840 Sandwich Road
East Falmouth, MA 02536
508-457-0449

Messages from the Minister
Robert F. Murphy

What's the message on Sunday morning and on other occasions in our Unitarian Universalist congregation? We have a variety of speakers during the year. The sermons that follow are a sampling of the messages prepared by Rev. Murphy. Some have been condensed or revised for website use. The date when Bob's sermon was first published in the Sand Script newsletter is indicated.

Matters of Faith: Energy, Faith, and Justice

2009 October

Unitarian Universalists In The Middle East

2008 May

I've returned from my sabbatical and my days on the Jericho Road. It was, indeed, a religious experience. Although, like many religious experiences, it's not easy to explain. I can share a few photographs and I can offer a travelogue but you'll need something more in order to understand where I've been and what I've been doing since Easter Sunday.

Here's the story in brief: In late March, 2008, I went to Israel and Palestine with an Israeli tourist group. My wife and I were together for ten days. We traveled in an air-conditioned bus with two guides and an armed guard. Lyn and I stayed at nice hotels and we enjoyed some first-rate meals and hospitality. When our motor coach came to military check-points, the soldiers were courteous and efficient. No passports required and few questions asked. Our guides said a few words to the right people, and, in a few seconds, our tour bus was rolling again and headed for another restaurant or resort.

We traveled along the Jericho Road through West Bank areas. Also, we went to other places in Israel and Palestine. We saw Masada and the Dead Sea. We stayed overnight at a kibbutz and we met with artists and mystics who entertain the rich and famous. Madonna, the popular singer, has discovered the occult philosophy known as "kabbala". Lyn and I had a crash course in the subject. I had a massage in Jerusalem. We went to Galilee and we even ventured into the Golan Heights to look at Syria and the mountains of Lebanon. On the Golan Heights, there's a small building where refreshments are sold. Nearby, you can see minefields and the remains of a tank.

Israeli newspapers are filled with rumors. "Do you think that the Syrians will attack this week?" the tourists asked. It's a persistent question and the answer is always "maybe".

Maybe this week, maybe next year. A few days ago, all of Israel practiced for the next emergency. Air raid sirens screamed and school children ducked for cover. New gas masks are being distributed to civilians but hotels tell their guests "no need to worry".

Two weeks ago, on the Golan Heights, observers from the United Nations drove past our tour group. Kids in uniform played soccer at an artillery park. Lyn and I walked into the local shopping mall and we saw young women reading fashion magazines while carrying M-16 automatic rifles. We went to a Golan Heights steakhouse where a retired army colonel, now a restaurant owner, briefed his customers on the current military situation. In the days of John the Baptist, the inns served local wine and they still do.

After ten days of comfortable travel, Lyn and I arrived in Tel Aviv. Lyn returned to the United States and I joined a second tour group. This time, I went through Israel and Palestine with Arab Palestinians in Palestinian vehicles. My tour guides were registered tour guides and all of our actions were legitimate and easily explained. I visited places that Lyn and I had visited a few days earlier. However, this time the reception was a bit different. Imagine the racial divide in Mississippi and Georgia during the 1950s.

Jimmy Carter says that Israel and Palestine have become an "apartheid society" and, because of my recent journey, I'll nod in agreement. The gap between Arab and Israeli experience is enormous. When I was with the Palestinians, Israeli military authorities were, suddenly, very interested in my travels. I was also stopped by the Palestinian police who asked about Jewish settlers. At military road blocks, I was asked several times each day to show my passport and to explain myself. I was with Arab villagers in the hills near Jerusalem when a young soldier with a dog told me to "stop taking photographs". His soldier companion raised his rifle, I covered my camera, and I stopped asking questions. Nothing unusual, I suspect. Happens every day.

There's more to the story and it's the part that matters most. My Israeli guides were courteous and efficient but they swept their tourists past the difficult places in Israel and Palestine. That's their job and they're very good at what they do. Imagine a team of white Southern tour guides in Dixie during the 1960s. Forty years ago, tourists from the North saw the mansions of Charleston and New Orleans and avoided the shanty-towns.

