LAKESHORE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP

OCTOBER 2013 NEWSLETTER

SERVICES: SUNDAY 10:00 A.M

620 PARK STREET, MANITOWOC, WI 54220,

October 6
Tell em! Liysa Callsen Liysa has lived her entire life in the deaf community with two deaf parents and a deaf husband she learned to communicate differently. Really differently! Now, shes finding the humor (and voice) in her challenges, and learning to be heard above the noise. She tells her story in a new book, but well get a preview!

October 20
Part 1Unitarians

PHONE: (920) 686-0643

Email: luuf.parkstreet@gmail.com Website: www.lakeshoreuu.org Blog: www.luuf.blogspot.com Facebook: Lakeshore Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

October 27
Part 2Universalists A Short History of our Roots Arthur Thexton Arthur has been a regular speaker for us for several years, but for those of you who dont know him, he went to seminary, but he chose the law as his profession. He is a prosecuting attorney at Wis. Dept. Safety & Professional Services.
October 27 Soup Sunday Collection for Painting pathway

LUUF LAY MINISTERS

Dan Fischer (920) 323-3475 danf2010@comcast.net Linda Hunter (920) 684-5590 huntel@comcast.net Erica Strauss (920) 629-0924 erica-strauss@ameritech.net Jim Sustman (920) 973-7391 jim_sustman@yahoo.com

OCTOBER 13
LUUF BOARD
President: V. President: Treasurer: Secretary: Kathy Fishback John Thompson Joel Marquardt Sandy Bast

Hope and a Haven Nancy Slattery Nancy was a board member of Hope House for 8 years. She will speak about Hope House now as well as The Haven for homeless men in the future.
September Hope house Collection

Members at Large: Dick Urban Steve Abler Jim Everett

SERVICE PLANNING COMMITTEE

Linda Hunter, (Chair) Becky Abler Ginny Finnel Jim Sustman Mary Jo Urban Jessica Van Slooten

Choir 1st

Practice and 3
R D

$236.00

Wednesday Each month

Save a tree, save paper, save money Sign up to receive LUUF newsletters electronically. Email Ron Kossik at ron @kossik.com For submissions to the newsletter email Kim Everett at: kimeverett60@gmail.com

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OCTOBER 2013

Kathy Fishback, President

September Service leader Kathy Fishback The LUUF October Board meeting was held on September 18th. Below is a

short summary of the items discussed at the meeting.

Our efforts to engage in a fellowship-wide strategic planning process will begin with our sending a brief questionnaire to all members and friends on our email list and by providing additional copies of the questionnaire at the Sunday Services. Cathy Edwards and members of a planning committee will summarize the results of the questionnaire and then facilitate a strategic planning workshop in October or early November. The board will provide additional information to all as the process is finalized. If anyone would like to serve on the committee with Cathy, please let her or Kathie Fishbeck know of your interest.

The Board also recognized the support of Jim Rabata (Greeters), Patty Marquardt (Coffee), Mary Jane Lukes (Cleaning), Ron Kossik (Yard Work), and Jim Sustman (Flowers) for leading the efforts to keeping the Fellowships day to day (week to week) activities on schedule. And a special thanks to Evie Sustman, Max Alexander, and Jill Finnel (RE), Kim Everett and Ron Kossik (Newsletter), Ginny Finnel (Weekly Service Guides), and Linda Hunter (Choir and Piano) they all help to make the Fellowship run smoothly.

The next board meeting will be Wednesday, October 23rd at 7:00pm please feel free to join us.

Treasurer Joel Marquardt reported that our Fellowship finances continue to be strong.

We had a brief discussion about the noise in the kitchen area following the Sunday services and decided to begin to address this issue following the service on September 22nd by having an extra pot of coffee and some goodies in the meeting room. We will also continue to pursue other solutions.

The Board reviewed a summary of the activities of our committees see page 3. Special thanks to committee chairs Jean Biegun (Adult Activities), Bev Rawling (Environment), Ron Kossik (Facilities), Kari Alice Lynn (Garden), Dan Fischer (Membership), Jim Sustman (Outreach and Social Justice), and Linda Hunter (Service Planning) for coordinating the efforts of their respective committees. Members of the committees are listed in our weekly service guide.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Linda Hunter (Chair Ginny Finnel Jim Sustman, Marion Marquardt

September Service Presenters

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Adult Activities Committee

OCTOBER 2013
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Activities of the Adult Activities Committee include the Weekly Meditation group; Monthly Game Nights; Circle Suppers; Lets Get Creative workshops; an upcoming book discussion group; and co-facilitating a five-week Environmental (GLOBE) study/discussion group in October and November. An evening potluck / Christmas carol sing-along around the piano is in the works for December, and a Building Your Own Theology study group will be held after the Christmas/New Year Holiday.

