Herstory - District and Regional

Joseph Priestley District Women and Religion
and Soul Sisters of the Main Line Unitarian Church

are pleased to present

A Drumming Workshop 

Saturday, March 13, 2010 from 10am to 3pm

at the Main Line Unitarian Church
816 Valley Forge Road, Devon PA 19333

(For directions go to mluc.org)

Jaqui McMillan of Drum for Joy! will be our workshop leader.

“If you can say it, you can play it”… 

In this Drum For Joy! workshop you will learn the language of the drum, basic hand drum technique and how to make your drum sing. Jaqui presents drum songs in a way that make it fun and easy to learn. This workshop is suitable for beginning and experienced drummers.

Bring your own drum or percussion instrument. Jaqui will also bring some to share.

Bring a friend or neighbour, your sister, daughter or granddaughter over 10 years

Bring a bag lunch: drinks and dessert will be provided.

*************

SAVE $5! Advance registration and payment (mail by March 1, 2010)

Advance Tix: $20 per person, $10 for your guest under 16 years

At the door, $25 for adults, $15 for 16 and under

Send your check made out to The JPD of the UUA to

Laura Paligo, 298 Superior Street, Havre de Grace, MD 21078

Questions? call Laura at 410-942-1292 BEFORE 8 pm

JPD Women and Religion and the women of the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg present

Tammi Hessen
http://www.tammihessen.com
will be our Drum out the Doldrums facilitator on
March 19th (10 am to 2 pm) at the
Unitarian Church of Harrisburg.

further information HERE as it becomes available

Drum out the Doldrums!  Beat away the Blahs!

The Facilitators’ Circle of the Joseph Priestley District Women and Religion

and the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg, PA

invite you and the women of your congregation to

A Drumming Circle for Women

On Saturday, March 19, 2011

Join Tammi Hessen of Bumbuda

www.tammihessen.com

10 am to 2 pm on

Saturday, March 19, 2011,

at the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg

1280 Clover Lane Harrisburg, PA

Bring your sister, daughter or granddaughter over 10 years, a friend or neighbor to join you in learning the rhythms and sounds of the African traditions of drumming and whole-body involvement as a way to shake out unhappiness and suck in the unbridled joy of celebrating life!

Pack a brown bag lunch (drinks and snacks will be provided), wear loose clothes and comfortable shoes and bring your own hand-held rhythm or percussion instrument.  If you don’t own one, Tammi will provide instruments for you to use. Enjoy hours of drumming, dancing, and movement designed to imbue you with a happy, healthy spirit.

Advance registration and payment (mail by March 4th)

$20 per person, $15 for your guest under 16 years;

At the door, $25 for adults, $20 for 16 and under

Space limits us to 50 participants: sign up and pay now to be sure of your place!

Babysitting will be available for pre-registrants only!!!

Please advise, with your registration, the number of children you are bringing and their ages.

Send your check made out to The JPD of the UUA to

Mary Ann Rhoads ... Harrisburg PA 17110

Questions? Contact Randa

Directions See www.Harrisburg uu.org OR see below

From Philadelphia

76 Turnpike West, Take exit 247 to merge onto I-283 N toward PA-283/Harrisburg/Hershey, Take exit 2 for PA-441 N, Turn left at PA-441 N/Lindle Rd , Take the 1st right onto Eisenhower Blvd,   Take the 1st left onto Clover Ln/Meadow Ln

From Lancaster

PA-283 W (signs for Harrisburg), Take the exit onto I-283 N toward I-81/I-83/Harrisburg  Take exit 2 for PA-441 N, Turn left at PA-441 N/Lindle Rd, Take the 1st right onto Eisenhower Blvd, Take the 1st left onto Clover Ln/Meadow Ln

From Baltimore

I-83 N Entering Pennsylvania, Take exit 46A to merge onto I-283 S toward I-76/Airport/Lancaster, Take exit 2 for PA-441 toward Swatara,  Keep right at the fork, follow signs for WI-441 N, Turn right at PA-441 N/Lindle Rd,  Take the 1st right onto Eisenhower Blvd, Take the 1st left onto Clover Ln/Meadow Ln

