A beacon of liberal religion in the foothills

Unitarian Universal ist Fel lowship o f T u o l u m n e C o u n t y

19518 Hess Ave Sonora, CA 95370 209/533-8883 www.uuftc.org

the Catalyst Volume 26/Issue 5 - OUR 25th YEAR! May 2016

Returning to the Oak GroveIn This Issue• Return to FsH!• GIFT Campaign• Theme: Wholeness• May 1 – May Day, May Day• May 8 – Work Party• May 15 – County Health Officer to speak• May 22 – Whole vs Divided Self• Paths of Mystery & Freedom• President Dusty Taylor - Pledge Campaign• Rev. Sonya - Wholeness• Chef Dave - Hungarian• Social Justice - My View, Your View• MLFP - Fill the Bag!• Salvation/Wholeness• UUFTC Calendar/Readings• S/M/B Expo/Lost & Found• Balzás Scholar & Quick Links• Planned Giving Program• Apr 29 - Transylvanian Unitarianism• Apr 29 - TGIP: Kaláka - working together• Apr 30 - Intro to UUFTC• May 12 - Social Justice Mtg• May 13 - Movie Night/ Catalyst Editor Retires• May 19 - Ladies Lunch• May 21 - Monsanto March• May 24 - Book Club• May 27 - TGIP• May 28 - Tour of Sonora SAVE THE DATE• Jun 3 - Datk - Hungarian Potluck with László• OOS Editor Needed/ Submissions• People/Birthdays/Ride Share Facilities Use

the Catalyst page 1 of 10 May 2016

Beloved Fellowship House once again the setting for summer services! Beginning this month, we are once again planning to return to our summer home at Fellow-

ship House, 19518 Hess Avenue. We meet outside in the shade on our patio where we can enjoy our beautiful oak grove. The service will be held at our regular 10:00 a.m. time. We usually have a potluck afterwards, so ex-amine the service announcements carefully [See p. 2]. No matter where you are on your journey, all are welcome!

REMEMBER: This move is weather dependent. If it rains, we’ll meet at the Library again. [485 Greenley Rd, Sonora]

GIFT - Generously Investing For Tomorrow2016 - 2017 Stewardship Campaign Kicks OffThis year’s campaign begins Sunday, May 1 - Kickoff Sunday - and runs through Sunday, May 29. The goal is to increase our Operating Budget approximately 10%, bringing the total needed to $60,000. To help us reach this goal, we are asking each pledging unit (that’s family or single person) to increase as able – adding approximately 10% to last year’s financial commitment.

But, hold on, this might translate into the equivalent of a fancy coffee once a week, ($5 or $260 a year) or maybe just a movie plus dinner out a few times a year. If you break down your financial commitment to UUFTC into small pieces, it’s quite doable.

Let’s continue to build our programs of community outreach and support and continue to be a beacon of liberal religion in the foothills. Your Pledge Packet for fiscal year 2016-17 can be picked up at the May 1 service, or we’ll mail it to you. [See President’s column p. 3]

Theme - Wholeness & SalvationEach month we get a discussion material and other resources from the Touchstones Journal. Each issue has a theme. Our theme this month is ‘wholeness.’ The Unitarian side of our move-ment is more comfortable talking about this part of the theme. But with a nod to the Universalist side of our religious movement our Touchstone resources also includes resources about the mean-ing of ‘salvation’ for UUs. So let’s explore both of these words. This is sure to generate some lively discussions at our events – don’t you think?

Generously Investing For Tomorrow

What makes us whole? What makes a life whole on this international worker’s day? Inspiration comes from the original holiday 130 years ago in Chicago. “Labor Day” gave us the 8-hour work day, along with 8 hours for recreation and 8 hours for rest. On this first day of May we’ll also look at ideas about what makes our Fellowship more whole, more bustling, and more effective. We’ll also discuss our annual Stewardship Campaign which starts today.

Dr. Liza Ortiz, Tuolumne County’s Public Health Office, will speak. While she is traveling at the time of publica-tion of this month’s Catalyst and her exact title is not available, she will include our theme of “Wholeness” when addressing us.

Under the administrative direction of the Tuolumne County Human Services Agency director, the county health officer

is responsible for enforcing local, state and federal health orders, responding to public health emergencies and educating the public about community health issues.Dr. Ortiz was a Primary Primary Care Physician in Chicago. She completed her residency programs at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, and UCSD Medical Center, San Diego. She is licensed by the CA Medical Board as a physician and a surgeon, and is also certified in preventative medicine. She holds masters degrees in public health and biomedical science, and is fluent in Spanish.

May 15 - Wholeness & Public Health with Dr. Liza Ortiz, Public Health Officer10:00 a.m. Sonora, Fellowship House, 19518 Hess Ave.

Before it gets too hot we will need to spruce up our place, reactivate the swamp cooler, re-putty some window panes and do other miscellaneous an-nual chores. In planning for this “work” we remember the hierarchy of needs – shelter is second on the list. Bring some of the first (food) in case we go over and get hungry. Moms are saying, “How can this be fair?” Moms are working all the time, right? It’s not really work when it is a labor of love!

