X-Men Days of Future Past (or is it days of past future) – a 6 out of 10 on the JWO Movie Rating Scale

I admit, I am sentimental about the X Men because I grew up reading their comics. I was particularly fond of Wolverine because in the comic he was short (nothing against Hugh Jackman – I think he is a fine, but tall Wolverine) and at times Wolverine focused on a  Japanese Bushido theme.  But really, how many X Men movies has it been now? I lose count. I think with the Wolverine movies it is up to 7. I don’t know. At some point they all seem to blend together.  I think time travel is poor plot contrivance for a movie. Yes, I know, how is it I can easily accept the concept of mutants but not time travel.    There was a nice unexpected twist at the end, and I think it points out how even one action we take for better or worse can affect the/our future, but otherwise, saving everyone by changing the past is too simple a solution to a complex world. This seems to be a common plot theme in transition movies – Star Trek with Kirk and Picard, and then later with both old and young Spock. And now once again with younger and older X Men (and on that note, why do they call them X Men when the team includes women.) I don’t know, but I found myself bored after over two hours. And for God’s sake, do not make me sit through the entire credits to see a 20 second coming attraction for the next X Men Movie, which is now an annoying common practice for Marvel Movies.  

Heart of the Minister – May 2014 – Looking Back and Looking Forward.

At the Interfaith Yom HaShoah service that I participated in recently, I said “The philosopher, George Santayana once warned, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” But I don’t think that goes far enough.  Just because one remembers the past does not lead to the conclusion that we will avoid the same outcome.”  We not only need to remember, but we need to change the way we act in the future to avoid the same outcome.

In that light, at this time of year, our leadership group starts to look back upon the past year and evaluate what has worked,  what has not worked,  how we can improve, and what are the ongoing needs of the community.  This past year we have launched two major new teams, The Spiritual Practices and Programs Team and the Lay Pastoral Care Team. Outside the building we now see the beginnings of our Giving Garden led by our Green Sanctuary program, and Children’s Religious Education expects to break ground on a new Playground this spring. Our BGLQTIA social justice program has been very active this year and they have requested that the Congregation vote at our Annual Congregational meeting to reaffirm our “Welcoming Congregation” status. The Green Sanctuary social justice program has also been very active in all areas of Congregational life and will be submitting their final paperwork to have us recognized by the UUA as a Green Sanctuary Congregation.  I also want to point out that after trying a couple of methods over the past three years that did not work as well as hoped, our Welcome Team continued to be innovative and has implemented “Hospitality Teams” that seeks to include the entire Congregation in the process of Hospitality. This has improved the Sunday morning experience tremendously.  I thank the team for their perseverance and reminding us of the need to reinvent ourselves if our methods are not working.  I could go on and on with the additional programming of other Social Justice programs, Connection Circles, Music,  Nominating,  Welcome, Forum, Children’s and Adult Religious Education, (and others who I cannot think of off the top of my head as we reach the newsletter deadline) but space does not allow.

For next year, I am already in discussions with various members about their desire to start an Earth Centered Tradition and Christian “Source” programs. My vision is to create an environment where congregants through teams can find or create programs that allow them to delve deeper into a particular theological source of inspiration.  I want to give a special thanks to the Growth and Strategic Planning task forces which have given us a roadmap for the future and the generosity of the Congregation which has given us the opportunity to implement the Strategic Plan. 

With everything listed (and unlisted) above, there are still areas we need to improve upon.  After increasing for two years, overall attendance at our Sunday Services decreased. Some of this is due to committed members who have moved out of town, or are spending more time in Arizona during the cold winter.  Some of it I believe has to do with the new schedule we implemented this year.  Over the next few months we will be discerning what is the best way to move forward next year with the Worship Schedule.  I have started discussing this with the Sunday Morning Program Teams (Religious Services, Music, Forum, Children’s Religious Education and Welcome) . Throughout the discernment process we will be asking for feedback from you as to the best way for the Congregation to move forward to achieve our mission and vision in regard to worship.  Once I have a had a chance to meet with all the Teams that are responsible for creating Sunday programming,  I will hold a town hall meeting with the Congregation to hear your feedback before making a final decision on how to move forward.  As always, if you wish to discuss this or anything with me personally, please make an appointment to meet with me. I look forward to these conversations.

When I was called by the Congregation to be your minister, you shared with me your hopes and dreams for the Congregation’s future. Every action I take is guided by what I believe is necessary to fulfill the vision and mission of our Congregation.  I understand that not everyone is going to agree with every decision that is made. Even if you do not agree, I ask for your support in our common endeavor.  In governance parlance, there are multiple styles of congregations.  The first style is a family congregation, which is small, and where all decisions are made by a few people and is often lay led. The next style is a pastoral congregation, where the Minister sees and knows everyone personally, and makes all the crucial decisions about all aspects of community life.  The third style is a program congregation, where the program teams are delegated authority to make decisions for their teams.  We have for 50 years or so have been a  pastoral size Congregation.  The past 5 years, the Congregation has taken intentional steps to put in organizational structures so we can become a program style congregation.  The purpose of this is to be able to offer more quality programs and to reach more individuals in the community with our message of religious freedom.  Moving from a pastoral congregation to a program style congregation does create change. And change creates anxiety. Change can require hard work and hard conversations.  Let us engage in those conversations with an open heart and an open mind.  Let us not shirk from change.  Let us remember what has happened every other time we have faced this precipice and stepped back.  This time, let us go far enough to change in order to achieve our Vision and Mission.

with a grateful heart

Rev. Jay

Oblivion – a 6 out of 10 on the JWO scale.