Don't settle for Southern-style hospitality and a quick drive through the countryside. Take the Jericho Road once. Then, travel the Jericho Road again. When I made the West Bank journey for a second time, my Arab guides insisted that I stop and take a closer look at the scenery. We met with refugee groups, with social service workers, and with families that have lost their homes because of demolitions. We talked with human rights and peace activists. I met with farmers and with others to discuss environmental justice needs. Much of the population is malnourished - probably twenty percent, maybe more - and Arab families live with problems that reminded me of the poverty that I saw on American Indian reservations during my time in VISTA service in the Southwest.

Several people have asked me for a political message. Maybe a sermon that will name the evil doers in the Middle East and that will offer a quick cure for all of the region's problems. If you want political statements, I encourage you to check the Internet or the daily newspapers. Hundreds of political writers, sitting in comfortable places, can provide you with lots of news and analysis. Writers have been writing about the Middle East for thousands of years. So there are writers on the political left, and writers on the political right, and writers in the middle, and they all have something to say about who's to blame and who's to praise in the politics of the Middle East. Take your pick. Some of the information that's available may be very helpful. All sorts of opinions and theories have appeared and I can't provide you with any new insights or promises.

However, I do encourage you to think about the Jericho Road. It's the difficult road that's associated with the Good Samaritan story in the Bible. It's the highway that Jesus followed on his last trip to Jerusalem. The religious lesson is simple and it's the same for every generation. If you want inner peace, and if you want peace in your family or community, stay with the Jericho Road. You may have to travel on the Jericho Road again, and then again, and, maybe you'll have to repeat your journey a few more times, before you finally get things right. You'll go into some difficult places and you may have to work with some difficult people. This is what the peacemaking process requires and you'll find the same requirements in Massachusetts and in Northern Ireland and in other parts of the world. It's religious work that requires a religious commitment.

The good news from Israel and Palestine is that there are hundreds of men and women who are working, in their different ways, to resolve conflicts and to develop a healthy society. You'll find these good people among the Muslims, among the Jews, among the Christians, and with the various minorities and secular groups. I met with some of these people. They're part of the modern world. However, they represent a religious way of living in the world that doesn't belong to a particular nation, denomination, or moment in history.

Mary Magdalene and the twelve apostles might recognize life on today's Jericho Road. Motor coaches and trucks have replaced camel caravans. However, Arab villagers on the West Bank face incredible hardships and frustrations. Conflict and the threat of conflict are always present. Israelis, too worry about their physical safety and Jewish settlers have weapons hidden in their homes and automobiles. Suicide bombers and other terrorists can appear at any moment. In Israel and in Palestine, there are lots of political leaders, with lots of political advice for their constituents, but the old difficulties continue year after year.

Look around in today's West Bank and you'll understand the context in which early Christianity appeared. The story of Jesus of Nazareth begins to make sense.

Religion often develops in times of social crisis. Muslims and Jews have their own heroes and heroines to celebrate. We need to listen to all of the stories. If we refuse to listen, and if we refuse to respect all of the cultures and all of the ethnic groups that are involved in the Holy Land conflicts, the conflicts will grow. And they will continue to pull Americans and others into new difficulties. Peace is possible but a lot of effort is required.

The best religious leaders are the peacemakers who try to create sympathy and cooperation between different groups. The worst are the preachers who encourage division. However, there are also charlatans in the spiritual marketplace who try to ignore social injustice and these people, too, are part of the problem. They've accepted the status quo and they've told their disciples that "social progress is impossible". Live for yourself, is the message and don't worry about human life on the dirty side of Bethlehem. The charlatans offer fatalism, self-indulgence, and a dose of snake oil.

Good religion includes the words "love your neighbor". Look for the message. It's always important.

What exists in the Middle East is a series of moral dilemmas and cultural contradictions that won't be easily resolved. The United States is trapped in the mud of the Middle East and the problems of Israel and Palestine and nations like Iran and Iraq and Saudi Arabia will trouble American life for many decades. We can't ignore the Middle East. We can spend billions on military hardware and on foreign aid. However, at the end, the United States will discover what the ancient Romans discovered. The Middle East involves a set of religious problems that will require a series of religious solutions. Blessed are the peacemakers and all of the Good Samaritans who travel along the Jericho Road.

