Sunday services begin at 11:00 a.m. in the Kiwanis Room at the Lochiel Kiwanis Centre at 180 College Ave. N., Sarnia

(enter by the Forsythe St. main door).

Dec. 4: “Migrant Worker Ministry” – Marie Carter Migrant Workers are a major presence in SW Ontario and a challenge to Christians to live out Jesus' challenge to us to "welcome the stranger". Marie Carter, Migrant Workers Ministry Specialist for the Roman Catholic Diocese of London, will talk about practical efforts of her ministry to create outreach to some of the areas’ roughly 11,000 migrant agricultural workers, and talk about how this outreach enriches the faith of those who serve the ministry.

Dec. 11: “Sponsoring Refugee Families – Joys & Challenges” Emily Fortney-Blunt Emily will share with us some of the experiences of refugee sponsorship and will answer some of our questions about what we may expect as we work with our own refugee family, the Mohammads.

Dec. 18: “Darkness and Light” – Wendy Starr As we move toward the longest night of the year, let us remember that we can create the light the world needs within ourselves. Come celebrate the light! This will be the last service of the year and also, Soup Sunday. We have invited the Mohammad family to be our guests for lunch, so come and meet them!

Dec. 25: Merry Christmas! Enjoy your Day! There will be no service today.

Jan. 1, 2017: Happy New Year! There will be no regular service today but please join us for a New Years Day Brunch at the Grafs, 110 Bright St. Bring a dish to share.

Jan. 8, 2017: “Hope & Optimism for the New Year” – Steve Lane This will be a sharing circle. Please bring your stories of hope!

… a refreshing alternative for religious explorers

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E

1 December Services

2 Executive Team Highlights

3 President’s Reflection

4 Newcomer Settlement

5 Events

6 Principles not Parties

7 (Continued)

“Anybody can create

community with people

who believe just like they

do. The true test of

community rests in the

ability to create it with

people who disagree

with us.”

- Lee Barker, Unitarian

Universalist Minister

December 2016

Unitarian Fellowship of Sarnia & Port Huron 180 College Ave. N. Sarnia, Ontario

www.uusarnia.com

The Flaming

Chalice

December Services

The stained glass chalice in the header hangs in the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, OR.

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We are also exploring how we can connect with First Unitarian Toronto. The Rev. Shawn Newton, Wendy Starr and I enjoyed a wonderful Skype call on November 4th. Shawn is willing to meet with us in Sarnia to discuss possible ways of sharing resources. Executive Team Meetings are open to the members of the Fellowship. Our next Executive Team Meeting has been set for Thursday, December 8th, 2016, at 6:30 pm at the Lochiel Kiwanis Centre.

Respectfully, Ann

Executive Team Highlights from November 2016 By Ann Steadman

Updates:

Our Executive Team did not meet in November. However, by email, we agreed to purchase more hymn books! Too often people are trying to share the hymn books. While this may seem to be okay for us regulars, it does not give ‘newcomers’ a sense of welcome and inclusion.

The Flaming Chalice

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F

Presidents Reflection: What Informs Our Spiritual Practice?

Presidents Reflection:

In this time of growing ‘darkness’ as our Earth tilts away from the Sun, we are reassured by the scientific knowledge of how our universe works. We can be confident that the light of the Sun will gradually come back to us. The growing ‘darkness’, however, may be challenging for those who find little reason for ‘hope’ in their own personal lives. Similarly, many Unitarian Universalists across the U.S. and Canada are also being challenged by the results of the recent U.S. election seeing only darkness and despair. I have been asking myself two questions: 1) How can I reach out to someone who is finding life difficult during these literally darkening days? and 2) How can I respond to the changing political climate globally that could put at risk our basic Unitarian Universalist values? My first question will have to be answered in a personal way. The second one, however, may be partially addressed by the Rev. Shawn Newton of First Unitarian Toronto. Shawn was born in and lived in the U.S. for many years. He posted the following reflection on the Canadian Unitarian Council’s website on November 9th http://cuc.ca/ :

“My heart is heavy beyond belief today. I am sad. I am angry. I am worried about what the results of this election now mean for the world. But I know I’m not alone in my despair. And that gives me hope. On this hard, sobering night, I find solace in knowing our collective heartbreak (on both sides of the Canadian-U.S. border and beyond) points to a deep yearning for a better world—a world beyond the fear and hate-filled rhetoric of the American election. We who hold a very different vision for the world must renew our commitment to make that vision real as we deepen in our commitment to the work of justice and peace. We may not feel quite ready to do this tomorrow; that’s understandable. But tomorrow is not too soon. May these enduring words of Jack Layton guide us tonight and through the days to come: “My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.” Take heart, friends, for we are not alone.”

Respectfully, Ann

Standing on the side of Love, when you feel ready, reach out to someone who disagrees with you, invite

conversation, listen, learn.