The message of this movie is you can never have enough Tom Cruises and drones are bad.  It was a slow moving but interesting sci-fy movie about a post alien invasion. It shows us  how the stories we are told are not necessarily true,  how the memories in our subconscious can lead the way to transformation, and how true love always wins out in the end.  Not bad messages, but I could have gotten there sooner. 

Movie Review – Inside Llewellyn Davis – an 8.5 out of 10 on the JWO Scale

In the movie there is a scene with a back and forth with the lead male character and the lead female character where he says “There are two kinds of people in this world, those who divide the world into two kinds of people and (and then she interrupts him and says) and losers.  I feel that way about the Coen Brothers movies. Either you love them as deeply meaningful insights into life, or you think they are boring droll.  I admit I am in the former category, but I am open to there being nuance and I think that is the message the movie is trying to send. The balance of pure integrity and selling out and  how difficult it is to find a balance between the two. It is the story of  a folk musician in the Greenwich Village Scene in the 1960s who is struggling to make it and his downward spiral into bitterness.  There are so many layers to the movie, some subtle (John Goodman Character and his driver), some not so subtle, (like when his father defecates after Llewellyn plays him a song. ).  Davis is aghast that his friend wrote a song that Davis considered beneath him, but it becomes popular and Llewellyn misses out on the royalties. Its more complex than that but the irony is obvious and dripping.

For me, there were two scenes that were unbelievably powerful. One involves when he is leaving a car, and he has to decide whether to take his cat along with him.  Technically not his cat, but one he had adopted and taken on this road trip he was on.  In that instance, there was an eternity. Making the harder choice is, (it would be hard to audition at a club with a cat in tow), or making a necesarry choice to abandon one’s responsibility and leave others (the cat in this instance) to the hands of fate and the one’s fellow companions.  We often know when we are faced with that choice, when we have to leave someone or something behind, knowing it will be hurtful to them, but knowing we can not move forward with them. We try to rationalize, and it may be necessary, but it doesn’t make the choice easier or the ramifications less painful. And the choice we make determines the fate of both for better or worse.  

The second scene was on the return trip to New York, from the road trip, and he sees the exit for his ex-girlfriend and son’s town in Ohio.  Again in that moment he has to make a decision as to whether to get off, to possibly reconnect and become part of a family and trade in his dream to be a performer.  The choices we make, sometimes to continue on, to not settle, leads to our destruction. Sometimes complete abdication of our integrity leads to our destruction as well. Its scenes like this that make me still thinking about the movie and its depth.  The choices are stark in the movie, but in real life, it is not always that obvious. 

Side note - The Coen brothers are so good at creating caricatures. Their portrayal of the New York City upper west side intelligentsia who want their friends to meet their “folk singer friend” and are overly forgiving no matter how boorish and ungrateful Davis is,  was spot on.   The folk music was nice as well. 

A good movie to see, A good movie to dwell on. 

March 2017 - "Its that Time of Year"

March 2017 – “It’s That Time Of Year”

I am so excited that there is such a depth of programming at our Congregation that adds meaning to so many lives.  Our new daycare center that we opened two years ago with its sliding scale fees, now helps 25 low income families find safe and enriching child care for their families.  I am also extremely proud to announce that our Director of Religious Education, Sarah Moulton, helped organize an Interfaith Youth Group within the Quad Cities that is working to create a peaceful and environmentally sustainable future for our community. This summer, we are looking at starting our weekly UU Day Camp.  Our long term plan calls for us to start a charter school with an emphasis on ethics education.  Our Emerson Series of lectures on Religion and Science has received national attention as we explore new ways to share our religious views with others in the community. We have experienced continued expansion of our offerings from our “Spirituality Center of the Quad Cities,” which offers many paths to enlightenment and awareness, to a diverse group of people.  Our new Ministerial Intern has developed more fully our Campus Ministry program expanding from Augustana College to include St. Ambrose as well.  Our Community Garden has grown significantly from our first few raised beds in 2014. We have so much food that we are considering purchasing some land to start a Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant to spread our belief in healthy and ethical eating.  I am continuing my work with Quad Cities Interfaith as we try to create a more just Quad Cities. It is heartening to see so many of our members in their “Standing on the Side of Love” tee shirts at local social justice events in the community. Unitarian Universalism is alive, well, and vibrant in the Quad Cities. 

