A NATION MOURNS SENATOR KENNEDY

Most Americans would agree that the political climate has been very volatile in these last few weeks. It is encouraging and refreshing to see the depth of heartfelt bipartisan tributes pouring in upon the death of Senator Edward Kennedy. John McCain and Nancy Reagan and many other Republicans have joined Chris Dodd and Joe Biden and other Democrats in honoring the memory of the man who served Massachusetts in the US Senate for forty seven years.

I don't want to make of this space a partisan political battleground. In honesty, though, I have to say that this young Catholic boy, child of working class parents in a working class town, was deeply inspired by the Kennedy family and their commitment to public service. This commitment, embodied in Senator Kennedy, has been duly recognized by colleagues mentioned above as well as his dear friend, Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah.

For a good while, the personal flaws of Ted Kennedy and his brother were held up as examples of immoral behavior by public officials and both brothers underwent considerable public villification. In time, we have all learned that immoral behavior is quite bipartisan as well. Even if you were to quarrel vociferously with his politics and the policies he espoused, please join me in paying tribute today to a man with a great heart and with deep compassion and a profound love for this country.

Please join me as well in a recognition of God's grace that this man, by his own admission, realized the mistakes he had made in his life and then went on to serve his family well and to build a loving marriage. Join me also, if you will, in thanksgiving for God's grace, that this son of privilege, who endured enormous pain and heartbreak in his life, is now at peace and in the eternal presence of God and surrounded forever by an indescribable and incredibly fulfilling love, a love that knows no bounds.

For me, it's tough to write this because I DID admire him and his brothers and I really don't want to have a posthumous fight about politics here in this space. Yet I DO have to say that there is something to be said about admiring the values and ideals and work of certain individuals. I also have to say that one of the best things that can happen to anyone is having people in their lives, public people, who stand for something and inspire you to stand for something too!

So, in my life, I'm glad this family made an impression on me. As a little 8 year old, I'm grateful I heard those words:'Ask not what your country can do for you; Ask what you can do for your country' .I'm glad that in 1960 a barrier of discrimination came tumbling down making possible the removal of other barriers in the future of the nation. I'll long be grateful that when I was quite young I had a chance to meet a then rather young Senator and to speak with him, as he inspired in me a sense that even if you are young, you should get involved, take a stand and not be afraid to speak if you have something to say.

Well, I guess I got the message...........and I am glad that we live in a nation where maybe, just maybe, we can appreciate each other and find ways to see the good in those with whom we might disagree. Our nation needs that and Senator Kennedy exemplified that so powerfully and so well.....hence the tributes over these last two days...

In the ancient words of the faith he cherished so deeply:
.....REQUIESCAT IN PACE

May he rest in peace!

PB

REFLECTIONS ON AN OLD MAINE HIGHWAY...

Yesterday afternoon I found myself traveling an old highway through some very small towns in Central Maine. Instead of finding a restaurant along that old road, we found one small church after another, churches of every possible denomination- Independent Baptists, Congregationalists, Nazarenes, Churches of Christ ( not United, by the way) and so on and so.......Let's not leave out a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall.

Travel Europe's back roads in about 1500 AD, little more than 500 years ago, and for the most part, there was ONE church, the universal ( Catholic) church......Yesterday, I thought to myself ( and spoke aloud!) that Martin Luther would be amazed at what the Reformation he triggered had produced. What would he have thought, I wondered, about all the 'splinter groups' within this one Christian movement...

Well, I don't have Luther to ask, so I will ask you: What do you think? Is Christianity TOO divided? Is there REALLY a UNITY beneath it all? I have my thoughts, but I'd love to hear from you and to give them as response to yours...

By the way, we will look at this more closely in our church's Education series starting SEPTEMBER 27...details linked on home page of www.unioncc.com

Pastor Bob

EVEN THE DEVIL CAN QUOTE............

This past week, a man brought a gun to President Obama's Town Hall meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was wearing a shirt which contained the same quote from Thomas Jefferson that Timothy McVeigh wore on the day he blew up the Oklahoma City Federal Building. Many admirers of Jefferson would cringe thinking that his words might be used for such purposes.

This anecdote does highlight the fact that the same words are often used for different purposes. I think of the old adage that 'even the devil can quote Scripture' and think of how it applies to so many documents, including Scripture! In my view, this highlights the seriousness of the task of interpretation......What was the original INTENT of the writer? What was the CONTEXT in which these words were spoken? Where do these words fit into the framework of other words from the same author?

When we neglect the task of interpretation, we end up using the words we want to use to reflect the opinions we want to express......