Environment Committee
The Environment Committee under the acronym GLOBE Green Living on Behalf of the Earth developed the following mission statement this fall. The mission of the GLOBE committee is To plan and coordinate environmental activities at our fellowship, including sustainable living practices at the facility, community interactions, and ecological awareness of members and friends. The commie e w i ll

Bring prayers for the earth, the environment, climate change, etc. to our Sunday service during Joys and Concerns Write articles for the LUUF newsletter and weekly bulletin about environmental issues. Become involved with City Of Manitowocs Sustainable Committee. Will facilitate an Environmental Justice Curriculum -Our Place In The Web of Life in conjunction with the Adult Activities Committee beginning Tuesday evenings at 6:30 from October 22th Nov. 5th. This five week study has been developed by the UUA Ministry for Earth organization. Promote and support Manitowoc area environmental organizations.

Facilities Committee
This fall members of the Facilities Committee coordinated the repair of the sidewalk on the south side of the Fellowship; repaired the front door of the Fellowship; installed an EXIT sign above the door on the north entry to the building; and are working with the painting contractor to paint the exterior of the building and clean the gutters.

Garden Committee
Beginning in the spring and continuing throughout the summer and into the fall, the Garden Committee with the leadership of Kari Alice Lynn has developed the garden plot, planted a wide array of perennials and some annuals, and will plant fall bulbs shortly. We owe a special thanks to Max Alexander (working on his Eagle Scout badge) and his Boy Scout troop friends for their work in the initial stages of preparing the plot and laying out the garden sections. Over 20 members and friends of the Fellowship, including six enthusiastic members of the committee, have helped with the planting and the weeding of the garden. Thanks also to Laura Apfelbeck for proposing that we create a collaborative meditation garden and to Cathy Edwards who is facilitating the committees formal meetings. The agenda for the October meeting will include a discussion of our hopes/vision for the garden and future action, priorities, and resources. The committee extends a big thank you to everyone at the LUUF for their support and an invitation to choose our committee as your second committee to join at any time. Our record of only three hours total of hands on work; during the seasons of Spring, Summer, and Fall, AND hopefully our meetings could occur in the Winter might attract your attention. Please add your voice to help us grow the roots of our future from the ground up!

Membership Committee
The membership committee met informally in the summer and will begin formal meetings in the next month. They will be gathering information from other UU Fellowships on procedures they have used to attract attention in the media; will work on the completion of a formal LUUF Directory; and will discuss how to better let the neighborhood know who we, the LUUF, are.

Religious Education Committee

The Childrens Religious Education Committee met in August to set the fall program and schedule and to plan additional activities. Evie Sustman is developing the RE curriculum and is using the unfinished portions of Experiences with the Web of Life Program and supplementing it with other enriching materials and activities. Max Alexander will assist Evie again this year and Jill Finnel will also bring in the younger children when possible. The children and their teachers will close out this session with a short play and singing with the adults in December. Zoe and Max Alexander will offer a Shop & Drop opportunity for families on Saturday, December 7th from 1:00 to 4:30pm at the Fellowship. Parents will be able drop off their children for a couple of hours of fun activities while they do holiday shopping, gift wrapping, etc. The committee will meet later in the fall to plan the winter/spring session.

Service Planning Committee

The Service Planning Committee has an interesting array of topics and speakers lined up though December. Among the many services planned, Arthur Thexton will join us for two services, Liysa Callsen will share with us her life story of growing up with two deaf parents, and representatives of our four charitable organizations will speak about the work of their groups.

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OCTOBER 2013
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A Message from The Chair & President Rachel Muchin Young & Patrick Young Anshe Poale Zedek Synagogue
(Copied from their Sept. Newsletter)

Good Neighbors Good Friends

Life ends when you stop dreaming... Hope ends when you stop believing... Love ends when you stop caring... Friendship ends when you stop sharing!