This article started with a typo. I meant to write March 2014, and accidently wrote 2016. When I did that, I wondered what I might be writing in March of 2016. After having some fun imaging all the things we could possibly do, I realized it would take more than two years, so I changed it to 2017!!  Unitarian Transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Shallow people believe in luck or in circumstance. Strong people believe in cause and effect.” (The Conduct of Life, 1860.)  None of us know what the future will bring. However we know if we hope to fulfill our vision and mission, we will need to plan for it. It will not happen by chance. For almost a year, leaders of the Congregation have been working to create a Strategic Plan.  We believe through the implementation of this plan we can change people’s lives for the better. To do this, we need to maintain and to add to the quality programs we offer in the Congregation.  To make this so, now is the time to start implementing the Strategic Plan, not some time in the distant future.  NOW.  So I am asking you to discern what this Congregation means to you and how it has impacted your life.  Just as important, discern what it could mean to you and others in the future. We can make a difference.  We need you to help us make that difference.   I ask you to consider this when you consider your pledge for this year.  We will be kicking off our annual budget drive this year with a Celebration Brunch as part of our service on Sunday March 16^th.  I hope to see you there. If you have any questions about your pledge or the strategic plan, please do not hesitate to set up an appointment to talk with me.

with a grateful heart

Rev. Jay

Aspirations

     This time of year we are asked to make New Year’s Resolutions.   I believe we could take any day to make a resolution. However it is never a bad idea to use a point in time, or multiple points in time to do this.  Throughout the year, we can reassess how we have performed on previous resolutions and adapt as necessary.  But I think resolutions have to start with aspirations. I have found it easier to achieve resolutions if I know what it is I hope the outcome to be. I have found it helpful to be very specific in my outcome. The specific outcome will make the specific resolution very different. If I want to lose 10 lbs. over three months, my resolution would have to be different than if I wanted to lose 10 lbs. over 12 months.

Even more importantly, I ask myself why I want that outcome.  My aspiration is to live a healthier lifestyle in 2014.  Specifically I want to lose 20lbs over the next 12 months by eating healthier food and exercising at least 3 times a week. Feel free to check in with me throughout the year to see how I am doing.  I will still be bringing bagels on Sunday, but I may have to cut back on my personal intake of them!! The reason I want to be healthier is to have more energy for our Ministry together and to be able to live a longer, active life, so I may see my children and grandchild(ren) continue to grow older for as long as possible.  I ask you to think about your aspirations and resolutions, but more importantly to ask yourself why?  There is power in focusing on why.

As we do this for ourselves, I also discern what my resolutions and aspirations are for the Congregation.  The aspiration is easy. We have our vision and mission to guide us. The question is why and how.  The why for me is to have a positive impact on facilitating changes for the better in individual lives, our Congregational Community, and the Quad Cities.

To achieve this, my resolutions for myself and the Congregation are:

To have patience in moving forward.

To not be resolved to personal outcomes, but to the Congregational Mission and Vision.

To experiment with different ways of experiencing Congregational Life

To remain open to new people, new ideas and new ways of being in the world.

To be open to change.

To listen more and judge less.

To forgive each other for failures, including our own.

To move forward with hope for a better future.

To be willing to act to make that better future real.

To act with compassion in all our interactions both within and outside the Congregation.

No one knows what the future will bring.  Knowing that we will be together to explore the future, should give us not only comfort but the courage to face that uncertainty.  If not us, who? If not now, when? The Quad Cities needs us.  The Congregation needs you. We need each other.  Let us be resolved to journey towards our greatest aspirations.

with a grateful heart,

Rev. Jay

12 Years a Slave – an 8 out of 10 on the JayWo Scale

An unbelievably powerful movie.  It tells the story of a free African American who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. I think the fact that he was a once a free man, is poignant as it reminds us how easily freedom can be eliminated. His freedom though is not the key to the power the movie has. The movie shows us a glimpse of life in slavery. It is something we need to constantly be reminded of.  We cannot understand the present and build toward a just future without understanding the past. And too often our school systems and politicians want to “whitewash” the past.  Through the movie, one could imagine the emotional pain of being separated from families, and having individual desires, knowledge and will subverted by others. Even upon being freed, there was a pain in leaving the other slaves behind.  My only two complaints about the movie were about the ending.  The movie seemed to end abruptly. Secondly, why Brad Pitt? I really admire Brad Pitt’s acting and he did a fine job in this bit part. But there were no other “stars” in this movie. It just seemed out of place to all of a sudden to have this big Hollywood star come out of no where and become the savior (ally).  It was jarring to me (which perhaps says something about me and stars). It took me out of the story towards the climax of the story. I think the climax showed the human ability to trust in the face of despair, and also the need for those with power to be allies to those without power.  I just think it would have been more effective if a character actor was used.  It was also an interesting style of movie making. I particularly liked the effect of having the music continue as it moved from one scene to another.  I am sure this will be an Oscar Winner. A well made movie about a significant topic.  

