• Home
  • rainbow flagA Welcoming Congregation
  • Safe Congregation SealKeeping Safe
  • Capital Campaign
    • Contact: Capital Campaign
  • DONATE/REALM
  • TUCWomen
    • About TUCWomen
    • Join Us
    • Events
    • Contact
  • Contact
  • Instagram

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport

10 Lyons Plains Rd., Westport, CT 06880 - Ph: (203)227-7205 Sunday Services: 10:00 AM

Unitarian Universalist Association
  • Calendar
    • Calendar
    • SOUNDINGS
    • Communications Guidelines
    • ZOOM Instructions
    • Tips For Making Videos
    • Event & Space Reservations
    • TUUCWSocial Email List Ground Rules
  • Welcome Visitors
    • UU Orientation
    • Directions & Services
    • Special Ceremonies & Dedications
    • Our Congregational History
    • Our Faith
    • What is a Unitarian Universalist?
    • We are Unitarian Universalists
    • How did you become a Unitarian Universalist?
    • History of the Flaming Chalice
    • UU History in 8 Minutes
  • About Us
    • Our Mission Statement
    • Our Vision Statement
    • About Our Ministers
    • Our Staff
    • Getting Involved
    • Board of Trustees
    • Governance
    • Healing and Resilience Task Force
    • Congregant Celebration
    • Pastoral Care Chaplains
    • Our Welcoming Congregation
    • Photo & Video Galleries
    • Links – Beyond Our Walls
    • SOUNDINGS
    • Communications Guidelines
    • Events & Space Reservations
    • Pledging
  • FAITH FORMATION
    • Faith Formation for Children and Youth 2022-23
    • Welcome to Family Faith Formation
    • This Week in Family Faith Formation
    • Faith Formation Age Groupings 2022-23
    • What to Expect on Sunday Mornings
    • OWL Information at a Glance
    • Youth Ministry
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Soul Matters
    • Keeping Safe
    • Faith Formation Registration
  • Social Justice
    • Welcome to Social Justice
    • Advocates for Prevention of Gun Violence
    • Beardsley School Committee
    • Immigration and Refugee Committee
    • KIVA Microfinance Committee
    • Racial Justice Committee
    • Westbridge Coalition
  • Music Program
    • Music Choir Schedules
    • Evensong
    • Our Minister of Music
    • The Music Committee
    • The Bell Choir
    • The Choir (Women and Men)
    • Special Projects Choir
    • Once & Again Singers
    • Children’s Choir
    • Teen Choir
    • The Chamber Choir
    • Sight-singing Classes
    • Cabaret
    • Voice Classes
    • Love Is the Spirit
    • Tune My Heart To Sing
    • Support Our Music Program
  • Sermons & Poetry
    • Minister’s Messages
    • Sermons – Audio
    • Sermons – Video
    • Rev. John T. Morehouse’s sermons
    • From Your Senior Minister: Facing Grace
    • Facing Grace – Rev. John’s blog
    • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – sermons
    • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – Dear Friends
    • Intern Minister’s sermons
    • Guest Minister’s sermons
    • Poetry & Readings
    • Communications from Your Ministers
  • Live Stream

Dear Friends – July 14, 2008

April 24, 2011 by Rev. Frank Hall - Minister Emeritus

Dear Friends,

We spent last week at Chautauqua where I offered the Sunday sermon, Spirituality for the Skeptic, at the Unitarian Fellowship. On Monday morning we had an open discussion in response to the sermon, which stimulated me to wish I could do a re-write.

The theme speaker for the week was Roger Rosenblatt and Friends.  His writer friends included a poet, Billy Collins, three novelists: E. L. Doctorow, Joyce Carol Oates, Amy Tan, and Doonsebury cartoonist Garry Trudeau.

Rosenblatt interviewed each on consecutive days, prying into their writing styles, habits and general philosophy, including occasional references to religious issues.

Billy Collins said, “Poetry is what comes into play when the limits of prose have been exhausted.” His comment reminded me what Joseph Campbell said about myth, that ‘a myth is a Truth story; it’s not intended to be a true story.’ Collins said, “Poetry is a quiet, intimate, almost whispered language.”

Rosenblatt asked E. L. Doctorow about an incident that occurred when Doctorow took a course in journalism at Bronx High School of Science. He was assigned to find someone to interview and write about it. He talked about Karl, a wonderfully interesting man who was the stage doorman at Carnegie Hall – a German Jew who had escaped from Hitler just in time. He described Karl in fascinating detail – a sweet man who was loved by all the musicians who performed at Carnegie Hall.

The young Doctorow turned in his assignment and the teacher said it was so good she would publish it in the high school newspaper, and have a photographer take Karl’s picture. Doctorow suggested that Karl was really a private, shy man.  “Shy,” she responded, “well, he talked to you, didn’t he?”  “Well, not exactly.  I just made him up.”  Thus began his career as a novelist.

Joyce Carol Oates traces her writing career to age 8 when she first read Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Alice captured her imagination. She said, “When we write, we’re trying to explain something about the human spirit, using words.” I thought, “The same could be said about sermons, or the letters I write in Soundings!”  She explained that writing ‘breaks down the barriers between people.’  That’s how ‘dear friends’ are created!

Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club, among other award-winning novels, said, “In writing fiction, you’re finding truth in a way that makes sense emotionally.” She explained, “I don’t know exactly where I’m going when I write. But I must have the voice and the setting – a sense of place. I also need to have a question I want to answer. Not logical answers, necessarily. I know approximately where I’ll be at the end, but not precisely.”

Garry Trudeau’s career as satirical cartoonist began in college when he wrote a strip on sports for the college newspaper, centered on a particular football player. After the strip had been running for four weeks or so he got a letter offering him a job, which he took, and at which he’s been working ever since.  While each of the four other writers read from their works, Trudeau’s lecture was illustrated with PowerPoint images of his comic strips on whatever topic he was discussing. Trudeau offered a fascinating end to a very special week at Chautauqua.

Yours,

Frank

Filed Under: Dear Friends

  • Minister’s Messages
  • Sermons – Audio
  • Sermons – Video
  • Rev. John T. Morehouse’s sermons
  • From Your Senior Minister: Facing Grace
  • Facing Grace – Rev. John’s blog
  • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – sermons
  • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – Dear Friends
  • Intern Minister’s sermons
  • Guest Minister’s sermons
  • Readings & Poetry
  • Communications from Your Ministers

     The Unitarian Universalist
     Congregation in Westport
     is a member congregation of the
     Unitarian Universalist Association

      CLICK HERE if you have any questions      about The Unitarian Universalist
    Congregation in Westport

Congregational Hours: Tuesday - Friday
9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Summer Hours:
July & August until after Labor Day:
Tuesday - Friday 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

CLICK HERE to contact the web master

CLICK HERE to opt in to receive
the Weekly Congregational Email Blast

Copyright © 2023 · Visit us at The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport - 10 Lyons Plains Rd., Westport, CT 06880 - All rights reserved.