A Gift Is a Silent Prayer - A sermon on Native Amerian Gift Giving at Christmas by Rev. Evan Pritchard
Copyright 2006 Evan Pritchard - Sermon from December 10, 2006 posted here with his permission.
NYS CONVENTION OF UNIVERSALISTS
NYSCU's 2007 Annual Meeting will be held in Oneonta, on October 12 and 13.
The Reverend John Buehrens, former president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, will be the keynote speaker. His topic will be “A House for Hope:
Liberating the Spirit of Liberal Religion.” Special trips are planned for Friday, October 12, to Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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The District 2007 Annual Meeting will be held April 27-28, at the Marriott Hotel in Stamford, CT. This year's theme is Rich, Warm, and Full: Nurturing Our Congregational Life. The Reverend Meg Barnhouse will be the special guest on Friday evening; the Rev. Calvin Dame will deliver the keynote address on Saturday. Online registration began February 15.
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Check Out KidTalk
Don’t miss KidTalk, CLF’s web page designed just for children. Kids and parents can access the site, which changes monthly and is regularly monitored by CLF staff members, by clicking on KidTalk icon at www.clfuu.org. KidTalk provides resources for celebrating holidays from around the world, introduces kids to historical Unitarian Universalists, and includes a monthly suggestion for a social justice or social service project. Children are invited to ask questions of CLiF, our CLF mascot, who will post answers under the supervision of Rev. Lynn Ungar, CLF cyberminister for lifespan religious education. Children are encouraged to listen and talk to one another on the “KidTalk blogspot.”
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Dr. Rashid Khalidi, author of acclaimed Beacon Press books on the Middle East, will deliver the Ware Lecture at the UUA 2007 General Assembly in Portland, OR June 20-24. Says UUA President Bill Sinkford, “Rashid Khalidi offers us a focused and much-needed perspective on the worsening situation in the Middle East.”
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Cherry Blossom B+B Weekend
A B&B experience will be hosted by Cedar Lane UU Church on the Washington, DC beltway during the National Cherry Blossom Festival (April 13-15).
Transportation to and from the airport, the Metro subway entrance, and church service on Sunday is included. A brief city tour (or Metro pass), reserved seats at the Annual Cherry Blossom Parade and a dinner at church Saturday evening are part of the festival package. (Participants will receive tour materials and recommendations, including Metro maps, designed to make spontaneous touring easy.) Co
st: $250/single; $500/couple.
Registration forms must be received by March 19, accompanied by a nonrefundable deposit of 50% of the total cost. A flier with registration form is at www.cedarlane.org/cbfestival.pdf.
Call Heather Janules, Assistant Minister, Cedar Lane UU Church; 301.493.8300, x204 with questions.
Out-of-town guests will be paired with church members offering weekend B&B in their homes. A substantial amount of transportation and activities will
be provided. The Cherry Blossom B+B Weekend includes Cedar Lane's
Celebration Sunday; it would be great to have many visitors at our celebration of liberal religion! It is anticipated that beyond practical benefits, community will be strengthened within the covenant group program, Cedar Lane at-large, and our visitors.
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Justice Sunday: Drumbeat for Darfur
[Our] congregation can change the world! UUSC and congregations nationwide will stand together on Justice Sunday, March 25, to end the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.
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Shared Interest Groups
The Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF), our Unitarian Universalist congregation by mail and cyberspace, offers members multiple opportunities for online community through Shared Interest Groups (SIGs).
SIGs are email lists for CLF members designed to make a place for community, connection and reflection between people who share something in common, whether it be a theological standpoint such as paganism or a shared experience such as retirement.
* An online community for gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgender CLF members
* A CLF group for those facing life-changing illness
* A group for CLF members who live outside the US
* A shared interest group for CLF members with issues related to mental illness
* A discussion group for CLF members who identify as UU Christians
* A discussion group for CLF members who identify as UU humanists
* A discussion group for CLF members interested in Earth-Centered spirituality
* A discussion group for parents and friends of special needs children
Shared Interest Groups are one of many resources available at CLF.
Membership offers you UU spirituality, education, and resources 24/7, and it brings Unitarian Universalism to isolated UUs all over the world.
