Paul Britner is a recent seminary graduate who is working this year as a chaplain in Anderson, South Carolina. Before attending seminary, Paul worked for 11 years as a personnel attorney in two different federal agencies in Washington, D.C. He is engaged to be married on June 18 to Karen Nelson or Rockville, Maryland.

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    Last year Davidson Loehr, a UU minister serving in Austin, TX, wrote a sermon, "Why ‘Unitarian Universalism’ is Dying." His sermon has made the ministers’ chat line buzz with his presumptuous and provocative title. Here is this UU minister’s response to Loehr’s thoughts on the current health of Unitarian Universalism.

    On Sunday, February 13, I presented a sermon on compassion and, amongst other things, spoke about the western tendency toward self-hatred and self-condemnation. In brief, I said that eastern religions do not negate humanity the way the Christian teaching of inherent sin does. At least two astute church members disagreed with my statement by pointing out the Hindu practice of the caste system, and particularly the class of the untouchables, a group that is not even considered to exist within the caste system.

    Excellent point gentlemen! Indeed, I stand corrected. The irony of my statement is Buddhism actually emerged in part to counter the then emerging caste system. According to C. Scott Littleton, general editor of "The Sacred East: Understanding Eastern Religions," the organized caste system evolved from the Aryan tribal system. The idea behind it is each person must be given the opportunity to develop how they can best contribute to society, as well as best develop their own potential.

    The Rig Veda, the oldest of the Hindu sacred scriptures, suggests the ordering of classes originated in the primeval sacrifice of the cosmic man. From his mouth came the highest ranking, the priestly class known as the brahmins. The warriors and rulers, kshatriyas, came from his arms; the merchants and farmers, vaishyas, from his thighs; and the servant class, shudras, from his feet. This image is used to demonstrate the organic nature of the system, according to which each class contributes in a specific way to the orderly functioning of society.

    The preeminent religion scholar, Huston Smith, writes that the cardinal tenet of Hinduism is that people are different, thus the significant variety of Hindu paths toward divine realization, and the adherence to the caste system. Huston states that how the social order arose is cloudy at best, but it has been perverted since its inception. The result is a proliferation of over three thousand subcastes. In addition, there are massive pro-scriptions against intermarriage and even interdining; gross inequities favoring the higher castes; and a heredity system forcing people to remain in the caste into which they were born.

    In theory, and in its original intent the caste system was supposed to be regulated by egalitarian measures such as through reincarnation people would move up in the caste system. Each caste should be internally equal in payment for services, but the higher castes are paid in accordance with their level of responsibility, such as the administrators being compensated with power. The lowest caste, or followers have the least responsibility but the most freedom. Accordingly, the followers hold little responsibility for doing wrong, while the highest class, the Brahmins, hold the most accountable for wrong doing, for they should know better. Each is punished according to their level of responsibility.

    As we all know, ideals rarely work out. In fact, the caste system is known for its rigidity, exclusiveness and undeserved privilege. While many Hindus are working to clear the corruption of their system, some defend it against the critical voices from the west.

    Hopefully you read in the board retreat minutes that the board has decided to move forward with creating a mission statement. There was a vision statement that was written before I arrived here by a hard working com-mittee. However, a mission statement has not been written which is usually the next step along with goal/objectives. In order for vision and mission statements to be effective, they are tools after all, they need to be used regularly. Such as they’re posted regularly in the newsletter and order of service, the board and committees use them to set their annual goals, and evaluate themselves at the end of the year on how they’re doing. They also help the minister be a more effective minister by, for example, establishing expectations of church members.

    Both a vision statement and a mission statement help establish a church’s sense of identity and purpose, so the church doesn’t lose focus and energy. Vision and mission statements themselves are also reviewed every five years or so, to see if they are still in line with what the community wants.

    Not everyone enjoys the process of writing a mission statement, but the process is often more important than the result. It is important that as many people as possible be involved in the process, but certainly it is preferred that everyone wants to be present. If you are one of those people who is not wild about mission statements, perhaps the goals/objectives step would be a better fit for your taste! And that would be very helpful so the mission statement people can take a break. There is a mission statement workshop now scheduled for April 23, everyone is invited! We will be reviewing the previous vision statement from ten years ago and launching our mission statement process. The goal is to complete it by our December annual meeting and have a vote at that time. Our Ohio Meadville District Consultant, Rod Thompson, will be facilitating the workshop. He has experience with this, and says other district churches have found them beneficial. The workshop will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. including lunch. Child care will be provided. Please sign up with Vanessa in the church office, 724-4023.