"Black Cat Blues"
2007 January

"Cats aren't like other people", said my Grandmother Murphy. Grandmother didn't joke about anything, so I don't question her judgment. She always was a bit cautious with cats and she advised her grandchildren to treat cats with respect and even a bit of deference.

Cats are often a bit mysterious, and frequently a bit aloof, and they seldom apologize or explain. They don't think or talk like other people. However, it's possible to become fond of animal companions. When you become close to a creature - to a horse, or a pet rabbit, or even a goldfish - you need to acknowledge that relationship and you need to understand its importance. When they die, it's necessary to feel sorrow and to mourn them.

Tarfoot died in late December. She will be missed by Lyn and myself. We didn't own Tarfoot but she befriended us and we appreciated her strength and her tenderness during ten years in the South and in Massachusetts. She was a large black cat who we met in North Carolina's tobacco country, very close to the Outer Banks. Where she came from or how she had survived in her previous adventures was never explained. So, of course, there were lots and lots of stories and some of the stories may have come close to the truth.

An elderly couple had lived in our neighborhood in Morehead City before we arrived. Hurricane Fran hit the coast of North Carolina, on September 6, 1996, and the elders were evacuated. They never returned to their home and their pets were abandoned. It was assumed that Tarfoot was one of the cats left behind in the confusion. She became known as "Tarfoot" because people from North Carolina are, traiditionally, known as "Tar Heels." Cats don't have heels like human beings, so naturally, a black cat from the Old North State is known as "Tarfoot."

"Somebody shot your cat," said one of the veterinarinas who examined Tarfoot. The cat had a metal pellet embedded in her left front shoulder. Black cats take some risks during the Halloween season and it's possible that Tarfoot became an easy target for a boy with a BB gun. Or perhaps she tried to raid a trash can during the weeks after the big storm. In any event, when we first met her, our feline friend lived like a refugee and she was uneasy with strangers. She lived under our house, eating her meals in the dark in the crawl space. After a few weeks, she decided that she could trust us, so she became a bit closer to Lyn and me. Eventually, Tarfoot decided to eat her evening dinner in our kitchen.

There were more stories, and perhaps, you've heard a few. Tarfoot was a Dixie-cat. She meowed with a Southern drawl. Tarfoot enjoyed visiting the Unitarian Universalists but she couldn't identify with the humanists. She was a catalyst who knew which species matters most in the universe. When she wore a white collar with her black coat, she looked like an old-fashioned preacher, but she preferred to stay in quiet surroundings to develop her meditation techniques. She was more agile than most yogis and, like most cats, Tarfoot knew how to use solar power. Eventually, she moved to Cataumet, on Cape Cod, "in order to put the cat in Cataumet." It was a cozy cat's life that she seemed to enjoy.

Like too many people, North and South, our companion died from lung cancer. She wasn't like other people, but she was important to us. Lyn and I will remember Tarfoot and we'll find ways in which to express our grief. If you've cared for animals, then, perhpas, you know the feeling.

"Our Congregation Remembers 9/11"
2006 September

Horror in New York City, and in Washington, DC, and in an open field in rural Pennsylvania. An American day of tragedy and infamy. Pearl Harbor, at least, was an attack by one military force against another. This September, civilians suffered because of something that is still difficult to name and fully understand.

In October, five years ago, the above was the first paragraph in our congregation's Sand Script newsletter. Like most congregations, we were shaken by the events that are now remembered as "9/11." It was an intense experience that triggered a religious response. In the year 2002, our newsletter still asked, "What did it mean, September 11th, 2001? This year, while conflict continues in the Middle East, many people ask the question again.

"Our world is greatly changed," said Peter Crossley, who was our church president five years ago. "My hope is that our government will respond rationally, cooperating with all other concerned countries to obtain justice and prevent the recurrence of such dastardly acts." You'll find Peter Crossley's comments carefully preserved in our congregation's archives."

"I didn't know any of the people who died on September 11th," said Peggy Sabin, when she spoke at the first of the 9/11 memorial gatherings on Falmouth's village green. "And, yet, I felt that I knew them all." There were other voices that also expressed empathy and insight."

"The truth is that you're not the only falling stars," said young Jack Gayer, in a message written on the banner that our Sunday school children prepared and displayed.

