There is so much confusion about the word Detachment ( sometimes referred to as non-attachment). There is a major distinction between a conscious level of detachment and an unhealthy indifference. Detachment is a choice. Indifference is a reaction. When you are indifferent, you say that you don't care. An illustration may be in order here. For instance, even when you love and care about a person, it is possible for you to intrude into their life. When your energy and efforts do not yield the results you expected, your ego can go into shock! Fear, anger, and guilt set in and lead to indifference. You give up in frustration but may or may not be conscious of  your meddling or trying to control another's life path ( all under the guise of meaning well, of course). 

 

Detachment is a totally different experience. When you exercise conscious detachment, you care but you don't intrude. You honor people and their process even when it looks dysfunctional by your standards. You allow people to learn, to grow, and unfold at their own pace. You trust and respect people enough to let them live their own lives. You hold no expectations or judgments about what their process must look like or how long it must take to unfold. You ask them what direction they are choosing for themselves. You trust that divine order will guide them. You remember how your learning, your growing, your healing process must have looked to others, and you offer the compassion you did not receive.

 

Harry Petrequin
"A New Sense of Being"

Most of the world's major religions as well as our level of psychological analysis have yet to take into account the theological and philosophical implications of scientific discoveries in astronomy and quantum physics during the last century. We have yet to move beyond biocentrism to rise to an integral vision of reality in defining human existence.  
 
Harry Petrequin, a longtime member of our congregation, had a long career in the U.S. Foreign  Service.   
 
Sunday, March 10, 2019, 11:00 am
Rev. Michael J. S. Carter
"Social Change and ‘Us vs. Them’"

We UUs place a tremendous emphasis on social action and the struggle for justice in our society and world, and rightly so. We assert our freedom and our right to protest for what is right. No cleric or politician will force their will on us without a fight. We are “free radicals” in a sense. Many of us say this struggle for the “beloved community,” or “The Kingdom or Queendom of Heaven” is the main reason for identifying as a Unitarian Universalist. We, by definition are spiritual progressives, free thinkers, etc. Yet how do we struggle for a fair and just world through social change without maintaining an “us vs. them” attitude. Let’s explore.
 
Rev. Michael J. S. Carter
“A Theology of Money”
 
We stand on the shoulders of so many people, our spiritual ancestors. They sacrifice, family, friends, careers, even their very lives that we might be here. Their sacrifice, (to coin a phrase by Dr. Howard Thurman) ” holds a crown over our heads that each day we are striving to grow tall enough to wear.”
We know we support what we value. You have heard why people attend this church, or any UU church for that matter. You know better than anyone else why you are here. When time allows, I invite you at some point to take the time in your quite moments on what would be missing from your life if this congregation and Unitarian Universalism were not in the world. See you on March 17th.
May it always be so! So be it!
 
Sunday March 24, 
“The Goddess’s Abundance”
Music and Poetry by Annelinde Metzner with Kim Hughes, Soprano
 
Bypass the self-absorbed greed of patriarchy, and there is enough for all beings to thrive on this beautiful planet.  Rest for a little while in the abundance of the Goddess with art songs and poetry written and played by our choir director, Annelinde Metzner, with the richly expansive voice of soprano Kimberly Hughes.  With Rebecca Williams, reader, and Maggie Moon, dance.
 
Kim Hughes is a singer of sacred music and a former opera singer, now living locally.  She co-founded White Horse Black Mountain, and maintains a private psychotherapy practice here.  Annelinde Metzner is choir director at the UUCSV, teaches music locally, and also directs Sahara Peace Choir.  Her poetry is featured in the We’Moon Datebook and Goddess Pages of Glastonbury, UK.   Kim and Annelinde will offer their full-length concert, “Feminine Faces of God,” on July 21st at the Light Center in Black Mountain.
 
Sunday, March 31, 2009
Rev. Michael J. S. Carter
"Deception, Denial, Love"
I was listening to NPR on the way to church one Tuesday morning and the conversation ( I forget who the guest was at the time, a writer for The Weekly Standard I believe) turned to how the country is so polarized around politics and culture that no one can agree on what data or facts really mean. The host spoke about the Trump base and how even if they are going against their own interests that it doesn’t seem to matter as long as it benefits the president, and yet many of them are convinced that what they are doing is right. This type of tunnel vision knows only one particular political party, or religion for that matter. But it is a curious thing. What makes any of us act against our own best interest when it can appear so obvious to others that we are stuck? Let's explore.

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  Our program has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last few weeks! We have had several visitors and a few of them have even been returning. It’s exciting to see our little Religious Education program in the beginnings of such expansion!

We are learning about different powers of the 4 elements can help us be leaders in the elementary class. We finished the unit on Air with the powers of Stillness, Listening, and Silence (quite the challenge). March will see us stoking the Fires within us as we learn to Shine, Passion, Action, and Reaching Out. Make sure you ask us about pink T-shirt’s.

Preschool is small, but thriving as we learn about being a UU, our church, and how to play with others. Spirit Play has allowed us to explore what makes our congregation so special, and cooperative play gives us the opportunity to practice our manners and patience, and all those other niceties of being with others.

You have been seeing our teens as they do a reading each week in the service! How exciting to see the oldest members of our RE program begin to participate more fully with the congregation. And as exciting as it is for us as adults to see the next generation practicing their “grown-up” skills, please be mindful that it can be stressful (we all struggle with public speaking sometimes) and that after service they need some space to process their experience will join us for coffee after. I am so proud of these young people!

The Mystery Buddies program was a wonderful experience for children and adults alike. March 3 is the Big Reveal and I can’t wait to see the Buddies find each other!

Planning for the annual RE Service in May will be beginning soon. We have one graduating senior who will be Bridging this year as well as learning how much our younger memebers have grown and how they take what they learn and turn it into a service! If you want to be part of this exciting ceremony please contact Beata Ball to let her know what part you want to play.

Finally, we have our “Meet RE” segment. This month we are meeting Iona!! 

Iona Mae is five years old. She is excited to start Kindergarten in the Fall and she can already read Dick and Jane all by herself! "Noni" loves her family and her animals. She has a cat named Zelda Clayre. Her hobbies include cuddling, reading books and making art. She also loves to invent things and swing. She also loves to solve mysteries! Her favorite places to be are her house and the Greenville Zoo.
 

 

 

 

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photo by David Hearne

 

 

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