    Last Monday my dad, my daughter, and I traveled to the Pittsburgh International Airport to catch our flight to sunny Florida. This was Analee’s first experience flying, and I watched her expressions carefully as we made our way through the terminal. I soon found myself caught up in her enthusiasm. She gleefully pointed out the giant Calder mobile and the menacing skeleton of the Tyrannosaurus Rex. She squealed in delight at the escalators and the tram ride. However, her greatest pleasure was the moving walkway. As we waited for our flight, she rode down the walk-way, jumped off, and ran back to do it all over again and again and again¼ . As I accompanied her (getting some well needed exercise) I began taking notice of the other travelers. Most of them were probably traveling on business as they were dressed up in professional attire. I observed their serious faces and quick strides. They rarely made eye contact and were usually busy with cell phones, laptops, or some type of reading material. And then my gaze would fall on my daughter laughing, looking, questioning, discovering.

    Finally, we boarded our plane, and Analee took her seat by the window. I don’t think she took her eyes off of the view outside for a second. Again, I watched the other travelers. They burrowed into their seats, opened their book or laptop, or simply closed their eyes. I looked at my daughter and smiled at the wonder in her eyes as she watched the earth fall far beneath us. How could anyone close their eyes to this experience?

    Yes, I know that many of those other travelers have flown dozens of times before, and they’ve experienced flying again and again and again. For them, flying has become monotonous, predictable, full of security inconveniences and stretches of wasted time. For Analee, flying was new, exciting, wonderful and even miraculous. Couldn’t this be a metaphor for life? How many of us have succumbed to the monotony of life, cursed its inconveniences, and grew blind to the view? I, for one, want to hold onto Analee’s perspective. I want to see everything as for the first time, to feel wonder, excitement, passion. Can it be done? I think so, but it takes deliberate effort, a continuous reawakening to life. And I am constantly amazed at a child‘s natural ability to stay awake to life, and everyday I watch them and learn from them.

    I had a wonderful experience at my Worship Workshop at Loyola of the Lakes in Akron, Ohio last weekend. Approximately 20 DREs from the Ohio-Meadville District spent three days together sharing ideas about children’s worship. I came away with a lot of renewed energy and great ideas.

    One topic that seemed to be a hot issue in many UU churches was the intergenerational services and how families can create a more child friendly experience. Below are some suggestions that I received at the workshop:

    A time set apart to consider things of worth and value. A time for gathering of our church family. A time to come home to ourselves, to grow roots and stretch wings.

    We believe it is essential for children to participate in whole church worship to develop a sense of being valued and welcome. They may not understand everything that happens, that will come with maturity. Children learn best through personal experience. Through full participation, they will absorb a feeling of belonging to a loving faith community. We also know that it is tough for children to sit still for long, thus we offer the following suggestions to parents and to the gathered congregation. Talk about worship at home. Look for opportunities to relate either the sermon or the children’s story to something that happens during the week. If your family has experienced a significant joy or concern, support your child(ren) if they wish to share during that portion of our service.

    Get settled with your child(ren) as early as possible. Consider sitting near the front. Children who can see what is happening feel more involved. Review the order of service and help children understand what will be happening. Share the hymnal and order of service at your child’s eye level. Line words with your finger to help them follow along. Feel free to whisper instruction to help children learn "worship etiquette". During the story for all ages, adults are welcome to come forward and sit with your child.

    Young children are welcome in our service, and it is a given that "worship etiquette" is beyond their developmental level. Parents are encouraged to determine if the use of our nursery care room would be a happier and more comfortable situation for young children during full hour intergenerational services. You know your child best.

    I hope these suggestions help you and your family find value and meaning in worship experiences.