What's important is that our congregation did respond, in appropriate ways, to what happened five years ago. Committee records and old newsletters will tell the story to future generations. Lisa Dunne, our religious education director, organized a children's chapel in which children and others spoke about their anger and sadness. The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth participated in two interfaith events. Some of our members volunteered to help with emergency services. We opened our doors to the community.

After the terrorist attacks, some Americans demanded racial profiling and the suppression of civil liberties. Our congregation asked for fairness and, in those days, that request required a bit of courage. For November 11th, 2001, we invited an Islamic leader and his family to speak in Falmouth. We co-sponsored a presentation with the First Congregational Church. Afterwards, Imam Talal Eid presented our church library with a copy of the Koran.

It's all part of our story and, looking back, we need to know that September 11, 2001, was one of the days that brought many of us to a better understanding of "the things that really matter." It was a religious experience. Whatever you felt, whatever you did in response to the day's events, and what you feel and do in the present moment, are important things to reflect upon. If you're still searching for "spirituality," look within. And remember.

"Help Wanted: Angels Only, Please"
2006 February

Trying to find new leaders in organized religion is always a challenge. Mohammed and the Buddha both reported some difficulties as their congregations started to grow. It wasn't easy to recruit the right volunteers to direct religious education classes, manage committees, and comfort the afflicted. Among the early Jews and the first Christians -well, the situation was much the same. When archaeologists deciphered the second set of Dead Sea scrolls, they found the following notes from one of the forgotten councils in the ancient Middle East. Apparently, the scribes and Pharisees were trying to evaluate other people. These comments come from their personnel records.

Adam and Eve: Our council was interested in the possibility of bringing this famous couple into our religious work. They claim to have been living in this region "since the beginning." However, they may be a bit too Bohemian for our group. They've been seen walking in the woods while in the nude. The woman talks to snakes. No record of a marriage between these two. They might be aging hippies or worse.

Esther: At first, we were impressed. Esther is brave and intelligent. She has been successful in a culturally diverse situation. Yet, we're disturbed by reports that she used her feminine wiles to manipulate her husband. Esther inspired a religious book that never mentioned God. Not a good role model for today's young women.

Noah: Involved with unrealistic building projects. An alarmist. Talks about global warming and animal rights as if these were religious concerns.

Moses: A poor communicator who stutters at times. Angry with local employers. Wouldn't it be better if we all stayed in Egypt?

Mary: This is a fourteen year old, pregnant without a husband, who comes from somewhere in the sticks. She told us that she wants to go to Bethlehem to fulfill some great purpose. Is she trying to compete with Madonna? Looks like a loser to us.

Peter: Solid as a rock but he's not right for our fellowship. No record of a college education. Goes to late-night parties with peculiar people. He has a bad temper and he has been known to curse. We've received reports about a major personalitiy clash with Paul, in Antioch. It's important to avoid conflict if we want our church to grow.

Deborah: Too judgmental. Involved with the military.

"Canaanite Woman": Sloppy presentation. The council couldn't read her name or the address on her application form. Mark suspects that she is Greek, not Canaanite, but we really don't care. Jesus called her a dog and that's all that we need to know.

Job: Everything goes wrong for this guy. His creepy appearance and his shabby clothes made us feel uneasy. We offered some good advice but he wouldn't listen. Sorry, Job, we can't help you. Listen to your wife.

Judas Iscariot: Strong leader with insider experience. Unlike our other candidates, Judas has a first and a last name. This is very helpful for corporate record keeping. He knows how to manage money and we were impressed by his speech on behalf of the poor. Judas won't be distracted by mindless rituals or frivolous behavior. We like him. Highly recommended!

Minister's Note: Many thanks to Nancy Reider and others at the Unitarian Universalist church in Brewster for providing inspiration and notes for this essay on church leadership.

"Healthy Landscape"
2005 November

For the past ten years and a bit more, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth has been responsible for the meadow and the woods close to our Sandwich Road meetinghouse. With each new season, we've become more familiar with our surroundings and we've developed a better understanding of our mission. There were native gardens and colonial farms in this region long before our meetinghouse was contructed. We hope that we can serve as wise stewards for this particular section of Cape Cod, so that the land that we now occupy can be enjoyed by future generations. A hundred years from now, even five hundred years from now, we may be judged by our actions in the environment. Archaelogists may sift through the soil and ask, "Who were these people?"