Laura Paligo, co-convenor, librarian, UU Fellowship of Harford County, Churchville, MD

Randa Todd, co-convenor, Unitarian Church of Harrisburg, PA

Margaret Bakker, UU Congregation of Wyoming Valley, Wilkes-Barre, PA

Alix Berenzy, UU Church of Germantown, Philadelphia, PA

Nuala Carpenter, Main Line Unitarian Church, Devon, PA

Heather Gehron-Rice, MDiv, UU Church of Lancaster, PA

Chris Higgins, UU Fellowship of Lower Bucks, Fairless Hills, PA

Anne Mason, UU Church of Lancaster, Lancaster, PA

Lois Morrigan, UU Church of Delaware County, Media, PA

Sherri Philpott, UU Cong. of Frederick, MD, and the UU Cong. of Loudoun, Leesburg, VA.

Anne Slater, news & newsletter, 1st Unitarian Church of  Philadelphia, PA

a sermon delivered by Heather Gehron-Rice, M Div, at the UU Church of Delaware County on February 1, 2009

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I didn’t always know a lot about autism. My first exposure, as might have been yours, was the movie Rain Man.

A father dies, the younger son is angry that his only inheritance is a car and a bed of roses. Three million dollars goes into a trust fund for someone. In his quest to right the perceived injustice, he finds his older brother, Raymond, and solves the mystery of the Rain Man from his youth. Raymond is an autistic savant, or has Asperger’s Syndrome.  He is brilliant with numbers, has a photographic memory and completely lacks any connection to what we call “The Real World”.
 
My personal introduction to autism came on the 4th of June 1998.

Benjamin came into the world screaming, and kept on screaming. As we experienced behaviors that were strange, inexplicable and exhausting, we struggled to find out what was wrong. In 2003 his preschool teacher at the Lancaster Cooperative School told us we should contact the IU-13 to set up an evaluation. When I asked her why, she couldn’t say anything more. For various reasons, the IU-13 evaluation didn’t happen. In the meantime, my therapist and I had narrowed his behaviors to those characteristic of both bipolar and autism. We needed to find a child psychiatrist.

We made an appointment and I filled out an overwhelming amount of paperwork. When we checked in for the appointment, we found out that they never received the paperwork and the appointment had been cancelled. I stood there, crying, devastated and enraged. I had been living for this appointment, struggling through every day trying to make sense of these foreign behaviors from this little boy who had come through my body.

I struggled not to take it out on the receptionist, but I didn’t do a very good job. Another psychiatrist overheard the problem and offered to cut short his lunch break to fit us in. The diagnosis was Pervasive Developmental Delay, Aspergers, Autism. I walked away from that appointment with a list of recommended reading. On the way out, I apologized to the receptionist.

My preferred coping mechanism is sarcasm; when that just won’t suffice, excessive research is my next line of defense. As soon as we got home, I ordered the books. While I waited for the books to arrive, I researched autism and Aspergers on the Internet. I spent hours and hours reading, and learned that there are as many theories about what causes autism as there are manifestations of autism. Diet, vaccinations, chemicals and environment are just a few. Much as I would like any one of those to be the elusive answer to the mystery of autism, it doesn’t seem likely. The Autism Advocate, a quarterly publication of the Autism Society of America, estimated that in China, India, US, UK, Mexico, the Philippines and Thailand combined there were almost 5 million people living with some form of autism in 2007. Only 1.5 million live in the US.

What is autism you ask? According to the Autism Society of America “Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a "spectrum disorder" that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause for autism, but increased awareness and funding can help families today.”

“Currently, ASA estimates that the lifetime cost of caring for a child with autism ranges from $3.5 million to $5 million, and that the United States is facing almost $90 billion annually in costs for autism (this figure includes research, insurance costs and non-covered expenses, Medicaid waivers for autism, educational spending, housing, transportation, employment, in addition to related therapeutic services and caregiver costs).”

