UUFSMA: “Every Day Is Easter”

UU Service

“Every Day Is Easter”

Rev. Dr. Arvid Straube

April 21, 2019

by Jon Sievert

At this Easter Sunday’s Unitarian Universal Fellowship Service, the Rev. Dr. Arvid Straube tells us we can see a deeper meaning in the season without needing to believe that the traditional Easter story is historically true.

The late mythology scholar Joseph Campbell wrote, “All religions are true but none are literal. Myth is much more important and true than history. History is just journalism, and you know how reliable that is. All the gods, all the heavens, all the hells, are within you.” If we look, our lives are full of miracles. We can see the ways that new, unexpected life arises from the tombs of our souls to the many forms of “death” in a lifetime.

We can see the resurrection in those who have reconciled at last with long estranged family, and in those who have recovered from trauma and been a source of healing for others. We can find it in the way we can find a whole new life after a devastating loss. It’s there in the way that those who have died in the cause of justice—Gandhi, King, Archbishop Romero—live on in memory to inspire others while their murderers are forgotten. And we find it in the knowledge that the murderers of Jesus could not kill his message of love and forgiveness.

Rev. Dr. Straube served Unitarian Universalist congregations for 35 years in Washington State, North Carolina and, most recently, as Lead Minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego. He earned an M.A. in Divinity from the University of Chicago and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Meadville Lombard Theological School. In 2013, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Meadville, where he is now an Affiliate Faculty member. He currently has a ministry of spiritual direction and meditation coaching.

Dr. Straube has been practicing and teaching Buddhist meditation in the Vipassana tradition since 1975. Through his spiritual direction training at Shalem Institute he also has grounding in the contemplative Christian tradition. His scholarly interests include the mystical and contemplative traditions of humanity and Buddhist and biblical studies. His ministry passion has always been to help people grow into most authentic humanity. Dr. Straube lives near San Diego with his wife, Sonya Prestridge.

For more information about the UUFSMA, including our Children’s Religious Education program, Social Action outreach, weekly discussion groups, social activities, and Care Team, join us any Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at the Hotel La Aldea or check out our website at uufsma.org.

Our fellowship was born in 1987 when a small group of expatriate religious liberals came together to meet as Unitarian Universalists in San Miguel de Allende. The fellowship has been active and thriving ever since. Every UU church has it’s own flavor, and we are no exception. We are a combination of expats and visitors, each actively engaged and contributing to this wonderful Mexican community we love. Because there is a coming, going, and returning aspect, our spiritual community is extremely fluid.  There is a magic in San Miguel which draws us in and binds us together—both as members of the church and of the larger community. Our programming is led by visiting ministers, community leaders, and church members, so the variety is lively. We have opportunities to meet as UU’s each week at discussion groups, breakfasts, luncheons, and in various other ways. Depending on the season, attendance fluctuates between 40 and 140. Our primary focus is on funding social action within the surrounding community. We love good music, good discussion, good food, and having visitors. We invite you to join us any Sunday morning.

Members regularly post updates and information on this site. We also post meeting minutes and announcements there.

To join our Yahoo group site click on this link:

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/UUFSMA/info

Click on “membership”and follow the directions.

Posting a notice on the Yahoo site is easy. Just go to your regular mail browser, type in the address line: uufsma@yahoogroups.com , type your message and hit send!

We encourage you to use this site to communicate with other local UUs.