Women & Religion (uuwr.org) News "blog by Helen Popenoe,” Sept. 18, 2009 

Helen wrote:  "I have sleep-disturbing nights like tonight when I feel we feminists could give up slogging through the patriarchal pie, up to our necks, impeded by disgusting goo everywhere.  So many incidents in the day before this sleepless night make me just want to give in, lie down and slurp up what tastes good to me at that moment, but...  To give up, to be swallowed up into my own little bite of sweet self-interest, grabbing what I can, would mean drowning.  I'd sink into too many over-cooked (but familiar), power-over ingredients." 

Judy wrote:

Guess I'm having one of those nights right now, since it's 11:15pm and I can't seem to get to sleep.  What disturbs my sleep is similar to what disturbs yours:  the everlasting patriarchal hogwash I see on the news every day/night...plus big dogs -- when I'm just out walking in my nice, suburban neighborhood -- running/growling/barking -- rushing up to me, catching me off guard, though they’re behind electronic fences which I'm afraid they may break through at any instant -- as my heart pounds from being surprised once again!...plus occasional bursts of temper from people that also catch me off-guard -- triggered, perhaps, by something that has nothing to do with me!....plus my continued frustration at not being able to understand, nor being privy to the information about what's going on in my adult sons’ minds, nor whether they will ever be able to fully communicate with me anything -- their feelings, their thoughts; they’re "guys" and they seem to be living on another planet.

It's all such a mystery to me....not to mention "life and death" (my own, and others')....and the "state of the universe"!  And who INVENTED this mess, (e.g., wars everywhere, etc.) anyway??  And WHY????

Boy, late night thinking can really get complicated!  I'm not really upset.  These thoughts just go round and round in my head most of the time lately.  You'd think eventually men would learn that starting war after war after war never settles anything anyway; and bubble after bubble after bubble isn't any way to run a worldwide financial system either, with people losing their homes, and losing their relatively good-paying middle-class jobs, and so much domestic violence and illness and all the rest.  I'm really getting sick of it. 

So, I go outside and look at the trees turning color with their rising sap, like they always do, every year.  Or if it’s night, I look at the moon, and feel the monthly changes we share.  Or I sing or listen to music and, finally, feel a bit at peace again.  Or I look into a child's face, and think maybe there's a chance they will start all over and not make the same mistakes of all the past generations.  Oh, and then I watch PBS about the Hubble telescope and all of the wonders there are out there in outer space, more than we ever imagined; more than we CAN imagine!  Going back in time to the beginning almost, of the first Big Bang (or maybe "Bangs" since they're now saying they might be like the bubbles in champagne, many universes, popping off everywhere).  Who knows?!  Another mystery.

"And then we die." Or not!  Who knows?!  Maybe not!!!  Maybe all of those ancient Hindus and Buddhists are right, and we get reincarnated and come back again....until we get it right.  I don't know about you, but just the thought of that makes me tired.  Guess I'll head back to bed.  But I just wanted to let you know I enjoyed your blog, Helen!

Sadly, the Florida chapter of UU Women and Religion is in the process of disbanding. Several women have been in touch with the Continental co-conveners, and it does look like some of their memorabilia will be maintained by the Continental group, against the day when Women and Religion again lights up the Sunshine State.

St. Lawrence District has formed a new W&R chapter. Their first event will be a retreat in the Fall of 2010. They've already lined up their keynote speakers and convention facility!

Northern New England Women and Religion announces the Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont UU Women’s Fall 2009 Retreat will take place the weekend of October 30th-November 1st, at Rockraft Retreat Center in beautiful Sebago Lake, Maine. We will be "Celebrating Samhain" during our last time at Rockcraft before the center closes at the end of the year. This is the time of year when the veil between the worlds are the thinnest. The perfect time to divine what the future has in store for us; and remember our loved ones who have passed. We will honor the sacredness of Samhain and rejoice in the playfulness of Halloween.

Michigan women are still talking about forming a W&R chapter. Dr. Misty Sheehan reports that she got re-acquainted with another one of the original Chapin-Crane W&R women (whom she hadn't seen in 30 years!) at a Carolyn McDade weekend in northern Michigan. They are talking with Rev. Shirley Ranck about a retreat soon in southern Michigan.

Joseph Priestley District is getting ready for their Fall retreat, Discover Your Voice!

October 16-18

LOCATION: Bishop Claggett Center, Buckeytown, MD
(You can view the beautiful retreat site at: www.bishopclaggett.org)
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Anne Slater, registrar: 610-896-6468/ \n slater.anne@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
complete information at our website: www.jpdwr.org

Pacific SW District has a San Diego area retreat happening this month, "Women Together." More details are on their website.

Central Midwest District women are always busy. Current Chair Nancy Irons reports they're been working on strengthening their organizational structure and getting ready for their February 2010 retreat.