We hear a lot of negative things about autism in the media – on airplanes, in churches, schools, from police and fire departments who lack the skills, inclination and training to support people who don’t understand the unwritten rules for any society and can’t learn them by osmosis.

“Temple Grandin is inarguably the most accomplished and well-known adult with autism in the world. Dr. Grandin didn't speak until she was three and a half years old. In 1950, she was labeled "autistic," and her parents were told she should be institutionalized.” Her book Thinking in Pictures allows a glimpse into the mind of someone who lives with autism and wouldn’t want to lose her abilities. “I think in pictures. Words are like a second language to me. …One of the most profound mysteries of autism has been the remarkable ability of most autistic people to excel at visual spatial skills while performing so poorly at verbal skills. When I was a child and teenager, I thought everybody thought in pictures. I had no idea that my thought processes were different. In fact, I did not realize the full extent of the differences until very recently.”

Now, I’m a verbal thinker. I can’t imagine thinking in pictures. It took me quite some time to figure out how to explain the frustrations and difficulties that Benjamin faces with communication. I finally stumbled upon an image that I find useful. Imagine that we live in a society that speaks Swahili. One of every 150 people does not speak Swahili and does not have a Swahili/English dictionary and doesn’t know the customs. The simplest daily interactions become difficult and frustrating.

Thursday night was awful. Andrew, Benjamin’s older brother, was upset because we wouldn’t give him quarters for a five dollar bill. He was hysterical, which means Benjamin is upset. Upset for these two isn’t pretty. Punches were thrown, objects were thrown and people were bitten. At one point, Doug, my husband, was in the dining room restraining Benjamin and I was in the living room restraining Andrew. Half an hour later Benjamin was violently sobbing on the futon. He was trying to tell me something about a bank taking your money. Ten minutes later, he got through to me that the five dollar bill Andrew had was a gift and if the bank took it, they wouldn’t give him that same five dollar bill. I was stunned. Most kids see a five dollar bill for the monetary value; he saw that specific bill as the gift.

There are many beautiful stories in The Myriad Gifts of Aspergers. As I was reading these vignettes, I came across stories that reminded me of Benjamin.

Vaschel the Liberator tells of an 11 year old boy whose parents were perplexed about how he was spending his allowance. It turns out he was buying and donating bags of dog food to the local animal shelter. Thanksgiving of 2006, we were watching Animal Planet. The APSCA was running commercials all day long for donations. At one point, Benjamin informed Doug and me that he was donating his Christmas money to the ASPCA. We offered to match his donation, not really expecting that he would still want to. To our chagrin, we talked him down from a $25 donation because we weren’t expecting him to want to donate so much of his money. To this day, he takes issues of animal welfare very seriously.

The Community Patriot tells of a nine-year-old who appointed himself the flag police after September 11th. He gathered his “flag enforcement kit” and went around the neighborhood either commending people for properly displaying the flag, or educating them on proper flag etiquette. Following Hurricane Katrina, Benjamin was obsessed with wanting to help. His school was collecting supplies for Hurricane buckets because his class had a car wash fundraiser. Benjamin repeatedly came up with ideas about how he could earn money to send to Katrina, and signs appeared all over our house.

The Auto Salesman is a seven-year-old who seems to have memorized Consumer Reports auto issues, including the strengths and inherent flaws in each. Benjamin was obsessed with airbags. He was very upset when I replaced my 1984 Volvo station wagon without airbags for a 2002 Saturn with airbags because he couldn’t sit in the passenger’s seat. When he would ask questions about my car, I handed him the owner’s manual and after he finished his research, he would hold it on his lap.

The Anti-Smoking Vigilante is about a nine-year-old girl who was so adamant about not smoking that friends, relatives and family members would hide their cigarettes and sneak outside. She had pamphlets and brochures with her at all times to hand out to anyone she came across who was smoking. Benjamin has been trying to get one of our family friends to stop smoking for quite a few years now. When I went to Turkey and Lebanon for seminary, I brought back a No Smoking sign in Arabic; I think that was his favorite gift.