A Walk On The Beach

            It's been fourteen years since I visited Ft. Myers Beach and Sanibel Island.  I remember it so well because it was where we chose to spend New Years Eve 1999. People don't think about it today, but there was a real fuss about the turn of the century, as I suppose there is every 1,000 years.  The turn of this past century was heightened by the worries over the potential Y2K computer failure. We thought if the world is going to end, what better place to spend it than at some place that had fond memories and majestic beaches.  Not much has really changed over the 14 years since we last visited. Some of the restaurants have new names. Some of the hotels have fresh paint while others have worn out paint.   It is a beach town, like many other beach towns. With cheesy tee shirt stores, tattoo parlors, plenty of happy hour bars, and a long sandy stretch of beach. The beach is the reason we are here. Everything else is a moot point. 

            There are two major changes to the beaches that I noticed.  The first major change is that there were a lot of dead fish (and even a couple of ducks) washed up onto the beach. I assume this is due to the rising toxicity of the waters due to pollution and oil spills. The second major change is that they no longer allow live shelling.  Many may not realize that the beautiful shells at the sea shore are live creatures.  Similar to hunting other animals, shell seekers would get up all hours of the morning, waiting for the  low tide, which was the perfect time to find live shells.  After collecting these live shells, people used special techniques to kill and clean the shells. Now I did not understand why someone on vacation would wake up early to do this. However my wife, Jan and  her family loved this ritual, which is why I now have a shell mirror, a shell lamp, and a diversity of other shells in our house. 

            As I walked down the beach which was now strewn with dead shells, fish, and ducks, I would periodically find a live shell.  I could not just pass by and let it die due to my inaction, so I would  pick it up and throw it back into the gulf to give it a chance at further life. As I came towards the end of the beach, there were two Comarant birds sitting, unflinching on pylons. They watched over all that was happening, unworried about the throngs of humans passing by, or dead fish around them, as if watching was their purpose in life. 

            So I ask you to consider, what is our Congregation's purpose in life?  Will we sit by inactive, watching, or will we take action to further the life of the Congregation? Will we be able to look towards the future and see what will damage the Congregation like the toxic dirty water that killed the fish, or will we maintain a clear vision that allows us stay a healthy, vibrant Congregation?  Will we worry about perceived dangers of the future, or will we put our energy  towards building something lasting and impactful? We must first answer these questions because everything else is a moot point. Let us create such a legacy, so that when the next millennium comes,  this Congregation will be the place where fond memories are made, and  where something as majestic and lasting as the beach is created

From the Heart of the Minister - Creating Community

               Although this is our second year of being at two services, I still sense a certain anxiety from some members about having two services.  I have heard people comment, “that we no longer feel like a  family”, or “we wont know everyone.”  I understand that this change can be challenging, and I believe both those statements are true. However I believe they have been true for a long time, well before we went to two services.  I believe if we are to fulfill our vision and mission we need to change how we think about our Congregation Life and face what are our real concerns.  

It is true it will be hard to know everyone if there are two services. I would contend that even when there was only one service, we really don’t know everybody. Worship time is not the time when we get to know someone deeply.  I am hoping you are not busy talking during the service but listening and contemplating.  I assume those I see on their smart phones in service are tweeting to the world about our service and not playing games or chatting with friends.  We don’t know someone merely by sitting in the same room with them. We get to know others by spending intentional time with them. If you have not seen someone recently that you know, give them a call and plan to get together with them.

 We usually get to know new people deeply at the Congregation through our interactions with them in the many other programs of the Congregation. If you want to know others that you do not know well, then I encourage you to participate on a team, a connection circle,  a social justice task force, one of our various fellowship events,  or attend one of the many adult religious education classes.   If you want to see old friends, or meet new people there is always the opportunity to meet during the coffee time between services or after the second service. Building deep relationships require intentionality. That is true whether there is one or more services.   

I would agree we are not like a family. Other than my nuclear family, I only see some of my family once or maybe twice a year. In a family, many members often do not make an intentional choice to be part of the family.  I would say what we are creating is an intentional religious community,  not a family.  We are here to come together to walk with each other on our religious journey.  Our mission asks us as part of that religious journey to embrace searches for meaning and to devote ourselves to community good. People have continued to come to this Congregation for generations because it provides meaning to them and their family’s lives.  If this Congregation is meaningful to you why would you not want to share our religious message with others in the Quad Cities. Families can become insular, religious community should be expansive. Sharing our message will allow us to achieve the part of our mission which asks us to be vibrant and welcoming. Many of us would not be here if not for our welcoming theology. Let us make it easier, not harder for others to feel welcomed here.

Despite what I have said above, I am cognizant that this change is difficult for some of you. I am, as I have always been, here to listen to your concerns.  If you have questions or concerns, I encourage you to make an appointment to see me.  If you have specific questions about the two services, I will also be available between services and after the second service in the lounge on Sunday November 3^rd.  Let us work together to find solutions to build this religious community based on our highest values and as our best selves.

with a grateful heart

Rev. Jay

Unpacking

       As most of you know this summer we FINALLY sold our house in Florida and purchased a house here in Davenport.  When I first moved here two years ago, I brought with me just the minimal amount of things I needed to live.  There were a few pieces of furniture and many, many books.  It was enough, but it wasn’t complete. When we sold the house, we started sorting through the many boxes in the garage. Some of those boxes hadn’t been opened since we had purchased that house 9 years earlier.   In some of the boxes we found some fond memories, including drawings our children had done when they were in grade school.  In some boxes I found paid bills that were 10 years old. And so the process began of sorting. We shed unneeded things. We took a moment to appreciate nostalgic things and then we took pictures of them before throwing them out. There were some things which we couldn’t decide what to do with or agree on whether to throw out. For those items we deferred our decision and decided to continue to discern about them in Iowa.  We threw out a lot of stuff. And now that everything has been delivered to our new house, as we unpack, we are deciding where everything fits in our new location.   Everything old seems new again, and now each item will create new memories in our new house. In addition we have had to purchase a few new things to fit our new environment.