In August 2006, members of our Landscape Subcommittee came before the church's governing board with a proposed "Statement of Landscape Principles." It was adopted as a policy statement for our whole congregation and on October 15th and on October 16th the statement was distributed to church members. The "Statement of Landscape Principles" promises that our congregation will work for a healthy environment by reducing water use at our meetinghouse, by restricting our use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, by selecting native plants, and by taking other appropriate actions. We hope that we can be an inspiration to visitors.

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth can lead by example. What we do with our land sends a message to our neighbors and to future generations. We can sign petitions, write letters, and discuss the great issues of the day, and all of these activities may be significant and worthy of much attention, but, quite often, it's the simple activities in life that have thte greatest impact. Emerson said that there are sermons in stones and in the mud puddles on Boston Common, but, quite often, the best of sermons will be found in gardens and in a pleasant and sustainable landscape. In response to the beauty of our surroundings, I can only say, "Amen."

"Thanksgiving Day Reconsidered"
2005 November

Concern for the land, a desire for justice and peace, and the hope that neighbors will live together in friendship are sentiments that will be found throughout the world. When nomads cease their wandering and begin to tend gardens - an experience that is almost universal - harvest holidays soon follow. And so it is that days of thanksgiving have long been celebrated in Africa and Asia, among the peoples of Europe and the Middle East, and in the Americas.

Harvest festivals have taken place on the coast of Massachusetts for a thousand years - maybe more. The early crops raised by native peoples in our region included corn, beans and squash. European settlers arrived in the Plymouth area in 1620 and the following year - "by the goodness of God" and with much appreciation - the colonists set aside three days during the autumn for entertainment and feasting. Wampanoag neighbors joined the festivities. Thus began the tradition of the Pilgrim's first Thanksgiving. It's still an important occasion for many reasons.

William Bradford, in remembering the early years of the Plymouth settlement, later wrote:

Thus, out of small beginnings, greater thaings have been produced by God's hand, the hand that made all things out of nothing, and gives being to all things that are; and, as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shown unto many, yea, in some sort, to our whole nation.

The Pilgrim congregation in Plymouth continues today as an active Unitarian Universalist congregation. A replica of the first meetinghouse - the building where religious services took place in the 1620's - is included in the village at Plimouth Plantation and it's a place that modern pilgrims should visit. We need to do some reflection. In some ways, today's Unitarian Universalists are very close to the tradition that William Bradford and others established in their frontier settlement. And, yet, in other ways, we're very different from our colonial forebearers.

Let us deepen our religious understanding and expand our vision during this special moment.

In 1996, John Peters joined with other religious leaders for Falmouth's interfaith Thanksgiving Day service. The service took place at the Unitarian Universalist meetinghouse in Falmouth. Mr. Peters, whose traditional name was Slow Turtle or "Cjegktoonupa" in Wampanoag, was the Supreme Medicine Man of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe. In describing his responsibilities he said on another occasion:

As Supreme Medicine Man, I am charged with and empowered to practice the ancestral spiritual teaching of my People. These teachings have been handed down from generation to generation to express our relation to All That Is. Among my responsibilities is the practice of spiritual ceremonies for and with all who come to me as a spiritual teacher. According to our spiritual teachings, all beings are related. The teachings are open to all sincere persons who seek an understanding of the Native Way of Life and what it means to be a human being."

John Peters died in 1997. His spiritual insights and his wise leadership are still respected by Unitarian Universalists and by many others on contemporary Cape Cod. Blessed Be.

"Jesus and the Christians"
2005 May

In his will, Pope John Paul II asked Roman Catholic cardinals to look at "The Last Judgement," a giant fresco that appears in the Sistine Chapel. "Michelangelo's vision must then speak to them," said John Paul in one of his final poems.

I don't know if the College of Cardinals followed the last pope's advice. Still, we can hope that church leaders paused for at least a few minutes to reflect on one of the great allegories of Western art. "The Last Judgement," completed in 1541, shows the souls of men and women rising up to face visions of hell and paradise. Some will be saved but many of the proud will fall into despair and darkness. Heaven, we're told, isn't easily achieved.