The collection of stories about the positive things that people are able to accomplish only because they have autism is truly astounding. As the mother of a child who is still struggling to find his way in this world he does not seem to understand, these stories give me hope.

The first chapter of The Soul of Autism: Looking Beyond Labels to Unveil Spiritual Secrets of the Heart Savants is entitled The World Needs Autism. We need autism because of their unique perspectives. What would the world be like without Einstein or music without Mozart? Would we still be using candles without Thomas Edison? Perhaps we would still be riding horses without Henry Ford. Who but Thomas Jefferson could have written the Declaration of Independence? Would we all have Macs if it weren’t for Bill Gates? The list of people who have had a profound impact on our lives today goes on and on. Could any of these people have accomplished the same things without a “persistent fixation on parts of objects”? Perhaps the “lack of interest in peer relationships” is what allowed these people to stay focused.

Looking ahead, I wonder if the contributions of those who are still growing and learning to live with autism might not be the ones who could save this world. I think William Stillman says it best “I have yet to meet a person with autism who has not, in some capacity, declared their desire to give back of themselves, to share their gifts, and to teach others. In their gentle way – as befits their nature – people with autism compel us to higher standards of deference and respect for humanity.”

How would my life be different without Benjamin? How would my life be different without autism? I’m not sure I can even begin to imagine all the ways that I have changed because of autism. Would I be an advocate for those who struggle to achieve mental health? Would I understand that saying a person with autism honors the person as an individual of whom the autism is only a part of who they are? I wouldn’t know the importance of having flush toilets in this day and age of automatic toilets. I wouldn’t understand the huge difference between going to see the Titanic and going to see a museum exhibit about the Titanic. The importance of asking for a hug from your own child.

These words are from a Michael, a 15-yr old with autism. “Autism is unique to each individual. It is a side effect of the connectedness of soul. Only through a broken body can you retain your spiritual connectedness to the whole. In the body we lose all memory of our divinity. It is for us to seek experientially in physical form our divineness. The reality is in the physical experience. Without it there would be just the “knowing” without the experience of “being.” “Being” is what life is all about. God gives us the choice of what we want to experience. These choices direct our lives. My choice was to lead people home to their source. It requires my keeping my own connection and that requires a broken body. It is the beauty of it: a whole soul is a broken body; a broken soul is a complete body. To find divinity in a whole body is a very difficult thing. People lose themselves in the physical being and nothing can permeate. All the physical is but an illusion created by the soul yet it controls the soul for its duration on earth.”

© copyright Heather Gehron-Rice 2009

Thomas Paine UU Fellowship

3424 Ridge Pike

Collegeville, PA 

Sacred Dance at 7:15 pm

Short Break (bring a snack to share if you can)

Sacred Drumming at 8:45 pm

Bring something that reminds you of autumn for the centerpiece

Members of JPD Congregations can borrow books, curricula, and videos by mail from our library. Laura Paligo of Havre de Grace, MD, is our librarian. You can reach her through Randa Todd or Anne Slater. Eventually a list of available materials will be listed here. Some have been reviewed in back issues of our newsletter: check that page!

Contact Randa or Anne to learn more.

It's easy enough for all of us to say "Be Strong."

It's another thing to put it into practice, and at the right times.

I was thinking, How Does One Do That? I think I've been able to do that by focusing on listening to The Strong Woman Within.

You have that Strong Woman Within. She thinks and she feels and she cries and she grieves, but underneath all that she knows what is necessary for you to do for YOU.

Listen to that Strong Woman. Use her strength -- to make decisions that are right, and to stand behind them. To do what you know you need to do. To gather the collective strength and wisdom of your friends and use it as yours -- because you'll surely return the favor some day when one of them needs an extra boost.

Hang in there and do what you know you need to do. Let that Strong Woman within and your Strong Friends (wherever they are) help you through this tough time.

Because once this tough time has passed, you WILL have glorious things to explore and wonder over and rejoice in. Look forward to that!

