2020 - 2021
| Date | Discussion Topic | Suggested by | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun-July 5, 10AM | The 8th Principle | Laurette Cameron | UU website |
| Sun-July 12, 10AM | |||
| Sun-July 19, 10AM | Interview of Arthur Brooks about his book, "Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt". | Leo Schifferli | https://www.c-span.org/video/?458395-1/after-words-arthur-brooks The transcript (compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning) is available below the video. Click on "Show Full Text" to see the full text of each segment. |
| Sun-July 26, 10AM | Continue discussing "Love Your Enemies" | Leo Schifferli |
I have created a curated (more credible version of the transcript that is available below the video) PDF of the transcript of the "After Words" interview with Arthur Brooks. You can access and download the PDF here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uxUv7puBIVY-__iLhWfcLMqiYVc-Htnh/view?usp=sharing Also, around the same time that Arthur Brooks was on "After Words" (March, 2019), he appeared on C-Span "Washington Journal," discussing the same book, "Love Your Enemies." You can access the video here: https://www.c-span.org/video/?458903-3/washington-journal-arthur-brooks-discusses-book-love-enemies There is a transcript (based on unedited Closed Captioning) beneath the video. I have not created a curated PDF of the transcript for his Washington Journal appearance. Arthur talks about the same topics that he discusses in the After Words program, but brings out some aspects--based on answering viewers' questions--that were not emphasized in the After Words interview. Consider watching the Washington Journal video as "extra credit" for the continuation of our discussion on the 26th. Thank you for your interest! -- Leo |
| Sun-Aug 2, 10AM | Continue discussing "Love Your Enemies" | Leo Schifferli | The After Words program
https://www.c-span.org/video/?458395-1/after-words-arthur-brooks and the author's appearance on Washington Journal https://www.c-span.org/video/?458903-3/washington-journal-arthur-brooks-discusses-book-love-enemies are the source material to continue the discussion of the book by Arthur C. Brooks, Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt. Some topics for further discussion could include the role of neuroscience in aiding in the understanding of how an individual reacts to cultural stimuli, as well as the influence of media pundits in promoting contemptuous behavior. Also, at about minute 49 of the Washington Journal episode, Arthur Brooks expresses his views on (college) education, which has been a topic of recent interest for discussion. |
| Sun-Aug 9, 10AM | Remembering John Lewis | Beverly Seese | Mr. John Lewis, the civil rights leader who died on July 17, wrote this essay shortly before his death, to be published upon the day of his funeral. It was published in The New York Times on July 30.
President Bill Clinton’s remarks at the memorial service for John Lewis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD0nBGqhdgE President Barack Obama’s remarks at the memorial service for John Lewis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P3X9AiN8E4 Leo's transcript of Obama's remarks https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XePzi_0Hk82OFk0zKku6guPJKkbh8wnF/view?usp=sharing
|
| Sun-Aug 16, 10AM | Are you still dreaming? | Leo Schifferli | Quotes for discussion of "Are you still dreaming" are available here:
https://archive.mail-list.com/drmardy/message/20200809.031547.16bb5352.en.html For perhaps two decades or more, I have been receiving an email from the psychologist Dr. Mardy Grothe ( https://www.drmardy.com/ ) with the subject line: "Dr Mardy's Quotes of the Week." Always interesting and inspiring. |
| Sun-Aug 23, 10AM | DNC Speeches | Rev. Beverly Seese | Speeches given during the Democratic National Convention |
| Wed-Aug 26, 1 PM | Lunch Bunch continues discussion of the book "Beyond the Messy Truth: How We Came Apart, How We Come Together" by Van Jones | Rev. Beverly Seese | Chapter four
Whitelash: Myths and facts
and Chapter Five Prince, Newt, and the Way Forward: Portraits in Strange Bedfellows |
| Sun-Aug 30, 10AM | RNC Speeches | Rev. Beverly Seese | Speeches given during the Republican National Convention |
| Sun-Sept. 6, 10AM | Karen Armstrong's Wish for Compassion | Sarah Brichford | Karen Armstrong
(Source: Wikipedia)
“Karen Armstrong (born 14 November 1944) is a British author and commentator of Irish Catholic descent known for her books on comparative religion. A former Roman Catholic religious sister, she went from a conservative to a more liberal and mystical Christian faith. She attended St Anne's College, Oxford, while in the convent and majored in English. She left the convent in 1969. Her work focuses on commonalities of the major religions, such as the importance of compassion and the Golden Rule. Armstrong received the US$100,000 TED Prize in February 2008. She used that occasion to call for the creation of a Charter for Compassion, which was unveiled the following year.”