The theme for Winter WomanSpirit 2010 is:
"Nurturing Ourselves -

Hi!  I was Googling for a May Sarton poem I know and came across this W&R newsletter attributing it, or lines clearly adapted from it, to Barbara Vaughn.
http://www.uuwr.org/WOMUUNWEB/WOMUUNWEB-21-Fall-2005.pdf

Barbara's words, as quoted in the newsletter:

The Woman I am Becoming
Now I am becoming all
I am meant to be.
Its taken time, many years,
Many places. Now to stand still,
To revel in the silence.
My poems, my words
Shape the shaper.
All fuses, falls into place
From thought to desire to action.
I watch, reflect, enjoy, savor
My work, my love my time, my place
Gathered into one intense me,
Made so and rooted so by love.
- Barbara J. Vaughn

Sarton's poem:

Now I Become Myself
Now I become myself. It's taken
Time, many years and places;
I have been dissolved and shaken,
Worn other people's faces,
Run madly, as if Time were there,
Terribly old, crying a warning,
"Hurry, you will be dead before--"
(What? Before you reach the morning?
Or the end of the poem, is clear?
Or love safe in the walled city?)
Now to stand still, to be here,
Feel my own weight and density!
The black shadow on the paper
Is my hand; the shadow of a word
As thought shapes the shaper
Falls heavy on the page, is heard.
All fuses now, falls into place
From wish to action, word to silence,
My work, my love, my time, my face
Gathered into one intense
Gesture of growing like a plant.
As slowly as the ripening fruit
Fertile, detached, and always spent,
Falls but does not exhaust the root,
So all the poem is, can give,
Grows in me to become the song,
Made so and rooted so by love.
Now there is time and Time is young.
O, in this single hour I live
All of myself and do not move
I, the pursued, who madly ran,
Stand still, stand still, and stop the Sun!

I know it is 4 years ago now, but it lives on the internet.  Perhaps you could publish a correction in the next newsletter.

Take care,
Amy

Editor's Note: Thanks, Amy! And, we've corrected the original page to read "adapted from May Sarton."

I have sleep-disturbing nights like tonight when I feel we feminists could give up slogging through the patriarchal pie, up to our necks, impeded by disgusting goo everywhere.  So many incidents in the day before this sleepless night make me just want to give in, lie down and slurp up what tastes good to me at that moment, but...  To give up, to be swallowed up into my own little bite of sweet self-interest, grabbing what I can, would mean drowning.  I’d sink into too many over-cooked (but familiar), power-over ingredients.

Now, I awaken more fully.  I see stories of other feminist sloggers such as this WOMUUNWEB issue’s Rebecca Adamson (First Peoples Worldwide), Billie Heller (UN Convention for Elimination of Discrimination Against Women) and Carol Huston’s catalytic converting small group of women.  I am now groping back up to slog harder when sunrise breaks through the darkness.

With education as one main thrust for our ICUUW, International Convocation of UU Women, action plan, I’ve been recalling the discussions at the Convocation about using the UU curriculum, OWL, “Our Whole Lives”, for women’s groups worldwide.  I remember Britain’s Rev. Dr. Ann Peart at the microphone giving us a gentle warning about OWL’s content of dealing with sexuality.  She said that OWL’s content being so specific for the U.S. culture makes it inappropriate for a number of other cultures.

Let me suggest our substituting “Cakes for the Queen of Heaven” for the ICUUW educational use of OWL.  The evaluations I received from the “Cakes…”group I facilitated in July gave me this important idea.  (I believe it to be a “meme”*.)

I read such evaluation comments as:

“Very interesting and thought provoking – (material combined with meaningful sharing and discussion)  Found there is often more to cover than time, realistically, allows – Each one of these sessions could be an afternoon’s workshop of 3 – 4 hours.  But they’ve all whetted my appetite for more!”  Also, she said that the session about reclaiming the mother/daughter relationship was the “most healing” for her.

Then I came to an evaluation from a woman from Uruguay who said:

“Every woman should have this tremendous opportunity!  If only I had this knowledge during my formative years!  The program’s very positive and nourishing effect remains long after the sessions.  I can’t wait for the following ones!  Thank you for changing my perception of myself!”  (Reading this gave me my creative breakthrough to suggest “Cakes…” for our educational work.)

The challenge of translations to the languages required is quite an obstacle to overcome.  Also, I strongly believe facilitators must understand (as the knowledge applies to the patriarchy in their cultures) the content of both these resources:  Carol Flinders’ Rebalancing the World and David Korten’s The Great Turning. I hope my idea of taking “Cakes…” around the world is a meme for ICUUW’ers.

* In Rebalancing the World, Carol Flinders describes what a meme is by comparing it to the genes we pass on to new generations.  Human evolution has memes, also.  They, simply, are timely, meaningful ideas for the betterment of life.