For information about these Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) go to:
http://www.clfuu.org/lists_sigs.html
For more information about the Church of the Larger Fellowship and its
many resources, go to www.clfuu.org 617-948-6150 clf@clfuu.org
Join UUSC to Wage Justice
It's time to come together and make a difference for working families. Join UUSC's Wage Justice initiative to fight for fair and decent wages.
Working families in the United States are losing economic ground every day. Between 2000 and 2004, real median family income fell by 3 percent, about $1,600 in 2004 dollars. The lost ground corrodes human dignity when a full-time paycheck at the federal minimum wage means a worker with a family of three makes $5,000 below the poverty level. Work should be a doorway out of poverty.
Sign up at www.uusc.org/wagejustice for info, organizing materials, and to join the network.
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Become a Human Rights Defender
To receive electronic newsletter, UUSC eWire and action alerts, sign up at www.uusc.org .
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Holiday card contest
Announcing the 2007 UUSC Holiday Card Design Contest! Creative UUs of all ages are invited to submit original designs for UUSC holiday cards for the 2007 holiday season. UUSC holiday card sales help support our worldwide work for human rights. One of these cards could be designed by you!
Create an original design that reflects the joy of the holidays, as well as the spirit of justice, equity and compassion. Visit www.uusc.org/holidaycards for submission guidelines and 2006 award-winning card.
Submissions must be received on or before April 27, 2007. Mail to: UUSC Holiday Card Contest, 130 Prospect Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
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Church of the Larger Fellowship
Many UUs ask the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) if they can belong to
two UU churches. The answer is YES!
To check out CLF go to www.clfuu.org. Click on “Welcome Banner.” Do you know an active member of the congregation who wants even more?
Questions about CLF? Contact Beth Murray, bmurray@uua.org, 617-948-6150 The Church of the Larger Fellowship's mission is to provide a ministry to isolated religious liberals, promote the understanding and growth of Unitarian Universalism and institute programs to that end.
CLF GIFTS: CHALICES, CARDS, ET AL.
This is an opportunity to support the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) as well as to purchase interesting gifts. CLF sells chalice jewelry and colorful UU-themed note cards, UU luggage straps, The Gift of Quest and UU Posters for all occasions. Shop at www.clfuu.org/catalog or clfshop@clfuu. org or 617-948-6150 (direct to Beth Murray).
Church On Loan Online courses
Online courses, offered through the Church of the Larger Fellowship, allow Church on Loan (COL) members to deepen their spirituality 24/7, 365 days a year.
Everyone at UU of Middletown has full access to the password restricted area of the CLF web site:
Go to www.clfuu.org
Click on For Small Groups
Click on Church on Loan
Click on Online Resources: Login
Username: churchonline
Password: resources
If you have problems opening the attachment or have questions, contact Beth Murray, COL Coordinator. Beth works most Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and some weekends. Learn more about CLF at www.clfuu.org.
Starting in March, the password to the inner depths of the COL or CLF International portions of the CLF website will occasionally change.
Starting in March, all Church on Loan contacts will receive email notification that begins as follows:
From the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF):
User Name: churchonline
Password: [to be determined - subject to change]
Each time [Beth] sends out monthly ideas to Church on Loan contacts, it will begin with confirmation of the User Name and password. “Anytime the password changes, [they will] ask us to notify members of your group. The password will not change too frequently. However, we do want to protect and honor those groups who are up to date with their Church on Loan and CLF International membership fees.”
Stand on the Side of Love T-shirts
You can purchase “Stand on the Side of Love” T-shirts in our online store.
The 100% cotton shirts come in royal blue in adult and youth sizes.
Proceeds benefit the UUA's Social Justice Internship Program. Every T-shirt sale supports the UUA's work for marriage equality! Stand on the Side of Love!
Shirts are $15 each, including shipping. There is a $3 per shirt discount for orders of 20 or more:
https://secure.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/UUA/shop/shop.jsp?storefront_KEY=174
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Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of North Bay WINE COUNTRY EXCURSIONS The UUs of Napa, California are proud to offer our third season of Wine Country Excursions, a delightful way to enjoy two of America’s most scenic valleys, Napa and Sonoma, an hour northeast of San Francisco.