    Planning has begun now in earnest for my ordination into the Unitarian Universalist Ministry. If you haven't already marked your calendars the date is Sunday, April 24, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. in the evening. The place is our sanctuary. As my sponsoring congregation, as well as the well spring of my ministry, I will be so honored to have you all participate in this momentous event in my life and career. The choir will be singing and many different ministers from the district and from afar (including Kate!) have already agreed to participate.

    In our tradition ministers are ordained by their congregations and not by any other body within the organization of the larger association. The Ministerial Fellowship Committee of the UUA has granted me preliminary fellowship, meaning that I have successfully met their educational, experiential and psychological requirements and standards for ministry. But it will be YOU ALL that bless and make official the personal "call" I have felt toward that ministry. It will only be after my ordination ceremony that I will officially be The Reverend Alison Wohler.

    The weekend of the ordination will be a full one, with many out of town visitors arriving both to participate in and to witness to the significance of the occasion. And celebration will be a large part of the weekend, too! I am being helped in the preparations by many generous and creative people but I really need YOUR help as well.

    Here are some of the areas in which your generosity would be most appreciated. If you would be able or willing to provide home hospitality for out of town guests (Saturday and/or Sunday nights), please contact Cynthia Burton. If you could help in any way with the pre-ordination supper for out of town guests and participants, or with the large reception that will follow the ordination, please contact Cindy Snyder. If you are interested in being an usher during the service, or in providing a hospitable presence around the parish house and sanctuary for visitors, please contact Venessa Summerlin. Vanessa will also be coordinating extra volunteers for the larger than usual coffee hour following Kate’s service that Sunday morning. If you would like to help me address the invitations, or, later on, assemble the orders of service, contact me, Alison Wohler. There are lots and lots of details that will require many volunteers, and I thank you in advance for your willingness to help out!

    I sure am looking forward to April! This will be not only an enjoyable event for our church, but a significant one as well, as we celebrate together the meaning and value of professional ministry.

    We have been busy working on several social concern projects. We had two bake sales to send money to Tsunami Relief, which equaled $158. We made $40 selling carnations on Valentine’s Day weekend to send to the Humane Society, and we made $102 at a punk show to earn money for our trip this summer.

    We will be volunteering at the Humane Society Saturday March 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. We will meet at the church at 12:30 p.m.

    The Fellowship Committee would like to know if there is interest among members & friends of the congregation in establishing Circle Supper groups. For those of you not familiar with this UU tradition, Circle Suppers are a great opportunity for us to get to know each other better outside of the church and meetings setting. Groups of three to five families are formed to meet "round robin" style at a different member’s home each month for three months. Each month’s host prepares a main dish and the other members of the group bring side dishes.

    If this sounds like something you and/or your family would like to participate in from March thru May, please contact Venessa at the church office (724-4023) or Carlin Almes by email: calmes@verizon.net. Thank you in advance for your input,

    Please participate! All we ask is that you have your picture taken by the professional photographer and meet with a portrait consultant at Huidekoper Hall, aka parish house. For three Sundays between now and April 12, we will be making appointments at coffee hour. Please sign up as soon as possible to get the best appointment to fit your schedule.

• Every participating family/household that selects a pose for the directory will receive a free directory and a complimentary 8 x 10 custom natural portrait.

• You will come to Huidekoper Hall only once for photography and for portrait viewing.

• The program is available at no cost to the church budget.

• You will have the opportunity to order additional portraits during your scheduled appointment time.

• If you wish to purchase extras, the portraits come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

    Whether you dress formal or casual, you will want to make the most of this opportunity.

The scheduled dates for photography and portrait viewing are:

    If you have questions, please contact Carolyn Chase. We look forward to seeing everyone in the directory. Our new pictorial directory just won’t be complete without you!

    Friday, February 11 the following people volunteered their time to the Stone Church Soup Kitchen:

• Dave DeGrange

• Bob and Jeanne Templeton

• Carolyn Chase

• Laurie Whitney

• Cheryl Burkey

    As some of the regular volunteers are away for part of the winter, it is sometimes difficult to get a full crew. If you are free on Friday, March 11, please consider giving a few hours of your time to help out. We meet at 10 a.m. to prepare, then serve the meal and do cleanup. Even if you can come for just part of the time, your help would be so much appreciated. And, you will have a good time too!

We welcome Kathy McQuiston to our congregation. She signed the membership book last year.

