St. Lawrence District of the Unitarian Universalist Association

Happy New Year! This is the time of year when we make resolutions and promises to ourselves about what we will do in the coming months. What have you promised yourself this year? Will you loose weight? Will you exercise more? Will you be more patient, kind, compassionate? What about your faith development? Did you think of it? Did you make a promise to yourself to grow and deepen your faith?
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As a daily spiritual practice I carve out 20-30 minutes each morning to try to silence myself. I read a daily passage from a wonderful book called Awakening the Soul- a Book of Daily Devotions. UU minster John Morgan, who edited the book, states that while religion has an intellectual quality, it also requires intuition and heart and community - and mostly soul. So each morning I tried to get in touch with my heart, and my soul.

Each day presents a quote, often by a "famous" person; then a question; and finally, a challenge. Here is the reading from January 1. First, the quote, by Carlos Castaneda: "Does this path have a heart? If it does, the path is good; if it doesn't, it is of no use. . . One makes for a joyful journey; as long as you follow it, you are one with it. The other will make you curse your life. One makes you strong; the other weakens you."
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Schenectady's Dining for Dollars Benefits
Storm Recovery in New Orleans, Schoharie

Ellie von Wellsheim and Ginger Ertz in the FUSS kitchen
Photo by Michael Hochanadel

Four-year-olds in New Orleans and families rebuilding their homes in Schoharie County will benefit from the efforts of cooks, organizers, drivers and underwriters of this year's Dining for Dollars at the First Unitarian Society of Schenectady.

Since 2006, the program has delivered lasagna dinners in Schenectady and the surrounding area on one day in December. There is no fee, but a donation envelope is included in each canvas bag along with lasagna, garlic bread,salad, dessert and coffee.
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The Knitting and Crochet group at the UU Church of Amherst makes shawls for mastectomy patients at the Erie County Medical Center. Members make whole shawls or squares that are sewn together as part of what the group's Kimberly Kent calls " this wonderful spirit-lifter" for the patients. The Knitting/Crochet group meets weekly at the church or at a local knitting shop.

Rev. Darcey Laine, minister of the UU Church of Athens and Sheshequin, is one of two teachers for the online course "Economic Justice and the Bible," offered in January and February by the Church of the Larger Fellowship. Among course topics are creating the ideal economic community, debt and debt forgiveness, and ethics in banking. For more information about the course, see http://clf.uua.org/learn/.

"All are welcome to share friendship and food," read the invitation to the First Universalist Church of Central Square's annual Christmas Day Dinner for the larger community. Ronna Schindler, who with her husband Kurt has organized the dinner for the past ten years, said organizers and volunteers had "a wonderful time." Among the 54 persons who attended the dinner were several who had come yearly since the first dinner and many who were new this year, Schindler said.

The First Unitarian Church of Ithaca recently received one of seven Pride of Ownership awards for building renovations from the Ithaca Rotary Club and the City of Ithaca. The church was recognized for its repairs to the church roof and steeple, and particularly for the use of copper along the steeple's edges to provide protection during high winds. The church was built in 1893.

December "Thought-Full Tuesdays" at the UU Society of Oneonta offered members and guests "engaging, educational, social experiences. Topics included a screening and discussion of the film The Economics of Happiness; a guided meditation for stress relief; a grief support circle facilitated by Rev. Craig Schwalenberg; and a discussion of desired change.

First Universalist Church of Rochester held a farewell reception for Rev. Sally Hamlin, who is withdrawing from her called ministry with the church because of continued health concerns. Rev. Martha Munson, who served as consulting minister at the church this fall, will remain as interim minister.

Members of the local chapter of the UU Ministers Association agreed at their meeting last month to change the name of the chapter from Iroquois to St. Lawrence. "The change came about because of our increasing awareness that the word Iroquois was not a proper name for the Native Americans of this area but a derogatory epithet for the people known as the Haudenosaunee," said Rev. Peggy Meeker, chapter secretary. According to Rev. Meeker, the name St. Lawrence was chosen to match the District, but chapter members were glad to learn that St. Lawrence, one of seven deacons of ancient Rome, was said to have been martyred because he distributed the wealth of the church to the poor rather than turn it over to Rome.

Light One Candle
This is the dark time of the year, a period of introspection and gestation. Sometimes massive bursts of light - from an over-the-top light display on a lawn or the mall intrude. But it's the small candles that capture our heart - from the advent wreath, the menorah, the Yule log, the Christmas Eve service, the kinara. So too, it's the small personal gifts we share that matter - an invitation to drive around looking at those lawn displays, or to view the night sky, or asking someone you hardly know to join a holiday meal or school concert. Your invitation just might light up someone's entire world! Now that's a real miracle!