The man previously known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany has now been elected as Pope Benedict XVI. The new pope celebrated a public mass on April 20, promising to reunify all Christians. It's a bold promise and it will be interesting to see how it develops in the months ahead. During the past twenty years, Joseph Ratzinger has been a powerful figure in the Vatican, enforcing church doctrine and breaking dissent. He has campaigned against liberation theology, against gay rights, and against proposals for women priests.

Unitarian Universalists stand on the sidelines. Many of us honor Jesus of Nazareth and we take his teachings quite seriously. And, yet, there is something about mainstream Christianity that leaves many of us uneasy. We sometimes ask, "Would Jesus, the great teacher and friend of oppressed peoples, be welcomed in today's Christian churches?" How many Protestant and Roman Catholic leaders take the time to reflect on the Jesus story? What we see in some churches is surprising and even disturbing. Clearly, there is much that is "Christian" that has little to do with the Nazarene.

The Boston Globe, March 29, focused attention on the new generation of conservative Christians who are trying to guide American politics. Life has been good for many of these people and many enjoy large homes, two or three automobiles, and attractive communities. Christianity for many of these people is a feel-good experience. It's also a big stick for the self-righteous. "This is the word of God!" shouted one patriarch while waving his Bible in front of reporters. People in other faith traditions are pushed aside. Religious pluralism is a problem. For the patriarch, even a kind Hindu like Mohandas Gandhi is damned to hell.

Jesus of Nazareth, who was a devout Jew who reached out to people in other cultures, would be uncomfortable with much of today's "Christianity." Heaven, said Jesus, isn't easily achieved and the proud and the self-righteous need to reexamine their ways. Be generous with your neighbors. Look at the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. Pause for some reflection.

"Can We Believe Whatever We Like?"

2005 March

"Can Unitarian Universalists believe whatever they want to believe?" asks a visitor.

"We believe what we must and should believe," may be the best answer to this perennial question.

Some members of our Falmouth Fellowship celebrate Easter. Some will meet on the Day of the Spring Equinox. We have church members, also, who are involved with both holidays.

The guidance of reason and the results of science press us in certain directions. Kindness and respect for metaphor and myth are also important. May there always be young people who suspect that a large rabbit hides chocolate eggs behind the family sofa on the night before Easter. It's a fanciful story that belongs to childhood. Still, by the age of seven or eight, a bit of skepticism is appropriate. People outgrow childish things and, if they're fortunate, they move forward to a religious understanding that's appropriate for adults. Some stories are left behind. Ohter stories are seen in a new light.

Generations of Universalists and Unitarians have embraced a radical understanding of Jesus of Nazareth and his mission. On Easter morning and on other occasions, we try to better appreciate what Jesus accomplished during his life. Jesus reached out to the abandoned and the oppressed, he gave himself to the poor and to others, and he served as a healer in places where he was needed and accepted. That's what we need to know. Our attention is focused on the life of Jesus, not the death, and he's still a source of inspiration.

"We believe what we must and should believe." There's something else to announce in the month of March.

"Practice Resurrection!" declares the poet Denise Levertof. Shovel the snow from Cape Cod walks and driveways. Check the patio furniture that has been stored away since last November. Break the ice and think about the gardens that will soon be planted. Take a basket of muffins to a friend and if your friend asks about Easter services, you can say, "Have you thought about the Unitarian Universalists? Come join us on Easter Sunday!"

"Politics and Religion"
2004 August

This is a difficult moment in the American experience, and people wonder about the future of the United States and the future of our congregation. Inevitably, the questions are asked, "What has our Fellowship accomplished?" "What's the religious message that we bring to the communitites where we live?" "Does our presence on Cape Cod make a difference in the world?"

One story may be helpful in answering these questions. Its very recent. As the bombs began to fall on Baghdad in March 2003, I received a telephone call from a newspaper reporter. "I was at Otis Air Force Base," she said, "and I asked if there were any churches in the area that were helping to care for military families. The people at the base said that the Unitarian Universalists in Falmouth were helpful."

Yes, I said, that's true. We have some members of our congregation who are concerned about military families. We try to provide some assistance in the places where it's needed.