For UU Kokomo discussion:
Some discussion questions:
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| Wed-Sept. 9, 1 PM | Lunch Bunch - Book discussion - Chapter 5 and 6 of Beyond the Messy Truth by Van Jones | Rev. Beverly Seese | Moving to the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 1:00 for the month of September. |
| Sun-Sept. 13, 10AM | COVID-19 and Medical Testing | Doug Eglen, MD | The covid-19 pandemic is writing a historical chapter in human existence. Living through it is challenge. This talk is aimed at understanding the perspective and relevance of medical testing for coronavirus.
If you don't participate in the video portion of Zoom, you can download Doug's powerpoint slides here: CLICK HERE |
| Sun-Sept. 20, 10AM | The Complex Issue of Racism in our Country: And what we can do to help - Rev. Beverly Seese speaking | Sarah Brichford | Columns by Paul Krugman that can be accessed online
"The many sins of racism" "Racism comes out of the closet" “Again we have deluded ourselves into believing the myth that Capitalism grew and prospered out of the Protestant ethic of hard work and sacrifice. The fact is that capitalism was built on the exploitation and suffering of black slaves and continues to thrive on the exploitation of the poor – both black and white, both here and abroad.” MLK, The Three Evils of Society, 1967 “A riot is the language of the unheard.” - Martin Luther King, Jr. “Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.” - Bertrand Russell |
| Wed-Sept. 23, 1 PM | Lunch Bunch - Book Discussion - Final section and conclusions from Beyond the Messy Truth by Van Jones | Rev. Beverly Seese | |
| Sun-Sept. 27, 10AM | Racism | Jack Johnson | |
| Sun-Oct. 4, 10AM | UUA Service "UU the Vote" | Beverly Seese | Info on the UUA website.
Also in UU World Magazine See also uuthevote.org |
| Wed-Oct. 7, 1 PM | Lunch Bunch - Discuss NPR Interview of Rutger Bregman | Dalice Myers | Bergman is the outhor of the book Humankind: A Hopeful History |
| Sun-Oct. 11, 10AM | Grace: What does it mean to UUs?
[presentation by Rev. Seese] |
Rev. Beverly Seese | Watch movie "The Gracecard" if you can find it |
| Tue-Oct. 13, noon-2pm | Oktoberlunch | Jack & Sarah | Bring Your Own Lunch to Jack and Sarah's |
| Sun-Oct. 18, 10AM | |||
| Wed-Oct. 21, 1 PM | Lunch Bunch - Jordan Peterson’s “Rules for Life” | Ted Wetekamp | 12 Rules for Life in 20 Minutes [click here]
Also, it is recommended that Lunch Bunch participants create their own personal list of rules to live by in preparation for the meeting, which should engender lively discussion. |
| Sun-Oct. 25, 10AM | Jordan Peterson’s “Rules for Life” | Ted Wetekamp | 12 Rules for Life in 20 Minutes [click here] |
| Sun-Nov. 1, 10AM | |||
| Wed-Nov. 4, 1PM | Lunch Bunch - Election debriefing & discussion of YouTube video by Lex Fridman 'In Memory of My Grandmother.' | Leo Schifferli | YouTube video by Lex Fridman (about 18 minutes) 'In Memory of My Grandmother': [CLICK HERE] |
| Sun-Nov. 8, 10AM | Now What?
