Two weeks into RE and we are already changing things around. We moved class locations and turned the first Sunday of October into a MultiGen instead of a Chapel Sunday. But that seems to be the way of things these days.  We have made adjustments to protect our children from this pandemic that still goes on. We have all made adjustments to care for the least of these, the little children. We are back together, and it’s getting colder outside; there is a desire to move inside. So waiting for this pandemic to end seems to intensify even more. Luckily there is news that the vaccine may soon be approved for children. At that point, we will be faced with the difficult decisions of how to continue to engage ALL of our children while also protecting ALL of our children. I am hopeful that this pandemic is nearing the end. And then we may be able to build on the excitement of returning to some sort of normalcy, what will hopefully be a long relationship between a new DRE and an RE program, and just the joy of being together.  An ever-evolving children, youth, and adult RE program will hopefully become the backbone of our success as “a vibrant, multi-generational liberal religious” organization. It will help us make a positive change in this world. Many of us are champing at the bit to get to work, but we must wait a little longer. In the meantime, we need to see how this vital work is happening; Sunday Morning RE is holding classes outside, Adult programs meeting outside or online, exciting plans about the Service Auction, worship in the Oval. Let us plan for the future while relishing in the present.

There are many things that stood out to me at our Ingathering Service last Sunday. The announcement of a gift. Being together in person. The milestone of affirming a young person’s chosen identity. Our commitment to social justice despite the neighborhood antagonism against it.  But one thing really stood out to me and I’m sure it’s stood out to many people because it was upfront and very obvious. I love that the children were allowed to be children during worship.  From my advantage point. I didn’t see too many scowls, though I’m sure there were some. I was excited to see coloring and drawing and playing together. Even as we worshiped. Even as we met together in community.  I saw parents playing with kids and some parents how were comfortable enough to let their children go forward. I saw a community that embraced these young people.  Now I know that the children can be distracting. There are many distracting things and worship services. On Sunday could have been the fire in the giant chalice in the middle of the oval.  It could have been the sun and its position as we sat exposed. It could have been people moving their chairs to avoid it said sun. It could have been the birds chirping or the planes overhead. Or it could have been the children playing hopscotch in the middle of the service.  One thing that drew me to the fellowship is its commitment to multi-generational worship.  Over the years, multi-generational or intergenerational has had many different iterations. But the most simple definition is that seeks to engage all people across all generations, It’s even just a little bit, on a level that they are.  We see this in our commitment to a monthly MultiGen service, the in-gathering being one or the next one happening on Halloween, then one before Christmas. These services will be geared toward our older adults and our youngest children and everyone in-between. It’s not an easy task to create these services. I’m excited to work with Stearns and Allison to create a professional MutiGen service.  How will we know if it works? Do we let the negative comments sway us? Do we take to heart people who claim about the children being too loud? Or do we see that the children lose interest 35 minutes in and wander off to climb trees? Do we let those things discourage us?  OR do we realize that success is in those small moments? When a 7-year-old remembers our commitment that when we when someone steals our black lives matter flag, we will get two to tell the world who we stand for. When a new family feels like their kids will fit right in. Or when an older member shares in song with those around her.  Anything that you do that is not for one single group, whether that is race or gender or class or age, is not going to feel one hundred percent comfortable. Because it is not a hundred percent our experience.  But I’m so glad that we are the congregation that embraces all of those differences.  That sits in the unfamiliar. Whether that’s singing songs in different languages. Or engaging in racial justice alongside folks of different backgrounds. Or being in worship with children.  We continue to be radically welcoming of all people. And I for one very excited to be part of this fellowship

I love this quote from Einstein. I even  wrote  about it several years ago while serving as an educator in a Presbyterian Church. It speaks to the reason why I do Religious Education. So much of the world’s education is about memorizing facts that our children forget how to be true citizens of the world or how to live in community working towards the greater good.  The purpose of Religious Education in a Unitarian Universalist context, is to teach our children the 7 (soon to be 8) principles of the UUA so that they can make the world a better place. So how do we do this? How do we truly raise a generation of UUs that has a connection to the rational spiritual community (as the signs around the Fellowship say)? How do we give them the support to grow and bring about social, economic, and environmental justice? Research by the Barna Group, a research organization focused on the intersection of faith and culture, says that the number one reason that those who stay connected to a faith community after high school graduation  were twice as likely to have a close personal friendship with an adult inside the church . This means that authentic relationships need to grow between our youth and children and our adults. This is seen in the mentorship element of our Coming of Age Program. But I believe that we need to see it beyond that.  If we want to see the growth of our Fellowship and our values, we really need an all-hands-on-deck approach to our Religious Education. I believe that RE teachers are more than glorified babysitters. But that our RE time is beginning to grow those relationships with our children and you. Whether it is volunteering once a month in the Nursery, or joining our Junior High Youth Group on their trips to Neighboring Faiths, every positive interaction that an adult has with a young person is one step to growing a more sustainable community and faith.  So here is the call to action. We need, you the adults of this Fellowship, to step up and walk with our children on this Journey.  If your children have moved out and you are “empty nesting,” we need you.  If you are a parent and maybe want to teach a child other than your own, we need you.  If you are a young adult without kids yourself, we need you.  If you can volunteer one week a month, one time a year, or every week, we need you.  We need our RE Volunteers to look like our community; folks of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. We have opportunities in mentorship, chapel, teaching, snacks, and advocacy.  If you are interested or have questions, please email Nick at  dre@muuf.org .  Thank you. Einstein thanks you. Our children thank you.