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They’re Here…. Our Syrian Refugee Family arrived in Sarnia on Tuesday, October 18th!

Newcomer Family Settlement

It’s been very busy during the past four weeks for both our newcomer family and the volunteers associated with the settlement team.

The family (the Mohammads) has started to settle in with the parents attending

“English as a Second Language” training, the youngest into day care and the school age children at their new school. Transportation volunteers have been arranged for all of these routine activities. Food and clothes shopping expeditions have been arranged for the family. Banking and financial arrangements are in place. Medical and dental appointments made for all of the family members.

However, “behind the scenes” it has been hectic. Ann and Najah, as the

Settlement Team Coordinators, have been responding almost daily to phone calls and requests and sorting out whether each request is an emergency requiring an urgent response, or a family “need”, or a family “want”. Specific plans are made including rides through Holly and Marianne as the driver volunteer coordinators but “things come up” and last minute changes can be required. We understand that this is the typical “break in” period until a routine is developed.

We have committed to providing settlement service to the family for a twelve

month period. Initially, the focus is on helping the family receive the services that they need, but we are conscious that we need to facilitate a transition. Our goal is to have the family move towards independence.

It is a major adjustment for the newcomer family as they settle in to Sarnia but

also a major adjustment and learning experience for the volunteers associated with the Settlement Team.

Thanks everyone for your efforts in this endeavour!

Dwayne O’Neill

The Flaming Chalice

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Regular Events: Book Club: Continues to meet on the 3rd Sunday of every month at 9:15 am at ‘Parkside Perk’ on Front St. At the November meeting, a December book was not chosen but we will meet on December 18th to enjoy conversation and choose the books for January & February. Everyone is welcome and all book suggestions will be considered.

Men’s Group: Exciting news! After a too long sojourn the Men’s Group is being resuscitated! Please contact Allan: 519-542-3661 or amckeown1@cogeco.ca for additional information.

Women’s Circle: Everyone (female) is welcome to attend. Future events have yet to be decided.

Small Group Ministry: Members meet every other Thursday afternoon at chosen locations. All are welcome. Contact Betty Learn for info at: 519-337-4039.

TO ALL OUR AMERICAN FRIENDS & NEIGHBOURS!

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Principles, Not Parties I am mindful that there are times when Unitarian Universalists speak in public about our faith and what we feel called to do in the world, and a criticism is offered—not a friendly one: “you sound like the spiritual wing of the Democratic Party.” A version of that criticism this week might be, “No wonder so many Unitarian Universalists are so upset about the election results—the Democrats lost.” I’ve always resented this criticism. I want to set the record straight. First, yes, Unitarian Universalists tend to line at the liberal end of the political spectrum. We are majority Democrats. We vote Green. We vote Working Families Party in Connecticut. Some of us are Libertarians. Some of us are Republicans, though admittedly few. Unitarian Universalists are upset about the 2016 election results for many reasons, but party affiliation is not high on that list. One of the fundamental reasons so many of us are upset is because the result is a repudiation of the principles we hold dear, the principles on which we construct our religious life together. That is as true for UU Republicans as it is for UU Democrats. As Unitarian Universalists, and as Unitarian Universalist congregations, we covenant to affirm and promote: the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equity and compassion in human relations; acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations; the free and responsible search for truth and meaning; the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process in our congregations and in society at large; the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all; and respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. Based on what they have said through the course of the campaign and on what they have done through the course of their careers, the election of Donald Trump and Mike Pence to the highest offices in the nation repudiates these life-giving, life-serving, life-celebrating, life-saving principles. That is upsetting.

Shocked, Not Shocked All across the political spectrum people were shocked at the Trump/Pence victory. What was shocking about it? That Hillary Clinton lost when so many pundits and pollsters predicted she would win. To be fair, Clinton won the popular vote as predicted with just shy of 60.5 million votes to Trump’s approximately 60 million votes. But Trump won in the electoral college. That outcome was shocking because virtually nobody saw it coming. I notice, however, that many on the political left are talking about their shock not simply at Clinton’s loss, but shock also that so many people voted for a candidate who expressed extreme views, racist views, misogynistic views, constitutionally dubious views, and so on, and a running mate who has worked hard and successfully to weaken worker’s rights as governor of Indiana and who signed into law a bill protecting companies that discriminate against same-sex couples. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard questions like “Who are these people?” “Where did they come from?” “What are they thinking?” “How do they not understand what Trump is saying?” But that mass of 60 million voters shouldn’t be shocking. While it pretty much always appeared that Clinton would win, it also always appeared that the election would be close, especially over the past few months. For those of us who fear President Trump is going to govern in a way that rejects our principles and reverses decades of what we regard as progress on civil rights, environmental protection, industrial regulation, health care, women’s rights, reproductive rights, foreign policy, and on and on, it makes sense that we feel troubled, concerned, frightened. But if we’re shocked that so many people voted for Trump/Pence because of or despite the views they’ve professed in word and deed, then we haven’t been paying attention. It may be deeply troubling, but it shouldn’t be surprising. Keep in mind that had Clinton won as predicted, that same mass of 60 million Trump/Pence voters would still exist and some moment of reckoning would still lay ahead of us.