It was my turn to be hesitant. Yes, I explained, our congregation passed a resolution that expressed opposition to an American pre-emptive attack against Iraq. We haven't changed our position. However, we have a tradition of working for justice and compassion in the world and, right now, there are some military families close to home who need our kindness.

I don't know if my response was satisfactory or not. For some people, it's important to keep America divided. On one side, we're told, are all the hawks, and on the other side you'll find thd doves. Each group, we're told, moves and thinks and protests in certain ways that can easily be anticipated. On Cape Cod, the hawks are supposed to listen to certain radio stations, eat in particular diners, vote for some candidates and not others, and they're expected to be in conservative churches on Sunday mornings. The doves, according to local gossip, go to a different set of restsaurants, worship in certain churches, and listen to radio station WCAI. When the world is neatly divided between "those people" and "our people," it's easy to make judgments and to throw rocks and insults against the neighbors. That's what happens during wartime. It's unfortunate and unnecessary and we should encourage everyone to move beyond conflict and into something healthy.

Eventually, the day of reckoning arrives for individuals and for great nations. All of us, including our skeptics, will reach to moment of accountability. Asian mystics talked about the laws of karma, and Christians read Matthew 25:31-46. There are lots of rivers but, at the end, all of the different streams are brought together in one great ocean. It's a religious lesson that should be easily appreciated on Cape Cod and in other places.

"Ringing the Bells on Cape Cod"
2004 June

I offer a pastoral message for the end of church year 2003-2004.

It's very simple: We need to understand that the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth has the opportunity to become a flagship church on the Atlantic. We need to ring our church bells - to speak clearly and without hesitation - at critical mements. We may not be the largest congregation on Cape Cod or the wealthiest or the most prestigious. And yet, we do have a mission. We have the ability and the opportunity to speak with phophetic voice. We can set a good example in our universe and we can provide encouragement and inspiration. We can respond to the world with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love.

On Monday, May 17th, all of the Unitarian Universalist churches on Nantucket and Cape Cod rang their church bells to celebrate the legilization of same-gender marriage in Massachusetts. The same bells, at the same moment, acknowledged the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case of "Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education."

Our seven church bells said, "We affirm the inherent right and dignity of every person. And we know that the good work for peace and human rights continues. Even here, right now, in Massachusetts." At noon, individuals came into our Falmouth meetinghouse to ring the liberty bell provided by Cy Kano and his family to our congregation. Several people spoke about human rights and the importance of the occasion. Lisa Dunne and JoAnn Allard provided a reception, and we toasted the first same-gender couple to receive a marriage license in Falmouth. It was an historic moment for our congregation - and for all of the towns in our region - and reporters took photographs for the front page of the Falmouth Enterprise. The pictures were published on May 18th.

A week later, I received a call from one of the Protestant ministers in Falmouth. "Nice pictures in the Enterprise," he said. "I wish that we could have done something like that in my church. But it's still, well, you know, a bit too controversaial for some of us." Maybe next year. Maybe. In the meantime, the sound of wedding bells may provide encouragement and inspiration to leaders in a variety of faith traditions. The Unitarian Universalist congregations in Massachusetts - including the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth - will be in the congregations that show the way.

"Spirituality on Cape Cod"
2002 October

Like Henry Thoreau, and Henry Beston, and Rachel Carson, many blend humanism with religious naturalism. In August, a member presented a picture that said quite simply, "My religion has something to do with composting." That's probably as good an explanation as any, although chunks of pink granite, the tide charts for Vineyard Sound, and concern for our neighbors and for the quality of community life are also important as we live our lives in this particular time and place.

Several years ago, I was the host for a family from Colorado, while I was living in Boston. After several days of visiting museums and monuments, my guests grew restless. "We miss the wilderness," said a mountain man who wanted a peak experience.. "We need a real adventure."

At that point, a wise woman pointed to a map on the living room wall. "That's our Bay State wilderness," she said. "All of that blue area, east of here, that stretches back to Ireland and Portugal." The Atlantic is as wild and mysterious as it was on the first Columbus Day.

We went to Cape Cod, for a whale watch. It was a glorious October experience, as our boat nudged closer and closer to the great ocean giants. The whales splashed and snorted and some came up to our ark to investigate. We had a fine captin who knew some of the whales by name, so, suddenly, the monsters wree no longer anonymous or frightening, although, yes, it's always best to treat a mature humpback whale with respect. At the end of the day, boat and crew brought us safely back to Provincetown Harbor.