May 8 - Mothers’ Day Spring Spruce-up and Work Party Potluck10:30 a.m. Douglas Flat, Schoolhouse, 1358 Main St.

May 1 - May Day, May Day! with Rev. Sony Sukalski10:00 a.m. Sonora, Fellowship House, 19518 Hess Ave.

Everyone is welcome! Stay and socialize at the potluck afterwards - bring some-thing to share. GIFT packets will be distributed! [See p.1]

the Catalyst page 2 of 10 May 2016

May 22 - The Whole vs the Divided Self10:30 a.m. Douglas Flat, Schoolhouse, 1358 Main St.

Parker Palmer writes that the ‘divided life’ is led when we repress our inner spirit for convenience or out of dread. We fail to invest ourselves in our work, diminishing its quality and distancing us from those it is meant to serve. We make our living at jobs that violate our basic values. We remain in settings or relationships that steadily kill our spirit. We harbor secrets for personal gain at the expense of others. We hide our beliefs from those who disagree to avoid conflict. We conceal our true selves for fear of criticism or

attack. To live the whole life, we must reconcile the contradictions between inner selves and outer circumstances. This is not easy work. The compromises run deep. Discus-sion led by a member of the Fellowship.

Everyone is welcome, UUs and non-UUs! Stay and socialize at the potluck afterwards - bring something to share.

Skyline Discussion Group

Friday, Apr 29 3:30 p.m.

Skyline Place12877 Sylva Lane, Sonora

Datk in Transylvania

Transylvanian Unitarianism

Rev. László Major from Datk in Transylvania will join us for a discussion of Tran-sylvanian Unitarianism, and partner church relationships between North American UUs and Unitarians and Univer-salists around the world. Rev. Sonya Sukalski will be interested to hear of previ-ous connections with far flung Unitarians from some of our founders in the group as well.Rev. Sonya Sukalski comes once a month to Skyline, and always enjoys a good story (most often she hears them from Skyline residents), loves learning about religious history and free thinkers, and looks forward to meeting new Skyline residents and people not living at Skyline interested in the topic. Skyline events are held there for the benefit of our UU elders and founders, and are open to all, regardless of faith or where you live.

Rev. Sonya at sonya.sukal-ski@comcast.net or 533-8883

Workers Day Poster ©<a href=’http://www.123rf.com/pro-file_stockillustration’>stockillustration / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

Public Health Dr ©<a href=’http://www.123rf.com/profile_Kurhan’>Kurhan / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

©<a href=’http://www.123rf.com/profile_stuartphoto’>stuartphoto / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

Preview of Next Month Sunday, Jun 5, Sonora: Paths of Mystery and FreedomRev. László Major, and Rev. Sonya Sukalski will both be here. Our Annual Meeting follows!!!

the Catalyst page 3 of 10 May 2016

President’s Message

Dusty TaylorPledge Campaign Kicks OffThank you for being a member or friend of the UUFTC congregation. UUFTC is an oasis of liberal thought and religion amid a community of conservatives. It is not just another charity vying for your contributions. UUFTC and our fellowship house is our Spiritual home; it is where we come together in community to share and live out our values; where we work to help build a better more just world, one step and one individual

at a time. It is where we take the first step in showing our children, our communities and the world that we can change the world and make a difference.

Last year, for the first time, we held a major fundraising activity, the “Chocolate Lovers Hoedown”. It was a huge success; so successful in fact, that we are seriously consider-ing doing it again! We will also be exploring other fundraising activities to supplement our available funds. However much fundraising we engage in, it will still not be enough to cover the entire range of operating expenses UUFTC will require to continue function-ing.

So why do we need you as members and friends to lend financial support through your pledges? The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Tuolumne County is funded entirely by our friends and members! We receive no funding from the Unitarian Uni-versalist Association of Congregations (UUA). We count on pledges from our annual stewardship campaign to fund nearly 100% of our day-to-day operations. The majority of our budget supports fixed expenses such as the minister’s salary, building maintenance, Fellowship House mortgage and our “membership dues” to the UUA. You can see our pledge dollars at work every week in our music program, Religious Educa-tion programs, with special speakers and in our worship services. We have enjoyed many programs and activities that are a direct result of your contributions; for example, Chalice Circles, Worship Associates training, support of the Lambert Center, revitalization of the Fellowship house and monthly maintenance of the grounds, participation in the Spirit/Mind/Body Expo, increased participation in the MLK celebration, and of course fees for outside speakers and musicians. And, of great importance, we are working toward building a permanent structure so we can meet year round at our refuge in the oak grove at our Hess Ave home.

Stewardship is an acknowledgement that our community is spiritually and financially supported by its members in many different ways. The Pledge Campaign is the annual fundraising effort that sustains the Congregation, its program and its services to the community. The Board sets the annual operating budget goal based on what we need to continue to operate, the pledges received from our friends and members need to meet or exceed this goal for a healthy church. Your formal pledges allow the Board to manage the congregational finances more effectively by giving us an idea of what we can count on from month to month - and how we can pay the mortgage and keep the lights on. EVERY ONE of YOUR PLEDGES, OF ANY SIZE, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!!