Tours are small and customized to focus on guest’s interests--wine education and tasting, art, history of the region, gourmet dining, or exploring the natural beauty of the hills and valleys. Visits will include private room/bath and breakfast in the homes of congregation members.
Sites of particular interest include COPIA (the American Center for Food, Wine and the Arts); Jack London’s home; renowned and boutique wineries; fine restaurants including the Culinary Institute of America; the diRosa Art and Nature Preserve; many museums and galleries; miles of bicycling and hiking trails, etc.
In 2007 we will offer Excursions from mid-May through mid-October. Plan for two days of touring and a two- or three-night stay with all local transportation provided. Home hospitality without tours is also available. Our fees are below market rate for similar services with all proceeds donated to our small fellowship. We have limited openings, so contact us now for details.
Iris Barrie, 707.265.6926 or barrie001@comcast.net.
“Napa was as delightful as I had expected. What was equally
important and somewhat unexpected was the profound connections I
felt with my hosts and hostesses.”
Carol Lim, Los Angeles
Hear the roar! Feel the mist!
See the mighty Falls! July 15-17, 2007
Come experience the wonder of Niagara Falls including some great educational opportunities, while being taken care of like royalty. The UU Church of Niagara is conducting its fourth annual four-day UU Niagara Experience, 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 historical and natural wonders around the Falls. For info visit:
www.uunex.net/ Email : info@uunex.net; Telephone : (716) 791-4453
ADVOCACY-NEWS from UUA Washington Office
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ACTION: Call Senate to Raise Minimum Wage The Senate will likely close debate and vote on the bill that would raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour. This is an opportunity for the new Congress to move forward a key legislative priority for the civil rights community. Call your senators toll-free at 1-800-459-1887 to tell them that working Americans deserve a minimum wage increase now.
Senators have added a number of amendments to the minimum wage bill, including $8.3 billion in business tax-cuts. While a clean bill -- like the one the House overwhelmingly passed earlier this month -- is preferable, it is possible that the tax breaks could be removed during final negotiations in conference with the House. And American workers need a minimum wage increase now. But senators should not approve any more amendments that would weaken or harm the bill, and must not allow final debate on the bill to be delayed.
In reminding his colleagues why it is important that the Senate move quickly to a final vote, Senator Kennedy (D-MA) pointed out that "in the one week since we started this [debate], we have all received over $3,700 in pay ourselves, but we haven't increased the minimum wage for 10 years."
Raising the minimum wage is an economic justice and civil rights issue.
*Working 60 hours a week at the current minimum wage cannot keep a family of three out of poverty.
*59 percent of minimum wage workers are women.
*40 percent of minimum wage earners are people of color.
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ACTION: Drumbeat for Darfur
The African Union announced that Ghanaian President John Kufuor had been selected for the organization's rotating presidency. Outrage over the ongoing genocide in Darfur prevented, for a second consecutive year, the selection of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who had been due to inherit the post. UUA President, Rev. William Sinkford, sent a letter [www.uua.org/uuawo/ new/article.php?id=933] to Secretary Rice to use all diplomatic channels to persuade African leaders to seek an acceptable candidate for the African Union presidency and maintain the legitimacy of the African Union's mission in Sudan.
The UUA is working in partnership with the UUSC to facilitate congregants and constituencies in taking action to bring an end to the genocide in Darfur. This campaign, “The Drumbeat for Darfur,” hopes that a continuous stream of increasing action will push our global leaders to taking concrete action to save Darfur. Consider purchasing the UUSC "Heroes of the Spirit" DVD [www.uusc.org/darfur/article2006121306. html] and arranging a showing. It tells the story of the Sharps, UUSC founders, and links their work with the ongoing genocide in Darfur.
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ACLU Online
THE STATE OF CIVIL LIBERTIES
By Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director The Bush administration's policies in the "war on terror" have undercut the American Constitution, eroding it and placing its bedrock principles in peril.
Previous Congresses consistently turned a blind eye to the administration's unrelenting attempts to ignore or override civil liberties. Our Constitution and our civil liberties are under attack like never before in history.
