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    There are five dates reserved for flowers for church services for the coming year! We need your support. You may honor someone with a bouquet of flowers that will be used for the service on a specific Sunday and acknowledged in the service bulletin, then brought home to enjoy for the week. You may do the flowers yourself, or asks us to do them. If we do them the cost is $25. Contact Mary Larson.

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    Our covenant is to be a loving, joyful community that nurtures spiritual growth and promotes compassion, social responsibility, and service in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

    In this two part service, we’ll take a look at the human spiritual journey, including what might we be looking for, what question (s) we might really be asking, and what’s at the end? Along the way, we’ll ask, "Is this journey real or all in our head?" The choir will be singing. Rob Sharp is the pulpit assistant.

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    In this two part service, we’ll take a look at our human spiritual journey, including what might we be looking for, what question (s) we might really be asking, and what’s at the end? Along the way, we’ll ask, "Is this journey real or all in our head?"

    Bruce Thaeler called me one night last week to encourage me to watch the Colbert Report on Comedy Central at 8:30 p.m. Being the wise woman that I am, and because Bruce has never steered me wrong, I did watch the Colbert Report. I like to watch Steve Colbert and Jon Stewart whenever I can, and I was not disappointed that night. It was clear why Bruce took the time to call me.

    Steve Colbert focused that evening on the dedeification of God. He had some funny and interesting things to say, which is no surprise. But what Bruce wanted me to see was the camera man. Early in the opening segment, after reciting his own religious beliefs, Colbert turns to one of his cameramen and asked him what he believes? The cameraman, in a semi-surprised reaction, but not really because he had a microphone on after all, says, "I'm a Unitarian."

    "Oh, no," I think to myself as I tuck in my sense of humor. Unitarians are about to be hit by Steve Colbert, and this can’t be a good thing. Colbert immediately gives the cameraman a blank stare, and says, "So, you’re a Christian?" "Yes," says the cameraman, "Well, no," he says immediately thereafter. And then he tries to explain which really doesn’t work, because as most of us have experienced, "explaining" Unitarian Universalism is no easy task.

    Because this is a comedy show, the cameraman did a great job of hamming up his part of explaining absolutely nothing. In fact he did a great parody of most UUs who also waddle and plod their way through the theological explanation of UUism. (We don’t even like to go to the trouble of saying "Unitarian Universalism", preferring to say, UU or just Unitarian as the cameraman said).

    When the cameraman finally finished, Colbert did the finely tuned blank stare, held it for a finely tuned uncomfortable amount of time, while perhaps a few hundred Unitarian Universalists twisted in their seats, and then finally asked, "So, do you do Christmas or Hanukkah?" The cameraman says after a finely tuned short pause, "Sure." Colbert turns with a flick of his wrist, as if to say, "I give up."

    I did end up laughing, albeit not loudly. I’m sure I didn’t laugh as loud as Steve Colbert did when he first decided to do this bit on his show, nor as loud as the millions of viewers who have no clue what Unitarian Universalism is, and still don’t. Our opportunity for glory came and went with a snort, chuckle, giggle, howl, squeal, shriek, titter and snicker.

    Alas, the truth is out, we still don’t know how to clearly articulate who we are, and in fact we’re now a bit on a comedy show. But we are trying to change. That’s the good news. Remember the excellent sharing we had last fall from the "Articulating Our Unitarian Universalist Faith" class? And our association magazine, The World, has been featuring the latest attempts at the elevator speech.

    But, the problem is, we are not easily explained, and frankly, as I realized after watching the Colbert camera man, I like it that way. We do not have easy answers to difficult questions, and we don’t have creeds we can recite without reflection, as Steve Colbert did. We do not have sound bites, just bumper stickers.

    So, the next time you find yourself in front of a million viewers, or just your neighbor, ask them if they have a few minutes? Then let them know what you believe, you, just yourself. And then explain, "but my fellow church members may believe something else, and that’s why we like to go to church together."

    When I was asked to write this article, I truthfully didn’t know where to start. I thought back to my "education", if you can call it that, regarding sexuality. The more I thought, the more I realized that I didn’t have any.

    Sure, I was presented with the basic anatomical facts – "the film" in school. Still, those facts got lost amongst the rumors of junior high – my favorite: pregnancy could be caused by French kissing. There was nowhere to turn with questions. The nuances of intimacy and emotion were not presented as important. The attitude at school seemed to be, "Here it is; now don’t talk about it." Of course, we all know that with puberty come questions about sexuality.

    Now that my daughter is growing headlong into puberty, sexuality education is something I consider quite frequently. We’ve had the discussion about the anatomical facts. We’ve even had a couple conversations about sexuality; the intimacy, emotion, and how much they enhance the physical aspect.

    Still, I worry. At her age, I couldn’t ask my mother about anything sexual! Can I really believe that she will be comfortable asking me? I hold the hope that she can come to me with her questions; but, I know that talking with a parent often seems impossible.