We have wonderful neighbors. The Lakeshore Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, at the corner of 7th and Park Streets, has graciously opened their doors to us during Rabbi Vineburgs recovery. But its not just the lift that makes services possible at the Lakeshore Unitarian Universalist Fellowship; its the philosophy upon which that fellowship is based. The Unitarian Universalists are a special group of people. They welcome us as they do everyone with open arms. Their sanctuary is a contemplative space with very little decoration beyond the absolutely captivating quilt that hangs in the front of the room. The other decoration in their sanctuary is a religious symbol, though its recent and may not even be recognized for what it is. It is the Chalice. The Unitarian Service Committee (USC) commissioned artist Hans Deutsch to create a symbol for the organization during World War II. According to the MayJune, 2001 issues of UU World, The USC took special interest in helping artists, intellectuals, and dissidents escape the Nazis. And so while the USC worked with people from all walks of life, its clientele included many famous authors, scientists, and politicians.

Many of the refugees fled without the identification papers they needed to cross borders, so the Lisbon office concentrated on helping them find replacements. Then the USC decided to issue its own documents. The Revered Charles Joy believed the documents needed a seal, and the result was the flaming chalice. Rev. Joy explained the symbolism of the flaming chalice, designed in 1941: It represents . . . the kind of chalice that the Greeks and Romans put on their altars. The holy oil burning in it is a symbol of helpfulness and sacrifice. In ancient and medieval art this chalice is frequently found, and the design itself, modernized and stylized, though it is, reminds one of the signs seen on the old monastic manuscripts. This was in the mind of the artist. We do not limit our work to Christians. Indeed, at the present moment, our work is nine-tenths for the Jews, yet we do stem from the Christian tradition, and the cross does symbolize Christianity and its central theme of sacrificial love." Linda Hunter, one of the lay leaders of the Manitowoc congregation, said that the chalice at the local fellowship was designed by Mordecai Roth, a retired dentist. He designed the chalice in 1986 for a congregant at his church, the Unitarian Universalist Church of

Arizona, who wanted a chalice made for the church in memory of her daughter who had recently died. He has made 132 of them, most of them used in a variety of UU congregations. Roth died earlier this year at 93. Please thank our neighbors, our friends, of the Lakeshore Unitarian Universalist Fellowship for their hospitality to us and to our brethren who came before us.

Birthday Thank You From Vickie Mayer

Eighty-five is just another number unless it counts the number of years of your life. They accumulate even when you are not counting. The message for some is that we accept all the events of our lives with gratitude the good, the bad, and the ugly - because they all form the fabric of our life. My gratitude in this Thank You message is to express my amazement and joy in the literal outpouring of LUUF birthday cards that delighted me and often made me laugh. These cards are my most tangible reward for being 85! This is a note of gratitude and deep appreciation for your kind remembrance. You are indeed my second family. Thank you, dear friends.

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The day-to-day life of our fellowship is the glue that holds our spiritual community together. Unitarian Universalism approaches the more "secular" aspects of fellowship life with the same religious intent as its worship. Our religious education classes, adult activities groups, community volunteerism and building facilities committees are essential aspects of our spiritual work. We believe it is our deeds, not our creeds, which are most important. Volunteer opportunities abound! Please consider signing up for coffee service, greeter, shoveling, or any other activity or job that helps to keep our fellowship moving forward and running smoothly. Volunteer sign up sheets are in the coat room.Every day we have people helping the Fellowship in ways that allow our community to thrive. Whether you are a board member, on a committee, you make coffee, do dishes, vacuum, shovel snow, rack leaves, plan a garden, help coordinate a service or you do one of the other countless tasks, the time and talents you share is incredibly important for our Fellowship community. Please know you are immensely appreciated.