This parable ends with a simple observation. I suggest that "spirituality", for many people, may be like the winds and tides that sailors experience. Sometimes we are aware of the forces that push us forward; sometimes the elements that move us are very subtle. What we call "religion" is the vessel that holds and that protects us. On Cape Cod, the analogy is easily appreciated. Our beaches, our scenic marshes, our neighborhoods, and our families are changed and reshaped by powers that, often, are beyond our understanding and control. In this environment, even skeptics find spirituality. May we sail in the right kind of ship as we make our encounter wtih the sacred.

"Same-Sex Marriage"
2002 August

All of Cape Cod's Unitarian Universalist congregations were represented in the annual Gay Pride Parade in Hyannis on July 21st, 2002. And all of the sister congregations on the Cape sent ministers to speak at the interfaith service that preceded the rally. Several ministers spoke about the need to affirm same-sex marriages. This is one of the big issues that brings Unitarian Universalist clergy together in public places.

A reporter from the Cape Cod Times asked me, "Are gay people asking for special rights?" My response was very simple. No, I said, gay people aren't asking for special rights. They're asking for the same human rights that all people should enjoy. Including the right to be safe and protected, the right to enjoy public services without being harassed, the right to earn an honest living and to go to school, and, yes, the right to fall in love, and to marry, and to form families, without fear of persecution. Don't be confused. The annual Gay Pride Parade is a statement for human rights. And, for this reason, it deserves the support of church and state. If we can't join the celebration, let us stand on the sidelines to give our applause.

"The Promises Made in Cairo"
2002 February

With the temperature hovering around 20 degrees, thousands of Americans crowded into Washington, DC, in the middle of January, to march for peace. Among the demonstrators were many Unitarian Universalists concerned about the future of American foreign policy. As they looked around our nation's capital, the peace marchers came face-to-face with other citizen groups equally concerned about thte years ahead. While some Americans shouted, "No War in Iraq!" other Americans made preparations for deomonstrations to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in the case of Roe vs. Wade.

The great debates about population planning, energy consumption, and American foreign policy are all tied together. In the past, the connections were only suggested in academic circles. This winter, citizens marching in the streets of Washington may be able to appreciate the ways in which one isue leads to the next. It's all very simple. An American war fought in the Persion Gulf will be a war fought for petroleum. Competition for the control of oil supplies reflects increased demand, caused, in large part, by the world's expanding population. The United States threatens military action to keep the price of gasoline below $2.00 per gallon. The oil-producing nations of th Middle East press forward, demanding greater security, respect, and prosperity for their growing families.

The anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision brings many Americans back to the global discussion about family planning. It's not just a conversation about abortion rights. It's a discussion about the status of women, their human rights and opportunities, and the future of their communities. "For centuries," notes Dianne Luby, "women have fought to make reproductive choices, and many died trying."

The Supreme Court decision in the Roe vs. Wade case made abortion safe and legal for every woman in the United States. It was a landmark decision, notes Ms. Luby in a recent Boston Globe essay, because it offered American women the promise of equality and equity.

Dianne Luby is the president of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. Like other Americans, she has watched right-wing religious forces as they have tried to destroy government support for family planning programs at home and overseas. The Bush Administration has eliminated American funding for the United Nations Family Planning Agency, the largest multilateral family planning association in today's world. On his first day in the White House, President Bush reinstated the infamous "Global Gag Rule," which denies foreign aid assistance to organizations that provide abortion rights information to their patients. The great patriarchs of the globe, among Muslims and Christians and other faith traditions, expressed their religious approval for President Bush's decision.

In 1994, the International Conference on Population and Development, held in Cairo, Egypt,. declared that the key to lowering birth rates in the world is to invest in health, education, and the empowerment of women. It was agreed, among the diplomats present, that the future prosperity and peace of our planet willl depend, in large part, on the status of women. The nations involved in the 1994 conference, including the United States, agreed to work together to make family planning services available to all people by the year 2015. Somehow, for some reason, the American government has lost its sense of direction. If we want peace and justice among the nations, we need to honor the promises made in Cairo.