Kathy Claycomb (UU in northern Wisconsin)

Sherri writes:

I am a member of the UU Congregation of Frederick in Maryland.  I attend a women's group at the UU Congregation of Loudoun in Leesburg, VA.  I live an equal distance from the two churches in Harpers Ferry, WV.  My vocational calling is as a clinical social worker.  I've worked in mental health settings as a case manager/mental health therapist/outreach worker and as a bereavement counselor for a local hospice.  I'm in the process of starting my own private counseling practice.
 
I was first introduced to Unitarian-Universalism when I participated in a women's group at Mount Vernon Unitarian Church in the early 1990's.  This metamorphosed into another group which came together to do the "Rise Up" curriculum.  It was a close group of women who met for several years and began a tradition of yearly retreats in the Blue Ridge mountains.
 
I began attending services at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Arlington and became a member in 1999.  I was married at the Mount Vernon church in 2000.  When I moved to West Virginia, I joined the Loudoun congregation and then moved on to the Frederick one because my family sought a larger congregation with a more dynamic RE program.

These are in PDF or MSWord format. You will need the appropriate program to view them.
January 2008
June 2007
January 2007
July 2006

2009-10 Annual Report

2006 Annual Report

October 17-19, 2008 Fall Retreat

Deep inside each of us, an ancient wisdom lies sleeping.
Our ancestors understood the divine nature of the Living Earth
and how it is that we are woven into the sacred web of life.

Our bodies still know.

During this experiential weekend,
we will use song and movement, stillness and contemplation,
storytelling, the labyrinth, altar-building,
and art-making to connect and deepen this vision.

Led by Sarah Campbell, a community herbalist in Lancaster County, PA.
(www.herbsfromthelabyrinth.com)
A priestess in the Wiccan tradition, Sarah was ordained by Starhawk.
She has been teaching women and girls for more than 15 years

Murray Grove Conference Center, Lanoka Harbor, N.J.
For further information, contact
Barbara Caballero, Registrar
Lois Morrigan

Here's a FLYER to print out and share: (PDF)

The Theme Within: Remarks

Despite (or because of?) a much smaller than anticipated enrollment, JPD W & R facilitators Randa, Laura, Alix and Margaret, two presenters and 14 other women took part in one of the most fulfilling, engaging, bonding retreats in current memory.

From Helen Popenoe, Germantown, MD

My expectation was to find enough healing to be able to face [a] problem when I returned home. I ended up coming home with much more positive energy and healing than I could’ve dreamed would be possible. The after-glowing I feel is blessing me with new lightheartedness and peace in a continuing undercurrent for my daily life, now.

The emotional climate, easy schedule and the content were exactly what I needed. A highpoint was Heather’s “just-right” service she gave us Sunday morning (especially the story about the shards of glass.) I’ve heard that story before and never quite got it until Heather put it into words.

From Alexa Fraser, Rockville, MD

I had a wonderful time. I felt welcomed by a new group of women – I only knew 2 before arriving. I think I know all now. … the sisters and cook were wonderful, the tofu was the best I EVER ate, and I loved the facility. I enjoyed learning about the women in religion movement. I really got a lot out of the workshop. I think I will use Soul Collage through the rest of my life as a tool to access those often hidden emotions!

From Pamela Mann, Pottstown, PA

The women's Retreat was an absolute, positive experience for me. The "belonging to the community" started even before we got there. My friend and I were running late because we got lost and we received a warm phone call of concern and were asked if we still wanted dinner - that some would be saved for us. I connected with every person in the group through Soul Collage and personal experiences. There was an excellent balance between structured "learning" and free time. I can honestly say that I would return in the future searching for the women I met on this special weekend and in hopes of finding new women to meet and connect through the UU faith! Thank you for a wonderful experience!

From Dana Wiley, Ardmore, PA

What a great weekend -- so glad to meet you all and share in the whole juicy, intense, and gratifying Soul Collage experience!

