Hi, everyone, here's the BHC Schedule for February 2009! Mark your calendars!
Tuesday, February 3rd: BHC Board Meeting, 7 PM at the Severo household. Bring light food. Please let Tony know if you plan to attend.
Tuesday, February 10th: BHC Program Committee Meeting, 7 PM at the Severo household. Bring light food. Please let Tony know if you plan to attend.
Sunday, February 15th: BHC Book Club, 1:30 PM at Sheila Rabinowitz's apartment. Please RSVP to Sheila . This month's book is The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.
Saturday, February 21st: Reflection with Dr. Kurt Johnson, 6 PM at Ruth Selby's apartment, topic TBA. Bring potluck, RSVP to Ruth.
Sunday, February 22nd: Monthly Program, "Spirituality versus Religion - come and share your thoughts." Location and time TBA.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Incorporation around the corner?
It's been a bit of a wait, but it has paid off. In the late fall, I contacted New York City Business Solutions and asked for pro bono help with BHC's incorporation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Now we've received word that a law firm is going to take us on and help us get incorporated. Great news!
Tony and I will participate in a conference phone call with the two attorneys on Monday at noon, and we'll be able to bring back the information to the board meeting Tuesday night. We'll find out what forms and information we need to submit, and get the ball rolling.
The Brooklyn Humanist Community is cookin', and not just at our delicious potlucks!
Tony and I will participate in a conference phone call with the two attorneys on Monday at noon, and we'll be able to bring back the information to the board meeting Tuesday night. We'll find out what forms and information we need to submit, and get the ball rolling.
The Brooklyn Humanist Community is cookin', and not just at our delicious potlucks!
Camp Friendship
On Tuesday night, Bruce, Tony, and I visited Camp Friendship in Park Slope to tour the downstairs rooms. Pending board approval it is likely we will be able to negotiate a cash-free barter arrangement with the Camp. We would then be able to hold our programs in a public venue, in a location that is likely to attract attention from the neighbors. We'll be discussing this on Tuesday at the board meeting, and if we approve the idea we will draw up a proposal for our use of the rooms plus our offer of volunteer time for the benefit of the Camp.
This could be a great win-win situation, so I'm hoping we can go forward with it.
This could be a great win-win situation, so I'm hoping we can go forward with it.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
January Reflection on Confucius
Last night we gathered at Ruth P.'s for the first Reflection of the New Year with Dr. Kurt Johnson. As usual, we had a delicious potluck dinner. There was tuna pasta, Tex-mex kasha, chicken, salmon burgers, salad, bread pudding, and other goodies.
Constance read us a biography of Confucius, who lived about 2500 years ago. We read aloud a number of his sayings and then discussed the ones that attracted us. Several of them were paraphrases of the Christian Golden Rule, and Kurt confirmed that 18 world religions have some version of the Golden Rule.
I felt that the first two quotes were contradictory, because one of them said to emulate the worthy man but search within when one sees an unworthy man. But the other quote said to be kind to everyone but only intimate with the virtuous. It seemed to me that was a contradiction, and besides, who can claim to be completely virtuous? Just like the scene in The Idiot where people play a revolting parlor game of revealing the worst things they have ever done, if we all uncovered our worst actions, would any of us be virtuous and worthy of intimate friendship?
I said I was reminded of our friend, the late Richard Price, who once told me a friend of his was coming up to visit. Then he dropped into the conversation that this person was a pickpocket. When I expressed some shock, he said, "But he's not a bad person. That's just what he does for a living."
It seemed to me that this was on a higher plane than Confucius's warning to only be intimate with the virtuous. As Kurt explained, in Confucius's time, there were no laws in China or Japan governing business transactions. There were no written contacts and business was transacted solely on one's word. Therefore, much of Confucius's wise sayings can be read in that context, of a protocol that should be observed in order to protect one's word and one's business dealings. Instead, his sayings became the basis of a religion, albeit one that is not God-centered.
To introduce some levity and fun, Kurt also brought along several of the "Confucius say" jokes that were popular in the sixties. Every so often we would pause in reading and discussing the actual quotes to interject one of these jokes. That was a great touch and we all got a good laugh out of them. I remember those jokes from the inside of Chinese fortune cookies!
The company was great, the discussion was excellent, and we were up to our usual high standards of potluck cooking. Kudos to Ruth for hosting, to Constance for her research on Confucius, and especially to Kurt for leading us in these monthly Reflections. Thank you!
