How's your blood?

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King:

One of the great tragedies of life is that men seldom bridge the gulf between practice and profession, between doing and saying. A persistent schizophrenia leaves so many of us tragically divided against ourselves...How often are our lives characterized by a high blood pressure of creeds and an anemia of deeds!

Worldview V - Insights from lecture on I.D.

Worldview V Intelligent Design Honors Council Lecture
Last night I delivered a BSU Honors Council lecture on Intelligent Design -- and even got my 15 seconds of fame on the BSU marquee! (thanks to student Jeremy for the photos) Huge crowd for this sort of thing...probably around 120! I based my talk on a series of inter-linked concept maps that I am developing to provide a relatively comprehensive overview of various aspects of intelligent design -- its historical origins, its scientific vacuity, its apparent appeal to large segments of American society, and the cultural/political motivations of some of its most ardent proponents. Have a look...this will remain a work in progress for some time so I welcome suggestions.

Childrens' Choir

Eight at Eight Dinners for spring, 2006

You are cordially invited to join the traditional Eight at Eight Dinners. This is a great way to meet people. Each person or couple hosts once, providing the main dish, and attends 3 dinners bringing a dish assigned by the host. You can also sign up to be a substitute. This is a superb way to dodge the gloom of winter and brighten your evening with the light of Sunnyhillian food, drink, and conversation.

Dates: February 4, March 4, April 1, May, 2006.

RSVP Dennis Sweeney or sign up using the sheet in the Church dining room.

Banner from UUA and a ring for funds from locals

I got an interesting phone call today from a telemarketing firm. They were asking for donations to the new UUA fund on issues. There was a letter from October that called upon more coordination and organization of efforts on issues that would lead to actions in the nation's capital.

I've got to learn more about that.

But, what was wildly interesting was that the call came from a few blocks away. A South Side firm has the business. They are making the calls to UUs throughout the nation. And, many UUs are on the phones too. A gent from the North Hills church was calling me. He said he thought my name was familiar.

I'm going to meet him, I hope, to talk about this further.

Interesting. Very interesting.

S.W.I.M. 2005 -- Heavenly Bodies

Southeast Unitarian Universalist Winter Institute, Inc., in Miami goes from December 26th - January 1, 2006.

Vacation with UUs in South Florida!

S.W.I.M., the Southeast Unitarian Universalist Winter Institute in Miami, is all about having fun in a supportive UU community in the warm Miami sunshine! S.W.I.M.'s annual intergenerational retreat for UUs and like-minded people of all ages happens every year from December 26th through Jan 1st.

S.W.I.M. offers south Florida hospitality, outdoor adventures (including tours, hikes, windsurfing, canoeing, and sailing), workshops (including spirituality and personal growth), special programs for youth, teens, and young adults, fantastic food, and a new community of friends from across the continent.

Play, laugh, sing, and celebrate New Year's Eve at S.W.I.M.! Join UUs from all over North America for a week of fun in the sun!

For more information, please visit us online at http://www.swimuu.org

S.W.I.M. is a member in good standing of CU2C2, the Council of Unitarian Universalist Camps & Conferences, an Independent Affiliate of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

You can find more UU retreats featured on the inside cover of the Spring 2006 Issue of the UU World.

So, we have an election policy now? Where it that.

Can someone please post the new election policy to this blog or via email to Mark -at-Rauterkus.com. It was mentioned in the Nov edition of The Drummer. But, it was not presented there. Was it published in the past editions? Did I miss it?

If you know of it, what do you think?

Reactions on bylaws session from Peter Konke

I attended a bylaws session, and my thoughts were duly noted, but I would like to give a wider airing of them.

The driving force for the bylaws update is apparently to give the president a 2 year term instead of a 1 year term. Along the way, the entire bylaws are being updated, which is a great idea.

But there are more paradigms than just 1 vs 2 years. I am familiar with an entirely different approach from my work on the Montour Trail Council. First, I was almost shocked that there were an even number of people on the board. I have never heard of such a thing, presumably as it permits the possibility of tie votes. But my main point is that the officers are elected each year by the board, NOT the congregation. Also, the president is limited to 3 consecutive one-year terms. This allows for 1, 2, or 3 year tenures. Great flexibility.

Works fine for the MTC. Don't know about Sunnyhill. My purpose in bringing this up is to stimulate conversation and thought.

Peter Kohnke

Cheaper for you.

Mt. Lebanon dollar store plans find some chilly attitudes

Mt. Lebanon dollar store plans find some chilly attitudes 'That's right, folks, soon we'll have our very own Dollar General store. Ugh,' posted Josephine Posti on a Mt. Lebanon blog under the headline 'In the ghetto.'

