Ethically Speaking

Newsletter of the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture

February & March 2013

www.BSEC.org

Leader Message
By now, all of you should have heard the news that I will be leaving our society and community at Catherine Bordeau the end of my contract in June. This is a good decision for me personally, and I think it will be a good decision for our community generally. You all have gained so much warmth, strength and cohesiveness as a community since my arrival two and half years ago. I have no doubt that you as a community will continue to grow and thrive even in my absence. I have no doubt that you will find another leader who will bring different energy, strength and vision to share with you. I approach this transition with both sadness and joy, and I look forward to many conversations with each of you about how you are experiencing the transition. Please make a point to meet with me before I leave. I will be back in New York City at 8PM on February 4th, and I will be in my office starting February 6th. I am very much looking forward to seeing you all again. With peace and love, Catherine

Greetings from the Board

Greetings BSEC Members, The Board of Trustees of the Society sends its warmest wishes to all of you for much joy, love, laughter, purpose, and adventure in 2013. This coming calendar year will be one of transition at our Society. As you all know by now, Catherine Bordeau, our dear Clergy Leader in Training, comes to the end of her three-year contract at the end of June and has, with a heavy heart, chosen not to continue on with us. Her decision is in part because of her need and desire for a full-time position and in part because of her spouses job move to Mexico. On Sunday, January 13th, 2013, the membership of the Society gathered for our annual winter member meeting to reflect on Catherines news in community. Following a shared values conversation led by Ellen Raider and updates from the Board concerning our finances, our committees, and the outcome of the pledge dinner in November, we sat in a circle to share our feelings and thoughts around Catherines departure. First, Jean outlined a timeline of events this fall related to our leader, from Catherines request to the Board in October for a full-time contract, to the Boards subsequent research concerning the Societys financing options, to Catherines ultimate decision, in mid-December, not to continue at BSEC. After a brief Q & A period regarding these events, each member had an opportunity to offer his or her reflections on the changes ahead for our community. Though many people in the room expressed feelings like sadness, loss, confusion, disappointment, and frustration, there was also a strong sense of appreciation for the warmth and care that Catherine brought the Society. Beyond that, there was the certainty that we are OKAY, that our Society is healthy and full of leaders and collaborators. We can see this moment as an opportunity for us to reexamine who we are as a group and to learn from our experiences with Catherine moving ahead. Continued on P.3

Save the Date: Upcoming Events

Sun., Feb. 10th, 11AM - Sunday Platform - Unity Without Uniformity: The Merging Ethics of Dr. King and Malcolm X with Herb Boyd: Award winning writer Herb Boyd will explore some lesser known aspects of two major figures of the 20thcentury. Sun., Feb. 10th, 1-2:30PM - Ethical Education Meeting: CSA teachers will share their lesson plans for this new semester. Mon., Feb. 11th, 7:45PM - Ethical Living: Meditation Circle - BSEC Meeting Room Come explore chakrahealing. You may want to bring a Yoga mat and/or a pillow. Sun., Feb. 17th, 1PM - Ethical Action Meeting : BSEC Library. All are welcome.
Ethically Speaking February and March 2013

Brooklyn Ethical Says No to Fracking!

By Gregory Tewksbury
Maurice Diggs rode his bicycle from home in Sheepshead Bay to the Waldorf Astoria on Monday, January 7th and was joined by other members of the Ethical Action Committee and around 400 New Yorkers to let Gov. Cuomo know that fracking is not the way to go in NY State. Cuomo was there for a fundraiser and on January 11th his Department of Environmental Conservation was closing its comment period about fracking, the toxic mining technique that extracts gas from underneath rock partly by injecting a brew of chemicals that have destroyed water supplies where it is used. A moratorium on the technique is due to expire in late February. The Board of Trustees of Brooklyn Ethical took a stand against fracking, both in NY and nationally, in November 2011, and the ethical action committee rallied the congregation to raise their voice during this key time. The hazards of fracking are recognized worldwide. France, Germany and the state of Vermont have banned fracking as have the cities of Syracuse, Albany and Binghamton. Scientist Sandra Steingraber reminds us, When you blow up the bedrock and inject it with toxic chemicals, you cannot control or fix what happens. Even if water isnt immediately contaminated, fracking could lead to future contamination once the cement that is used to seal wells gives way. Cement is not immortal, Steingraber continued. It cracks. And when it cracks, it opens up portals of possible contamination between all the bad stuff in the shale and the water that we depend on for life. This spring, the committee is paying particular attention to environmental issues, including greening the society and exploring divesting Brooklyn Ethical from fossil fuel investments in its stock portfolio. So watch for more on that at the June member meeting.