Constance read us a biography of Confucius, who lived about 2500 years ago. We read aloud a number of his sayings and then discussed the ones that attracted us. Several of them were paraphrases of the Christian Golden Rule, and Kurt confirmed that 18 world religions have some version of the Golden Rule.
I felt that the first two quotes were contradictory, because one of them said to emulate the worthy man but search within when one sees an unworthy man. But the other quote said to be kind to everyone but only intimate with the virtuous. It seemed to me that was a contradiction, and besides, who can claim to be completely virtuous? Just like the scene in The Idiot where people play a revolting parlor game of revealing the worst things they have ever done, if we all uncovered our worst actions, would any of us be virtuous and worthy of intimate friendship?
I said I was reminded of our friend, the late Richard Price, who once told me a friend of his was coming up to visit. Then he dropped into the conversation that this person was a pickpocket. When I expressed some shock, he said, "But he's not a bad person. That's just what he does for a living."
It seemed to me that this was on a higher plane than Confucius's warning to only be intimate with the virtuous. As Kurt explained, in Confucius's time, there were no laws in China or Japan governing business transactions. There were no written contacts and business was transacted solely on one's word. Therefore, much of Confucius's wise sayings can be read in that context, of a protocol that should be observed in order to protect one's word and one's business dealings. Instead, his sayings became the basis of a religion, albeit one that is not God-centered.
To introduce some levity and fun, Kurt also brought along several of the "Confucius say" jokes that were popular in the sixties. Every so often we would pause in reading and discussing the actual quotes to interject one of these jokes. That was a great touch and we all got a good laugh out of them. I remember those jokes from the inside of Chinese fortune cookies!
The company was great, the discussion was excellent, and we were up to our usual high standards of potluck cooking. Kudos to Ruth for hosting, to Constance for her research on Confucius, and especially to Kurt for leading us in these monthly Reflections. Thank you!
Hospice Volunteer Training
On Saturday, Rozanne, Antoinette and I attended the first of two training sessions for hospice volunteers. We're learning about the role of the volunteer as part of an interdisciplinary hospice team that includes the doctor, nurse, social worker, and spiritual counselors as well as home health aides.
We did several exercises, first to break the ice by speaking with our neighbors and then introducing them to the group. Another exercise involved verbal versus nonverbal communication. A nurse spoke to us about her role in the hospice team, and a social worker spoke about what he does. We also heard testimonials from two young women who have already been volunteering with the hospice patients.
It sounds challenging but, I hope, rewarding also. We are joining in with this effort as part of the BHC's commitment to work with veterans, and we expressed a particular interest in the Visiting Nurse's "A Few Good Men" program for veterans in hospice.
At the conclusion of the training we watched the Nightline interves with Ted Koppel and Morrie Schwartz, the subject of Mitch Albom's Tuesdays With Morrie. Morrie was a remarkable man, able to reach out of his terminal illness and tell millions of people his version of the most important things in life. He stressed over and over again that we need to talk about death and not hide from it or prevent the dying person from talking about his or her impending death. He stressed the central importance of love, and of being open. All this, at a time when the dying person is often withdrawing from the world, getting ready to die.
We'd all love to walk into the home of a person in hospice, and find a Morrie to connect with, to learn from, and to be inspired by. That's not likely to happen, but we do hope for some connection. I'd have to say my preconceived notion is that the veteran might ask me to record his memoirs, and I would sit at the bedside and type away on my little Neo, creating a record of his life for his family to cherish. But that might be just as unlikely as walking into another Morrie's bedroom, and I will do what's needed where I am sent.
Next week is the final segment of the training. We received a looseleaf binder with information to read up on, and an application to fill out and hand back to the volunteer coordinator. After that, I'm expecting we will receive assignments. We've been invited to attend a volunteer support group and the monthly interdisciplinary team meetings. And next week at the training, we'll be eating lunch the BHC way: potluck!
Three and possibly four more BHC members could not make it to the January training but are planning to attend it in February instead. So we should have several people involved in this work who can share what we are doing with the rest of the group.
We did several exercises, first to break the ice by speaking with our neighbors and then introducing them to the group. Another exercise involved verbal versus nonverbal communication. A nurse spoke to us about her role in the hospice team, and a social worker spoke about what he does. We also heard testimonials from two young women who have already been volunteering with the hospice patients.