Where are we headed, what are we going to do this year? It is really up to all of you. Our activities, community involvement, our programs, and yes – even our basic survival are solely up to you and your financial support. There is no one else to keep our beacon of liberal religion shining!

Remember, we CAN change the world, one small action at a time, and we CAN keep lib-eral religion alive in the foothills, but we need all of us engaged in the financial support of the Fellowship, so please, GIVE until it feels – GOOD!

Feedback? Please call me at 484-1110 or use my new email (strictly for UUFTC com-munications) at laughingbear_63@outlook.com.

Kaláka!Friday, Apr 295:30 p.m. Eat

6:30 p.m. Slide Show Fellowship House

Kaláka - working together

Rev. László Major will join us for a slide show and discussion. He says, “In the rural villages of Transylvania, small family farms struggle as young people leave in search of work. Hope comes in the form of volunteer ef-forts to revitalize folk traditions, renovate community spaces–and reengage the next generation. This kind of volunteer effort is known as a ‘kaláka.’

“Our 21st century individualistic society shows people how they can do everything on their own, but eventually many people real-ize how alone and lonely they are, with no one to share their successes. A tolerant, respect-ful, cooperative society teaches people to appreciate the com-mon values of the community and by working together and enjoying together the results of their efforts, people feel appreci-ated and connected to the others who contributed to the final outcome. Kaláka is about feeling connected and being actively part of a community.

“[So] step out of your comfort zone, embrace the challenge and adventure, and organize or participate in a kaláka project to experience what it feels like to be part of and work for a better communit.”

Potluck Dinner begins 5:30 p.m. (bring something to share)László’s slide show: 6:30 p.m.

Info: Rev. Sonya, 533-8883 or sonya.sukalski@comcast.net

the Catalyst page 4 of 10 May 2016

Intro toUUFTC

Saturday, Apr 295:00 - 7:00 p.m. Fellowship House 19518 Hess Ave, Sonora

This is your chance to learn more about the Unitarian Universalist faith – its ori-gins, some of the influential thinkers, and how the Unitar-ian Universalist Fellowship of Tuolumne County carries this work on today. If you are new to our group, or if you just want to find out more about our history, who we are and what we believe in, come on over! Info: Rev. Sonya, 533-8883 or sonya.sukalski@comcast.net

Social Justice

Thursday, May 124:00 p.m.

Schnoog’s Cafe

1005 Mono Way, SonoraWe meet on the 2nd Thurs-day of the month.

Come join us for fellowship and lively discussion as we plan our next project(s).

Teri Olsson for info: 586-5017, annastina1983@hotmail.com

“If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy; if the world were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I wake up each morning torn between a desire to save the world and a desire to savor the world. This makes it very hard to plan the day.” ………-- E. B. White

Feedback? Please contact me at sonya.sukalski@comcast.net or 533-8883.

Wholeness

Rev. Sonya SukalskiUnitarian Universalists often have a different take on the world than much of Christianity, especially when it comes to the topic of whole-ness. This is because often underlying Christian thought is the idea that humanity is inherently depraved, sinful, and on some level inca-pable of good.

Not every Christian believes this, to be sure, and certainly not most liberal or progressive Christians like our like our United Church of

of Christ (UCC) siblings (Have you been to one of their wonderful services in Murphys?)

You just never can tell however until you have a decently long conversation. Unitarians and Universalists throughout our history have pushed back on the idea of the inherent depravity of humans. You see this in our first principle which says that “we covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person.” It is interesting to note that while we reject inherent depravity, we stop short of saying that every person is undividedly marvelous!

I know I have my faults – I start many more things than I finish, I sometimes lose my temper too easily – when I am hungry, or “hangry” as my daughter calls it. I can be very impatient when getting things done eludes me moment after moment, day af-ter day. I don’t like to make decisions about things that are not that important to me, so decisions about small things linger and clutter up my life. Sometimes I can be a picky perfectionist and that can lead to procrastination. In other areas of my life I am sloppy – I never want to just deal with the mail that comes in so it sits around making a mess of communal spaces. I don’t like to water plants so they usually die in my “care.” Sometimes I don’t want to interact with anyone, and can be downright grouchy about it.

You probably have your list of ways you are not perfect too. Do these traits make me inherently depraved? Undividedly marvelous? Probably neither! Do they mean I do not have inherent worth and dignity? I think this question is a red herring unless it points to how I am human and share these things with some, if not many, people. In my estima-tion, one or all of these traits and challenges makes me less than whole. You could call that ‘brokenness’. In fact, you could call all of the above ‘the human condition.’ One could say that my view of these things is a stage in creating more wholeness in my life.

However, wholeness across humanity is a much bigger question because both man-made and natural disasters occur, humans visit unbelievable cruelty and brutality upon each other, and among whole groups of people there is indifference and condescension. What makes us whole in the face of these things is something we need a community willing to discuss, take action on, and reflect upon together in order for us to know and appreciate the topic of wholeness!

