February 2012
February 5: "Money: Making Cents of Its Place in Our lives." Gail Stratton
Money is a paradox of our culture--it enslaves, yet also frees, it is intensely private, but also very public; it measure worth, yet it is no measure of real worth... it destroys yet also creates.
What do we do with this paradox that is woven throughout our lives?
In preparation for this service, we invite you to do a "Checkbook Theology." Look through your check book or any record of your finances and ask yourself what would someone from another time or place see of your values?
In keeping with the recognition that there are those in our community that do not have enough money, our collection this week will go to Interfaith Compassion Ministry, to help provide temporary housing for the homeless in our community. Nine homeless people were helped in the last six weeks.
February 12: "Mysticism." Mary Thurlkill
Mystical religious experience is something that cuts across religious identities and theological distinctions. We will look at some of the similarities and differences between Christian and Islamic mystical experience from the early and medieval periods. We'll discuss some popular characters-- including Turkey's Rumi-- and we'll read some selections of mystical texts.
February 19: "Leap, and the Net Will Appear" Rev. Beth Lefever
Rev. Lefever will talk about the irresistible call of the life force, and the passion with which we inevitably respond to that call in spite of obstacles, worries, fears and set-backs.
February 26: "What Would UU Do? Reflections on Milgram and Zimbardo." Dan Mattern
We will reflect on the Milgram shock experiment (as vividly recounted in the book Nobody Left to Hate) and on the Zimbardo prison experiment. Would the UU Seven Principles tell us what to do in such moral dilemmas? Would a Unitarian Universalist want to be told what to do?