"We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love. Mother Teresa

FACILITIES COMMITTEE
Ron Kossik (Chair) Tom Clark Kathy Fishback Jim Rabata Dick Urban Dan Wergin

CHILDRENS RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FALL 2013 The Childrens Religious Education Fall Session Experiences With the Web of Life Part 2 begins on Sunday, September 8, 2013 and will run through Sunday, December 15, 2013. All children from the ages of 4/5 through 10/11 are invited to participate in this fun and lively program. The Childrens RE is preparing for a special program and presentation on December 22nd. Mark your calendar, you wont want to miss the performance. If its as good as last year, its sure to be a full house. A special thanks of appreciation goes out to Evie Sustman and her assistant, Max Alexander, who have volunteered to lead the childrens program for the 2013/2014 session. ************************** Please note that there will be no Childrens Religious
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The Religious Educaon Commie e Evie Sustman, Chr. Max Alexander Zoe Alexander Dan Fischer Carol Wergin Sandy Bast

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OCTOBR

Speaking with many voices ~ Sources of Our Faith: Inspirational Readings By Kathleen Rolenz Looking for commonalities is relatively easy; true multiculturalism means being humble and brave enough to explore differences.
One of the great strengths of Uni-tarian Universalism, embodied in our six Sources, is our belief that spiritual wisdom speaks with many voices. This understanding is the key to welcoming all souls into our faith communities as blessings. Every new person we encounter has something to teach us. Values such as love, peace, compassion, and justice are expressed in every culture and tradition all over the world, in beautifully and powerfully different ways. Taken together, these expressions illuminate the various facets of these ideas, giving them nuance and depth. Looking for commonalities is the relatively easy part of forming a multicultural community. True multiculturalism, however, means being humble and brave enough to explore our different perspectives, experiences, traditions, and values while staying in relationship. It means bringing our whole selves to the table and inviting others to do the same, not just the parts that fit in. It means being willing to be changed. None of us feels welcomed as a blessing if we are asked to leave parts of ourselves behind, if we are constantly asked to translate our beliefs, perspectives, and spiritual questions into the language and frame of reference of the majority. We do not feel that we are recognized for the gifts we have to offer if our interactions and relationships leave no room for mutual transformation. Learning from and about each other helps us practice true hospitality. When we share our cultural traditions with one another in worship, we can offer this welcoming message: We value your rich tradition and worldview so much that we are committed to learning about it. Often readings carry cultural resonances and meanings that extend beyond the words alone. Once you learn more about a reading from a cultural tradition different from your own, you may become aware of its deeper meaning within its own context. For example, consider Mohandas K. Gandhis statement that even a little of true nonviolence acts in a silent, subtle, unseen way and leavens the whole society. Most people know the rough outline of Gandhis story and that he is associated with the ethic of nonviolence. But how many of us who are not Hindu, Buddhist, or Jain fully understand the implications of ahimsa, the sacred vow that was the foundation of Gandhis activism? The depth and nuance of ahimsa cannot be conveyed by the English word nonviolence. With a brief Internet search, you can learn about Gandhis understanding of ahimsa; congruencies and differences between ahimsa and Unitarian Universalist affirmations of the worth and dignity of every person and the interdependent web; Gandhis legacy for activists Albert Schweitzer and Martin Luther King Jr.; and explanations of ahimsa as the philosophical basis for Hindu practices like yoga and vegetarianism that have become popular in the West. Unitarian Universalists are a people engaged in the perpetual search for truth and meaning. What any one of us knows and has experienced is only one piece of the truth. Let us open ourselves to what we can learn from each other, as well as from those we have yet to meet.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE Ron Kossik (Chair), Jim Everett, Kim Everett

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Don't forget meditation on Sunday evenings at LUUF at 6:30 Relax, reflect and realign For a calming start to you week.

ADULT ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE

Jean Biegun, (Chair) Beth Barfield Kathy Edwards

The goal of meditation is to bring inner peace within oneself and the world in a positive and spiritual way.

Judy Rollin

Let's Get Creative in October. Join Zoe Alexander and learn how to paint silk scarves. Zoe will supply all the materials. Cost of the scarf is $6.00. Date is Sat., October 26, 10:00.
LUUF GAME NIGHT 2nd WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH OCTOBER 9 6:30

The Garden committee extends a humble thank you to all who helped create the beginnings of the Medication Gardens. Thanks to Max Alexander and his Eagle Badge project, from the hard labor, donating plants, digging and weeding, our gardens are taking shape and its the generosity of members that have helped create this beautiful outdoor space. GARDEN COMMITTEE
Kari Alice Lynn, (Chair), Cecilia Held, Kim Everett, Bev Rawling, Jim Rabata, Carol Wergin