It sounds challenging but, I hope, rewarding also. We are joining in with this effort as part of the BHC's commitment to work with veterans, and we expressed a particular interest in the Visiting Nurse's "A Few Good Men" program for veterans in hospice.
At the conclusion of the training we watched the Nightline interves with Ted Koppel and Morrie Schwartz, the subject of Mitch Albom's Tuesdays With Morrie. Morrie was a remarkable man, able to reach out of his terminal illness and tell millions of people his version of the most important things in life. He stressed over and over again that we need to talk about death and not hide from it or prevent the dying person from talking about his or her impending death. He stressed the central importance of love, and of being open. All this, at a time when the dying person is often withdrawing from the world, getting ready to die.
We'd all love to walk into the home of a person in hospice, and find a Morrie to connect with, to learn from, and to be inspired by. That's not likely to happen, but we do hope for some connection. I'd have to say my preconceived notion is that the veteran might ask me to record his memoirs, and I would sit at the bedside and type away on my little Neo, creating a record of his life for his family to cherish. But that might be just as unlikely as walking into another Morrie's bedroom, and I will do what's needed where I am sent.
Next week is the final segment of the training. We received a looseleaf binder with information to read up on, and an application to fill out and hand back to the volunteer coordinator. After that, I'm expecting we will receive assignments. We've been invited to attend a volunteer support group and the monthly interdisciplinary team meetings. And next week at the training, we'll be eating lunch the BHC way: potluck!
Three and possibly four more BHC members could not make it to the January training but are planning to attend it in February instead. So we should have several people involved in this work who can share what we are doing with the rest of the group.
Friday Night at the Humanist Movies
Earlier this past week, Joseph Ben-David, who was our guest speaker in November, sent an invitation to a Humanist film on "The Life and Heroism of Dietrich Bonhoeffer." The film was originally scheduled for a December showing but was rescheduled due to the severe snow that evening.
Despite the bitter cold, Bruce, Jason and I attended the movie, along with Antoinette and Michael. The meeting took place at the Unitarian church up on 76th Street and Central Park West, in a pre-kindergarten classroom. We moved the tiny chairs out of the way and brought in adult-sized chairs for the viewing. I was charmed by the children's artwork and the picture books displayed around the room.
The film itself was a bit dry but it certainly was a profile in courage, a man who could have kept silent and gone along with the Nazi tide but whose morals and religion did not permit him to stand idly by while tyranny rose to unprecedented heights. He and other ministers tried to take a stand against Nazism and against the persecution of the Jews, but they could not prevail against the mass hysteria that swept Germany.
Eventually Bonhoeffer became a spy, travelling to other countries and passing along information on the Nazis' plans. He joined the plot to assassinate Hitler and was arrested when the bomb killed several officers but Hitler was only slightly wounded. In prison, Bonhoeffer worked on his book, Ethics. Sadly, he was hung in the waning days of the war, when the Nazis already knew their cause was lost.
Following the film, Joe led a discussion. I mentioned that one doesn't have to be religious as Bonhoeffer was to be willing to take risks for one's ideals. I mentioned the story of two Ethical Culture leaders who were imprisoned by the Nazis for performing interfaith marriages between Jews and Christians. I don't remember the name of the American Ethical leader who travelled to Germany to secure their release, but all three of them stood up for their ideals without relying on a concept of God.
Next month Joseph Ben-David will be speaking about Humanism and Depression. I am hoping that we will be able to find and forge ties with his and with other humanist groups around New York City. The opportunities to exchange ideas and visit each other's programs can certainly enrich our experiences as members of the Brooklyn Humanist Community.
We're grateful that afterwards Michael and Antoinette drove us home, so we didn't have to do any more walking in that bone-chilling cold.
Despite the bitter cold, Bruce, Jason and I attended the movie, along with Antoinette and Michael. The meeting took place at the Unitarian church up on 76th Street and Central Park West, in a pre-kindergarten classroom. We moved the tiny chairs out of the way and brought in adult-sized chairs for the viewing. I was charmed by the children's artwork and the picture books displayed around the room.
The film itself was a bit dry but it certainly was a profile in courage, a man who could have kept silent and gone along with the Nazi tide but whose morals and religion did not permit him to stand idly by while tyranny rose to unprecedented heights. He and other ministers tried to take a stand against Nazism and against the persecution of the Jews, but they could not prevail against the mass hysteria that swept Germany.