From Cindy Neff, Churchville, MD

I had a wonderful time and am so glad I made the effort to attend. At first I was a little nervous about fitting in, but by the end of the weekend I felt right at home! I loved the Soul Collage theme and look forward to continuing to participate in our local area. The opportunity to be in the company of such wonderful strong women...truly a sisterhood that is so valuable for making this journey through life...and such a source of encouragement and strength!

Thank you so much for the opportunity! I really look forward to the next one at the Claggett Center

2010

Wheel of the Year Beltane (May Day) ritual 5 PM on Sunday May 2, 5pm, in the Fireside Room of the River Road UU Church, Bethesda. MD.

(www.rruuc.org/Directions.html) May pole, other circle dances and the sharing of thoughts. Longer days, shorter nights--as Earth rushes toward the longest day of the year, how do we re-balance our own lives? Bring a treat &/or drink to share and your own cup. Contact:: Helen Popenoe

Alcoholism & Addiction Awareness, Prevention & Recovery Fair, Saturday August 28, 9 am to 5:30 pm, Unitarian Church of Harrisburg, PA. Go to http://www.harrisburguu.org/ and scroll down in the Upcoming Events list for further information

My poems disappeared

My poems disappeared
in an instant
in a sputter of inexplicable
electronic mayhem.

Part of my life
gone
lost
No paper copies in my files
no relics of a virtual past.

I am forced
in my poetry as in my life
to begin anew
to write a “now”,
a history yet to come.

Like ginger on my tongue
the prospect is tangy in my mind.

by Anne Slater
August 6, 1999

As she promised at GA2023, Heather Gehron-Rice has sent us a whole packet of Joseph Priestley District newsletters. What I didn't realize when we first spoke about this was that the newsletters are a complete collection of Reaching Sideways:

UU foremother Rosemary Matson wrote in her Memoirs of UUW&R, "Sara Best, a lay woman in the Joseph Priestley District Women and Religion Committee, with the help of her friends, created a journal REACHING SIDEWAYS - A Continental Exchange of Views and Ideas chronicling the successes and failures of those trying to implement the Women and Religion Resolution. It was a voice when there were very few other voices in the denomination speaking for women and it proved to be the writing of our Women and Religion story as it was being lived. Sara Best produced her first issue in October 1981 and sent out her last issue on June 15, 1991. REACHING SIDEWAYS is sorely missed."

Well, it's BACK! We've scanned and restored a few issues so far. More to come when I have time. The originals will end up in Meadville-Lombard Theological School's HEResies Special Collection in Chicago! -- Gretchen

folder Reaching Sideways 1981-1991

The Full Cupboard of Life remains my favorite of Alexander McCall Smith's books. It is philosophical, a "glass half full" story that I expect to read as often as I read The Secret Garden. (see below)-- I love books that make me cry with happiness and with the realization of just how full of peace and plenty my life really is.

The Secret of Roan Inish by Rosalie Fry is a modern day fairy tale, a great read-to-your-child story (target audience 9 and up). Fiona yearns for the peace of the island life that she and the island’s inhabitants were forced to leave, and for her baby brother, whose cradle floated away as they were leaving. As I said, a fairy tale. With a happy ending. Both book and the movie that was made of it are charming. No violence.

Night Gardening by E. L. Swann centers on the romance between an aging woman recovering from a stroke and the landscape architect who is working next door. Lots of great gardening factoids. If this had been "One Woman's Garden Journal" I would have liked it better.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett: an unhappy little girl, her invalid cousin, and the healing power of friendship and love. How can anyone NOT love this book? It has mystery, sadness, a nasty little girl, a couple of sympathetic secondary characters and one whiney spoiled (abandoned at home) child who gently teach Mary Lennox how to be a human being.

Submitted by Anne Slater, First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia

If you know of a retreat center that would serve our purposes at a modest to moderate cost, please inform Randa Todd, wrrt1946@yahoo.com with as much information as you have.

Kathy Lawson (Montgomeryville, PA) says “It was wild and wacky, awesome and sombering. I met women whom I truly respected...a diversity of different types of personalities with a common thread...tolerance.”