Find a Stillness (song #352) in Hungarian Sunday March 14, 2021 is our UN Sunday service. This year it is a collaboration between UU@UN, Green Earth Ministry (GEM) and Partner Church Committee (PCC). Part of the music is song #352 Find a Stillness sung in Hungarian by our spectacularly talented Music Director, Stearns Matthews. You are invited to sing along in Hungarian too. Here is all you will need: Here are the sheet music and words. Read the transliterated words as if they were English and it sounds like Hungarian! Find_a_Stillness_Megpihenni_Megnyugodni_Song_352 Download Here are the words spoken slowly and carefully in Hungarian for you to emulate. Here is Stearns singing: Give it a try! It’s a virtual service, no one can hear …. UNOSZ Virtual Services UNOSZ is the Hungarian acronym Unitárius Nök Szövetsége = Unitarian Women’s Association (of Romania). They have a very cute logo and there is also Facebook page  here . It is associated with the International Convocation of Unitarian Women. Read about the history of this remarkable organization  here  to see that Transylvanian Unitarians are well represented. The wife of our partner minister, Ildiko Pálfi, was an early attendee of the Leadership School for Unitarian women in Transylvania mentioned in the history page. You can read about some of the ongoing projects in Transylvania  here . UNOSZ has conducted two virtual services, one in October 2020 and one in January 2021. The first can be seen  here . The second was  the New Year’s 2021 virtual service in English and Hungarian  here .  You can listen to an English welcome at 3:48 and a charmingly Hungarian-accented rendition of Come Sing a Song With Me (Jöjj Enekelj Vellem) at 44:20. English translations of the service are  here . Roots Program 2018 and Visit to Sinfalva 2018 2018 is the 450th anniversary of the Edict of Torda (1568). Here is an article in the Winter 2017 issue of UU World  about this anniversary. There is also this page from the UUA with additional materials.  In honor of the 450th anniversary of the Edict of Torda (1568), the Transylvanian and American Unitarian churches have put together a program to allow partners to explore the other’s beliefs and culture more deeply. Here is a  summary  of the Roots program. This experience will culminate in a 5-day program in Aranyosszék, Transylvania (Unirea in Romanian) from July 11 – July 15, 2018. The minister of our Partner Church, Rev. Dénes Pálfi, has invited us to participate and sends his fervent hope that we will be able to. The Roots program is being held in a village very close to Sinfalva so we will combine participation in that program with a visit to Sinfalva either before or after. The map below shows the location of Sinfalva as well as Torda and Aranyosszék We have started planning the travel for this summer’s trip. Here is a summary:  Travel_outline Christmas 2015 Here is a letter written by Judy Oehler on behalf of the Partner Church Committee (translated by Klara Kiss) and the response from Rev. Pálfi. Speaking of Christmas … Since about 2005 the Partner Church Committee has been conducting an event at the Holiday Party called Incredible Edible Christmas Tree Ornaments based on the Hungarian tradition of “szaloncukor”. Read about it here . Watch a video of kids doing it skillfully here . October 18, 2020 Zoom Service conducted by UNOSZ: UNOSZ is a Hungarian acronym for Unitárius Nőszövetség (Unitarian Women’s Association of Romania). They held a service celebrating the 110th anniversary of the organization, as well as the the 20th anniversary of Nők Világa (World of Women) magazine, and the 10th anniversary of the International Women’s Convocation (IWC). This service was held on Zoom due to the pandemic and was attended by 100 persons mostly in USA and Romania and Hungary. It was conducted in Hungarian but with translation in the Zoom chat. The English translation of the sermon, entitled The Power of Women’s Service is here . It is powerful and moving, well worth reading. Székely Áldas      Transylvanian House Blessing A song we have sung several times is #1043 in the teal songbook Székely Áldás or House Blessing. Here are videos of it being sung on November 8, 2015  and  sung in September 2009  and  sung in October 2012  and played as an instrumental in February 2011  . The instructions in the songbook say to sing it once in English, once in Hungarian, and once both languages simultaneously. Dr. Jim has learned the Hungarian really well (on his own), and if anyone is interested I can teach you easily. Here are the words in both languages. Székely Áldas Transylvanian House Blessing  Hol hit, ott szeretet           Where there is faith there is loveHol szeretet, ott béke           Where there is love there is peaceHol béke, ott áldás              Where there is peace there is blessingHol áldás, ott Isten             Where there is blessing there is GodHol Isten, ott szükseg nincsen   Where there is God there, there is no need