     Much like moving, our religious lives often include ideas we have collected over the years.  Some of them need to be shed.  Some hold nostalgic value to us. There is nothing wrong with nostalgia. It can bring us comfort particularly in times of stress. But we need to remain aware that it is nostalgia, and not necessarily our current religious belief. There might be religious ideas we are just not sure about whether we believe or not.  Discernment of religious belief is part of our journey here, where we provide the environment for a free and responsible search for truth and meaning.  Part of that journey also includes being open to finding new awareness and understanding. New ways of thinking and being may come in the form of old ideas in a new environment, or with new ideas that we hadn’t encountered before. Some of you may come with many ideas to unpack, and others may have come here with minimal religious background looking for depth to build a complete religious life. As we enter into Fall there are numerous opportunities, including many Religious Education programs and Connection Circles,  to help you unpack the past, discern the future, and live in the present moment.  I hope to see you all there.  If there is some form of religious education or spiritual practice that you are longing for that you have not found here, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Coming Home Again

When I was a teenager, and would be out at night, I often had to walk long ways to get home.  I remember the comforting feeling the closer I got to home.  Just knowing that I was coming home, out of the cold, away from potential danger, into the warmth, into safety, was comforting. I read somewhere selling and buying a home are in the top ten stressful events of one’s lifetime. I can understand that. I am doing both right now, and I am working at being calm and not getting attached to outcomes.  I know that I am blessed to be even able to have a home, when so many are homeless, and when so many cannot afford a down payment for a home.  I have lived long enough now to experience two housing bubbles and the bursting of those bubbles.  Housing markets can be fickle. One lesson I have learned is to be sure you enjoy living where you live. Houses have a history, and we create history in our houses. But as society has become more transient, as jobs are less secure and as housing markets ebb and flow I have learned not to become too attached to a house, but to the people within it and the memories we make in the house. The house I owned in Florida was the longest I had ever lived in one house, other than my parent’s house which I grew up in.  We experienced my children’s adolescence, and to some degree their independence within its walls. I have very fond memories of this house.  Sitting by the pool, barbequing, (I have to admit it is harder to barbeque tofu and salmon then hamburgers and ribs, but it works and my cholesterol is the better for it.) watching my children and then later my granddaughter play in the pool.  Our house always tended to be the house where all my children’s friends would congregate.  I was happy with this because then I knew where my children were. (my parents never knew where I was.) I wrote many a seminary paper sitting at my kitchen table with earplugs in my ears to help me concentrate with all the activity going on in the house.  As with houses, relationships and Congregations, as the book of Ecclesiastes says “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven”. So it is time to move on from the house in Florida both mentally and physically.   Although I have been here for two years, and completely present to my ministry, I have to admit that it has been a hardship being separated from my family.  I am happy to announce that we received an offer on our Florida house (we still need to close – I will accept prayers and crossed fingers) and my wife Jan (and maybe even my younger son Kyle) will be moving to Iowa this summer.  She will visiting in July as we look for a new home to start making new memories in.  It feels like yet another new beginning for me.  It feels like coming home again.  

A couple of mini movie reviews - Zero Dark Thirty/Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Zero Dark Thirty a 5 out of 10 on the JWO scale –

I really just don’t understand the popularity of this movie. If people think this is Academy Award material, either we have sunk to a new low in movie making or I am really out of touch.   If you take out the context that this related to Bin Laden, this was just a slow, boring, poorly filmed assassination caper movie.  Of course you cannot ignore the context, it was a major part of our psyche for the last 12 years. But my point is that doesn’t make it a good movie. Perhaps the movie gives closure to some people who want a visual as to what happened. I didn’t need that. I like Jessica Chastain as an actress, but her range was limited here, with equal bouts of pouting and anger.  There was such a build up about the torture at the beginning of the movie.  I have seen harsher depictions of violence on Saturday morning cartoons.  So what redeeming qualities does the movie have.  It shows how morals are transient in our society.  It also shows how the single-mindedness and commitment to something can lead to success but also can leave you empty.  Sort of like how I felt after watching this movie  gave me 2 hours of emptiness in my life.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. – an 8 out of 10 on the JWO scale

Just a delightful movie (although slightly predictable). The story has adventure, dreams of a better life,  relationships and second chances.  Some older people choose to move to India to retire/visit and it explores their stories.  What I liked so much about this movie is the message that the most important thing in a relationship is honestly sharing your thoughts and feelings with another. We so often imagine what others are thinking, that we imagine the negative. Only by opening up to others will we experience growth and deepening relationships.  There are many layers to this movie that deal with class and love, but ultimately for me it is about honesty. And there was also some great scenery of India. 