[presentation by Rev. Seese] |
Rev. Beverly Seese | What We Will Do to Hold America Together [click here]
Poor People's Campaign [click here] UUCS Sunday Service October 25, 2020 with Rev. Rick Davis, Irshad Manji and Rev. Dr. Todd Eklof [click here] |
| Sun-Nov 15, 10AM | “Heroines, Heroes, and Memory”
[presentation by Dr. Joel Tishken] |
Dalice Myers | Many heroic figures from history committed acts, promoted beliefs, and held morals we now find deeply objectionable. What do we do with their historical memories and legacies? What constitutes a historical hero or heroine? Together we'll explore some ways to be in relationship with problematic parts of the past. |
| Wed-Nov. 18, 1PM | The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom - First three chapters: 1.) The End; 2.) The Journey; 3.) The Arrival. | Leo Schifferli for Rev. Beverly Seese | There is no book preview online that I could find, but several outlines, plot summaries, and reviews are available. Used copies are offered on eBay, Amazon and Bookfinders.com and a Kindle edition is offered on Amazon. |
| Sun-Nov. 22, 10AM | Are We Really So Divided? A Sociological Look at the Election Results
[presentation by Stephanie Medley-Rath, PhD.] |
Stephanie Medley-Rath | |
| Sun-Nov. 29, 10AM | Let's talk about Racism with Dr. Davis of IUK | Stephen Ewbank | Rosalyn Davis, Ph.D.
● Clinical Associate Professor/Faculty Diversity Liaison, Director of Mental Health Counseling Program at IUK ● Director of the M.A. in Mental Health Counseling program ● IU Kokomo Faculty Diversity Liaison for Academic Affairs ● Director of MHC program ● Co-Advisor to Psychology Club |
| Wed-Dec. 2, 1PM | The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom | Leo Schifferli for Rev. Beverly Seese | "The First Person Eddie Meets in Heaven" including "Today Is Eddie's Birthday" (pages 32-46) AND "The First Lesson" including "Sunday, 3 P.M." as well as "Today Is Eddie's Birthday" (pages 47-55) |
| Sun-Dec. 6, 10AM | |||
| Sun-Dec. 13, 10AM | Creating "Heaven" on Earth
[presentation by Rev. Seese] |
Rev. Beverly Seese | "The meaning of this pandemic is that we are all vulnerable and connected. This is so much bigger than the virus, because love and caring are bigger than anything--even, or especially, suffering." From: Celebrating in the Pandemic - Article in the December National Geographic by Anne Lamott, an American novelist and non-fiction writer. She is also a progressive political activist, public speaker, and writing teacher. Lamott is based in Marin County, California. Her nonfiction works are largely autobiographical. |
| Wed-Dec. 16, 1PM | The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom | Leo Schifferli for Rev. Beverly Seese | "The Second Person Eddie Meets in Heaven" (pages 56-90) including the embedded "Today Is Eddie's Birthday" (pages 77-79) AND "The Second Lesson" including "Monday, 7:30 A.M." (pages 91-97) |
| Sun-Dec. 20, 10AM | |||
| Sun-Dec. 27, 10AM | |||
| Sun-Jan. 3, 10AM | |||
| Wed-Jan. 6, 1PM | The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom | Leo Schifferli for Rev. Beverly Seese | "The Third Person Eddie Meets in Heaven" (pages 98-131) including two embedded "Today Is Eddie's Birthday" ending with a third "Today Is Eddie's Birthday" AND "The Third Lesson" including "Thursday, 11 A.M." (pages 132-145) |
| Sun-Jan. 10, 10AM | Looking Forward to the New Year.
