Ministerial Musings

 

When I sat down to write this week’s column for the Peak, I couldn’t get the image of the burning Notre Dame out of my mind. And this image is most likely a trigger for so many who see it. Not just for the loss of such a historical building, but for those who suffered trauma from fire resulting in devastating losses. I have a dear friend in Los Angeles who, when the family was out of town, was called to come back early as a wiring malfunction had caused a fire in their home while they were away. They lost everything and had to completely start over. They not only lost material possessions, everything that wasn’t in a suitcase, but they lost their beloved dog and cat. We can replace all the things we had, she said to me, but we can’t replace lives. Her daughters were devastated at the loss of their furry friends, but all three daughters were safe and unhurt. They cannot however look at images of fire after experiencing this.

 

Stepping out of the ashes to new life is usually represented by the phoenix, rising out of the ashes. The myth of this bird signified rebirth, a bird rising out of the ashes of a funeral pyre to renewed, more youthful life. And in some ways, she signified that in her actions later on. She was so grateful that not a single member of her family was injured. And as they picked through the wreckage in the ensuing weeks, they would find odds and ends that survived. She found her mother’s wedding ring which lasted through, a couple of wedding favors from her own wedding, a few pictures and their wedding album which was nearly untouched. And all through all of this searching, which took a few weeks coming back to the house after working all day, all she kept saying was how grateful she was that she would find this, or she would find that. They had friends to put up their family until they could find a place to stay. Others donated lamps, couches, beds. They began to rebuild their home, just in another location. But this family of five were all alive and moving on.

 

It’s funny what significance we place on things. That it’s not the things themselves, but their meaning that tugs at our hearts. That first rose corsage you got in high school and preserved, not for the flower, but for the memories. A ticket stub for an event that you will never forget, how it brings back the memories of a loving time. It’s the symbol of an object that can bring us to tears. It’s the symbol of what it represents, the memories that are recalled, the feelings that arise in us as we see or touch this object and are instantly returned to that time.

 

The cathedral is a symbol that means so much to so many, to an entire country. And yet, I begin to wonder as the billion dollars worth of donations rise and rise to restore this landmark, what would it take to gain that momentum to help the homeless, to help those who lost their homes through fires, to help feed so many people in the world? How do we offer such unfettered help for a building when we cannot help those among us who are suffering?

 

Food for thought.

 

Happy Easter week and blessings to you all,

Rev Jo

 

Please feel free to contact me

By email:  minister@mpuuc.org

By phone: 510-972-3890

On this celebratory day that is one of the most important in the Christian tradition, let us see as Unitarian Universalists how we can take the lessons of the Resurrection and apply them to our lives. What rebirth do we need in our lives to become the most creative beings we can to serve the world as best we can? Join us this Sunday for a Unitarian Universalist version of Easter!        

 

Leading the service will be Rev. Jo Green and assisting will be Worship Associate Allysson McDonald.  Peak Rocks will provide our music.   

 

 

 

 

 

Easter Egg Hunt at Mission Peak UU

 

Our annual Easter egg hunt will be Sunday April 21 after service. Please come out and join us as our youth lead the children in an exciting adventure! The hunt will start on the steps of Cole Hall after both congregations services have ended.  We are in need of small items to fill our eggs. If you are able to contribute please bring items to Cole Hall this coming Sunday  If you have any questions feel free to contact Summer Lander.

 

“People who ride their bikes to LEAF Earth Day event will get 2 Free raffle tickets. If riding your bike enter the first gate on the left side. The yellow cylindrical bike stands are there plus bikes can also be placed along the fence

The LEAF Team is very happy to be hosting LEAF Earth Day 2019. Our mission is to promote and teach regenerative agriculture and environmental sustainability. We will be selling plants grown in our nursery, honey from our bees, and crafts from recycled products. There will be live music all day and even more good food. There will be two Maker Events for Kids.”  Click here for more information.

 

 

 

 

Join the City of Fremont and Washington Hospital Healthcare System as we celebrate our beautiful planet Earth! Enjoy this FREE event promoting environmental awareness in our community and featuring fun activities for the entire family.

* Bike rodeo
* Exhibits on going green
* Free basic bike tune-ups
* Confidential document shredding
* Arts and crafts
* Games, activities, and face painting
* Food trucks

 

Please click here for more information.  

Sunday April 28, our Adult Ed Committee is experimenting with a format where a member of the congregation will answer questions about their spiritual beliefs, practices, why they are UU, etc., in an informal setting.  The objective (besides hopefully being informative) is to promote more open spiritual conversations as part of our Third Principle.  If you’re visiting you’re also invited to attend, whether to ask questions or just experience the depth and breadth of our living tradition.

 

For the first session, Eric Dittmar has volunteered to address any questions as best he can: whether they’re about Buddhism in general or his personal beliefs, both Buddhist and UU.  We hope you’re interested and can set aside the time to attend. 

Susan Bartlett Foote author of The Crusade for Forgotten Souls – Reforming Minnesota’s Mental Institutions 1946-1954, University of Minnesota Press, 2018, will be speaking at Mission Peak on Saturday, May 11, 2019 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.  You are warmly invited to attend.  The talk will be videotaped for those of you who can’t make it in person. 

 

Susan tells the story of how Unitarians in Minnesota helped to reform snake-pit conditions in state mental institutions, organizing many effective activities working with the Governor, other agencies of the government, the press and other religious institutions in principled activism.  This is how it is done when it is done right!   She also will tell about how many reforms were later overturned by tightfisted conservative politicians and bureaucrats.  But, as she explains, there are many important lessons that emerged and which apply to us today, the chief one of which is the necessity of being eternally vigilant.

 

Susan dedicates the book to her former father-in-law Rev. Arthur Foote the minister at Unity Unitarian in St. Paul, Minnesota who spearheaded the effort, and whose notes led her to research and write this book when she found them in a closet of her home.  You can read a UU World article about the book at :  https://www.uuworld.org/articles/history-book-reviews-spring-2019    

 

Contact me if you have any questions.

 

Rev.  Barbara F.  Meyers

com_minister@mpuuc.org  

2019 marks 25 years of MPUUC’s existence as a congregation and we think that’s a milestone worth celebrating.  We will have many different celebrations throughout the year.  Please reserve the following dates on your calendar now.  You won’t want to miss them!

[More details regarding these events will follow closer to the dates.  If you have questions or suggestions for additional events or you want to help with an event, please contact Jen King].

A warning that there is a new email phishing scam being employed against faith communities, misleading congregants into sending money. People set up fake accounts that imitate the minister’s account, and send messages to email addresses they collect from the church website or published newsletters.  This is a pretty helpful description of how the scam has developed and how to avoid it . Be exceedingly cautious if you receive a message from a leader in your congregation asking for rushed money.

 

***Please know that Rev Jo Green would never ask you personally for any funding.  If you receive one, please notify her immediately.

Hi, my name is Eliot–I am your neighbor in Fremont.   I am not a Unitarian, or especially religious, but I am very concerned about climate change.

I am reaching out to you because the City of Fremont is currently considering what to do about reducing carbon in the coming years.   My goal is to ask them to make binding commitments, to make city ordinances, that will reduce our carbon to avoid increased harm to the planet and problems for people everywhere.

I am gathering signatures of people who agree, to send to the council to encourage them to take action. 

Turning Love Into Justice:

 

The Tri-City Interfaith Council (tcicouncil.weebly.com)  is a grass-roots organization bringing together people of diverse religious beliefs from Fremont, Newark, and Union City (California). Rev. Jo Green, Rev. Barbara Meyers and Paul K. Davis are members.  Join in!