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OCTOBER 2013

LUUF BOOK GROUP

CIRCLE SUPPERS

October 14th 5:30 7:00

From Maine to California, thousands of communities kept out African Americans (or sometimes Chinese Americans, Jewish Americans, etc.) by force, law, or custom. These communities are sometimes called "sundown towns" because some of them posted signs at their city limits reading, typically, "Nigger, Don't Let The Sun Go Down On You " Some towns are still all white on purpose. Their chilling stories have been joined more recently by the many elite (and some not so elite) suburbs like Grosse Pointe, MI, or Edina, MN, that have excluded nonwhites by "kinder gentler means." When I began this research, I expected to find about 10 sundown towns in Illinois (my home state) and perhaps 50 across the country. Instead, I have found more than 440 in Illinois and thousands across the Unite States. This is their story; it is the first book ever written on the topic

Consider participating in one of the Fellowship's CIRCLE SUPPERS in October/ November! We are hoping to hold three suppers, currently being scheduled. We need 1-2 more hosts. These dinners are simple and fun - a potluck at a host's home, or a gathering at a restaurant - and they are a great way to get to know Fellowship friends. A Circle Supper has a maximum group size (not more than 8) to contribute to good conversation over a shared meal. For the potluck dinner, participants coordinate with the host on what to bring. For the restaurant dinner, participants pay for their own meals. When we have the hosts and dates lined up, we will send out an email, and post sign-up sheets in the vestibule of the Fellowship. Friendly Fellowship around Good Food! Volunteer to host, or sign up for our Fall round of Circle Suppers! Circle Supper Coordinator: Cathy Edwards

http://sundown.afro.illinois.edu/sundowntowns.php http://www.uuworld.org/life/articles/90579.shtml

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OCTOBER 2013

Green Living On Behalf of the Earth GLOBE

Our LUUF Service Year began with water, and the Green Tips included in each Sundays Order of Service this past

month touch on everyday uses of water- in our homes, in our yards, and even in washing our cars. For those of you who may have missed them, our Green Tips follow.

Sept. 8th Service about water, reminds us of the precious and irreplaceable part of the web that connects us all. With such an abundance of fresh water just a few blocks away its hard to think about conservation and sustainability, but we need to recognize our dependence on water, our expectations for both quality and quantity, and our responsibility for wise use and protection. F i r st t ip o f t he mo nt h: If you must keep a lawn, during drought conditions avoid watering it, and if you must, water wisely. UW-Extension experts say healthy green grass uses about one inch of water each week. However, when your turf is brown, it uses much less. In fact, you only need to apply about one quarter of an inch per week (or about a half inch every other week) to keep the crowns hydrated, and ensure that your grass will green up when the rain begins. It is not a good idea to apply much more than this amount, as the turf will start to send out new green leaves which will require lots of water to stay green. Sept. 15th Since September is about water, consider this: a dripping faucet can waste 20 or more gallons of water a day, a leaking toilet several thousand gallons a year. Look for and fix leaks. Sept. 22nd Ask any little kid: Playing in water is lots of fun! When you want to play in water and wash your car, you can use water sparingly and still have plenty to play with. Park your car on your front lawn. Fill a soapy bucket with water and hose down your car. Turn off the water. Apply soapy rag from bucket to entire car surface. Hose car again and turn off water. Success! Clean car, youve watered your grass and kept soapy nutrients from running down your gutters into The Lake, and been able to play in the water. Further, youve provided a good example to your neighbors! Sept. 29th Treasure the rain. If you can manage a rain barrel youll always have water available for your flowers and vegetables and trees. GLOBEs next meeting is Sunday Oct. 6th after Service. Well be talking about an exciting workshop Cool Congregations scheduled for Oct. 27nd. Details available elsewhere in the newsletter. Everyone is welcome!

Environment committee
Bev Rowling (chair), Judy Rollin, Jean Biegun, Kari Alice Lynn, Carol Wergin
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OCTOBR 2013

Be a Good Energy Steward with Cool Congregations!

Training Event
Sunday, October 27, 2013, 1-4 p.m. Lakeshore Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 620 Park Street, Manitowoc Presented by Wisconsin Interfaith Power & Light
Sponsored by the Environment Committee of RUTH

Would you like to save money, care for creation, and reduce pollution, right in your own home? Would you like to be supported by others in your congregation, and support them, as you learn how to become better environmental stewards? Cool Congregations, a program of Wisconsin Interfaith Power and Light is designed to help you do just that. Participants measure their household carbon footprints the amount of carbon pollution generated by their everyday activities. They pledge to take simple steps to cut energy use, save money, and reduce their contribution to climate change. Meeting in house parties with other members of their congregation, they celebrate success, share information and ideas, and build community. Cool Congregations provides a safe place for people to learn why and how they can be responsible energy stewards. You can find out how to start a Cool Congregations program in your congregation by attending this training workshop with a team of two or more from your congregation.