[presentation by Rev. Seese] |
Rev. Beverly Seese | The 21st year of the 21st century. The year of the"V" - Virus, Vaccine, and Volatility. According to the Chinese Zodiac Calendar, 2021 is the Year of the Ox, starting on February 11. Hard work, Discipline, Loyalty, Teamwork, and Interest in the Community are the hallmarks of this sign. What would this suggest for us this year? |
| Sun-Jan. 17, 10AM | Transformation of the Eel River, a presentation by Dr. Jerry Sweeten, Professor Emeritus of Biology and Environmental Studies at Manchester University | Dalice Myers | Jerry will discuss the efforts that he and others made over several years to preserve and protect the river. According to the Kokomo Tribune, those efforts led the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to include the Eel in their list of the ten most improved watersheds in 2016. More information about Jerry's organization can be found at ecosystemsconnections.com. |
| Sun-Jan. 24, 10AM | |||
| Wed-Jan. 27, 1PM | The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom | Leo Schifferli for Rev. Beverly Seese | "The Fourth Person Eddie Meets in Heaven" (pages 146-171) including two embedded "Today Is Eddie's Birthday" AND "The Fourth Lesson" including "Friday, 3:15 P.M." (pages 172-178) |
| Sun-Jan. 31, 10AM | |||
| Wed-Feb. 3, 1PM | The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom | Leo Schifferli for Rev. Beverly Seese | "The Fifth Person Eddie Meets in Heaven" (pages 179-182), "Today Is Eddie's Birthday" (pages 183-184), "The Last Lesson" (pages 185-194), "Epilogue" (pages 195-196), and "Acknowledgments" (unpaginated). |
| Sun-Feb. 7, 10AM | How do we choose? a selective review of the American election process.
[presentation by Dr. Doug Eglen] |
Doug Eglen | This power point presentation will review the history and processes of the voting (electoral) system in part 1 and additionally in part 2, gerrymandering. There are approximately 23 slides which include 6 illustrations and 4 lists. [click here] |
| Sun-Feb. 14, 10AM | Do We Show Our Love by Calling People Out or Calling them in?
[presentation by Rev. Seese] |
Rev. Beverly Seese | Loretta Ross is an author, academic, and radical Black feminist who currently teaches courses at Smith College. Listen to her on the latest edition of the Braver Angels podcast. |
| Wed-Feb. 17, 1PM | "Them: Why We Hate Each Other — And How to Heal" by Ben Sasse | Rev. Beverly Seese | Lunch Bunch's next book "Them: Why We Hate Each Other — And How to Heal" by Ben Sasse
St. Martin’s Press, New York, NY Introduction: More Politics Can’t Fix This (pages 1 – 16) |
| Sun-Feb. 21, 10AM | How do we choose? a selective review of the American election process. PART 2 - GERRYMANDERING
[presentation by Dr. Doug Eglen] |
Doug Eglen | This power point presentation will review the history and processes of the voting (electoral) system in part 1 and additionally in part 2, gerrymandering. There are approximately 23 slides which include 6 illustrations and 4 lists. [click here] |
| Sun-Feb. 28, 10AM | Penn Jillette on Atheism and Islamaphobia [video] | Scott Hersberger | Penn Jillette is most famous as the speaking half of the magic act of Penn & Teller. He happens to be an atheist. In this video he advises us on how we should think of Islam and Muslims. If you want to watch the video before we see it on Sunday, click here (13 1/2 minutes) |
| Wed-Mar. 3, 1PM | "Them: Why We Hate Each Other — And How to Heal" by Ben Sasse
Chapter 1 - Our Loneliness Epidemic - pg 17 - 45 |
Rev. Beverly Seese | |
| Sun-Mar. 7, 10AM | What is meant for Unitarian Universalists by" Freedom of the Pew" and "Freedom of the Pulpit"? | Rev. Beverly Seese | Video with Rev. Janne Eller-Issacs [click here] |
| Sun-Mar. 14, 10AM | "Vision"
[presentation by Rev. Seese] |
Rev. Beverly Seese | Rev. Karen Hering, February 25, 2021 "Remembering"
[click here]
Download vision document [click here] |
| Fri-Mar. 19, 1PM | Lunch Bunch is changing our day to Fridays. The 1st and 3rd Friday. | Rev. Beverly Seese | We are reading "Them" by Senator Ben Sasse Will be discussing the second chapter starting on page 45. |
| Sun-Mar. 21, 10AM | |||
| Sun-Mar. 28, 10AM | |||
| Fri-Apr. 2, 1PM | “Them” by Ben Sasse.
