness that drives us to ask questions about our origins and our destiny. Today we will explore the Humanist Manifestos in search of the Faith of a Humanist.

The new director of the local Planned Parenthood will discuss the urgent necessity for international family planning programs. Complicating an already complicated situation are the threats by the Bush administration to curtail American assistance for those programs. The status of that threat and prospects for countering it, will be covered in Lynn’s program.

Other Important Dates

Wednesdays at 1 p.m. -- The Men’s Lunch Group, “We’re Only UU Men”, new Red Lobster. All men are welcome!

Oct. 3 and 17at 1 pm -- Women’s Lunch Group. Since school has started, the Women's Lunch Group has gone back to the first and third Thursdays of the month, instead of every week. On the first Thursday in October they will be at Jimmy Ryan's. On the third Thursday they will be at Tater’s. Please let Joan Brown (877-0880 or Joangracias@aol.com) know if you will attend, so they can have an idea of how large of a table to get.

Oct. 6 at 12 noon -- UUFD Board meeting. All UUFD members are welcome to attend!

Oct. 9 at 6 pm -- Women’s Book Group, annual “wienie roast” (Yes, we’ll have tofu wienies available!) at Nancy Shoop’s, 7388 Dunbar Road, Argenta.. Up Island by Ann Rivers Siddons will be discussed. RSVP with Nancy at 795-2200. Meet in front of Tina King’s, 3478 N. Water St., at 5:15 p.m. to car pool. Bring a dish to share. The November book is Bel Canto by Ann Patchett.

Oct. 20 at 1:30-3:00 pm -- Covenant Group Leadership Training. John Biedler has begun two Covenant Groups this past year and continues to invite new participants. You are invited to hear why they are one of the most effective tools for personal and spiritual growth within UU congregations nationwide. All UUFD members and friends are welcome to join in the training of our group leaders.

RE-ally exciting
The Religious Education topics for October will reflect the themes of the individual Sunday services. By the way, more RE teachers would be welcome.

You say you’re not an “RE teacher”? Oh, you can do it, all right; it’s very rewarding, and others can help you get set up. Just wander into the RE area some Sunday -- see how happy these little ones can be!. Then, try it -- you’ll surprise yourself!

Pastor’s office times

John Biedler will be available at the Fellowship office on this schedule for October:

Saturday, Oct. 5, 1-4 pm;
Monday, Oct. 14, 1-4 pm;
Monday, Oct. 21, 1-4 pm;
Monday, Oct. 28, 1-4 pm.

John asks that you call in advance if possible, since he could be called out of the office during these hours. You can reach him at his cell phone, 433-0250 or at the Fellowship office, 875-5442.

In John's Words

Travelers across a long and seldom-used trail in Nevada's Amargosa Desert would pass an old pump that offered the only hope of fresh drinking water along their journey. Wired to the pump handle was a baking powder can, and inside the can was a handwritten note: "This pump is all right as of June 1932. I put a new sucker washer into it, and it ought to last five years. But the washer dries out, and the pump has got to be primed. Under the white rock, I buried a bottle of water out of the sun, the cork end up. There's enough water in it to prime the pump, but not if you drink some first. Pour about one-fourth and let her soak to wet the leather. Then pour in the rest medium fast and pump like crazy. You'll git water. The well has never run dry. Have faith. When you git watered up, fill the bottle and put it back like you found it for the next feller. (Signed) Desert Pete. P.S. Don't go drinking up the water first. Prime the pump with it and you'll git all you can hold." (from Dare to Live Now, a book by Bruce Larson)

Each week when we gather in our beautiful sanctuary at the UU Fellowship of Decatur, you can tell there have been a lot of Desert Petes ahead of us. They've primed a lot of pumps and even changed the sucker washers. Their signatures are written all over the shinny floors that have been stripped and waxed, the cleanly scrubbed kitchen, the sparkling windows, the newly glassed and painted front doors, the swept carpets and pristine bathrooms.

Yes, these Desert Pete volunteers who came on Aug. 25 to clean the surroundings, both inside and out, are amazing. We arrive on a Sunday, and the parking lot's been resurfaced. Another Sunday, and the lawns have been mowed and the trees trimmed. The street-side sign has new lettering, announcing the coming sermon and speaker; the electricity is on, the A/C works in the summer and the furnace in the winter. Who takes care of all these things?

And somehow, somewhere, some Desert-Pete-of-a-person recycles the bottles and the trash; prints the order of service each Sunday, placing them on neatly aligned chairs; the song books are in place on each chair; the pianist is ready to play; the worship leader has a service prepared; the children's R.E. curriculum is being taught; and amazingly, a newsletter appears in our mailboxes and we even get reminders by e-mail each week.

Yep, my friends, a lot of unnamed Desert Petes have dug the wells, put in the pump, replaced the washers, and filled the priming bottle for us. You can see their notes all over. I hope you, too, will find and thank one of them right soon. I does every chance I git.

Warmly,
John

Bits 'n Pieces

Candle-blowers: Say a warm "Happy Birthday" to these celebrators when you see them: Chelso Frescura, Oct. 16; Marge Evans; Oct. 28.

Marie Orvis, mother of UUFD member Deonne Orvis, was given a party on Sept. 8, marking her 95th birthday.

Jeanne and Ken Robertson have a new granddaughter, Kaitlyn Lea, who arrived in late August in their son Kent and Kim's home in Defiance, Mo. Kaitlyn weighed in at 7 pounds 14 ounces.

Sue Donovan, a UUFD member, invites visitors, callers and the occasional ride to the Fellowship from ManorCare nursing home. ManorCare is at 444 W. Harrison Ave., and her phone number is 872-6515.

Mandy Wimmer is really enjoying working in the Washington, D.C. office of Congressman Lane Evans. Evans’ new district includes part of Decatur.

Don’t Forget!

To turn your clock back one hour before you go to bed on Saturday, Oct. 26. You don’t want to be late for church!

Hmmm . . .

According to the non-profit College Board, which administers the SAT college entrance exam, students who identified themselves as Unitarian had the highest average score out of 35 religious groups last year (averaging 1209 out of a possible 1600). Jewish students came in second (with 1161).

Top