We have listened to President Bush preach the value of building democracies overseas while at home his administration -- from the White House and several federal departments and agencies -- instituted policies that steadily eroded civil liberties.
Whether it is eliminating one of the cornerstones of our Constitution, habeas corpus, or denying due process of law, or illegally spying on American citizens or engaging in the un-American and immoral practices of torture and extraordinary rendition, this administration tore at the very fabric of our Constitution. The 107th, 108th and 109th Congresses allowed the administration a free hand and abdicated their responsibilities to the American people and the Constitution they swore to uphold.
It is time to end these abuses of power and immediately restore our basic civil liberties so arrogantly abrogated by the Bush administration. We must restore honor and respect to our Constitution and the American principles it embodies. Congress must act immediately to reassure the American people that their country will remain true to its founding principles of freedom, fairness and democracy. This Congress needs to act because, sadly, the damage to our core American values has already been done.
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AS BUSH SPY PLAN WEAKENS,
ANSWERS ARE STILL NEEDED
You've no doubt heard the news that the Bush administration has conceded that the judicial branch has a role in overseeing surveillance by the NSA.
Last week's extraordinary reversal by the administration, which we greet with skepticism -- came just two weeks before our ACLU v. NSA hearing in a federal court of appeals and one day before the Attorney General was to testify before Congress.
This shift is a sure sign that the determination of the ACLU and supporters is starting to pay off but many questions remain before we can take this move as a real change in policy. And the last thing we should do is let an ambiguous concession exempt the Bush administration from the intense congressional scrutiny that our democracy demands.
"The Justice Department announcement is a quintessential flip-flop,"
said Anthony D. Romero, ACLU Executive Director. "The NSA was operating illegally and this eleventh-hour ploy is clearly an effort to avoid judicial and Congressional scrutiny. Despite this back flip, the constitutional problems with the president's actions remain unaddressed."
On Jan. 31, the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit was scheduled to hear the government's appeal from a ruling in ACLU v. NSA declaring the NSA warrantless wiretapping program unconstitutional. The court should still rule on the case since the Justice Department stated that the president still retains the inherent authority to engage in wiretapping without the oversight of the FISA court. Without more information about what the secret FISA court has authorized, there is no way to determine whether the NSA's current activities are lawful.
"The legality of this unprecedented surveillance program should not be decided by a secret court in one-sided proceedings," said Ann Beeson, lead counsel in ACLU v. NSA and Associate Legal Director of the ACLU. "And without a court order that prohibits warrantless wiretapping, Americans can't be sure that their private calls and e-mails are safe from unchecked government intrusion."
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ACLU BACKS SHAREHOLDER CHALLENGE TO AT&T ON ILLEGAL NSA SPYING The ACLU is backing a resolution by AT&T shareholders to force the company to disclose more about its role in the recent National Security Agency (NSA) illegal spying scandal and to tighten its policies to better protect customer privacy.
The shareholder effort consists of a proposed resolution to be considered at AT&T's April stockholder meeting, which would require management to take the relatively modest step of issuing a report on the issues surrounding cooperation with the NSA, what steps the company could take to "further ensure"
customer privacy, and the company's expenditures related to the program. It is being spearheaded by the As You Sow Foundation, an investor activist group.
"In an era when one of the nation's oldest corporate names has begun to collude with the government in an illegal domestic spying program, patriots must seek out every possible avenue for defending the Constitution and our privacy," said Barry Steinhardt, Director of the ACLU's Technology and Liberty Project. "We are backing this campaign because it promises to increase AT&T's accountability and shed light on just what kind of spying has been taking place."
AT&T has appealed to the Securities and Exchange Commission for permission to exclude the resolution from its proxy statement. The company claimed that the resolution would interfere with "ordinary business matters," and also relied upon a declaration from National Intelligence Director John Negroponte citing the so-called "state secrets privilege."
The state secrets privilege, when properly invoked, permits the government to block the release of any information in a lawsuit that, if disclosed, would cause harm to national security. However, the Bush administration is increasingly using the privilege to dismiss entire lawsuits at the onset.