Here is the “first contact” letter sent by Paul Ratzlaff in 1993 to the new minister of the Sinfalva congregation.  September 13, 1993 Parohia Unitariana Cornesti 3352 Cornesti O.P. Turda, Jedtal Cluj, Romania Letter in Hungarian To the Minister of the Sinfalva Unitarian Church – Last year in November I wrote a letter to Minister Sandor Buzogany expressing the hope that we, the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, could create a “Partner Church” relationship with the Sinfalva Unitarian Church. Since we got no reply I don’t know whether our letter arrived or whether Minster Buzogany was too ill to reply. This letter will be hand-carried by Ruth Vogler, a member of a neighboring congregation. Thus I hope it will reach you. Our congregation remains interested in entering into a “Partner Church” relationship. We hope that this is of interest to your congregation too.  Our active congregation consists of about 300 adults and 160 children. An interesting aspect of our congregation is that the Minister-led service alternates with a lay-led service every second Sunday. The Sunday program doesn’t follow a specific pattern but rather depends on the theme each week. Since ourcongregation consists of many members who were raised in other religions, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, atheist, etc. we do not subscribe to any specific doctrine, but rather respect the truths contained in a variety of religions. The central theme is usually how to make our lives on Earth more meaningful. Our congregation is involved in many activities. We help feed the hungry woth other local churches and synagogues. We help to operate a shelter for homeless people. We work to protect and improve the environment. In addition many among us work to improve relations between Americans of color and white Americans, for example by organizing a chorus with diverse membership. We are also involved with efforts to provide low-cost housing together with other congregations serving people of color. (In fact one of the biggest problems of our congregation is that the high cost of housing prevents low-income and retired people from living in the area.) We generally hold two worship services since our Meeting Room is not large enough to accommodate all of the adult congregants at once. This year we also started to provide two sessions of religious education each Sunday. We have noticed that an increasing number of families with children are attending the Sunday services and we wanted to make room for them all. Our congregation’s youth is progressing well. This year a group of youth and adults traveled to South Carolina, about 750 km away, to help build low-income housing. We were very proud of their accomplishments. Many of the adults on our congregation also meet in small groups outside of the Sunday services, to learn more about our religion, or for parents to exchange and discuss ideas about parenting, or simply friendly get-togethers to socialize. It is primarily through these small groups that our members support and care for each other each other extensively. Another factor is that many of our members have moved here from far away and in the absence of nearby relatives, the congregation is a sort of substitute family.  Morristown is about 50km west of New York. It is a hilly, wooded region with many small lakes, and is beautiful despite being densely populated.  I hope that I was able to paint a picture of our congregation. I would be very pleased to hear about your church and congregation, so that we could get to know one another better.  Please let me know if you are interested in entering into a “Partner Church” relationship with us.  Respectfully, Paul Ratzlaff Minister