Kathy is a stay-at-home mother of Rachel (5), Hanna (2) and Danielle (five months). She also works part-time as a counselor to adolescents with mental illness. Kathy enjoys walking, cooking, gardening, crocheting and knitting, and playing with her children. Social concerns of greatest importance to her are poverty, hunger, and social-economic justice in the third world. Kathy resides at 803 Georgetown Road in Sandy Lake. Her phone number is 724-253-3113 and email is: magiceg@nauticom.net

Bill Miller is another new addition to our church family. Bill is a geologist.

He enjoys fishing, camping, and hunting. Bill has 6 children: Marlo, Nathan, Chris (deceased), Katie, Cassie, and Dylan.

He lives at 583 Highland Ave. and can be reached at 333-4457 or email: wlmiller1@zoominternet.net

We welcome Bill and his family to our church.

"Hi Kate and Anyone Interested; I’m enjoying my visit with my son Bill in California. The weather here is ideal compared to NW PA. Attended Chalice UU church last Sunday. Young energetic, lady, minister. Big choir, and a good sized congregation, very friendly people. It is a new church that moved from another area. I’ll be here until the middle of April so I’ll see you in the spring. Love to all, miss you all. Not the cold weather and snow and ice. Peg A. (Anderholt)."

    The Church of England has joined the battle against global warming. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams will unveil his green vision for the church and begin discussion on the issue of climate change during a General Synod meeting scheduled for February 17, the day after the Kyoto Protocol goes into effect. In an accompanying report titled "Sharing God’s Planet," Williams asks that each parish complete an "ecological audit" and introduce green policies, such as using organic bread and wine for Holy Communion, selling fairly traded pro-ducts at church events, car pooling, and recycling waste. He also recommends that Christians adopt "sustainable consumption" and recognize their duty to "celebrate and care for every part of God’s creation."

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    The goal of this program is to afford an opportunity to enhance your knowledge of Islam, as well as to interact with members of local Muslim communities. The program will be held at the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh (ICP), one of Pittsburgh’s most well known Islamic centers. There are four dates available in March and April; cost is $44. Please contact Betty Richmond if you are interested in attending.

    Would you like a tour of UUA Headquarters but haven’t been able to arrange it? (Yes, they do offer tours of the premises.) But now you can take a virtual tour on your computer. Go inside the reception areas, up the grand staircase, see various offices, meeting rooms, and the many portraits and artifacts on display. Once inside, you will find links to more complete explanations and descriptions.

The address is: <uua.org/aboutuua/tour>.

    The Renaissance City Women’s Choir, Pittsburgh’s only choir comprised of lesbian, bisexual, transgender and supportive individuals, will be performing at the University Center of Edinboro University on Saturday, March 19 at 7 p.m. The performance is free and open to the public, and is suitable for all ages. A reception will follow the concert. The music will be a combination of songs about civil rights, adventurous women, love, and empowerment.

    Bumper stickers are now avail-able in the church office proclaiming our liberal UU faith! These attractive blue bumper stickers have the UUA’s website and our chalice symbol, along with snappy statements about our faith:

• The Uncommon Denomination.

• Different People. Different Beliefs. One Faith.

• Searching for a Liberal Religious Home?

• A Different Trinity: Respect. Freedom. Justice.

• Room for Different Beliefs. Yours.

    Available for $1. See Venessa in the office.

    In response to local needs, Social Concerns has set up a box in the entryway of the Parish House for non-perishable food donations. Kate says that people stop by the church quite often in need of food. Please consider bringing a box or can when you come to church on Sundays or during the week. Thank you.

    Star Island Conference Center in New Hampshire has provided our church with flyers and information about their 2005 programs. Please ask for a copy if you are interested.

    The church office has information about this summer’s whale watch/UU hospitality program (July 2005). Reservations are due April 1; please inquire if you are interested.

<mthaeler@zoominternet.net>; or leave items in the folder on Venessa’s desk in the parish house. It would be helpful, when you email material, to write "oracle" in the subject line (helps me find it more easily). Thank you.

"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires."

"It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."

"It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but to create him."

"Religion is a candle inside a multicolored lantern. Everyone looks through a particular color, but the candle is always there."