Are There Really 60 Million Racist, Homophobic, Anti-Immigrant, Anti-Woman, Anti-Muslim Americans?

Putting the election outcome aside for the moment, what does it mean that nearly 60 million people voted for Trump/Pence? Specifically, does that mass of voters actually agree with and affirm their most egregious statements and policy proposals? I don’t think so. And on my best days, I assume no. Absolutely not. I tend to trust the notion I first saw expressed in a September article in The Atlantic that a high percentage of Trump/Pence voters took them seriously but not literally.[3] On my best days I assume that the Trump/Pence vote, especially in rustbelt heartland states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin was not an affirmation of racism, misogyny, homophobia and xenophobia, but rather a cry for economic renewal, a cry of frustration with the government, a cry for help. I said last week that significant numbers of Trump supporters are themselves hurting, frightened, confused, anxious, dispirited. They feel beaten up, forgotten, overlooked, blamed, and taken for granted. All this is true. Their traditional sources of economic security have disappeared. Their life expectancy is declining. Their communities are crumbling. Their health insurance premiums and deductibles are sky-rocketing. Heroin, meth and prescription pain-killers are ravaging their neighborhoods. Neither major political party has been able to stop this decline. Some will argue this is intentional. Others might call it benign neglect. The time had come last Tuesday for them to vote for a candidate who listens to them, who takes them seriously. Whether Trump actually takes them seriously remains to be seen, but on election day he—not she—fit the bill. And on my best days, if that’s what this vote was really about—a cry for economic renewal; if President Trump and his supporters understand he has just been charged with dismantling the forces driving the nation’s industrial decline, driving the stark, immoral and unsustainable rise in income inequality, driving the erosion of workers’ rights, wages and dignity—and if he and they can understand that he needs to do this in a way that benefits all Americans because the working class is not only White, it is in fact a highly racially diverse class—that’s a conversation I want to be in. Sign me up for that movement. Remember: principles, not party.

The Flaming Chalice

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Stomper in Chief

I will never overlook the people Trump felt he could stomp on to win the election. He stomped on Mexicans and other Hispanics. He stomped on immigrants. He stomped on Black people. He stomped on women. He stomped on the queer community, especially in his selection of Pence as running mate. He stomped mercilessly on the American Muslim community. I’m tired of going through the list of all the people he stomped on. I don’t personally fit into any of these categories, but I know and love people who fit every identity Trump insulted, maligned and threatened during the campaign. People with those identities are beloved members and friends of this congregation. They are our partners in the community. I know their stories. I know something of their pain, their fear, their longing for peace and prosperity for themselves and their families, and I know their love for the nation. I signed on long ago to be an ally, to work in solidarity with oppressed people for their liberation, to work ultimately for our collective liberation, to build the beloved community. So I am struggling. I know when we vote for candidates it doesn’t mean that we agree with everything they say or do. But it would make me feel so much better if there were some statement, some indication that the people who voted for Trump/Pence really don’t take them literally when it comes to border walls, climate change denial and ‘locking her up.’ I’d like to hear some acknowledgement that sexual assault is categorically wrong, and brushing off a confession of a pattern of sexual assault as mere locker room talk rather than condemning it actually helps to normalize it and makes the problem worse. I’d like to hear some acknowledgement that “stop and frisk” is not only unconstitutional but also a demonstrably racist practice that cannot possibly heal the racial divides in our nation. I would like to hear some acknowledgement that discrimination against people based on whom they love is wrong and does not belong in federal or state statutes. I would like to hear some acknowledgement of the fact that the vetting process for refugees to be resettled in the United States is the most thorough process of any nation on the planet. It takes on average four years for a Syrian refugee family to get from a camp in Jordan or Lebanon to home in the United States because the vetting process is so thorough; and, most importantly, no act of terror on American soil since 9/11 has ever been committed by a refugee. There is absolutely no evidence that Syrian refugees are terrorists.

11/13/16 by Joshua Pawelek Unitarian Minister

UUS: East

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“Because of the role that religion has historically

played in denying gay, lesbian, bisexual and

transgender people their full humanity, I believe

that we now have a special calling to reach out

to our GLBT sisters and brothers. We need to

offer an explicit welcome, because the world can

still be a very unwelcoming place. We need to

offer radical acceptance, because neither family

nor society can always be counted on to be

accepting. We need to offer unconditional love,

because Love is at the heart of religious

community.”

— Allison Barrett, Canadian UU Minister