Note that the Lunch Bunch has changed our meeting day to Friday. The 1st and 3rd Friday. |
Rev. Beverly Seese | We will be discussing “Them” chapter 3: The Comforts of Polititainment (pages 73 – 103) |
| Sun-Apr. 4 , 10AM | "The Hope We Need"
[presentation by Rev. Beverly Seese] |
Rev. Beverly Seese | Something to read: https://bigthink.com/hope-optimism/what-do-atheists-hope-for
Quote: Faith and hope are defined in the dictionary as follows; Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing or a belief not based on proof and Hope is an optimistic attitude of mind based on an expectation or desire. Faith says it is so now, and hope says in the future it could happen. Sharon Blake |
Sun-Apr. 11, 10AM |
Why I Am Running for UUA National Board
[presentation by Jay Kiskel] |
Beverly Seese |
● Jay is representing "The 5th Principle Project" [click here]
● Co-author of the book "UU No More." (brand new - available on Kindle and Amazon) |
| Fri-Apr. 16, 1PM | LUNCH BUNCH - (now on 1st & 3rd Fri.)
“Them” by Ben Sasse. |
Rev. Beverly Seese | We will be discussing “Them” chapter 4: The Polarization Business Model (pages 104 – 130) |
| Sun-Apr. 18 , 10AM | We're experiencing an empathy shortage, but we can fix it together
[video] |
Scott Hersberger |
Jamil Zaki, PhD is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab.
[watch video] (13 min) [another video](3 min) |
| Sun-Apr. 25 , 10AM | Postmodernism
[presentation by Dick Burkhart] ● ● [presentation by Wesley Hromatko (he did not participate)] ● |
Dalice Myers | The two YouTube videos below, as well as a transcript for each video, might be useful in preparation for the presentation/discussion:
● YouTube video (35 minutes): “The Evolution of Postmodern Thought | Helen Pluckrose” [click here] ● A curated TRANSCRIPT (PDF format) of “The Evolution of Postmodern Thought” by Helen Pluckrose is available here: [click here] ● YouTube video (40 minutes): “Libertarian Postmodernism: A Reply to Jordan Peterson and the Intellectual Dark Web” [click here] ● A rush TRANSCRIPT of “Libertarian Postmodernism: A Reply to Jordan Peterson and the Intellectual Dark Web” is available on the Reason website: [click here] |
| Sun-May 2, 10AM | Growing small UU congregations.
[presentation by Rev. Phillip Lund] |
Jack Johnson | Phillip Lund, the MidAmerica regional staff person working with small congregations, will present ideas for happy and healthy small congregations. |
| Fri-May 7, 1PM | LUNCH BUNCH - (now on 1st & 3rd Fri.)
“Them” by Ben Sasse. |
Rev. Beverly Seese | We will be discussing “Them” chapter 5: Become Americans Again (pages 131 – 165) |
| Sat-May 8, 12:00 | Rev. Beverly Seese - 10th Anniversary | Scott Hersberger | See announcement |
| Sun-May 9, 10AM | LOVE..... of the “Ideal”, of Self, and of others
[presentation by Rev. Seese] |
Rev. Beverly Seese | TBA |
| Sun-May 16, 10AM | Questions about our UU Sources and Postmodernism | Dalice Myers | UU Sources: https://www.uua.org/beliefs/what-we-believe/sources
The two YouTube videos below, as well as a transcript for each video, might be useful in preparation for the presentation/discussion: ● YouTube video (35 minutes): “The Evolution of Postmodern Thought | Helen Pluckrose” [click here] ● A curated TRANSCRIPT (PDF format) of “The Evolution of Postmodern Thought” by Helen Pluckrose is available here: [click here] ● YouTube video (40 minutes): “Libertarian Postmodernism: A Reply to Jordan Peterson and the Intellectual Dark Web” [click here] ● A rush TRANSCRIPT of “Libertarian Postmodernism: A Reply to Jordan Peterson and the Intellectual Dark Web” is available on the Reason website: [click here] |
| Fri-May 21, 1PM | LUNCH BUNCH - (now on 1st & 3rd Fri.)