For Online registration and more information: http://www.wisconsinipl.org/wiplcoolcongregations.htm For a paper registration form contact, Bev Rawling, 920-693-8941 or circleofsong@tds.net Registration Deadline is October 18, 2013.

Cool Congregations is a program of Wisconsin Interfaith Power and Light

The mission of Wisconsin Interfaith Power and Light is to inform, train, and activate people of all faiths and faith communities to take concrete steps in response to climate change through the promotion of energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy in order to protect Earths ecosystems, safeguard public health, and ensure just, sufficient and sustainable energy for all. For more information, visit http://www.WisconsinIPL.org or contact Dr. Peter Bakken, Executive Director, at (608) 837-3108 or info@WisconsinIPL.org

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A Candy Bar for Death

I remember exactly when I first became afraid of death in a more -than-childish way. By Doug Muder F 10.31.11UUA.org
Tonight, when there is a knock at my door, it might be Death. Probably, though, this version of Death will only be about four feet tall. He will carry a plastic scythe, and his dark robe will not completely hide his tennis shoes. I will give him a Snickers bar instead of my life, and he will say thank you before turning to run back to a parent waiting on the sidewalk. If I look scared, I will only be pretending. Halloween is full of cute and non-threatening reminders of death: ghosts, skeletons, tombstones. Zombies, werewolves, and other murderous monsters roam the night, but they can be bought off with bags of M&Ms. And yet, in the background lurks something more authentically ominous. I can hear the trick -or-treaters coming a long way off, and not just because they talk and laugh and argue about who will ring the doorbell. Their feet crunch through the fallen leavesleaves that just a few weeks ago were gorgeously red or yellow or orange, and that a few weeks earlier were green and supple. The porch lights and flashlights and passing cars illuminate some actual skeletons: spindly tree branches that not so long ago were bursting with life. Now they have pulled their vitality deep inside to keep it safe through the coming winter. Halloween really does begin the season of Death. Not so long ago, in the days before houses had heating vents in every room and hospitals were stocked with antibiotics, the dark half of the year was a serious hurdle that many of the old and sickly would fail to jump. Even if you were young and healthy and careful, you had to face the fact that the growing season was over, and the harvest would either last until spring or it wouldnt. Halloween was a time to look around and wonder who would still be at the table to celebrate Easter. Or whether you would be there yourself. Unitarian Universalists dont often gather together to think about our deaths. Even UU funerals usually focus much more on the specific life that has ended than on our shared mortality. If a memorial service includes testimonials, Im much more likely to tell the story of some inspiration I take from the deceased, or some amusing prank we pulled, than to say, This death reminds me that I will die, too, and it scares me. Historically, weve been an upbeat, can-do religion that doesnt make a lot of space for brooding about death. Most of the time, I think thats a healthy reaction against religions that brood too much and too unproductively. Better we should worry about disasters that might actually happen than scare ourselves with visions of Hell. Better we put our effort towards improving life here on Earth, for others as well as ourselves, than try to pile up riches in some dubious afterlife. And yet, because each of us is alive and each of us will die, Unitarian Universalists have as much to brood about as anybody else. If we dont do it together, then sooner or later most of us will end up doing it alone. And if I dont make a time for it, the time may make itselfperhaps when some bad dream or strange twinge wakes me up in the middle of the night. So let me propose this as a winter topic for UU covenant groups and other safe, intimate discussions: This is what scares me about death and this is how Im dealing with those fears. Ill start.