Honestly, until we share with each other what it is about our lives, our world, and this specific community that breaks our hearts, we can’t engage the concept of wholeness very deeply. I think people come to a UU community like ours to find that conversa-tion, to learn how others negotiate it, and to experience the healing and transformation that only a group of people can bring about through wrestling with suffering, with falling short, with disappointment, and even with betrayal. It takes courage to bring up these topics - especially when answers are complex and we may not be ready to be implement them. At times it takes verbal and psychic gymnastics to be true to our experience as well as to our values and aspirations. These conversation may be of high stakes but are ultimately worthwhile should you choose to enter them! I hope you will see and voice the possibilities of what is broken in our experience(s), and continue on to brainstorm and ponder with me possible remedies.

the Catalyst page 5 of 10 May 2016

Movie Night Friday, May 13

5:30 p.m. Food 6:00 p.m. Movie Fellowship House

The Tibetan Book of

the Dead[2003 Not Rated, 90 mins]

“You’ll feel instantly at peace with this chronicle of one of the most unique books of Buddhist spirituality, narrated by singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. Sit back and explore the rites prescribed by the text and see how they’re applied by people around the world. Two parts -- “A Way of Life” and “The Great Liberation” -- are included.“ [from Netflix]

Bring nibblies to share. Info: Dave Ingram at 928-1306 or dave4dessert@gmail.com

the CatalystEditor RetiresWhen? June 2016What can I do to

help? VOLUNTEER!After at least six years of having fun editing and producing the Catalyst, your editor, Craig Mineweaser, is retiring. To coincide with the end of our fis-cal year, NEXT MONTH will be his last issue.

Craig will give you a huge elec-tronic resource file from past newsletters. You will be free to produce the Catalyst in new ways - maybe it’s just 2 pages - maybe 10: whatever you want!

Want to be part of a committee to produce the newsletter each month? Want to do it all? Vol-unteer! Now! Help ensure that we can have a July issue!

Contact President Dusty Taylor 484-1110 laughing-bear_63@outlook.com

Dave’s Chicken Paprikash 2 Tb. Olive oil 1 Tb. Butter 2 Lbs. Boneless, skinless chicken breats, cut into large chunks

1 ea. Onion, finely chopped 2 Tb. Sweet papirka 1 t. Herbs de Provence 1 t. Black pepper 3 Tb. Flour (wheat or rice)

2 c. Chicken stock 1½ c. Cream 2 c. Cooked artichoke bottoms, 1/4’d (canned okay)

Brown the chicken pieces in a large, deep sauté pan or Dutch oven in the oil and butter. Remove chicken from pot to a plate and sauté the onion for 5 minutes over low heat. Add the seasonings and flour and stir together to make a roux. You may need to add a little oil or butter at this stage if it seems too dry. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly. Add cream, browned chicken, and artichoke bottoms. Simmer over low heat about 20 to 25 minutes, uncovered. Serve over rice or noodles of your choice.

More info? Contact Dave Ingram at 928-1306 or dave4dessert@gmail.com or visit Chef Dave’s website at www.ChefDaveCooks.com.

I discovered the UUs’ Social Justice Ministry (see UUJM of CA at http://uujmca.org/ for example) and they strive to continue their activist legacy. Their website says they are a statewide “grassroots organization dedicated to empowering justice leaders to make a difference in their communities.” Training and education programs include Walking the Walk: a justice leadership summit to be held this year in July, a Congregational Discern-ment and Education Program (CDEP), and a Regional Spring Justice Training. Linda DuTemple and I traveled to Stockton last month to join other valley and foothill UUs for this Spring Training Workshop. We learned more about building a stronger so-cial justice program in Tuolumne County. I also became aware of why, across the [Con’t next page]

My View, Your View Teri Olsson, Co-Chair of UUFTC’s Social Justice Committee

I’m not a writer so getting words down to make sense is almost as hard for me as standing up in front of a group to say them. It’s been said that it’s easier to write about something that you’re passionate about and my passion is justice, whether it be environmental or social. The reason I joined the Fellowship three years ago was because of the strong UU history of working for social justice. I attended a meeting for potential members at Fellowship House where Lloyd Kramer made a presentation of UU history and I was hooked!

Hospitality Corner

Chef Dave IngramTime for HungarianI recently prepared a Hungarian classic for one of our pot lucks. I received several (dare I say numerous?) requests for the recipe, so here it is!

“Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.” ………-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

the Catalyst page 6 of 10 May 2016

Ladies’ Lunch Bunch

Thursday, May 19Noon

Banny’s Cafe

Mountain Springs Golf Course 17566 Lime Kiln Rd, Sonora

We are now meeting 3rd Thursdays

UU ladies, their guests, and friends will again join togeth-er for this monthly lunch.

PLEASE call Peg Sheldon, 586-9182 by Wednesday, 5/18 to reserve your seat!

March & RallyAgainst

MonsantoSaturday, May 21

11:30 a.m. Farmer’s Market

Sonora

“March Against Monsanto Vancouver” by Rosalee Yagihara from Vancouver, Canada - 032A3231 © BY 2.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:March_Against_Monsanto_Vancouver.jpg#/media/File:March_Against_Monsanto_Vancouver.jpg

Meet at Corner of Stewart & Theall Streets, Sonora

SJC Action!Assemble at Farmers’ Market and march to Courthouse Square Park on Washington-Street, for a rally.