A Hairs Light
By Kim D. Brandon
One small flame Countless fragments Dimming in their downward flight Pressures from all directions Flying over head Cram out their tiny lights Ancient shackles A distant far off beauty In descending weakness Two pull together and ignite They burn a hairs flame brighter Moving under pushing up and above Calling the soul to remember Two more braid together, then four Then slowly hundreds, thousands, millions more Pure radiance fire burning light Their force, their hope is strong Together they gather To remember the soul spirit Together they push back the night.

The Ethical Action committee organizes the Society to discuss and act on social justice issues. It meets the third Sunday of every month in the library. All are welcome. Gregory Tewksbury, chair

The Brooklyn Society Writers (Writers Group) This group includes writers of all levels and disciplines dedicated to promoting the art and craft of writing.Members and non-members of BSEC are welcome. The Brooklyn Society Writers, meets Sunday 1-3PM. Upcoming meetings: Feb. 10th, Feb. 24th, and March 10th. To receive additional information or to receive reminder announcements, location changes or cancellations contact Kim Brandon atkimdarniece@optonline.net.

David Galarza of Occupy Sunset Park at an Ethical Action platform

Photo Credit: Ben Halberstam

Ethically Speaking February and March 2013

Continued from P.1 The Board has been in touch with the American Ethical Union and other Ethical Culture leaders in the area for support in this time of transition. Specifically, we have requested the names of leaders who would be interested in being part of our platform calendar, as well as names of potential leader candidates.
Additionally, the Board approved the formation of a five-member Leader Search Task Force to be composed of two Board members and three other Society members selected by the Board. This smaller group will do the work of finding a new clergy leader. They will solicit member input and participation at each step along the way. The Board will keep you posted as this group comes together over the next month or so. Separate from the Leader Search Task Force, a Leadership Council has formed. All interested members are strongly encouraged to attend. This groups work will prove indispensable in the times ahead; its purpose is to cultivate leadership skills among our members to fill some of the leadership gaps at the Society. The next meeting date is Jan. 29th, 7PM, at the home of Lucy McNair. Please RSVP to Lucy at lucymcnair@verizon.net if youd like to attend. As future meetings are scheduled, interested members can check in with Rebecca to join this council at reblurie@gmail.com. We have much building to do together but we are thoughtful, cooperative, skilled, creative, and hard-working. We wont find another Catherine but well certainly come up with a responsible plan for our future. We look forward to walking this path with all of you. With great appreciation, Jean Rohe, President Rebecca Lurie, VP

Donna Minkowitz and Tom Castelnuovo at the membership pledge dinner in November 2012.
Photo Credit: Ben Halberstam

Fiona Boneham with Shoshana Berkovic during a break-out discussion at a recent Sunday platform.
Photo Credit: Ben Halberstam

Remi Gay with the Childrens Sunday Assembly at the Wampanoag Festival
Photo Credit: Ben Halberstam

Board president Jean Rohe presenting Abby Scher with the Anna Garlin Spencer Volunteer Award.
Photo Credit: Ben Halberstam

Ethically Speaking February and March 2013

Ethical Action
The Ethical Action Committees mission is to educate our members and the larger community about vital local and global ethical and social matters. The Ethical Action Committee (EAC) recruits speakers for BSEC platforms, organizes seminar and workshop programs, and sponsors book discussions and video events. Committee members network with neighborhood groups that share our concerns. The Ethical Action Committee meets the 3rd Sunday of every month in the Library. Upcoming meeting dates: February 17th and March 17th.
All are welcome.

Ethical Living Events

Women's Season Circle
Friday, February 1st Potluck Dinner 7PM / Circle Begins at 8PM Join the Women's Season Circle to welcome mid-winter! Groundhog's Day is also known as "Imbolc".We are a small group of women who have begun to convene on a seasonal basis (cross quarters, solstices and equinoxes) to create a circle of space and time that is open, flexible, spontaneous, focused, and charged. We will begin with a soul-stirring pot luck dinner at 7PM. The circle will begin at 8PM. Please bring: Something to share for eating or drinking that reflects this season. (for about 8-13 folks usually) and a seasonal show and tell for ritual and honor. Meeting will be held at Janice Novet's Home. Contact Rebecca Lurie (Reblurie@gmail.com), Phyllis Soonachan (Psoonachan@gmail.com) or call the BSEC office (718-768-2972) for details and location.

Ethical Education: CSA Events

Our annual CSA favorite, Mystery Pals, will be held on Sunday, February 10th. Adult members who wish to participate should come to BSEC at 10:30AM. Kids will be doing their part during CSA. The mysteries will be revealed during Munch with the Bunch. Interested or curious? Contactlucyrmcnair@gmai l.com Ethical Education will have planning meetings and curriculum discussions throughout the year. Our first meeting of this semester to kick it all off will be on Sunday, February 10th 1-2:30PM and will include syllabi presentations by our teachers. All are welcome to join!