"This is really an issue for anyone who uses a telephone and values privacy and the rule of law," Steinhardt said. "But it is of particular concern for AT&T shareholders because of the enormous multi-billion-dollar financial liability that AT&T may have engendered, and because of the damage to the company's reputation and the trust of its current and potential customers."
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THE WORLD WE WANT:
34 YEARS AFTER ROE v. WADE
By Louise Melling, Director, ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project Thirty-four years ago the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in Roe v. Wade, significantly expanding the ability of women across the country to decide when and whether to become a parent. The decision, while immensely important, was only one step in this country's journey to true reproductive freedom. The world we want includes access to safe and legal abortion care, secures our right to have children when we are ready, and supports programs that foster healthy families and healthy lives for all.
Supporting the right to have children: In the world we want, women, men, and families have the support they need to maintain healthy lives, healthy pregnancies, and healthy families. Reproductive health care is basic health care. All parents are equipped with the means to care for and educate their children and provide for their families.
Ensuring the right not to have children: In the world we want, all women have meaningful access to contraception and abortion, and both are considered part of basic health care. Unfortunately, in the world we live, we see a growing disparity between the ability of rich and poor women to prevent unintended pregnancies and obtain abortion care.
The world we want meets the needs of real people working to build a life for themselves and their families. On this 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, it is time to take a critical look at the world we have and start working together to build the world we want.
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SUPREME COURT OVERTURNS
LIMITATIONS ON PRISONER LITIGATION
In January, a unanimous Supreme Court decision struck down a series of barriers to prisoner litigation imposed by the Sixth Circuit. The decision in Jones v. Bock overturned the strict requirements imposed by the Sixth Circuit in the provision of the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) that mandates that prisoners "exhaust" administrative remedies.
“This was a critical decision for prisoners whose rights have been violated,” said Elizabeth Alexander, Director of the ACLU National Prison Project, which filed a friend of the court brief in the case. “The Sixth Circuit rules were so draconian that they barred almost all claims from prisoners without counsel.”
The PLRA, a law passed in 1996 and claimed to be directed at frivolous lawsuits filed by prisoners, requires a prisoner to complete an internal prison grievance process before filing a lawsuit in federal court. Additional burdensome restrictions were imposed in the Jones v. Bock decision by the Sixth Circuit.
The Supreme Court ruling overturned those requirements, stating that they go too far. The Court unanimously agreed that if a prisoner fails to exhaust administrative remedies on some of his grievances, but not all, then only those parts that had not been addressed should be dismissed. The Court also agreed that prisoner lawsuits should not be thrown out simply because the prisoner had failed to show exhaustion in the court filing. Finally, the Court stated that a prisoner does not have to list all defendants in the grievance process in order to sue them in federal court. The decision cited our friend-of-the-court brief, which pointed out that most prison grievance procedures do not require prisoners to identify specific individuals.
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STANDUP COMICS: THE SPY FILES
While the ACLU was releasing documents showing that our government was monitoring peace groups, comic Matt Bors was creating his own Spy Files. Who knew the raging grannies could be so...dangerous? Check out Matt's latest illustration on StandUp. http://action.aclu. org/site/R?i=arLDV5GeltSAkp-6otxpIA..
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ARIZONA COURT ALLOWS PRISON CARE
In January, an Arizona court of appeals allowed women prisoners to obtain timely, safe and legal abortions.
At issue was an unwritten Maricopa County Jail policy denying women in prison access to abortion care. The policy prohibited jail officials from transporting a prisoner to obtain an abortion unless she gets a court order first.
The jail transports prisoners without a court order for all other necessary medical care, including prenatal care and childbirth. The jail also regularly transports prisoners for various non-medical reasons, including to visit terminally ill family members or attend relatives' funerals.
After weeks of being denied access to abortion services, a pregnant prisoner filed the case in May 2004 on behalf of herself and future prisoners seeking abortions. In August 2005, the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County, struck down the jail's policy. This week's ruling upheld that decision.
"The court of appeals has confirmed our position that Arizona prison officials cannot ignore the medical needs of prisoners simply because they do not agree with the decision to end a pregnancy," said Alessandra Soler Meetze, Executive Director of the ACLU of Arizona. "A woman in jail has a right to make her own decision about whether to have a child."
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American Civil Liberties Union