Bring a sign if you’d like.Teri Olsson for info: 586-5017, annastina1983@hotmail.com

“An inevitable though often ignored dimension of the quest for wholeness is that we must embrace what we dislike or find shameful about ourselves as well as what we are confident and proud of. That is why the poet says ‘ask me mis-takes I have made.” ………-- Parker Palmer

Mother Lode Food Project

Fill the Bag!!

My View... [Con’t from p. 3]

country, many social justice groups are struggling. Many UUs operate from a ‘dominant paradigm’ which divides the world into “us and them” with the purpose (stated or other-wise) of gaining the power to control “them”. While UUs understand human and civil is-sues are the center of their focus, they often see these issues as problems to be solved.Operating from such a world view tends to make us reactive - often motivated mostly through fear and anger. It engages on behalf of “other” people: the poor, needy, wounded, broken and victimized. While there’s nothing wrong with this paradigm, there may be a more effective way to approach social justice issues. The workshop’s pre-senter expressed it this way: “why settle for paint by number when there’s a full color masterpiece out there?” Lilla Watson, a Brisbane-based Aboriginal activist said, “If you have come to help me you are wasting your time; but if your liberation is bound with mine let us work together.” Next month we’ll explore a paradigm shift - to move us to a “full color masterpiece”.

Questions about any of this, or what our Social Justice Committee is all about? Contact me at 586-5017 or annastina1983@hotmail.com.

A Reminder from Ellen BeckGreetings, Friends and Neighbors,Today is a wonderfully wet day and the first time in four years of collecting green bags that we have had a rainy day--another sign of the drought. Even so, Mother Lode Food Project had good results: 3,501 lbs of food and $50 cash donation!We benefited today from the help of Summerville High School senior Riley Doyle who has volunteered at the ATCAA Food Bank and for the MLFP as part of his senior exit project. Today he not only helped col-lect bags, deliver them to ATCAA and then helped unload and empty the bags, he also brought along a carload of green bags he’d collected from friends and family. Included is a photo of this delightful, hard-working young man with his project mentor Lee Kimball, ATCAA Food Bank Director, unloading the green bags he collected.Sincere thanks, Riley!

Think Healthy FoodAs I have written in the past, most of the MLFP donated food goes to needy children, seniors and vets. Of the children served, 20% are pre-diabetic and 33% obese. Yes, astonishing figures - and ones that are not unique to our county. With these figures in mind the Food Bank is refining its efforts not only to end hunger for our needy neigh-bors, but also to create health. While the local food banks generally praise the MLFP for the healthy food that is donated, we want to support these efforts to create health by encouraging you to keep this focus in mind as you market. Although we report our total pounds collected, our first concern is good health, not total poundage. We report poundage totals as a gauge of our efforts, but healthy food is the priority!In gratitude, Ellen

Bring your filled bags to the June 5 service. Need more green bags? More Info: Linda DuTemple 928-4364 or lindaldu@comcast.net

“My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him, all good things—trout as well as eternal salvation—come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy.” ………-- Norman Maclean

the Catalyst page 7 of 10 May 2016

No GuiltBook Club

Tuesday, May 247:00 p.m.

Fellowship House

© Ron Chernow & Amazon (P)2005 Penguin Bks

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

“...Few figures in American his-tory have been more hotly de-bated or more grossly misunder-stood than Alexander Hamilton. Chernow ... gives Hamilton his due and sets the record straight, deftly illustrating that the politi-cal and economic greatness of today’s America is the result of Hamilton’s countless sacrifices to champion ideas that were often wildly disputed during his time.” [Source: Amazon]

You can download it on Kindle, or order it from the library or Mountain Bookshop. Everyone is welcome! If you’ve read the book, great; if not that’s great too since it’s No Guilt!

We now have a list of books we’ll be reading for the next several months.

Info Laurie Bailie at 533-2584 or lasnuffy1@gmail

TGIPFriday, May 27

5:30 p.m. Fellowship House

Yes, these initials stand for Thank God It’s a Patio! Now that the weather is warm, we’ll eat outside on our beautiful patio!

If you’re new to UUFTC, we espe-cially want you to join us! Bring a favorite dish and a beverage to share. Everyone’s welcome!

No need to RSVP – just show up! Info: Chef Dave Ingram at 928-1306 or dave4dessert@gmail.com

[From the Touchstones Journal, April 2014, Vol 3, Issue 8. While we are focusing more on ‘Whole-ness’ this month, many UUs across the country also discuss the concept of ‘Salvation’.