A Healthy (early) New Year's Resolution
January 1 is traditionally the day when we make all sorts of promises to adopt a healthier lifestyle. But now would be the right time to commit to growing a healthier congregation! If you are in the eastern portion of New York State, then join the CRUUNY cluster for Healthy Congregations training beginning February 3. The Western cluster's first of six Saturday gatherings is January 14 in Buffalo, with the registration deadline Dec. 15. More information on the Healthy Congregations program with registration links is on the CERG website.

The tragedy of life is not death, but what dies inside while we are living. We must recognize that we get our basic energy, not from turbines, but from hope.
- Norman Cousins

It is the season of hope, but the liberal religious activists I know are not optimistic about the state of the world. The unfinished business of two tragic wars, political paralysis in Washington, a study of low civic engagement by New York State citizens and the prospect of a long and boring election campaign do not bode well for 2012.

However, this is a religious newsletter, and we need to articulate religious values. I find that distinguishing between optimism and hope is useful. Optimism in my lexicon is an unsubstantiated belief that things will somehow work out, will inevitably get better. Hope, on the other hand, is a religious value that embodies commitment to work for the Beloved Community. There is a world of difference between the two. I may not be optimistic from time to time, but I am ever hopeful, because that is what my faith requires of me.
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Mommy, is Santa real? This is a faith development question. When we are parents and our child comes to us with this question we answer as if we have been caught in a lie. We think it is a question that has a yes or no answer. We think that the child must learn the truth, the hard facts of life. The child must become worldly, mature and realistic. As we age, we begin to see that the truth is much deeper and much much more complicated.
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I hear from many congregations' lay leaders that they would like ideas on how to improve their congregational stewardship. Rev. Renee Ruchotzke, our Leadership Development Consultant for the Central East Regional Group (CERG), has compiled a great list of resources to help you and your congregation. The list includes web-based articles, free on-demand webinars, blogs and books. The list is available at the CERG website: cerguua.org/stewardshipres.html
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Carrying the food to the pantry
Canton members and friends
carry donated food
to a local food pantry
At the food pantry
Rev. David Blanchard and children
of the Canton church with
Catherine Mathews, director of the
Church and Community Program,
and some of the food
donated by the congregation
Photos by David Pynchon

The November Shared Offering at the UU Church of Canton was received in a grocery cart, as the congregation collected healthy food items for area food pantries. "...The lingering economic downturn has hurt the poor among us most dramatically," the church newsletter reported, noting that, as more families turned to them for help, many pantries were reporting shortages.

Rev. David Blanchard challenged the congregation to collect 600 items. The mountain of donated items passed that number by the third Sunday of the month, and members went on to bring in more than 1000 items. After church on Sunday, December 4, men, women, and children of the congregation carried donated items to the Church and Community Program on Main Street in Canton. Food pantries in several neighboring towns and villages also received donations from the collection.

DRE Jennifer Wapinski-Mooradian led the second annual Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration after church at the First Unitarian Society of Ithaca on Sunday, October 30. The RE Council and staff invited members to join them in honoring those who had died in a memorial service that included readings, a silent meditation, and an opportunity to place photographs and mementos of loved ones on an altar.

Streamers and papel de muertos (cut-paper designs) decorated the room for the Mexican-themed potluck that followed the memorial service. While Mexican music played, children were invited to try traditional crafts and participants met in small groups to share stories of their loved ones. While the potluck had a different tone than the memorial service, Ms. Wapinski-Mooradian said, "it remained respectful to the spirit of the event." The RE Council plans to offer the celebration again next year.

The Alternative Gift Project at the First Unitarian Society of Schenectady allows members to make donations to local, national and international charities in the names of loved ones. The project offers a catalog listing charities and three levels of gifts for each, with items such as $5 for two beds of organic collard greens in a youth agriculture program, $25 for a year's medical care for a child living in the community of the Guatemala City Garbage Dump, and $65 for a month's bus pass for a refugee adult attending English classes.

The Social Action Committee of the UU Congregation of Northern Chautauqua agreed to support Occupy Fredonia and to provide meals for the group on two evenings in November. The First Universalist Church of Rochester will open its building to Occupy Rochester on Tuesday evenings in December. Other congregations from the GUUSTO cluster will help provide supper at the church on those evenings.

The First UU Society of Albany raised almost $2000 at its annual Fall Clothing Sale. FUUSA receives one-third of the proceeds of the sale, with two-thirds, in $250 awards, going to non-profit community-based agencies selected by the 58 volunteers at the sale.

"Be there or be dreary!" warned the advertising for the First Unitarian Church of Rochester's second annual "Don't Go Back to Black Friday" service on the day after Thanksgiving. The service was offered as an opportunity to get centered for the holiday and as an alternative to the mall on the biggest shopping day of the year. Early arrivals for the service stood in line outside the front doors and were offered cake-on-a-stick treats baked by Co-Senior Minister Rev. Kaaren Anderson. The service featured stories, homilies, and music by the house band, Orange Sky, all focused on the theme, "You're the gift, so give yourself away."