Report on Activities at the UUA General Assembly, GA, 2009, Salt Lake City

It’s hard to know where to begin; there was so much going on at General Assembly this year. With the addition of UU University days to an already full schedule of plenary sessions, workshops, and the other meetings and this year’s UUA Presidential election, delegate schedules were stretched to the maximum limit. Thus it is saying a lot of our volunteers that we were able to accomplish as much as we did. Listed below is an overview of our activities:

Action of Immediate Witness, approved Sunday, June 28th

http://www.uua.org/videos/ga2009.php?movie=4004-b.flv

The action of immediate witness was passed on Sunday, June 28^th supporting Bolivian UUs struggling for justice and human rights. There were several planning meetings, oversight and review by the Committee on Social Witness, petitions signed and registered, mini-assemblies for final amendment. Much, much appreciation goes to all of the men and women who helped with this initiative. The action calls for us all to write to the Bolivian Ambassador to the United States (Ambassador Gustavo Guzman Saldana, Bolivian Embassy, 3014 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20008; phone: (202) 232-4827 / 28; fax: (202) 232-8017; email: Embajada de Bolivia website urging the Bolivian government, pursuant to its Resolution, and the InterAmerican Convention on Forced Disappearance of Persons Act and Law No. 2640 to structure a Truth Commission to investigate, clarify, and adjudicate all suspected human rights violations.

In the midst of this process at General Assembly, I received an email from Olga on June 25^th with the photo (at right) from local papers showing that she had been arrested again. She and another member of the hunger strike, journalist Marta Montiel, were demonstrating in front of the District attorney's office. The current District attorney of the District of La Paz, is the very same person who was the paramilitary tormentor of the period of the dictatorship of García Meza, in which Olga’s brother Juan Carlos Flores Bedregal disappeared. Olga was detained and released later that day but not before being very badly treated. In Olga’s words, “I was thrown to the floor, I have a bruise on the back and tomorrow I'll go to the Forensic Institute so they can determine the damage.” This she says is a perfect demonstration of the violations that continue to go on against basic human rights of freedom of speech. I have tried to reach Olga since this occurred by email and phone, but have not made contact since this happened. I will keep trying and let you know what I learn. Here is her website: http://www.noalaimpunidad.mamametal.com/

Breakfast Meeting, Saturday, June 27th

We had over 30 women in attendance at our Saturday breakfast meeting to gather together with Global Sisters and others interested in participating in the next phase of discussions about our Convocation action plan which identified the priority areas of education, health care and preventing violence against women. Maria Sinkford was there and welcomed everyone. Rev. Liza Gallaher gave the invocation. Barbara Beach and Laura Nagel gave brief updates and then we broke into discussions on our three top priority areas. Many of the discussion leaders had been Global Sisters Facilitators. After discussions, each leader reported the results. We agreed on the need to work together and to form a Global Sisters’ Council and to work to further define what we mean by model initiatives in these areas. The next meeting, to which all are welcome, will be a conference call that is scheduled for October 14, 8:00 PM Eastern Time. Further information on the details are in the fall issue of the Convocation newsletter.

The Exhibit Booth, Wednesday-Sunday

Our booth was a beehive of activity. We had handbags for sale which had been handcrafted by the UU Women’s League of Kenya. The bags were a great delight and we sold 39 out of the 100 we had originally contracted for. The rest of the bags can be seen and purchased through the icuuw.com online store.

We also sold Convocation DVD sets (also for sale online). And we raffled off the beautiful “It’s All Holy Ground” quilt done by Rev. Laurie Bushbaum.

Report on the Convocation by UUWF at Plenary, Saturday, June 27th

At the Saturday morning plenary session the Women's Federation gave their annual report to all of the General Assembly delegates, which featured the Convocation and included slides and an overview of the event. Barbara Beach and I were invited on stage for the presentation.

http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2009/ga2009/144228.shtml

Workshop, Sunday, June 28th

The UU Women’s Federation also sponsored our workshop on the Convocation presented by Barbara Beach, Rev. Carol Huston, Cathy Cordes, Executive Director of the Partner Church Council and me. At the workshop, participants broke into small groups and worked through the pair-wised ranking technique used in community capacity building. A full report of the workshop is available on the General Assembly website. http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2009/ga2009/144291.shtml

Report to the UUA Board, Tuesday, June 23rd

Finally, we reported to the UUA Board on the Convocation the day before General Assembly began. The Board unanimously passed a resolution of appreciation for this work.

If you are not yet a member of the icuuw online community, I hope you will join so that you can stay tuned to these and other news and discussions. Membership costs only $10 and you can pay be credit card. Join at icuuw.com.

Laura Nagel, Administrator

International Convocation of U*U Women

Editor's Note:  This is from GA's Action of Immediate Witness:  "Bolivian Olga Flores Bedregal helped found a UU congregation in La Paz.  Then with two colleagues, engaged in a month-long hunger strike to force the Bolivian Government to account for the 'disappeared', including Olga's brother.  These women's brave campaign caused the passage of a government Resolution that called for military archives to be opened."