Soteriology is the branch of Christian theology that deals with salvation, the saving of the soul from sin and its consequences. It comes from the Greek word soteria, which means salvation, deliverance, or release. In Latin, the root of salvation comes from the word salvus, for salve, healthy, or whole.Over time, we moved away from the need for salvation as we left behind the idea of original sin. The Rev. Thomas Starr King, a Universalist minister, said in 1848 when he agreed to become the minister of the Hollis Street [Unitarian] Church in Boston, “The one [Universalists] thinks God is too good to damn them forever, the other [Unitarians] thinks they are too good to be damned forever.” Universal salvation was the Gospel of Universalism, its good news.This Gospel was grounded in an ultimate optimism based on the everlasting love of God affirmed in the teachings of Jesus, which meant that it rejected as absurd the portrait of a vengeful God contained in the Hebrew Scripture. This Gospel was based upon the worth and dignity of every person, the human capacity for goodness, and a faith in the power of redemption and restorative justice. Its life-enhancing theology was grounded in hope, with goodness as its own reward. It sought to cultivate the highest common denominator in human relations, not the lowest.In his humorous remark above, Thomas Starr King introduced the issue of theological anthropology, which involves a theological appraisal of human nature. In the last 200 years in America, much of Christianity, informed as it was by the doctrine of original sin, assumed a low anthropology because of its low opinion of human nature. The Unitarians, by contrast, had a high anthropology illustrated by William Ellery Channing’s sermon, Likeness to God (1828), and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s lecture, Self Reliance (delivered first in 1836). It began with an epigraph by John Fletcher: “Man is his own star; and the soul that can / Render an honest and a perfect man, / Commands all light, all influ-ence, all fate;….” This high anthropology continues into the present in Unitarian Univer-salism. It is paired with a low Christology, which emphasizes the humanity of Jesus over his divinity.The Rev. Nance Bowen has asked if our anthropology is too high. The Rev. Ron Rob-inson adds that our high anthropology has “morphed into creating church communities where we focused on how good we were, how we don’t need saving, or changing, and it is the world out there that needs changing, not us, thank you, we are fine, everything’s fine, and we tell each other how fine our lives are.” This is likely a consequence of our rejection of original sin and our ambivalence regarding evil. It is in this context that Earl Holt, minister of Kings Chapel in Boston, wrote, “Liberal theology, if it can be said to have an overriding weakness, tends toward a sometimes unrealistic optimism; hope is its central virtue. But essential as hope is, it is insufficient unless grounded in something deeper. A potent religion must address the darkness, inner and outer. That darkness is real. Moments of grace do come, but not easily or often, and it is most often those who acknowledge the darkness who recognize the grace.” The Rev. Gordon McKeeman pushes this further when he writes, “Hell is, in fact, a burning issue for it is the issue of separation, whether we can, with safety and impunity, set up little islands in the human experience and therefore protect ourselves against any relationship with the mainland. And Universalism says unequivocally, it cannot be done.”McKeeman, who was ordained as a Universalist minister in 1945, is again calling us to reconsider universal salvation. Yet he would be equally comfortable if we were to also speak of wholeness. The Rev. Nancy Bowen invites us to work with the five jagged rocks of Unitarian Universalism: “1. All souls are sacred and worthy. 2. There is a unity that makes us one. 3. Salvation is in this lifetime. 4. Courageous love will transform the world. 5. And truth continues to be revealed.” Salvation in this lifetime moves us to equate salvation with wholeness.The phrase “being broken, wanting wholeness” comes from Unitarian Universalist min-ister Marilyn Sewell. It is a statement about the human condition, which is not an either/or but a both/and. Not only can we be broken and want wholeness, but we can be broken and whole at the same time when our brokenness is incorporated into our [Con’t next page]

Salvation/Wholeness Rev. Kirk Loadman-Copeland

the Catalyst page 8 of 10 May 2016

Salvation [Con’t from p. 7]

wholeness. Parker Palmer sees brokenness as living a divided life. He writes, “Most of us know from experience what a divided life is. Inwardly we feel one sort of imperative for our lives, but outwardly we respond to quite another. This is the human condition, of course; our inner and outer worlds will never be in perfect harmony. But there are extremes of dividedness that become intolerable…” and these undermine the possibility of wholeness.The impulse for wholeness is strong within us. Yet our concept of wholeness may change as we move from one stage of life to the next. Further, we do get broken along the way by illness, the death of loved ones, and the other tragedies that touch our lives.There are different ways to approach wholeness. Unitarian minister A. Powell Davies said, “The purpose of life is to grow a soul.” I believe that we are born incomplete, a consequence of the dis- ruption at birth of an original unity in the womb. It is as if we have a hole in the soul that we spend a lifetime trying to heal. Sometimes, rather than working on the process of healing, we simply try to relieve the pain by filling the hole. This can lead to addiction and other behaviors that make achieving wholeness more difficult, if not impossible.In seeking wholeness, we are attempting to complete our life before death ends it. To paraphrase the poet May Sarton, we are called to create our self, and, as that task proceeds, we learn that change is always in the making, both inner and outer if we can be patient, if we can learn to trust ourselves. The irony is that sometimes the wholeness is already there, but hidden.It is interesting to note that the word perfect has a Latin root, perfectus, which means “finished.” We human beings are unfinished and will always be so up to and including our last breath.The task in this unending state of imperfection is to seek wholeness. Parker Palmer writes, “Like a wild animal, the soul is tough, resilient, resourceful, savvy, and self-suffi-cient: it knows how to survive in hard places. I learned about these qualities during my bouts with depression. In that deadly darkness, the faculties I had always depended on collapsed. My intellect was useless; my emotions were dead; my will was impotent; my ego was shattered. But from time to time, deep in the thickets of my inner wilderness, I could sense the presence of something that knew how to stay alive even when the rest of me wanted to die. That something was my tough and tenacious soul.” Revealing and claiming this hidden wholeness is our life’s work, the aim of salvation in this life.