Eventually Bonhoeffer became a spy, travelling to other countries and passing along information on the Nazis' plans. He joined the plot to assassinate Hitler and was arrested when the bomb killed several officers but Hitler was only slightly wounded. In prison, Bonhoeffer worked on his book, Ethics. Sadly, he was hung in the waning days of the war, when the Nazis already knew their cause was lost.
Following the film, Joe led a discussion. I mentioned that one doesn't have to be religious as Bonhoeffer was to be willing to take risks for one's ideals. I mentioned the story of two Ethical Culture leaders who were imprisoned by the Nazis for performing interfaith marriages between Jews and Christians. I don't remember the name of the American Ethical leader who travelled to Germany to secure their release, but all three of them stood up for their ideals without relying on a concept of God.
Next month Joseph Ben-David will be speaking about Humanism and Depression. I am hoping that we will be able to find and forge ties with his and with other humanist groups around New York City. The opportunities to exchange ideas and visit each other's programs can certainly enrich our experiences as members of the Brooklyn Humanist Community.
We're grateful that afterwards Michael and Antoinette drove us home, so we didn't have to do any more walking in that bone-chilling cold.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Book Club Schedule
Here's the Brooklyn Humanist Community Book Club schedule through June 2009:
Feb. 15, 2009: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
March 15, 2009: Not Me by Michael Lavigne
April 19, 2009: The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd
May 17, 2009: The Shack, by William Yound
June 21, 2009: The Gathering by Anne Enright
Meetings are at 1:30 PM at Sheila's apartment in Sheepshead Bay. Please contact her if you are interested in attending.
Feb. 15, 2009: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
March 15, 2009: Not Me by Michael Lavigne
April 19, 2009: The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd
May 17, 2009: The Shack, by William Yound
June 21, 2009: The Gathering by Anne Enright
Meetings are at 1:30 PM at Sheila's apartment in Sheepshead Bay. Please contact her if you are interested in attending.
A Meditation on Love and Forgiveness
For our first Sunday program of 2009, Remi led us in a New Year's meditation of love and forgiveness. She gave us visual imagery to picture in our minds as we breathed deeply and relaxed our bodies.
Afterwards, we discussed our reactions. It turned out that several of us were experienced with yoga and meditation, and at least three people including Remi have taught meditation.
Remi gave us a short meditation to do when forgiveness comes hard, where we tap a long bone in the hand or forearm, and assure ourselves that we love and respect ourselves despite having difficulty forgiving someone. This will help us towards that forgiveness but also allow us to forgive ourselves.
We had an excellent turnout this afternoon with two newcomers and another person who has come only 3 or 4 times. Even though we are no longer able to meet at the public libraries on Sundays due to budget cuts, our meeting at Tony and Melanie's was a rousing success.
Many thanks to Tony and Melanie for hosting this event, and to Remi for leading us in the best guided imagery meditation I have ever experienced.
Afterwards, we discussed our reactions. It turned out that several of us were experienced with yoga and meditation, and at least three people including Remi have taught meditation.
Remi gave us a short meditation to do when forgiveness comes hard, where we tap a long bone in the hand or forearm, and assure ourselves that we love and respect ourselves despite having difficulty forgiving someone. This will help us towards that forgiveness but also allow us to forgive ourselves.
We had an excellent turnout this afternoon with two newcomers and another person who has come only 3 or 4 times. Even though we are no longer able to meet at the public libraries on Sundays due to budget cuts, our meeting at Tony and Melanie's was a rousing success.
Many thanks to Tony and Melanie for hosting this event, and to Remi for leading us in the best guided imagery meditation I have ever experienced.
Friday, January 9, 2009
New Year's Brunch
Again thanks to Barrett, here are some photos from our Brunch at the Three Star Diner on New Years Day. We reserved for 15 but around 22 people showed up. Antoinette took charge and brought over an extra table so we could all sit comfortably. It was a great way to start 2009, enjoy our friendship and meet some new folks. As the Rogers and Hammerstein song goes,
"This was a real nice clambake,We're mighty glad we came. The vittles we et Were good, you bet, The company was the same!"
A very Happy and Healthy New Year to the Brooklyn Humanist Community members and friends!
More Holiday Party Photos
Barrett furnished us with some more photos from the Holiday party. Here's our gypsy lady, Adriana, reading the Tarot, and the Apples to Apples players having a roaring good time!
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