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OCTOBER 2013

I remember exactly when I first became afraid of death in a more -than-childish way. I was 16, and I had a Saturday night job in a precomputerized small-town newsroom. Editors would give me marked -up stories that reporters had typed by hand on cheap paper, and I would deliver those sheets to the composing room where the next mornings newspaper was being set into metal type. That became my favorite way to read the Sunday paper: half a day early, a few paragraphs at a time, while I walked quickly and tried not to run into walls or people. I remember one article in particular. It was just three paragraphs typed on a single sheet: During a windstorm that day, a lo cal man had been standing in his yard when a tree branch blew down and killed him. I had never thought about that kind of death. I had seen lots of characters get killed on TV shows, but they always died in some way that made senseheroically or tragically or because they made a mistake. And my grandmother had died, but that also had made a certain kind of sense. Her cancer had been a challenge that had led to various treatments in response. Gradually it became apparent that the treatments would fail. My grandmothers story did not come out the way I wanted, but at least it had a beginning, a middle, and an end. You knew where you were in a story like that. But this guy, I imagined, had just been in his yard, on a day like many other windy days. I pictured him living in the middle of dozens of storiesabout his job or his family or something he was trying to accomplishstories that had motivated and made sense out of his life the way my stories motivated and made sense out of mine. But I was certain that none of his stories made sense out of the windblown branch that killed him. The stories he thought he was living had not concluded, they had all just cut off in the middle, like TV shows in a power failure. I brooded about that for days afterward. I even thought (at this distance, I cant say how seriously) about suicide. I think I was trying to regain control of the story of my death. A death of my own choosing could complete a story of my own devising. How much better that seemed than to risk having all my storiesabout school or sports or my future career or my hopes for romancesuddenly cut off. At various times in my life I have feared death for other reasons. Like most people, I have an animal urge for self -preservation that pops up whenever a threat is immediately present. But it does not cause me to brood about death in general any more than animals d o. I was raised in another faith that had a powerful vision of Hell. Without the constant reinforcement of that faith community, though, that fear has withered to nothing. Not even a horror movie can reawaken it. Some of my friends fear the consequences their deaths would have on their young children, or on other dependents who would be helpless without them. But (although I imagine I would be grieved over and missed) I am not in that situation. And as far as the larger world goes, I agree with Charles de Gaulle: The graveyards are full of indispensable men. Humanity will manage to muddle on witho ut me. But the fear of having my stories suddenly cut off, of a death that makes no sense in the story of my life, sticks with me. The possibility of such a death is like a loose end in a tapestry: Think about it too much, tug on it too hard, and the story of your life can start to unravel. Stories about the future do an important job in the human psyche. They give meaning to the tedious parts of life, and motivate difficult actions whose consequences take time to play out. But when fear of death unravels your life story, that process starts to work against you. Moments that could be savored here and now instead taste like dust and ashes. Every pleasure or success is just another reminder of how much there is to lose. William James captured such an unraveling with this image: [Humankind] is in a position similar to that of a set of people living on a frozen lake, surrounded by cliffs over which there is no escape, yet knowing that little by little the ice is melting, and the inevitable day drawing near whenthe last film of it will disappear, and to be drowned ignominiously will be the human creatures portion. The merrier the skating, the warmer and more sparkling the sun by day, and the ruddier the bonfires at night, the more poignant the sadness with which one must take in the meaning of the total situation.

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So what am I doing to deal with that?

OCTOBER 2013
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I try to avoid two obvious temptations: First, not to think about death at all, and second, to wish the problem away by imagining a perfect afterlife, where I and all my loved ones will live happily ever after. Either of these solutions might work for a while, but I suspect that for me they would collapse at the worst possible time. Someday a doctor might give me a few months to live, and then I might discover that I cant avoid thinking about it, and that I dont really believe in Heaven after all. Then what? Instead, I combine short-term, medium-term, and long-term strategies. In the short term, I practice mindfulness. I try to appreciate each moment as it comes, without forcing it to mean something in a larger story. Peace, William James. I really do enjoy the bonfires, even if the lake is melting. In the medium term, I try not to pile up expectations that someday could become regrets. If life wont feel complete unless Ive done X, Y, and Z, I want to do them as soon as is practical. And if Z will never be practical, better I should start grieving for it now than when the terminal diagnosis comes. For the long term, I try to identify with groups and causes larger than myself. My personal stories will end when I die, but a lot of other stories wont. If I truly value my role in those stories, my actions can be meaningful right up to the moment of death. My inspiration here comes from the speech the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave in Memphis the night before he died. In that speech he anticipated his death and made peace with it. He had been to the mountaintop, he said, and had seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land! We, not I. The collective story goes on and is meaningful, even as the personal story ends. OK, your turn. But wait, theres somebody at the door. Hand me a Snickers bar.