History Tourand Lunch

Saturday, May 2810:00 a.m.

Downtown Sonora

© City of Sonora website, photo Courtesy L. Reouff

A FUUNdraiser Event!Missed it last time? We’re repeating our very popular walking tour of Sonora. Re-nowned local historian Sha-ron Marovich will again lead us on an informative and fun tour of notable historic build-ings in the downtown area.Chef Dave will cater a won-derful luncheon - served at a downtown location after the tour.$35.00 includes luncheonReservations required – no walk-ins - by Tues May 24. Limited to 10 people, so reserve your space now! For info, reservations, and where tour starts, call Peg Sheldon, 586-9182 to reserve your seat!

Save the Date!Datk - Between

Regions & CulturesFriday, Jun 3

7:00 p.m. Fellowship HouseLászló Major

Datk (pronounced Duck) is a village of 500 people in Transyl-vania, Romania, with a Hungar-ian Unitarian Congregation of 350. ...Hungarians, Romanians and Saxon-Germans [live here]. ...besides the natural beauty of the landscape, you will see the life of the congregation with its successes and challenges as well. ...[S]ee [what] a Unitarian Church looks like, how people sharing the same faith live their lives, [as you] join us on a jour-ney across the ocean!

©1005 rock water, photo by David Morris, 10/5/2007, (CC BY 2.0), http://www.flickr.com/photos/revdave/1678827564/

UUFTC May 2016 Calendar This newsletter lists events and happening around the Fellowship each month. But want to view it in calendar format? Check out our online calendar at our website: http://www.uuftc.org/calendar. You can also pick up an “Activities List” at the Welcome Table of each Sunday service in Sonora. Then, pick out something you like and get involved!!

Here is the May book list for our theme of “Wholeness.”

A Hidden Wholeness by Parker Palmer

This Changes Everything; Capitalism vs the Climate by Naomi Klein

Behind the Kitchen Door by Saru Jayaraman

It is also worthwhile to search the offerings of www.uuabookstore.org for any monthly theme!

Selected Readings for “Wholeness”

“No one and nothing outside of you can give you salvation, or free you from the misery. You have to light your own lamp. You have to know the miniature uni-verse that you yourself are.” ………-- Banani Ray

“Wholeness is not achieved by cutting off a portion of one’s being, but by inte-gration of the contraries.” ………-- Carl Gustav Jung

the Catalyst page 9 of 10 May 2016

OOS Editor Needed

When: NOW!Where: Your

computerPac-N-Copy prints

them for you!The Program Committee is looking for a volunteer to do the Order of Service (the OOS) for each month for our two Sonora Sunday services. Starla Nelson has done a beautiful job on this for sev-eral years. Now she wants to hand this off to someone new. Won’t you volunteer?Contact Program Commit-tee Chair Janet Telford, 928-5874 or jtelford829@gmail.com for more info.

SubmissionGuidelines

Guidelines for submittals to our monthly newsletter, the Catalyst, are as follows: Send one paragraph that includes the:

event titledate time locale contact info costother pertinent infoinclude web link, photograph, etc.

to Craig@Mineweaser.com. Deadline: 5:00 p.m. on the 15th of each month. Earlier submissions appreciated! If you chair a committee or task force, send the announcement of your next meeting following the guidelines above. Include major topics you’ll be discussing - it will attract new people to your group! Limit announcements to 70 words, and notices of sermons or talks to 700 words. the Cata-lyst reserves the right to edit all material submitted.

A happening in the Opera Hall in downtown Sonora!

Spirit Mind Body Expo

Again this year we were a sponsor of the Spirit/Mind/Body Expo event at the Opera Hall in Sonora last month. We created a very successful booth (Thanks Dave for the back- drop, and to many others who volunteered to staff the booth and help set it up!) that had many visitors. Rev. Sonya held a train- ing session for the UU volunteers and we introduced a lot of people to UUism and what UUFTC is all about. Janet Telford and Dusty Taylor created seed packets to hand out - seen here in the bas- kets.

The next day, we collaborated an Ecumenical Service “Celebrat-ing Wholeness” in cooperation with Unity Church of Sonora and the Shambhala Meditation Group of Sonora. Over one hundred people attended to hear Merry Anne Kain of Unity Church, Shauna Brown of Shambhala, and Rev. Sonya speak. Joy Willow performed a poem she wrote and Amitabhan “Ami” sang some of his songs.

This weekend provided multiple opportunities for UUFTC to become better known in our community, and to broadcast our story of who we are and what we are about.

Several items from recent events have been left behind. Table cloths, a cake pan, reading glasses, sun glasses, a water bottle, etc. are looking for their home. Normally the shelf in the front closet of the Meeting Room is reserved for “Lost & Found” items. But since many people may not yet know about this, we’ve put these items in our recently announced UUPS DropBox. (That’s Uni-tarian Universalist Parcel Service).