    So, I wonder – what other avenues does my daughter have to learn? She could turn to her friends, who may or may not have any knowledge. That option worries me because my friends were the ones spreading the rumors. It’s possible that she could get some education from the school itself; but, aside from AIDS education (which is definitely a necessity) sexuality doesn’t seem to be part of the curriculum. The possibility that scares me most is experience. My personal experience, learning by doing, made me vow to never let my children learn this way.

    So where do I turn? Where can my daughter turn? Will she be given truthful information? Will it support our beliefs? Will it explain the importance of love? Who can I trust? Who can she trust?

    I believe the answer is right here – us, our church. Any program sponsored by the UUA would support our beliefs, be truthful, and I believe, trustworthy. I think I’ll contact Lee Ann and start that conversation.

    I have been encouraging the members of our RE Committee to reflect on the need for a comprehensive sexuality course at our church. As you read above, our RE Chair, Michelle Parcetic, shared her thoughts with us. Within the next few weeks parents will be receiving a letter about the UU comprehensive sexuality curriculum OWL (Our Whole Lives). The letter outlines the overall goals, topics, and logistics of implementing this program. The letter serves as a conversation starter, and parents will be asked to complete a short survey. This survey will help us (the RE Committee) gauge the level of interest in our congregation for a comprehensive sexuality course. Please take some time to reflect on this issue. If you have any questions please contact me, and I will be happy to start a conversation.

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    During March our children will be creating their own passports to send to the children at our sister church. Each passport will contain a photograph of the child plus information about them (i.e. their homes, family, pets, school, hobbies). Individual photographs can be taken at the church. However, if the children would like to include additional photographs (families and/or pets) then they can bring those photos into the church and place them in Lee Ann Wester's mailbox for safe keeping. (Please make sure all photographs are in a marked envelope.) The children will create their final passports on Sunday, March 26, during the service in the Parish House.

    The Coming of Age class will be visiting a Greek Orthodox Church in Erie on Saturday, March 25. We will meet in the Parish House at 9:00 a.m. Following the visit everyone is invited to eat at a nearby Greek restaurant. There will be a sign up sheet at the front desk in the Parish House for anyone interested in accompanying the Coming of Age class on this visit.

    RUAUU classes with Rev. Kate Walker will be held on Sunday, March 12 and April 23 from 12pm to 1:30pm, in the Parish House. Sign up in the Parish House.

    Present: Kate Walker, Minister; Mike McGrath, President; Mike Thompson, Treasurer; Cynthia Burton, Clerk; Dave Anderson, properties; Sarah Sargent, publicity; Tracy Smock, Social Action; Michelle Parcetic, R.E.; Bruce Thaeler, Membership.

    After checking in with each other and the Chalice Lighting, the minutes of the retreat and the treasurer’s report were approved.

    Mike Thomson, Trea$urer, reported that our expenditures exceeded our income this month by about $1400. (Keep those pledge payments coming! Clerk’s note)

    Kate gave her report that covered the period of November-January. The board was either in holiday mode or on retreat in December and January, so we had some catching up to do.

    Kate also reported on a meeting with Kate Greenfield and Tom Chulak from the UUA. They met with church leaders from Meadville, Erie, Jamestown, Girard, and Slippery Rock. Kate Greenfield is an Ohio-Meadville District (OMD) Board Member. Tom Chulak is one of two district executives. (The other is Jean Crane.) The OMD is expanding its territory to take in parts of New York. Congregations are now in clusters and will meet with OMD staff as a group, rather than trying to cover each congregation separately. At this meeting, the members reported what was going well, what needed attention. Kate will convene a second meeting of the group at our church, then the meetings will rotate through-out the group. This is an opportunity for sharing our expertise with others, receiving new ideas and support from others, and strengthening relations with our UU neighbors.

    January program of music went very well. Thanks again to all who helped create this. R.E. is still looking at the OWL curriculum.

Adult R.E.

    Small group ministries looking good – still one more week to go to sign up.

    David Anderson has a meeting with Nick Stupianski to go over the "where we are" list. Highlights are: We must do the church exits. Hope to have the project out for bid by April, with work being done July-August. Since we did not receive any grant monies for this project, this will have to be funded by the church completely. (Clerk’s comment: If you have made a Capital Campaign pledge, thank you. Please bring it up to date if needed. If you have not made a Capital Campaign pledge, consider doing so. Every and any amount is needed and supports the work of those who keep our buildings safe and beautiful. CB)

    The furnace, the Parish House entrance, and the Slate Roof replacement are all high on the list of priorities. We admired the new Chair Trolleys that arrived this week.

    Next Month: Reports from Membership, Public Relations, Finance, and Social Action.

    We appointed the By-Laws Re-view Committee: Bruce Thaeler, David Anderson, Mike Thomson, David Perry, and Rob Sharp.