Kind of makes you understand why some skeptics are pretty cynical about religion.......You just take your own prejudices and use a 'sacred source' to justify them....

IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY!!

PB

CIVILITY AND TOWN HALLS

Several years back, Yale Law Professor Stephen Carter published a widely discussed book that went by the simple title CIVILITY. Among its many helpful points is the simple one that our society has lost the fine art of engaging in civil discussion and disagreement. He notes well that constitutionally protected speech is not to be confused with helpful and worthwhile speech.

I thought of Carter's work this week as I witnessed some of the public reactions at various Town Hall meetings centered on the health care debate. Interruption and insult are a central, integral part of the agenda of too many participants in these sessions.

While my opinions of WHAT they are saying are certainly colored by where I stand in this debate, this issue of CIVILITY is a separate one. I find myself longing for days when liberals and conservatives and all of those in the middle could have reasoned conversation over those matters about which they disagree.

This problem, made manifest recently in respect to this issue, is a real problem within the Christian church as well........

How can we disagree without being disagreeable?

It's pretty important, wouldn't you say?

PB

A CLARIFICATION

In thinking through the discussion after yesterday's sermon, I have concluded that I was UNCLEAR in something I said:

In response to a comment related to self defense when attacked, I quickly noted that the right to self defense has been part of the Christian moral tradition. While technically and historically correct, my answer did not focus enough on what is quite clear: That in the teachings of JESUS, enunciated in ' The Sermon on the Mount ( MT: 5-7), it is pretty hard to argue against the position that Jesus Himself was a pacifist. What the tradition takes into account is that we as individual moral agents have to make concrete judgments based on the application of moral principles.

HOWEVER................that TECHNICAL FACT has been used all too facilely and glibly and RUNS AWAY FROM the importance of confronting WHAT JESUS REALLY THOUGHT. It was NOT my intention to do that.

PB

What is going on?

After today's sermon on FORGIVENESS ( see below), we had a discussion and then after church someone came up and raised a question that could well lead to another discussion:

This summer, we have seen several examples of horrible, mindless violent acts, the most recent being the shooting at the LA Fitness outside of Pittsburgh. What's going on here? Why are these things happening? What is BREAKING DOWN in the fabric of our culture?

People answer these kinds of questions in different ways:

* Some emphasize the 'personal' i.e. these are circumstances in individual lives and we cannot generalize about these matters.

* Others emphasize the 'sociological' i.e. there are things that have happened within society ( including economic crisis) that make these things more likely....

* Others analyze it in such a way as to emphasize a breakdown that has taken place within both private and public morality...

I've got some opinions on this.....and will share them......but I'd really love to hear yours....

Isn't it great how conversations in church spur on even more conversations?

By the way, if you want to read a book that places these issues front and center, you may want to try Wally Lamb's novel THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED.....a fictional piece with Columbine as a central action.....

Talk to you soon-

Pastor Bob

CELEBRATE OLD HOME DAY

UNION celebrates OLD HOME DAY this coming weekend! Join the festivities on Saturday and join us for worship on Sunday ( see notes on the right.....)

Read more about Union's OLD HOME DAY by checking out the wonderful book UNION LANDS...............

PB

FORGIVENESS

A few months ago the book AMISH GRACE made a great impression on me. It ended up as my suggested summer reading book for our church......( By the way, we will discuss it after worship on SEPTEMBER 13)..

I've decided to spend some time this week rereading it in preparation for Sunday's sermon LETTING GO AND LETTING GOD, a message in which I will focus on forgiveness as theological and practical reality....

As I will say in the sermon, I continue to be concerned with the way vengeance is so readily accepted........I also continue to believe that we have all too closely aligned justice and vengeance, the case of the death penalty being the most obvious and sad example....

If you can......I hope you consider reading AMISH GRACE......fascinating!!

PB

ANNOUNCING FALL PROGRAMS

With the calendar page turning to August, preparation is picking up for the Fall.....

I'm pleased to announce TWO IMPORTANT SERIES I will be offering at our church this Fall....

At 10:45 worship on SEPTEMBER 20, 27, and OCTOBER 4......we will have a SERMON SERIES entitled ' FAMILY VALUES'.......You'll read more about it on this BLOG....

Our FALL EDUCATION SERIES ( 9:00-9:45 on September 27, October 4, 18 and 25) will look at the current state of American religion in historical context. Supplemental readings/interactions will be available:

SEPTEMBER 27 UNDERSTANDING CATHOLICISM
OCTOBER 4 UNDERSTANDING PROTESTANTISM
OCTOBER 18 THE PLACE OF RELIGION IN THE SHAPING OF THE UNITED STATES
OCTOBER 25 RELIGION IN MODERN AMERICA

Please spread the word......Invite family and friends.....Educational series ideal for ADULTS + OLDER YOUTH...