Meditation Circle
Monday, February 11th: 7:45PM BSEC Meeting Room We gather as a group to share an hour of meditation practice, on the second Monday of each month. Join us on Monday, February 11th, as we explore ChakraHealing. You may want to bring a Yoga mat and/or a pillow.

Book Club comes to the Sunday Sharing Circle

As part of the new Ethical Living Committee the Sunday sharing circle will integrate a monthly Book Club the last Sunday of each month at 10AM in the BSEC Library. The first book will beLife and Destinyby Felix Adler(out of print) for discussion onSunday Feb. 24th and March 24th at 10AM. A copy will be available in the volunteer office. We will discuss Small Is Beautifulby E.F. Schumacher onSunday April 28 and May 26 at 10AM.

Ethically Speaking February and March 2013

Ethical Education
CSA Contacts
Lucy: lucymcnair@verizon.net Alva: msrogerz@gmail.com Otis: itsotiscotton@gmail.com Simba:lionnessp21@yahoo.com
Children from the Lower Assembly in full costume at the Wampanoag Harvest Festival

The Children's Sunday Assembly had a tremendous semester this past fall thanks to our teachers: Alva of the upper assembly, Otis of the lower assembly and Simba of the preassembly. We thank Lucy McNairfor organizing, and facilitating - well just about everything. We also thank Catherine and all who have shared with us their time. A special thank you to Ellen and Warren for their contributions, passion and commitment as we move forward with an ethical education curriculum that will be based on our overall shared values at Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture. BSEC has been so inspired by this effort that we engaged in preliminary exercises at the membership meeting expressing our core values. The gathered data may then be presented to the board, and a version may result that might be publicly posted as done by various Ethical Society chapters. It is an exciting time for Ethical Education here at BSEC! Working on the future has not taken time away from

treasuring our past. We kept the tradition of Wampanoag honoring Native Americanheritage as allassemblies and graduates of Ethical Education joined the platformmaking it an intergenerational celebration. Our sleepover was also a hit, certainly not a sleeper hit -- since we already know it to be one of the highlights of the year! We thank all our volunteers and especially our youths for their work. As a new semester begins we will continue to come together in various forms to celebrate ethics, education and humanism. To make it all possible, Ethical Education will have planning meetings and curriculum discussions throughout the year. Our first meeting of this semester to kick it all off will be on February 10th and will include syllabi presentations by our teachers. We welcome all who are interested to join us.

Photo Credit: Ben Halberstam

CSA Sleepover Cupcake Decorating

Photo Credit: Fiona Boneham

YES Assembly in St. Louis

Photo Credit: Fiona Boneham

Ethically Speaking February and March 2013

Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture 53 Prospect Park West Brooklyn, NY, 11215 718-768-2972 www.bsec.org

th th Book Club comes to the Sunday Sharing Circle Sundays,Feb. 24 and March 24 at 10AM

BSEC: Guiding free-thinkers since 1907

Stay Informed, Connected, and Involved with BSEC
Website: www.bsec.org Blog: www.bsec.org/BSEC/Blog Facebook: Friend Brooklyn Ethical and Like our page: www.facebook.comEthicalCultureBrooklyn To submit an article or photography to the newsletter please send an E-mail to communication.bsec@gmail.com and check the Newsletter section of website for dates and guidelines for submissions. Interested in BSEC membership? Contact Carolyn at carolynmei@aol.com

Memorial Notice
The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture wishes to note the death of Robert (Bob) Kirschner (Jan. 9th, 1921- Jan. 7th, 2013), father of member Diane Kirschner. In the 1960s and 70s, Bob was an active BSEC member, serving as board president and as a Sunday school teacher. He was later a member of the Lakeland Ethical Culture Fellowship and the Bergen Ethical Society, as well as the managing director of the Weis Ecology Center in Ringwood, NJ, when it was owned by Ethical Culture. He dedicated his life to helping people and trying to make this world a more equitable, peaceful and kinder place.In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory can be made to the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture.
Newsletter Editors Ben Halberstam Joel Shatzky Board of Trustees 2012-2013

BSEC Staff Catherine Bordeau - Leader in Training Damal Edmond -Administrative Director Ben Halberstam - Communications Manager

Tom Castelnuovo" Fiona Boneham Kim Brandon" " Tom Castelnuovo Alec Gershberg" Rebecca Lurie Lucy McNair" " Donna Minkowitz Erin Moore" " Jean Rohe

Ethically Speaking February and March 2013