Pledge Drive Kick Off

Saturday, October 22, 2005 @ 7 PM

To Celebrate the 2006- 3 week only Pledge Drive

What’s Happening: Appetizers, Music, Fellowship, Rousing excitement regarding this year’s pledge drive

Babysitting Available
RSVP a must: George Williams. Or sign up sheet in the coffee room. Please notify us of babysitting needs.

Snap from Hong Kong museum. Humm...

Some concerts updates

There are still seats left for the Mt. Lebanon House Concert featuring Clarke Buehling, master of the finger-style banjo. Mr. Buehling blows the dust off some fine old banjo tunes and songs about `possums and raccoons on Wednesday, Oct 26 at 8:00 at Curt and Annie's house in Mt. Lebanon.

Clarke Buehling is a phenomenal entertainer. He is widely recognized for his interpretations of late 19th century, classic finger-style banjo music. Clarke is also in the forefront of the recent resurgence of interest in the earlier minstrel banjo style. He presents the music and humor of those times.

Clarke will also be offering PRIVATE LESSONS on the afternoon of SUNDAY, OCT 30--if you want to learn minstrel style or old-time three-finger style banjo, he's your man. He has taught private and group lessons since 1972 at venues including the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, Augusta Heritage Center, and the Tennessee Banjo Institute.

For more information or reservations for the house concert or private lessons, please reply to this email or call me at 412-343-0498.

Hope to see you at the concert!

Annie Trimble

Upcoming concerts:

Oct 15 Tommy Emanuel (Calliope)
Oct 23 4 pm Eric Schwartz, hosted by Llouise and Jim altes@potomacnetworks.com
Oct 26 (Wed) Clarke Buehling (workshop), hosted by Curt and Annie AnnieT@southwind-pa.com
Nov 6, 4p Kate McDonnell, hosted by Llouise and Jim altes@potomacnetworks.com
Nov 6, 7:30p Great Bear Trio, hosted by Curt and Annie AnnieT@southwind-pa.com
Nov 8 (Tues), 7:30p Chuck Suchy, hosted by Cindy cah@lonewolf.com
Nov 9 (Wed), Freebo & Jim Photoglo, hosted by Ken Batista & Tica Hall folkradio@earthlink.net
Nov 19 Andy Statman Trio (Calliope)
Dec 2, 8p Dwight Diller, hosted by Cindy cah@lonewolf.com
Dec 10 Del McCoury (Calliope)

2006
Jan 21 Odetta (Calliope)
Feb. 25 Paul Rishell & Annie Raines (Calliope)
Mar 18 Flook (Calliope)
Apr 5 (Wed) Harvey Reid, hosted by Cindy cah@lonewolf.com
Apr 22 Tom Rush (Calliope)

Art flashback

Nonprofits were to pay the city $5-million for budget year 2005. It has yet to arrive. Meanwhile, the Salvation Army wants to buy a city park in Brighton Heights for $100. Humm. The city has a policy that it does NOT sell off its property to tax cheats. That's a good policy.

H&H needs volunteers and more

Harvest & Holiday utilizes the most volunteers of any of our fund raisers. To make it possible we need 104 volunteers. To date we have filled 32 of those slots. We have 11 days to fill 72 more. Please add your name to the sign up sheet in the dinning room or call Ann Callen at 412-851-9057.. The hours are short and it is a great way to get to know more of our community. We would love to see men sign up too! There will be a training for all volunteers working at the sale on October 2nd at 12:30 in the main sanctuary. Thanks for your help.

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Workshop on Saturday, Nov 5 at First Church is with Rev. Forrest Church and Rev. Mark Belletini on the theme "Unitarian Universalist Values: A Vision for Our World" and it is bound to be a moving and educational seminar. Please refer to the dining
room for more details.

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Fast for Darfur: On October 6th, concerned people around the world will be giving up a meal or luxury item and donating the money to humanitarian relief for civilians in Darfur, Sudan. The Faith in Action Committee will be enlisting fasters and taking donations on Sunday , October 2nd after both services. Donations will be sent as congregational contribution to the UUSC Darfur Relief Fund. Please join us.

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"Yeast Bread 101" will be set for Oct. 2nd after the service in the Sunnyhill kitchen. If anyone would like to join this service auction class, contact Mary Beth Thakar.