PB

SERMON TOPIC/INPUT

I have recently asked those who attend our church to give input regarding topics they would like to see addressed in sermons. I am doing this as I am in the process of preparing our Fall Sermon Series/programs.....

It strikes me that since a BLOG can address news as it breaks.........if there is anything you'd like addressed in this space, please feel free to add a comment...

FYI....I am currently looking more deeply into this phenomenon known as 'The Family' operating out of C Street in Washington......I want to explore this from the religious perspective......

PB

STILL SIMMERING BENEATH THE SURFACE

By now, most readers are quite familiar with the controversy surrounding President Obama's remarks concerning the arrest of the Harvard professor by a Cambridge police officer. It's not my purpose here to get into the specifics of the arrest nor to get into commentary on the President's remarks.......

Rather, I bring this topic up to comment on a sad reality: Race remains an issue in this nation despite the many tremendous positive gains that have been made. We ALL still have a lot to learn in terms of living out the ideal of equality and living with each other as children of God. Strong feelings remain and, in many cases, for many people, are just simmering beneath the surface of their lives. All it takes then is what we saw last week------one comment or one action- and then it all explodes!

Last year, the United Church of Christ embarked on a project to engage in 'sacred conversations' about race. The need for these conversations continues. The importance of trying to walk in the shoes of people whose background is different from our own is as crucial as it ever was.

There are those who argue that it's time to just put the issue to rest, that we have all been subjected to diversity awareness and multicultural education and it's time to move beyond all of that. I've got a different take!

I think this nation and its institutions even when fulfilling the letter of the law have not always embraced its spirit. I also think that a lot of what passes for diversity and multicultural awareness has been extremely weak educationally. In short, I think we have got a long way to go.....

The good news is that there are conversations going on out there....In my view, it is incumbent upon clergypeople and educators to draw upon this recent Cambridge experience to continue serious conversations about race and other related issues in this nation and in this world. In tough economic times, fear is never far away and when fear is handled improperly, bad things can happen.....

It's important that Christian leaders press forward with Jesus' vision of human reconciliation and understanding.......the kind of contribution that can make a difference in our all too divided nation...

PB

A GREAT CONCERT

It was a spirited afternoon in Union yesterday as AMY GALLATIN AND STILLWATERS kicked off the town's 275th anniversary celebration. We thank Amy and band for joining us and sharing their music with us. It was really a wonderful day!

PB

275th anniversary kicks off in Union, Connecticut

Sunday's concert featuring the performer AMY GALLATIN ( see www.unioncc.com for details..........hope you will come!!) marks the beginning of the celebration of Union's 275th anniversary. I'm very blessed to serve as Pastor of the only church in Connecticut's smallest town, a community with a magnificent history, a beautiful town with a rich heritage and tradition, a town of whom its residents are so rightly very, very proud!

Hope to see you Sunday......a ride out to Union is really worth it!

PB

ANOTHER FASCINATING BOOK!!!

A real 'must read' on the summer list is Pete Hamill's classic SNOW IN AUGUST. I am currently enjoying it very much. In it, the author tells a fascinating story while shedding light on American culture and the place of religion within it. Set in Brooklyn after WW II, SNOW IN AUGUST tells a great story of immigrant Jews and Catholics in American culture, all with the backdrop of the emergence of Jackie Robinson, Brooklyn second baseman, the first African American in the major leagues.

If you like history, the study of religion, the place of immigrants in American culture, baseball or just like a good story...try SNOW IN AUGUST

PB

WALTER CRONKITE

Much has been said about famous CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite in these last few days. As one who grew up watching the CBS News and as someone who turned to it to watch the great historical events of my then young life unfold ( Vietnam, Watergate, the deaths of JFK, Bobby and Martin Luther King and, of course, the landing on the moon), the death of this great newsman strikes me as quite significant.

Yet of all the accolades Mr. Cronkite has justly received, the one that stood out to me came from Don Hewitt, former producer of 6o Minutes, who called Cronkite' America's minister, priest and rabbi.' Well, as a minister, that sure got my attention......and with good reason. At a time in our history when traditional organized religion was undergoing tremendous upheaval and a real shaking of its foundations, we human beings needed the kind of rudders which religious leaders are called to be. We needed people who could get us to examine the deeper questions, in the case of the news, those crucial matters of PUBLIC morality. It's clear that Walter Cronkite was truly that kind of rudder and, for that, those of my generation as well as those earlier and somewhat later, should quite rightly be grateful.