“Them” by Ben Sasse. |
Rev. Beverly Seese | We will be discussing “Them” chapter 6: Set Tech Limits (pages 166 – 200) |
| Sat-May 22, 9:00 AM | Church Cleanup | Chris Paszkiet | Dust, sweep, clean cobwebs and bathrooms, etc. |
| Sun-May 23, 10AM | IN PERSON MEETING AT THE CHURCH - Flower Communion | ||
| Sun-May 30 | NO SERVICE | ||
| Tue-Jun 1, 8PM | UUA Board position Candidate Forum | Bev Seese | The UUA Election Campaign Practices Committee (ECPC) will sponsor a Candidates Forum on June 1st at 8pm ET.
The two candidates for Board Position #8, the Rev. Sam Trumbore, and Jay Kiskel, will appear. The forum will include statements by, questions to, and discussion between the candidates. ECPC members, the Rev. KC Slack and Beth McGregor, will serve as moderators. Attendees are invited to submit questions for the candidates in advance by emailing elections@uua.org, or during the forum by entering them into the Zoom Q&A panel. Registration is required. Register now! [click here] Join On June 24. (No registration required.) |
| Sun-June 6, 10AM | Our Unitarian Story | Sarah Stevens | Our Changing Faith
What is Faith Faith Questions Evolving Religious Movements How Did We Get This Way, Part 1 |
| Fri- June 11, 1PM | LUNCH BUNCH - “Them” by Ben Sasse. Note that this LB meeting will be on the SECOND Friday ). | Rev. Beverly Seese | We will be discussing the rest of “Them”: Chapter 7 “Buy a Cemetery Plot” (pages 201 – 217), Chapter 8 “Be a Smarter Nomad” (pages 218 – 236), Conclusion “We Need More Tribes” (pages 237 – 254), and Acknowledgements:(pages 255 – 256). |
| Sun-June 13, 10AM | Our Unitarian Story | Sarah Stevens | ● Faith Questions
● Evolving Religious Movements - How did we get this way ● Other topics of interest |
| Sun-June 20, 10AM | Our Unitarian Story - Conclusion of Faith Questions | Sarah Stevens | Evolving Religious Movements - How Did We Get This Way Part 1 |
| June 26,2021 - MidAmerica Region Annual Business Meeting (virtual) | |||
| June 23-27,2021 - UUA General Assembly (virtual) - [CLICK for schedule & LIVE STREAM] | |||
| Sat-June 26, 7PM | 2021 Ware Lecture: Stacey Abrams and Desmond Meade
[Shown by Rev. Seese at church] |
Rev. Beverly Seese | [click here] |
| Sun-June 27, 10AM | Church Service from General Assembly
[Shown by Rev. Seese at church] |
Rev. Beverly Seese | CANCELLED |
| Sun-Jul 4 , 10AM | No Meeting | ||
| Fri-Jul 9, 1PM | LUNCH BUNCH - A Celestial Omnibus - Short Fiction on Faith, edited by J. P. Maney and Tom Hazuka | Dalice Myers | The book is divided into five topical sections: Mystery, Doubt, Evil, The Supernatural, and Reconciliation. For this first LB session reading this book, we will discuss the story in the 'The Supernatural' section: The Celestial Omnibus by E. M. Forster (pages 217 - 231 in the current book). Here is a link to the PDF of the short story (in the public domain, published circa 1911): https://drive.google.com/file/d/16clD8IMKFe4y4z0Dphfb7zuEJu8fRHSw/view?usp=sharing [click here] |
| Sun-Jul 11, 10AM | Our Unitarian Story | Sarah Stevens | ● Roots in the Reformation
● How Did we get this way Part 2 ● Making of Dissent ● Other topics of interest |
| Sun-Jul 18 , 10AM | Our Unitarian Universalist Story and other topics | Sarah Stevens | ● topics of interest
● Nature of Bible ● Salvation ● Ultimate Authority ● begin Session Three |
| Sun-Jul 25 , 10AM | Examination of historical developments that occurred at the time of the emergence of Unitarian Universalism | Sarah Stevens | Important Dates in Early European Unitarian and Universalist History Theological Issues of Francis David and Faustus Socinus |