Susan Eckert (Annapolis, MD) writes “This was my first JPD W & R retreat and I thought it was wonderful. The weekend provided a nice mix of creative, spiritual and social experiences. I hope to be at next year’s retreat!”

For Sherri Philpott (Harpers Ferry, WV), “the retreat is a time and space apart from my everyday life. A place of respite and renewal. A place to shed some immediate concerns, get centered, and perhaps re-assess where I am. This year's retreat reminded me how much I enjoy earth-based ritual. I was familiar with the teachings of Starhawk but had never participated in a ritual with people who were students of the Reclaiming tradition. I particularly liked the concept of "suspending disbelief" in order to be more fully present during a ritual. I can be as skeptical as any UU but I didn't necessarily have to "believe in" everything presented to me in order to enjoy the process.”

This retreat was Patricia White (Philadelphia)’s first experience of any kind of retreat, and she was also very new to her UU church. Much of her experience is typical for first-time retreaters: “I was new to the experience, and, in a way, am still assimilating it. Probably if you attend with a close friend or two, you can get more into the chemistry and dynamics of being in a group like that, and feeling a kinship.... rather than feeling, as I sometimes did, a bit awkward, and like a stranger.

Margaret Bakker (Shavertown, PA) another first-time JPD W&R retreater, wrote

“My experience has certainly been affected by my ongoing recovery from my sister's recent death ... so please take my critique, to the extent it is critique, in perspective. I needed downtime, quiet time, and I have been just plain sad. So I didn't really mix very well or feel myself. I therefore had a hard time making new friends or even interacting very well with others. For me, the non-verbal interaction was the best - beating on drums, walking, being outdoors, yoga, drawing. And I'm a quiet person generally so those are always my favorite activities. Sharing our drawings and shrine boxes in silence made me smile. It gave an insight into a deeper part of people and I found that very interesting.

Alix Berenzy (Germantown), designer of the retreat flyer, writes “The ceremonies that Sarah Campbell and Beth Weaver-Kreider designed were very moving and well-done… by doing them women are really getting in touch with their power again –after all these centuries—and with the Earth. I especially loved the little turtle who appeared at the beginning of the retreat under a pine tree where we did ceremony. She stayed the weekend there and then disappeared back into the woods. I felt the turtle, representing the Earth, gave her blessing to what we were doing.”

Randa Todd (Harrisburg, PA), convenor of the JPD W & R, writes “Two thousand eight has been a hard financial year for me, and many others. ….., I thought there was no way I could attend the Women and Religion fall Retreat. I have been attending regularly for 8 or 9 years. I know that I always feel much more a part of the bigger congregation of UU women when I make time for the retreat. I feel refreshed and invigorated after sharing 3 days with wonderful UU women. …

The flyer was beautiful and enticing. How could I not attend? The topic was interesting. How could I attend? I was mulling this over and over and over. Behind my back my friends conspired to surprise me by making sure I could attend the Retreat. What a wonderful gift. The Retreat turned out to be much more wonderful than I could have imagined.

Presenters Sarah Campbell and Beth Kreider-Weaver were down to earth, and knowledgeable. They were very good at presenting information that I had been exposed to before, but in a way that spoke to me as never before. I felt a real connection to the Earth-centered Religion, that Sarah and Beth live and shared with us.

I came away with a new-found respect for Earth-based Religion. I reconnected with friends from other UU congregations, made new friends, came away refreshed, renewed relaxed, re-energized and ready to meet the challenges in my home and church life.

I hope to see you next year when the retreat will be exploring music…

***************************************************

Murray Grove has a stone-outlined labyrinth under a grove of trees, but the summer season’s use, time, and the weather had covered it with leaves and moved stones into walk ways. A number of retreat participants took time to restore the labyrinth to really usable condition. The weather was quite chilly for our labyrinth walk, but, smudged at the entrance by leaders Sarah and Beth, we walked and sang and meditated with each step.