PB

SUMMER READING- James Carroll's PRACTICING CATHOLIC

Readers of this BLOG know I like to do recommended reading ( see archives for thorough list). A fascinating book with which I am currently working is James Carroll's PRACTICING CATHOLIC.

I highly recommend this book for current Catholics, former Catholics, 'fallen away' Catholics, those involved in relationships with Catholics and EVERYONE who wishes to come to a deeper understanding of Catholicism and religion in America. I expect this will become a required text in college/grad courses dealing with religion in our country and with Catholicism.

It is my belief that just as Protestantism had/has MANY GIFTS which have benefitted Catholics( love for the Bible, Biblical scholarship, singing in church, worship in one's own language) so too does Catholicism offer a multiplicity of gifts that can enrich Protestant religious experience.

Likewise, the mainstream theological traditions which formed Catholicism and those church communities that developed out of the Reformation provide necessary background and foundation for a mainstream Christianity in this 21st century, a Christianity that offers a viable alternative to the excesses and weak theology and Biblical knowledge one finds all too often within the so called 'religious right.'

If you are not Catholic and want to really take Catholicism seriously and learn more about your Catholic friends and neighbors, this is the book for you. If you are Catholic and want to read something that resonates with what may have happened within your own family, grab hold of this book...

PB

MICHAEL JACKSON

Today is the Memorial Service for Michael Jackson, an event televised by all of the major networks. The fact that this is happening is a fascinating phenomenon in and of itself. The reaction to his death, as is so often the case with that of so many 'stars' ( e.g. Elvis, John Lennon and various athletic and entertainment figures) raises all kinds of interesting questions. Here are but a few:

1. Why do so many attach such emotional investment to people whom we don't even know?

2. Why do so many hold such public figures in such high esteem?

3. Why such intensity of the emotion of GRIEF when our knowledge of the person comes from video, CD, television, the Internet and I Tunes? After all, we live in a world in which people are wracked with grief because of tragedies in their personal lives, a world which suffers death each day, in the form of WAR, POVERTY, and HUNGER....

In Michael Jackson's particular case, much of his life was far from laudatory. I hope we are not suggesting it's sensible or acceptable for middle aged men to live out a childish, Peter Pan like life!

Now, having said all of this, I want to say a few other things as well:

* Michael Jackson was an immensely talented singer and performer whose work had the power to touch peoples' souls. I first encountered MAN IN THE MIRROR when a Youth Group member brought the video to a retreat I was leading many, many years ago.....It was downright moving and inspirational....

* Michael Jackson stands in line of a great tradition of music in the African American community. One cannot easily discount his working class roots in the economically challenged city of Gary, Indiana. If anything, this fact has been woefully underplayed in the press.

* Finally, Michael Jackson was a troubled soul who yearned for peace, love and joy in his life. Clearly a victim of abuse in his childhood, he sought inner happiness and desired the same for others. It is sad that this quest took the turns that it did, turns which eventually led to the silencing of a great voice at all too young an age.

May Michael Jackson alas find peace in the loving arms of His Creator. May we who witness this media blitz maintain perspective and keep our own focus fixed not on those things glitzly and transitory, but keep ourselves fixed upon GOD!

Augustine's words, true for Michael Jackson, are true for us as well:

' Our hearts are restless, O God, and they will not rest until they rest in Thee'

May His soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, REST IN PEACE.
AMEN+

A GREAT TIME TO COME TO CHURCH.....

While I'd certainly support going to church anytime, I'd like to encourage summer church attendance. There is something about the relaxed pace that makes it very special. In addition, it is a great time to visit a church, explore, search or reconnect.

I'd also like to encourage families with children to consider summer worship......It is a great time to help children really familiarize themselves with intergenerational worship....

Hope to see you soon in church---

PB

An intriguing Biblical statement

In this weekend's reading, from 2 Corinthians 12, Paul writes of his struggle with a ' thorn in the flesh'.....

Though he never describes what this thorn is, much has been written about it and HIS struggle can provide inspiration for us as we ourselves struggle with the finitude and imperfection of our own humanity....

Hope to see you in church this weekend as I will preach on the topic:

POWER AND WEAKNESS

PB

AMY GALLATIN IN UNION

On July 26, our church is pleased to host the musical artist AMY GALLATIN as we celebrate the 275th anniversary of the Town of Union.

More info is posted on this BLOG ( see right column) and at www.unioncc.com

Hope to see you there!!!