Church reflects on message of ‘Two Who Dared’

Church reflects on message of ‘Two Who Dared’

Movie Reivew - Everything Must Go - 7 out of 10 on the Jaywo scale

Movie Review – Everything Must Go with Will Ferrell. A 7 out of 10.

It was late last  night and I was tired from a very long day and checked on Netflix to see if there were any new movies that might be of any interest to me.  I saw this and thought oh, Will Ferrell, that would be a nice light comedy to fall asleep to.  WRONG!!  This was a nice little flick.  It is a slice of life movie about a man’s descent, and hitting rock bottom, and his search for why it all went wrong and to remember the core of who he is.  It is a reminder of the suffering that we go through, and the suffering past on from generations past. Yet within the message was a hopeful reminder.  Through connections with others, we can overcome our own adversity and help others through theirs. “Everything is not yet lost”  Not light fare but very glad I watched it. Actually it was a good Easter message. My only problem with the movie, is that Ferrell always seems like he is playing a straight man in a comedy even when it is a drama. 

Who's Got Next?

From the Heart of the Minister – January 2013   Who’s Got Next?

I often like to say that everything I learned, I learned on the schoolyard.  That is of course a bit of an exaggeration. However I learned many core values through those experiences.  I was not very athletic as a youth, but after school the main activity that my friends and I participated in was playing sports in the schoolyard.  When we would play basketball, two captains were picked and then they would each choose 4 other players. Often I was the tenth person picked or if there were more than 10 people, and if I wasn’t picked, I would shout “next”, meaning I would be the captain of the next team to choose four players and play the winning team.  And thus the last became the first.  The lesson I learned was patience, and by watching others play I learned the ability to spot talented players to choose for my team.  When the game was over someone would shout “Who’s Got Next”

It never bothered me if I wasn’t chosen, as I knew I would get a chance to participate.  I knew I wasn’t as good a shooter as the other players in the schoolyard.  But when I got on the court, I was tenacious, playing full court defense, and using every ounce of ability I had.  I learned the value of hard work. I learned the value of teamwork by learning how to pass the ball to others who were better shooters.  I learned the value of both humility and perseverance when I would drive to the basket and take a hard foul, and get back up and keep going.  It taught me when you are in the mix of things, sometimes it isn’t easy.  It also taught me to stay engaged even when things didn’t go my way.  The most important lesson I learned was not only to understand what my limits were but that my limits could grow over time.  I knew I would never be a great basketball player.  What I learned was playing with other more talented players made me a better player, and that I could win by just playing my part.

I took this wisdom into the world with me as I helped build organizations.  Any organization is only as good as the people participating in it.  Some individual’s talents are more suited to different areas but everyone is welcome to try something new as a way to learn and grow.  I found that for an organization to be successful,  all the people involved needed to work together, making each other better, and keeping the focus of the organization on its mission and vision. 

First and foremost, I want to take this space to thank our paid staff for everything  they do and to let them know how much I appreciate their hard work.    As well  I want to thank all the volunteers  who without which this Congregation could not function in the manner that it does. Even when I forget to plan for something, I know people will jump in and help.   For years, we have had many of the same people doing a tremendous amount of the volunteer work.   We have worked hard this past year to encourage newer and different members to participate in various volunteer opportunities.  I am grateful for the many who have answered that call.   For those who have been sitting on the sidelines, now is the time to step forward. We need you.  For those who have questions about how things work and how to get involved, now is the time to ask.  Your participation in Congregational Life will impact in a positive way your experience in helping build this beloved community.  In order to sustain and continue to add more programs, to have our message reach others who desperately need to hear it, and to have our values impact the larger community,  we need everybody to participate in whatever part you can play.  So I have one question: Who’s Got Next?

A Tale of Two Movies

When I was on vacation, I spent some time catching up on movies.  Of the movies I viewed I will mention two big productions.  Les Miserable - an 8 on the JWo movie scale and Life of Pi, a 7 on the JWo scale.  Two very different movies and both worth the price of admission.

Of course I had read the reviews for Les Mis and they were decidedly mixed.  I will not go into detail about the storyline.  Its themes of redemption, faith, commitment and hope are right in my wheelhouse.  But really the story is irrelevant, it is about the music.  Having seen the Broadway show 3 times,  I knew I would be predisposed to like the movie.   Almost all the reviews panned Russell Crowe, and although his voice is not operatic as the Broadway productions. since my expectations were lowered it was nowhere as bad as I was led to believe it was going to be.  My biggest disappointment was Sacha Cohen.  Let me say this, the movie was not great film-making, but it was a great film.  Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway were just superb. The movie brought actual tears to my eyes numerous times.  Not in some manipulated way, but for empathetic joy and sorrow of the characters, noticing within the story symbolic echoes of my own life.   This is what a good film should do.  I could go on about the negative technicalities of the movie, but the raw emotion of its music is the stuff of legends.  It is a must see movie.