A joyful feature of the weekend was the campfire on Saturday evening, with songs and laughter filling the chilly autumn night. We had drums, rhythm instruments, a guitar (thank you! Patricia White and Anne Mason), and many beautiful voices.

Totally apart from the spiritual nature of the retreat was something that has become a traditional part of every retreat, no matter what the weekend’s focus. Nuala Carpenter (St Davids, PA) writes: “A visitor to our retreat would have noticed that from time to time participants scuttled over to some tables at the back of the dining room. What were they doing ? Probably engaging in a bidding war for an item in our silent auction.

We had a wonderful array of items, some hand made by participants (pottery, hand forged jewelry, a CD of songs, to name a few), others were lightly use items seeking a new home such as a pair of nearly new sneakers (size 8), books, scarves, a small pin cushion (which sparked a ferocious biding war,) and more jewelry. The proceeds from the auction, over $300, was donated to Unitarian Universalist Women & Religion which is dedicated to freeing ourselves, others, and the Earth from traditional, historical, and contemporary oppressive and patriarchal systems. To learn more about this group go to their web site: www.UUWR.org “.

Anne Slater 12/13/08

At the JPD Spring Conference (April 16-17) JPDWR's Laura Myers-Paligo will present a workshop titled The Role of Women's Spirituality in Creating a Sustainable Future. (Saturday April 17 from 11 am to 12:15 pm.)

Laura, a member of the UU Fellowship of Harford County, MD, has a Master of Science degree in Environmental Studies. She is an engaging speaker whose message will engage people of all ages.
In order to build a sustainable future, we will need to redefine "a good life" to include honoring the earth and its inhavbitanets... Women's rights are human rights, which in turn reflect our caluing of the planet .

See http://jpduua.org/ for more on the whole conference)

Have you read a book or seen a movie which touched you, entertained you, nourished your spirit? Tell us about it.

Have you or your congregation's Women's Circle scheduled an event that is open to women in your area? Tell us about it.

Under Sister to Sister, you will find Books and Movies and Places to Go, Dates to Keep.  

B & M should include the title and author of the book or primary actors in the movies. Give us a couple of lines , your name, congregation, and geographic location if that is not clear from the name of your congregation.

PTG, DTK should include Date, Event name, location (including church web site if possible), a contact person with email address. Please substitute [at] for @ in the address to avoid potential problems

Please send your submissions to slater.anne[at]gmail.com

The Blue Cotton Gown: A Midwife's Memoir (Beacon Press, Boston Oct. 2008) is now available on www.amazon.com and in most major bookstores. The Blue Cotton Gown is not about birth but about caring for women throughout the life-span.

It addresses such universal, contemporary issues as drug abuse, teen pregnancy, menopause, mother-guilt, infertility, domestic violence, transgender change, midlife sexuality, keeping a marriage together and the crisis in the US health care system.  Sound like a lot? All in a day's work for any health care provider who takes the time to listen.  The book is receiving excellent reviews, is a compelling read and makes a great discussion tool.

WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS?

The Association for the Study of Women & Mythology is thrilled to announce our first multi-day biennial conference, to be held April 23-25 at the Kirkridge retreat center, Bangor, PA, in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, several hours from New York City and Philadelphia.

Our film festival will host the world premiere of "Pink Smoke Over the Vatican," about the ordination of Catholic women priests, and will feature ethnologist Sabine Jell-Bahlson's films on Mammywata.

Poetry readings, art displays, ritual, performances (including music by Ruth Barrett and a reading by Elizabeth Cunningham) and interactive programs will be featured.

Topics include lady of the beasts, publishing goddess scholarship, archaeomythology, spiritual geometry and the goddess, the divine feminine as vortex, finding your sacred language, the wheel of the year as spiritual psychology, frog mysteries, and much more.

Don't miss this unique gathering. Space is limited and registration closes April 15--or sooner if we sell out.

To register, and for more information, go to the conference page on the ASWM website: http://womenandmythology.wordpress.com/2010-conference/

Submitted by Susan Swope, Member Gettysburg, PA, UU Church