Items that you want to exchange with other UUs, or items you that you want to give away are to be placed here.) AND, when you put something in the box - tell the intended recipient! The “Drop Box” is located in the bookshelf on the right side of the fireplace and is clearly marked. It is intended for the exchange of small items amongst members and friends.

So reclaim your items next time you’re at Fellowship House. Items left beyond June 6 may be donated! Info: Facilities Manager, Craig Minewea-ser, 928-5900, craig@mineweaser.com

Lost & Not Yet Found?

the Catalyst appears on our website each month. When each new issue is posted, notification of its availability is sent to all subscribers via email. We do not share our list of addresses.

Craig Mineweaser, Co-Editor 209/928-5874 and Laurie Livingston, Co-Editor craig@mineweaser.com avatress@gmail.com

______________________________________

Rev. Sonya Sukalski, Minister 209/533-8883 Church OfficeRev. Craig Scott, Minister Emeritus

UUFTC’s Planned Giving Program

Leave a Legacy to YOUR Fellowship!Ensure that the light of liberal religion stays lit!Wouldn’t it be wonderful to afford an additional, larger, sanctuary or meeting building (call it what you want.) so we can meet year round? We could have other groups use it too! What is your vision for the future of UUFTC? In 2013 we refi-nanced our property with a ten-year loan. That means that in 2023 we will own this property! We were able to re-fi largely due to the generous be-quests of two members who included UUFTC when they planned the distri-bution of their estates. This allowed us to protect our small nest egg - for eventually building on our site.

2023 will arrive very soon - just 6 fiscal years from now! So lets talk about easy ways to include your Fellowship in your estate plan or for other ways YOU can help ensure UUFTC’s future.The Fellowship needs to begin envisioning and discussing what we want our future to be like. The board would like to build a nest egg large enough to begin construction in 2023 (or earlier) - but what do you want? Let’s begin this discussion.Here is an example of an architect’s design sketch for a little chapel in rural Arkansas. They had a planning process to go from this sketch to the strikingly beautiful reality pic-tured at right. YOU can help create the reality YOU want at YOUR Fellowship! Call our Treasurer Janet Telford, 928-5874.

the Catalyst page 10 of 10 May 2016

Design Sketch for ‘Chapel in the Woods’ Architect: E. Fay Jones © the estate of E. Fay Jones.

[Here are some ‘URLs’ (website addresses) that provide important additional information about us. Type them into your browser and check out all things UU! -- the editors]

Quicklinks

UU Fellowship of Tuolumne Countywww.uuftc.org

Pacific Central Districtwww.pcd-uua.org

UU World Magazinewww.uuworld.org

UUFTC Calendarwww.uuftc.org/calendar

UU Association of Congregationswww.uua.org

UU Service Committeewww.uusc.org

UUFTC is again hosting this year’s scholar, László “Laht-si” Ma-jor and his family June 3-12, 2016. However, as you see else-where in this newsletter, Laht-si will also be visiting us Friday, April 29 through Sunday, May 1.Sightseeing: This will give you a chance to meet Laht-si and you can give more thought to perhaps being their tour guide when he and his family come in June. During his first trip here he is showing us what life is like in Transylvania [See sidebar pps. 2, 3 & 7], how about showing off your favorite tourist spot - Dragoon Gultch Trail, the Fern Grotto, Cover’s Apple Farm, the Sonora Farmers Market, or ...???Contact Rev. Sonya, 533-8883, sonya.sukalski@comcast.net, for more info.

Balázs Scholar Coming to Sonora[Each year the Starr King School for the Ministry brings a Unitarian minister from Transylvania to Berkeley for advanced studies under the Balázs Scholars Program.]

László (above right) and friends

UU People News

Chel Oldham had minor sur-gery and is recovering nicelySuzanne Thomas had shoulder surgery and she’s recovering nicely; love those arthroscopic techniques!Ask Laurie Bailie about her trip to Europe!

Member Birthdays

These members celebrate birthdays this month. Wish them a happy day!

Amy Ada HarataniDodie HarteAnn Leonard

Ride Share?From time to time, we get calls from people requesting a ride to our services. If you are willing to give rides oc-casionally contact:Laurie Bailie, 533-2584, or Lasnuffy1@gmail.com or Janet Telford, 928-5874, or JTelford829@gmail.com

Facilities Use Fellowship House

and GroundsTo avoid overlap, and allow use by outside groups, all uses of our Fellowship House, are to be scheduled with the keeper of our calendar, Janet Telford at 928-5874 or JTelford829@gmail.com.Before calling, check our Church Calendar at www.uuftc.org/calendar for availability.Our facilities are also used for weddings, memorial services, and other meetings by outside groups. If you would like to use our Fellowship House or grounds for an event, please contact our Facilities Manager, Craig Mine-weaser at 928-5900 or Craig@Mineweaser.com

Thorncrown Chapel Eureka Springs, AK. Photos: http://es.paperblog.com/thorncrown-chapel-by-fay-jones-2298240/