The Life of Pi, is a very different movie.  Whereas Les Mis was a good film but poor film-making, Life of Pi was just a beautifully made film.  The Cinematography was superb.  It was just a visual delight to watch this film.  The film's religious content was also intriguing.  Its discussions about pluralism vs. mono-theology were interesting.  The question about surrendering to God at our deepest point of suffering is always challenging.  As well, how we tell stories about God and why that can be meaningful was insightful.  Although enjoyable to view, I found the movie unsatisfying.  Much needed to be inferred  and so much of the movie's explanation happened in the last five minutes of the movie that it felt rushed. Of course the need to use an author talking to the main character as a mechanism to explain the story also seemed a bit contrived. But I loved the animals and the ocean. Worth seeing, but as much as I appreciate good film-making, I will take a good film over film-making any day.

Why we should eliminate assault weapons and high ammunition clips immediately and other thoughts on gun control.

Ok, I have been thinking long and hard about gun control.  I know many people who are opposed to gun control, but usually we don’t talk about what is meant by “gun control” vs. regulation, and when we dig deeper we have a more complex conversation. As with most things, I believe there needs to be a balance. A balance between complete restriction and unregulated gun ownership (which is what we have in America today).  I hear several arguments against gun control of any sort and thought I would address them here. At the very minimum, I see no reason why we should not have a ban on assault weapons and high ammunition clips.  I know some of you may think I am not going far enough, but lets get the low hanging fruit.  The issue of our culture of violence and guns is much wider and will take longer.  Lets start with doing what we can immediately do to protect the citizens and the children of this country.  I welcome your feedback

The Hunting Argument –

Although it is not my preference to murder Bambi, (ok, I admit a bias here) I have no problem with Hunters owning guns.  I find that people who hunt tend to be knowledgeable about guns.  But one doesn’t need to have hand guns, assault weapons or high capacity ammunition to hunt, so this is a fallacious argument regarding gun regulation.  If all you are using your gun for is to hunt, then I do not see why regulation concerns you.

Just the bad guys will have guns and I have the right to protect myself argument

So first, the statement just the bad guys will have guns is not completely true, as law enforcement will have guns as well.  This argument revolves around hand guns.  The reality is, most hand gun deaths in America are at the hands of a family member, usually in the heat of passion or by accidental death (usually mistaken identity).  This is a fact.  The number of hand guns that are used to actually deter crimes by citizens is very small.  In the Gabrielle Gifford shooting spree:

Joe Zamudio who did have a gun at the event said "I came out of that store, I clicked the safety off, and I was ready,I had my hand on my gun. I had it in my jacket pocket And I came around the corner like this." Zamudio demonstrated how his shooting hand was wrapped around the weapon, poised to draw and fire. As he rounded the corner, he saw a man holding a gun. "And that's who I at first thought was the shooter," Zamudio recalled. "I told him to 'Drop it, drop it!' "But the man with the gun wasn't the shooter. He had wrested the gun away from the shooter. "Had you shot that guy, it would have been a big, fat mess," the interviewer pointed out. Zamudio agreed:

We have a wild west mentality, which I personally think as a culture we need to change, but again, this argument about protecting oneself from "bad guys" does not have anything to do with limiting assault weapons and high capacity ammunition clips.

2^nd amendment and overthrowing the government argument

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed”

I am not a historian, but clearly this relates to creating a militia, which was needed as we really did not have a national armed services at the time it was created.  If there really is a concern about a tyrannical government, and the need to overthrow it, well lets just be honest, if things ever get to that point, we are totally screwed as a country.  I would suggest that people worried about a fascist government should get involved in government to make the country work for all people instead of assuming it is going to go down the toilet. My question would be, why do you not want to help other citizens instead of trying to defend yourselves against them.  And here is the reality, no matter what weapons you have, if the scenario of a fascist government does happen, whatever side our military is on will win this conflict, not some militia in the woods.   Spend your energy making the country equitable for all people. Instead of thinking of better ways to kill each other, let us use that energy to think of ways to lift people up and to heal people. I understand the intellectual argument of the second amendment, which I believe is based in fear not freedom, but if we are honest, we often give up certain freedoms to secure our safety.  The question is how many freedoms, which freedoms, and what are the corresponding benefits. I think banning assault weapons and high capacity ammunition is well worth the benefit. This is very utilitarian I know, but the scales have been tipped too far to the side of violence.  We do have deal with the underlying root causes, but we can first deal with some of the symptoms which are guns.   Which brings me to the final argument I often hear which is:

Guns don’t kill people, people kill people –

Yes, people can find ways to kill if they really want to (and they have).  But they would have to find those other ways to kill.  Having a gun is an easy way to kill.  Having assault weapons and high capacity ammunition is an easier way to kill a lot more people.  And guns are easy to obtain.  Other methods of mass killing are not so easy to obtain.   Many people may not figure out a way to kill others if it is not easy.  Or maybe they will not be able to kill as many people.  We have to start somewhere. There are many other things we can do to help people, but we can also take action to limit their options to cause harm.