A ritual to honor our beloved dead and dance the spiral of rebirth.

Death and regeneration are always linked in Goddess thealogy. Birth, growth, death and renewal are a cycle that plays over and over again through natural systems and human lives. Embracing this cycle, we dont need to fear death, but instead can see it as a stage of life and a gateway to some new form of being. As ubiquitous as Halloween celebrations are throughout the world, few of us know that the true origin of Halloween is a ceremony of honoring our ancestors and the day of the dead. A time when the veils between the worlds were thinner, and so many could "see" the other side of life. A time in the year when the spiritual and material worlds touched for a moment, and a greater potential exists for magical creation.
Ancient rites In ancient times, this day was a special and honored day of the year. In the Celtic calendar, it was one of the most important days of the year, representing a mid point in the year, Samhain, or "summers end". Occurring opposite the great Spring Festival of May Day, or Beltain, this day represented the turning point of the year, the eve of the new year which begins with the onset of the dark phase of the year. The Celts believed that the normal laws of space and time were held in abeyance during this time, allowing a special window where the spirit world could intermingle with the living. It was a night when the dead could cross the veils and return to the land of the living to celebrate with their family, or clan. As such, the great burial mounds of Ireland were lit up with torches lining the walls, so the spirits of the dead could find their way. So Samhain is a time to remember and honor those who have died, to celebrate their lives and appreciate their gifts, to tell stories about them to the next generation so their memory will not be lost. Samhain is also a time for deep spiritual work. At this time of year, we say, the veil is thin that divides the worlds, the seen from the unseen, the day to day from the mysteries.
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LUUF NEWSLETTER
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OCTOBER 2013

OUT REACH & SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE

Jim Sustman (Chair) Nancy Horvath
Meets first Thurs of each month at 7:00. St. James Church 434 N. 8th St Phone: (920)374-3524 Email: pflagmanty@gmail.com

Jennifer Hollahan Patty Marquardt John Thompson

GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE

UW Manitowoc Email: uwmanitowocgsa@gmail.com Caio Menzer (920)320-1141

We believe that schools can be truly safe only when every student is assured of access to an education without fear of harassment of violence. http://www.gsafewi.org/

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LUUF NEWSLETTER
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OCTOBER 2013

Sunday, October 6th at Lincoln Park Cabin #2. Worried about missing the Packer game!?! Dont worry! The picnic will begin at 3:00pm and go unl 6 :0 0pm ! Please bring your families as this is certainly a family friendly event! Well be having raes also so bring your lucky rabbit foot! We hope to see everyone there!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Check out our NEW Amazon.com wishlist!!!! Just go to Amazon.com, login to your account and do a wish list search for Hope House of Manitowoc County
On the wish list you will nd a list of items that Hope House can always use as well as those unique items that pop up that we might need on a one-m e b asi s. You can order the items from our wish list under your account and they can be shipped directly to Hope House. If you have any quesons p le ase feel free to le t u s k now ! An easy, no-fuss way to give!

The next Hope House volunteer training is scheduled for Oct. 7th , 6:00 - 8:00, At Hope House 1110 S. 10th Street, Manitowoc Mark your calendars and reserve the date.

UU VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT TREP IN TWO RIVERS

On Saturday October 19, volunteers from our fellowship are needed to help sort, count and restock food items from 11am to 1pm. The Boy Scouts have their annual fall food drive in TR and Mishicot that day. Since we are cosponsor to TREP our designated time to work on this task is 11 am to 1 pm. It would be great if we could get 10 to 12 people there for those 2 hours. Last time among the volunteers were Becky Abler and her son Matthew. Please inform Jim Sustman, our representative at TREP if you are able to help. Thanks
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Lakeshore Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 620 Park Street Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54220

LAKE SHORE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST MISSION

As a welcoming and accepting, diverse and inquiring spiritual fellowship, We unite to create a community which stimulates a free exchange and Exploration of ideas, foster spiritual and intellectual growth, and serves as a base for active outreach to benefit the world around us.

AS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS, WE AFFIRM AND PROMOTE THESE PRINCIPLES

The inherent worth and dignity of every person Justice, equality and compassion in human relationships Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations A free and responsible search for truth and meaning The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part

PEACE TO ALL

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