Sunnyhill turns the big 4-0

Saturday, Sept 24, 2005, we're celebrating Sunnyhill's 40th Anniversary! The fun begins at 5:00 with a sing along with the choir. The food will be served at 6:30 (be sure to bring a dish that serves 8-10 people along with your own beverage). And at 8:00 there will be Informal Sunnyhill Sharing (babysitting available).

40th flashback.
Be sure to attend this Sunday's service as it will be presented by Sunnyhill founding members and organized by Lynn. Oh yeah, and don't forget to bring COOKIES for the cookie reception after each service!

This Sunday, Sept 25th during LifeCraft, Martha Sweeny and Tippi Comden have kindly offered to share some of Sunnyhill’s history with our children and youth. Everyone will meet at 10:30 and break into two groups: Grades 1-4 and grades 5-12. As part of the 40th anniversary festivities we hope the youth and children will enjoy listening to some stories about the church. For children under 5th grade, please sign up on LifeCraft sheet as usual and the babysitters will be sure to get the children to the right places at 10:30. There will be child care for younger children as usual.

Let It Be a Dance: Living Life Fully

Ric & April Masten to lead a workshop in Western Mass.

October 28-30, 2005

at Rowe Conference Center in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts
www.rowecenter.org

A “people’s poet,” “a priest and a preacher,” “poet and philosopher,” Ric Masten is recognized today as the creator of a unique genre of inspirational and spiritual poems meant to be spoken rather than read. Ric’s unusual candor, wit, insight, stand-up manner, and honesty address the magic that is in every moment in life – if we would but notice. Ric will offer us a series of presentations that will serve as ink blots to examine our own lives. We’ll explore why families matter and what keeps them going — full circle from grandparents to parents to spouses to children to grandchildren. We’ll explore growing up and growing old, youth and aging.
Ric and his daughter April will both share Ric’s poems. April will share some of her own, as well as dances that are easy and fun and get our energies circulating. Ric’s life shows that sharing creates intimacy and love, so we’ll all share some of our own lives. Bring your journals and we’ll write together. Robert Frost said, “When you want to do a ‘think,’ write about it.”

Saturday night will be a “live the metaphor” evening. We will Let It Be a Dance as April teaches dancing as a way to reconnect the mind and the body. We’ll join in a 19th Century reel, which is easy to learn, fun to do, and a great example of how dances mirror and reinforce society. Midwesterners worked together to survive, so after the barnraising, they’d eat and then dance. The dancing made the weariness from the day’s work vanish.

Sunday morning we will focus on philosophy and religion: matters of life and death, of hope and despair, of bringing our lives and our loves to fruition. Ric’s own life changed dramatically seven years ago when he was told he had terminal prostate cancer. He often expresses thanks for his cancer struggles. He’s been offered a lifetime – whatever the length – of enhanced hourly awareness. We invite you to share a weekend with him and his remarkable daughter April.

Following in the great tradition from Homer to Pete Seeger and Joan Baez, Ric Masten has been making his living by singing and reciting his own words. He does not look away; he found hatred in himself at a peace rally and spoke it. Now his grandson is a medic in Iraq. Ric is also an artist, whose paintings and one-line drawings filled our last catalogue. April Masten is an assistant professor of American History at SUNY Stony Brook, specializing in the History of Dance. Aside from being the “long suffering daughter” of a real artist and poet, Dr. Masten has developed research interests that include dances that were created along the borders between African, Irish, and Native North American cultures, including step and tap, ballads and blues, drums, fiddles, and bones. Her course “Dancing American History From Slavery to Hip Hop” enables her students to experience the steps people danced at particular times and places, enhancing their understanding of historical texts, events, and transformations.

Rowe Conference Center, Kings Highway Road, Rowe, MA 01367
413-339-4954

If you know of anyone who may enjoy this workshop, please pass along this flyer.

New bylaws arrived as an email attachment

The bylaws arrived. They look much better. Some questions remain. What about your thoughts?

Eight at Eight Sign-Up is now

Early September is the time to sign up for the Sunnyhill Eight at Eight round-robin dinners scheduled for October 1, 2005, November 5, December 10, and January 7, 2006.

Each person gets to host once providing the main course and beverages. Dishes, utensils, chairs and tables are optional. Guests provide one dish, coordinated with the host, usually and appetiser, vegetable, salad, or dessert. These are AWESOME ways to have good food, great drinks, and fun conversation with the finest folks in the area. Sign up by contacting Dennis S at 724 941-3952 or e-mail. The deadline is September 23.

While you are comteplating the glories of this Fall’s dinners how about talking it up with new members or people you would like to see join us. I cannot offer a bounty for each new diner but will remember you in my will.