Religion and Politics

From Lynn and the September edition of The Drummer

We still have time before the presidential elections. I feel strongly that the results really matter, but it's not clear what will happen. This is just the time to talk a bit about religion and politics.

Many of us feel very strongly about the upcoming elections and about other current political issues. Unitarian Universalism encourages us to be involved in politics and to use our religious values as we take political stands.

In our country, though we have a strict separation of church and state. This means it is never appropriate for the minister, any service leader or a guest speaker to advocate from our pulpit for particular political candidates. It is also not appropriate for members of the congregation to advocate for certain candidates during a church service. If we start to do these things we will risk losing our tax exempt status.

However, expressing your views in conversation after a service or at social events is just fine. When you do have political discussion, it is important to keep in mind that one of the gifts and the strengths of Unitarian Universalism is our diversity. Some UUs assume all of us are Democrats. It's true that many are, but we also have Republicans, Green Party members, Independents, Libertarians and probably more.

Sometimes I wish everyone would vote the way I plan to vote in November. But I catch myself when I begin to think this way. After all, if everyone voted the same way, we would have an autocracy, not a democracy. Democracy and Unitarian Universalism thrive on diversity of perspective and healthy, respectful discussion and debate. If we all agree, that can never happen. In the coming months I encourage you to celebrate our diversity and rejoice that not everyone thinks exactly the way you do.

(For further reflection on the subject of diversity, please note the upcoming Diversity Dialogues.)

Volunteer Party

Sunnyhill's volunteer party, rained out from last weekend, is slated for 7-9 pm on Saturday October 2, 2004. Light fare and beverages are to be provided. Feel free to bring your own grog of choice. Babysitting is available if requested in advance.

Every Sunnyhill member and friend, volunteer or not, is invited to this evening of festivities, so don't delay with your RSVP. The staff and board need a count of adults attending and children requiring babysitting by Wednesday.

Hope to see you there for a song and dance evening celebrating the people who really make Sunnyhill shine. USUNNYHILL@aol.com

Down Under Coffeehouse, Allegheny UU Church

You are invited to attend the Down Under Coffeehouse on Saturday, Oct 16th from 7:30-9:30 to hear an evening of songs from the American songbook, featuring the vocal styling of Jennifer Wood with the unbelievable jazz piano of Tom Roberts. A night not to be missed!

The Down Under Coffeehouse is held the third Saturday of every month in the basement of the Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church, 416 West North Ave, North Side. Suggested donation is $5.00. Call 412-322-4261 or see www.alleghenyuu.org for more details.

Submission via Stephen Hirtle.

Eight At Eight

The new schedule is out. A PDF is on the web site. You'll need to know the password to open it.

Quaker Meeting Begins at Sunnyhill

Sunnyhill, in cooperation with members of Pittsburgh Friends Meeting will offer a Quaker meeting for worship every second Sunday evening of the month from 7:30 to 8:30 pm. The first meeting will begin, with a brief introduction to Quakerism, on Sunday, October 10th. Quakers meet silently in unprogrammed worship, occasional spoken messages, inspired by the Spirit, may arise from the
silence.

Its looking like Christmas

The annual Harvest and Holiday Shop is just around the corner. The workers are busy to prep the event.

Stop! Wait!

Recent sermon now on the web. Thanks Lynn.

Main page goes to black

From time to time, as sad news arrives, the main page at Sunnyhill.Org goes to a black background, as is the case now (Sept. 6). This is a way to send an alert without being so direct. The web and the internet isn't always the best medium for delivery of news and information.

New Members mingle with Committee Chairs

All committee chairs are invited to the Sunnyhill Get Acquainted Party at 7 pm on Friday, Sept. 17, 2004. Bring Hors d'oeuvres to share, and help give potential and new members a chance to meet us in a casual setting in order to learn more about what the congregation has to offer.

Each chair is to give a short presentation regarding what the committeee does and offers. We'll tape the presentations for a new member video.

Significant others are welcome. Babysitting is provided. RSVP to Patty Williams.

Mindy Simmons to return to Pittsburgh - Jan 29, 2005

Mindy signed a contract to do a workshop in the afternoon and an evening concert with the folk organization in town. Save the date, January 29, 2005. Events will be at First Unitarian in Pittsburgh.