Pastor Bob

A POEM AND OTHER WRITTEN WORDS.....

In my early summer reading, I came across a great poem I had not encountered for years.......Those of you from my church can most readily identify with it...

As years go on, I am more and more convinced of the value and strength of small churches in our land and in our world...

Click on the link below for this poem by e.e. cummings:

http://www.geocities.com/soho/8454/749.htm

As a Father's day gift, I just received the final collection of the late John Updike's short stories entitled MY FATHER'S TEARS.......There is some incredible writing in there, including the short story by that title.....Also, his VARIETIES OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE based on 9/11 is really powerful...

PB

ON A PERSONAL NOTE......

As you can see from the post below, I spent some time in church talking about the subject TEAM SPIRIT. Since then, I've had the fun experience of being on a postseason ride with my South Windsor High baseball team that leaves us one win away from a State Championship game. If you want to get achance to see some good high school baseball, you can tune in to http://www.sportingnewsct.com/ for a live videocast of the June 10 ( Wednesday) game in the state semifinals.......

BROADCAST TIME IS 3:30 on Wednesday afternoon....

PB

TEAM SPIRIT, A PENTECOST MESSAGE

On May 31, Pentecost Sunday, I will deliver a message entitled TEAM SPIRIT.

As I conclude a long career coaching High School sports, I will draw the analogy between what goes on with a team and what we are expected to be as a church...

For those of you who do NOT like sports or think that sports is given too high a priority in this culture, I hope and I think you will find that this message IS NOT FOR SPORTS FANS ONLY.....

But I also think my experience in this area makes the analogous thinking make some sense....

In order to do some advance thinking on this.....CONSIDER ANSWERING THE TWO POLL QUESTIONS TO YOUR RIGHT...

PB

GOV. RELL AND THE DEATH PENALTY

The Connecticut House and Senate have both passed a bill to abolish the death penalty. It awaits the Governor's signature. I encourage readers to contact Governor Rell and encourage her to do what is in her power to rid our state of this practice....

PB

PRESIDENT OBAMA AT NOTRE DAME

President Obama delivered an incredible speech today at the University of Notre Dame. It was remarkable for many reasons. It was a serious attempt to establish COMMON GROUND so that people on both sides of the abortion debate can stop screaming and shouting and instead recognize one another as God's children and ACT WITH CIVILITY, too often an abandoned quality.

I'll have more to say about this, probably tomorrow, but, for now, I'd recommend you view it on:

http://www.msnbc.com/

I'd like your reaction...

Pastor Bob

THE DEATH PENALTY IN CONNECTICUT

I am encouraged that there is a serious move afoot to abolish the death penalty in Connecticut. I honestly hope that this effort succeeds. I would be interested in readers' perspectives on this question. In my view, the death penalty sends a bad message, is vengeance based, and is ineffective. I find it hard to justify in terms of the teachings of Jesus, Himself a victim of.....the death penalty of His day....

PB

DOES IT MATTER?

If you are a believing Christian, does it matter if you are Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, UCC or any other church? Are all churches really the same?

Check out our POLL QUESTIONS to the right......

THIS SUNDAY...I'll be preaching a sermon called ' TO BE UCC'.....

I'd be interested in your thoughts on the United Church of Christ...

* What are its distinguishing characteristics?
* is there a UCC approach to theology + church?
* What makes the UCC similar/different from other Christian churches?
* Do these questions even matter?...OR ARE THEY IRRELEVANT?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

PB

TO BE UCC

This Sunday, May 17, I will preach a message called :

TO BE UCC

It's a look at the United Church of Christ in the context of Christianity in America...

Watch this blog for updated thoughts this week and maybe a poll or two...

PB

JUDGMENT AND SALVATION...........an attempt to go indepth.....

Please read my response after Comment # 13 in my Senate Bill 899 posting......

PB

I wish I understood.......

One of the readers of this blog, in responding to the MANY comments concerning my post on the Senate Bill codifying marriage equality in Connecticut, wrote that he/she found the discussion, in my paraphrased understanding, to be an unfortunate expenditure of energy.....

Here's my take.....

For SOME REASON, the posts that get the MOST reaction are the ones having to do with homosexuality. On this page, I have posts offering reflections on EASTER, SPIRITUAL PRACTICES, and FAVORITE HYMNS...hymns which are spiritually meaningful......and these posts have drawn ZERO responses..........

Mention homosexuality.........and the WALLS come tumbling down....

A couple of responders offer insights regarding why this is so.......

Within a few minutes of posting this, I will put something else on this blog which responds specifically and thoroughly----

PB