    We discussed the church trips to Forked Lake in the Adirondacks. Kate’s presence on the trip is as our minister. The minister’s "job" does not lend itself to a list of tasks accomplished or hours covered. We look for a certain presence from our ministers that asks that she be in fellowship with us. This means that she comes on the trip to be with us, not just to come on a trip. This also led to the need for more definition of our and Kate’s expectations. Some of dialog is already happening the Committee on Congregational Ministry, but more work is needed.

Meeting Adjourned 8:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

The next board meeting is Monday March 13. 2006 at 6:30 p.m.

Meetings are held in the parish house; everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend any or all meetings.

    The last Saturday in February, I was delighted to find a patch of snowdrops in bloom, their delicate white and green blossoms bowing as if to a departing winter. There have been bitter days since, and will be more. Even in this cold, Maggie Fry-Manross reports the birth of two baby goats. These signs give me hope.

    It is not surprising that the festivals of St. Brighid and St. Patrick, co-patron saints of Ireland, both occur at this time of year. Brighid cares for the newborn lambs and goats, and under her protection, multiple births are common. St. Patrick blesses the newly blooming wood sorrel (mistakenly called shamrocks), and the greening of the fields. Ireland brags of forty shades of green. In between them, comes St. David, patron of Wales, whose symbols are the leek and the daffodil.

    Brighid, born in the mid 5^th century was a brilliant woman who founded a center of learning and spirituality, and an art school which produced some of the finest illuminated manuscripts. Upon her achieving sainthood, many of the miracles and legends of the goddess Brighid became part of the story of the saint, as the legends and miracles of the Dagda, a major god of the Celtic pantheon, became part of the story of Patrick. Brighid was actually converted to Christianity by Patrick, and they were friends until his death while she was in her teens. He was a shepherd for many years, and he, too is a significant factor in the legends around the birth of the new lambs each year. We know almost nothing of St. David, but anyone with daffodils as his symbol is OK in my book, especially at this time of year.

    Now, I watch the bulbs shoot up, and read the Old Farmers’ Almanac for predictions – March is going to be a very up and down month. When the days are warm and dry enough, I clear the branches from around my hidden fairy garden, and pull weeds to get ready for spring. I imagine all the flowers that will bloom someday, and then I climb back into bed with the babies, put on a CD of Irish harp music and snuggle down into the warm tunnel of blankets. My dreams are spring green and yellow, warm and sweet. Tomorrow I will go into the woods to look for early signs of life, watch the deer run across Liberty Street, and light a candle to thank Brighid for her blessings.

    The Goods and Services Auction will take place Saturday, April 29! More about this in upcoming Oracles.

    From time to time, the Fellowship Committee will be putting out a basket for donations during coffee hour. Any donations received will be used by the Fellowship Committee to purchase supplies for the kitchen and for coffee hour use. Although most coffee hour hosts do not require help with the costs involved in the hosting duties, occasionally the Fellowship Committee will provide, upon request from the hosts, items such as coffee, tea, and other supplies. Please consider placing a dollar or two in our basket when you see it on the table. This will help the coffee hour tradition continue to run smoothly. Thank you for your understanding and help.

    If you have ever wanted to visit Niagara Falls or if it is already one of your favorite places, this is a chance to experience the wonder of Niagara Falls including some great educational opportunities while in the company of UUs from around the country. The UU Church of Niagara is conducting a four day UU Niagara Experience which is a lifetime opportunity to encounter the Falls up close from every perspective, even safely riding beneath a tethered balloon. Spend four days with us exploring the rich history and natural wonders around the Falls. For information visit our web site : http://www.uunex.net/

Email : info@uunex.net Telephone : (716) 791-4453

    Starr King School for the Ministry offers online courses to UU lay leaders interested in advanced study. Recent courses include "Our Theological House: An Introduction to Theology for Unitarian Universalists", and "Congregational Polity". For more information, see the Starr King’s Online Education brochure in the pamphlet rack in the parish house; or visit <sksm.edu>.

    People here in Texas have trouble with all those shalls and shall nots in the Ten Commandments. Folks here just aren’t used to talking in those terms. So, some folks out in West Texas got together and translated the "King James" version into "King Ranch" version: Ten Commandments, cowboy style. So we have the Cowboy's Ten Commandments as posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in Fairlie, Texas.

1) Just one God.

2) Honor yer Ma & Pa.

3) No telling tales or gossipin'.

4) Git yourself to Sunday meeting.

5) Put nothin' before God.

6) No foolin' around with another fellow’s gal, or another gal’s fellow.

7) No killin’.

8) Watch yer mouth.

9) Don’t take what ain’t yers.

10) Don’t be hankerin’ for yer buddy’s stuff.

That’s kinda plain ‘n simple don’t ya think? Y’all have a nice day now, ya hear?

    Next deadline for submitting items for the newsletter is Friday, March 17, 2006, at 4:30 p.m.

{to accompany the other limericks at the March 17 6:59-er}

Come return to your place in the pews,

And hear our heretical views:

You were not born in sin

So lift up your chin,

You have only your dogmas to lose.