Mindy is working on other engagements in the region.

A confusing, but hopeful first day

A confusing, but hopeful first day: "Claire Galpern, 16, a Schenley High School junior, left, and Eliza Hens-Greco, 14, a freshman at Winchester Thurston School cheer for Amina Sunday night as she learns how to open a combination lock for the first time. The three were attending a dinner at First Unitarian Church in Shadyside where backpacks full of school supplies and clothes were given to about 50 Somali students. "

Event at First Unitarian gets great ink and serves a wonderful purpose. Eliza is a S.I. regular too.

Voices of the Revolution on Friday with Anne

This Friday, September 3rd, the Voices of the Revolution Tour is coming to Pittsburgh, 7pm at the Quiet Storm, 5430 Penn Ave in Friendship/Garfield.

The $5 admission helps the Thomas Merton Center continue working for peace and justice throughout the year.

Board member and labor folksinger, Anne Feeney, is emcee-ing and performing! This is something you won‚t want to miss ˆ a chance for many within the peace movement in Pittsburgh to get together for fun and relaxation and to get to know one another a little better.

Citizenship

September discussion in the Humanist Forum with Ken W, and how politics do and/or should relate to our roles as citizens as we individually perceive them. There have been numerous articles gathered over the last two months related to that discussion. For your benefit the articles listed below are worth watching a the election draws nearer.

This issue is more significant due to the effort being made to have paperless voting used for the count.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/16/opinion/16herbert.html?hp

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/17/opinion/17krugman.html?hp

Sunday Service Committee

Our Minister, Rev. Lynn Brodie, presents three Sunday services each month, while the Sunnyhill Sunday Service Committee is responsible for arranging for the remaining services. The committee of dedicated volunteers plans, organizes and coordinates one or two services per month. It utilizes
speakers from outside as well as from our own congregation. Services offer various viewpoints ranging from humanitarian to philosophical to theological.

Meetings of the committee are generally held on the third Sunday of each month, following our final service. Please join us. Your ideas and perspectives are most
welcome.

The next meeting of the Sunnyhill Sunday Service Committee will be after the service on August 29th. Please note that there will only be one service on that date starting at 10:30 am.

We all scream for ice cream!

Homemade, store-bought, plain or with sprinkles however you like it, come and lick some at the annual Ice Cream Social, September 5th after the 10:30 service. This year we will use the ice cream social to bade our summertime and summer schedule farewell.

Donations of home made ice cream are more than welcome. Helpers to set-up, scoop and clean-up a requirement.

Please contact Mary-Jo Hennessy if you are able to assist.

Sunnyhill is a congregation within the UUA

S&S agenda gets finalized

Maurice has put the final schedule together for the popular Science and Spirituality group. Check it out. Of course, things can change in the future.

Perhaps this blog can be a place were other pointers and discussions can occur as a spin out of that group?

Sunnyhill's NEW email discussion for Justice Talk

A year or two ago, we had a "justice talk" list. But, it sorta died on the vine. It was taken down. However, interest has sparked again. Hence, the new list. You can subscribe yourself -- and in turn, opt-out too.

For extra help, send an email to Webmaster.

Another obersation by Ken

"the number of people with no faith was rising but nobody was paying attention to where they were coming from."

It becomes obvious why we are hearing so much noise from the "America is a Christian Nation" crowd. They feel threatened by the loss of being able to assert they are the status quo having enjoyed an assumed certain privileged position. To do so, "Protestants" have had to embrace "Catholics" as fellow believers. Quite a reversal. Remember the noise made even when the first JFK ran for president just four decades ago. We can expect more "circling of the wagons" as the trend continues. People like D. James Kennedy are milking the people who are sensing the loss of their "freedom", their being the dominant religious (moral in their thinking) voice.

Your comments are welcomed. Click on the button and post your thoughts.

Left Brain, Right Brain - via Ken W

In religion, the use of metaphor is significantly important. To put this in perspective try the exercise below.

While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles. Now, while doing this draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand.

Your foot will change direction and there's nothing you can do about it.

There is much to learn about how our minds work.