Some final thoughts

We as a society have to choose what our values are. How many more children have to be sacrificed so that gun companies can continue to make profits, or to support the idea that every individual freedom taken to the extreme is superior to the common good.  Yes the Connecticut shooting was worse because they were young children, but any life senselessly lost, is not acceptable.  We should start talking and thinking about what we can do as a society to change our culture of violence, but we can start today by eliminating the completely unnecessary sale of  assault weapons and high ammunition clips.

The Company Men – a 7 out of 10 on the JayWo scale of movie ratings

The Company Men - A great cast in this 2010 movie including Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, and Kevin Costner among others.  It tells the story of a large company and upper executives who get laid off and how they deal with it.  I think it very importantly shows how people’s identity are very connected to their job, and their loss of that job leads the loss of their identity and a complete sense personal failure. One executive who is fired says “You know the worst part….My life ended and nobody noticed.”   It showed clearly how connected we become to material things.  Even at the end, one of the  protagonists says,  I like $5,000 hotel suites. (never been in one, but I imagine they are nice).  But ultimately he realizes that there is not enough compensation for the loss of the creation.  For the best part of the movie for me, was the concept of work being good for the soul, work being about creating something, and building something worthwhile.  Work, whether it be remodeling a house, or building a tanker ship, or building a company was given equal value.  This resonated for me as for most of my career that is how I felt.  I was always part of a management team building companies and now part of a great team building a Congregation.  The one major negative about the movie, is in the way most of the women are portrayed.  Not one executive was a woman, and the spouses of executives (with one exception – Ben Affleck;s spouse) were portrayed as materialistic, petty, and out of touch.  The one female character in the company that was of any substance was also sleeping with one of executives.  I think perpetuating these stereotypes just diminish the movie, and perhaps if it addressed a female executive, it could have been a deeper story.  But it did show how Business executives think, making decisions worried only about potential legalities and not ethics, and serving their own interests over the interests of the company, the employee and the greater community. Good issues to address.  Bottom line.  Worth seeing.

From the Heart of the Minister

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” – Charles Dickens (a Unitarian)

This summer has brought large contrasts in my consciousness.  I have been blessed to be able to go to Chicago with my wife Jan, to view various museums and the zoo.  I have gone to Arizona for the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly where among other things, I attended a vigil for undocumented workers who are being held in deplorable and I would argue illegal conditions.  As of this writing I am preparing to travel up to Wisconsin to visit with an old friend and to attend a Meditation Retreat. There was the shooting death by a father of his three children who were members of one of our Minnesota Congregations.   I have had time to read and ponder and plan for the upcoming year.  Then the news came out about the Colorado shooting at the movie theatre. These events forced me to travel on another journey, the farthest and most difficult destination of the summer.  This journey, filled with obstacles and wrong turns, was the journey inward.  The journey was a reminder for me to maintain compassion in the face horror.

The Buddha said the first of the four noble truths is,  “the recognition of suffering”.  These events are a jolt, a reminder to us that there is ongoing suffering in the world.  Often the amount of suffering within oneself and in the world can be overwhelming, and we all react differently.  Some look the other way. Some distract themselves. Some strike back in anger. Some decide to live in a nihilistic manner trying to cut themselves off completely from the interdependent web of life.  Some take action to find ways to alleviate their suffering and the suffering of others. 

There is something wrong in our culture that creates the conditions that allows such tragedies as these shootings to occur. We are all trying to deal with the question as to why? I am reminded of the story told by Rev. William Sloane Coffin at the funeral of the death of his son who died in a car accident.  One of his parishioners said “Sometimes I just cant understand the will of God” Sloane replied “I'll say you don't…God’s heart was the first to break”  All of our hearts are deeply saddened for the people who died and those who loved them.

Let these tragedies be a reminder as to why we come together. We build community.  We walk together with each other on this journey of life.  It is a journey that is filled with thought provoking conversations, eating, singing, dancing and much joy.  But it is also a journey for walking with each other in times of challenge and suffering. It is a journey of opening our hearts and being a presence in each other’s lives.  It is a journey to create a culture of love and compassion.  So let us take pause for a moment and recognize how our hearts break with the suffering we experience in our lives and in the world. Then let us remember that we are not alone, we have each other.  We can make a difference in each other’s lives. And we can make a difference in the lives of other people in our community who are suffering. 

I invite you to take that inward journey of self-awareness and then let that journey lead you to make that outward journey of making a difference in the lives of others. 

with a grateful heart

Rev. Jay Wolin

Ted – a 6 on the JayWo Scale of movie ratings

So it is very simple – if you like Family Guy, you will love Ted.  If you hate Family Guy, you will Hate Ted.  Think of Brian the dog and transfer that to the character Ted. Actually much of the voice cast for Family Guy is in the movie (Alex Borsetein, Mila Kunis, voice of Seth MacFarlane). Giovanni Ribisi is a really convincing creepy character.   I loved the “homage” to the Flash Gordon television show.  Oh and by the way, you will also need to like fart jokes.  I like Family Guy (and fart jokes in small doses)  and found it hilarious.  Not a deep movie, but if you need a hearty laugh (and this humor gives you a hearty laugh) you will love it.