UUFSMA: “Behave as a Human Being” [] ZOOM

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Online Service
“Behave as a Human Being”

Speaker: Rev. Dr. Arvid Straube

Sunday, June 14, 2020
10:30 am

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/414604040
Password: 294513

By Joseph Plummer
UUF Secretary

In this Sunday’s online UUFSMA service, the Rev. Dr. Arvid Straube will explore the conundrum of control in a time of fear and panic.

During this extraordinary time, there are so many things we cannot control. We can’t control what other people do or think. We can’t control how well strangers, neighbors and friends follow distancing guidelines. We can’t control how long the pandemic will last. There is no way we can predict what will happen to us or anyone else. As difficult as it may be, we would be better off not wasting energy on worrying and thinking about things beyond our control. As self-help writer Byron Katie wrote, “If you fight with reality, you lose, but only 100 per cent of the time.”

The First Century rabbi and sage Hillel said, “In a world where no one is behaving as a human being, you must behave as a human being.” Most people show compassion and humanity during this uncertain time. We witness many acts of consideration, creativity, sacrificial service and generosity, not only by heroic health care workers but also ordinary clerks, delivery people and cleaning staff.

But not everyone acts from their best selves. Unfortunately, the fear that the Covid-19 pandemic generates in most of us inspires forms of cruelty, divisiveness, greed, deception and hatred in some others, even at the highest levels of government and business. And while it can be easy to hate the haters, that response also increases suffering.

The German word for human being is “Mensch.”  However, in Yiddish, a language with roots in German and Hebrew, a Mensch is not just any human being, but an extraordinary human being. A Mensch is a person of great kindness and integrity. While we cannot control much that is outside ourselves in this time of suffering and loss, each one of us does possess the power to choose our attitudes and actions. We can choose to be a Mensch and behave like an authentic human being. Panic and fear are as contagious as any virus yet so are calmness and kindness.

Rev. Dr. Arvid Straube lives near San Diego with his wife Sonya Prestridge. He has served Unitarian Universalist congregations for 35 years. Dr. Straube earned an M.A. in Divinity from the University of Chicago and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Meadville Lombard Theological School. In 2014, Meadville Lombard also awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. He now teaches at that school while also pursuing a ministry of spiritual direction and meditation coaching. Arvid and Sonya have had many extended visits to San Miguel and look forward to visiting again in the post-pandemic future.

To participate in our online Sunday Service, visit the Fellowship’s website at www.uufsma.org and click on the Zoom Service button displayed on the home page. If requested, enter password: 294513. Sign-in between 10:15-10:25 am.

Through grants and awards, UUFSMA donates fifty percent of all income it receives to support nonprofit organizations that provide health, educational, and environmental services for underserved communities in the San Miguel region. Please support this work by clicking on the website home page’s Donate button. Now more than ever, your support is essential.

Due to the arrival of the coronavirus in San Miguel de Allende, UUFSMA has indefinitely suspended in-person Sunday services and other gatherings. We advise members and friends to follow the advice of reputable public health authorities, such as the Centers for Disease Control, and to contact our Affiliate Minister or Care Team for needed assistance. The UU Fellowship welcomes people of all ages, races, religions, sexual orientation, and gender identity.