Welcome to summer in Atlanta! We are officially half way through the year and the Hotlanta temps are in full swing. This morning, the humidity made 80 feel like 87 (per the weather station) and I felt it. As someone who tends to “glisten” easily, it has not been pleasant. The worst is I don’t want to work in my yard/garden. You know it’s bad when that’s hard for me to do. But I have had a few tomatoes, turnips, cucumbers and lots of basil. (Chancey made pesto to put over shrimp and pasta. yum.) I’ve even beat the birds to several cups of blueberries. I let the celery get too old before I picked it and it was too hard. The onions got too wet but the potatoes seem to be doing fine.   Ok. Enough about my mini-farm. 

PASS THE PLATE COFFEE HOUSE  FRI 6/10  8:00This Friday will be our first foray into virtual entertainment. We are fortunate to have awesome performers who have donated their time and talents to create an online coffee house of music, dance and spoken word. See Robert’s email for a great flier with pics and info.This is a “pass the plate event” to offset our inability to receive non-pledge offerings on Sunday during our Celebration of Life due to the pandemic. It is open to all, at no charge, but with the available option to make a donation to our general fund. I’ll try to include the QR code to donate but if I’m not successful, go to Robert’s email. Of course, you’re welcome to mail a check marked “pass the plate” if you prefer. I hope you will join in for this opportunity to enjoy the music, movement and spoken word by these generous, gifted artists. Please thank them for their talents and generosity.

I can’t write this without addressing the pandemic. I’m sure you keep up with the current status but I feel the need to ask you to not become complacent and loosen your guard against the infection. It is understandable to want to get together with others who have been isolating. Remember that as we go out anywhere, even wearing a mask and gloves, we have the possibility of contact with the virus; that many who are infected are asymptomatic; that asymptomatic people can pass the virus on to others.(I wanted to/was preparing to return to my work as a Massage Therapist but accepting the facts that there is the possibility, even if low odds, of getting the virus, I sadly decided it wasn’t worth the risk.) So continue to be careful when you go out and use safe distancing when gathering with others. I believe that many reading this, like me, would not survive COVID. And if we did, the damage done to the body by the virus and its complications are serious and appear to be ongoing. This time is a test of our ability to stay focused on reality and not let our anxiety, boredom and desires overcome necessity. ‘Nuff said.

Fourth of July was interesting. The messages ran the gamut from Trump at Mt Rushmore further inciting division in the country to CNN’s celebration focused on BLM. We picked up BBQ and the fixings to enjoy at home and watched fireworks on TV. (The dogs were less than happy about the local fireworks.) Each year I become more aware of truth about how our country developed and the systems that maintain inequality. Growing up in Macon GA in a lower income neighborhood to Southern Baptist parents and attending segregated public schools taught by Southern women (never had a male teacher til college), I grew up with a Southern take on history. Although my parents taught me to respect others and never used derogatory language toward black people (we lived 3 doors down from where the paved road became red clay lined by black shanties), there was this unspoken racism throughout the town. I remember seeing/hearing “the south shall rise again” and feeling a sense of pride to be from the south. Naively I never attached that to racism. I am grateful I had the experiences I did and made choices that have brought me to this point of willingness to accept that I have unconscious perceptions and prejudices that are racist; and I am willing to work on this. It’s great to be in a community that encourages and facilitates this work.

I read that ICE has determined that international students cannot remain in the US under their student VISAs if the school they attend does not offer classroom studies this fall. There are no plans to provide exceptions for those who would return to dangerous situations.

The election is 4 months away.

That’s it for today. I’ll end with some funnies and hopefully you’ll find the QR code for Friday.

Stay strong, be kind.

Hugs, Marsha

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It has been another week of up and down news. The killing of yet another unarmed black man in Atlanta reignited a response that had more heated energy than the continuing demonstrations as cities, states and federal elected officials made or moved toward police reform. How can this still be happening? What can we do to stop it? These are important questions that need everyone’s attention. I have been trying to understand how I, as a white woman, can be a positive force in this effort.  One thing I have read and taken to heart is the importance to listen. Although my feelings around this issue are valid, I am not directly effected due to my skin color. I believe it is important that I raise my voice in support of Black Lives Matter, but it is equally important that I not focus on how I feel but on how those who are effected feel. Yes, I want to acknowledge my horror, sadness and anger but use that to listen to the voices of those whose anguish I will never know.

*On Thurs 6/18, 7:00-8:30pm there will be a virtual dialogue, “Facing Opposing Forces”, with elders in the movement (including Loretta Ross) sharing their experiences. Register at:

bit.ly/LessonsfromElders.

*There will also be a virtual “Mass Poor People’s Assembly & Moral March” on 6/20, 6/21. Search this title to find info to register.

On June 16, the Supreme Court ruled that LGBTQ+ workers cannot be fired on that basis as they have equal protection under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act barring discrimination on the basis of sex. A major decision in favor of equality!! I was surprised that the majority opinion was written by Neil Gorsuch. What?! Gives me hope.

Juneteenth, aka Jubilee Day, is this Friday celebrating the Emancipation Proclamation. Although the declaration freeing slaves was enacted in 1862, it wasn’t until June 19, 1865 when the Union Army arrived in Galveston TX, that slaves learned of the law. Celebrations now occur across the country along with a growing call for the date to become a National Holiday.

News in my hood is about the same. As the days have gotten warmer, I am watching my garden grow vs doing much work. In my mature years, I have become less heat tolerant. But I still love being outside and seeing the fruits of my labor. Well, hopefully I will see “fruit” as the season continues. Otherwise, we have spent safe time with 2 sets of friends who have been isolating. It was nice to have a conversation in person vs over zoom. I believe we can have more contact with others IF we use good sense and follow proper safety protocols. Areas that have opened and been more in line with CDC guidelines have seen fewer new cases vs those areas that have allowed looser restrictions. On my trips to the grocery store, more people are wearing masks than not. I wear a mask and gloves and have wipes in the car when I return. Some may think it’s overkill but I’d rather use overkill than get sick. Just saying.

• Thanks to Robert Stewart for keeping us updated on the new ramp.
• Thanks to Patton White for his facilitating the Sunday service.
• Thanks to Edith Covington and Bill Read for keeping the office running.
• Thanks to Jan Lister for the well done monthly newsletters.

I hope all of you are well and continuing to find ways to stay safe and entertained. I miss you. If you haven’t joined the zoom group after the Sunday service, please do. It’s nice to see faces and catch up even if it must be virtually.

Stay safe and be kind.

Hugs, Marsha

This past week has been a continuous rush of emotions. Unlike George Floyd, I feel I can today take a breath and let go of some of the tension I have been holding. I won’t let it all go because I can’t. I need to feel the anguish and anger over the senseless, depraved act that took the life of George Floyd (and Ahmaud Avery, David McAtee, Breanna Taylor, Michael Brown, Trevon Martin) because I don’t want to become numb at such violence against people of color. And I understand my feelings cannot come close to those who live this reality every day. Without a COVID cloud and with a younger body, I would be joining the demonstrators in calling out police discrimination and violence; inequities in economics, education, etc; white privilege. But I’ve been watching, reading, signing, donating and posting to show my support for the nonviolent protests and immediate need for change. It feels so inadequate but it’s what I can do right now.

What we all can do is VOTE. If you haven’t sent in your ballot, do it now. It must be postmarked NLT 6/9. If you haven’t received yours, be prepared to vote in person. Don’t let this opportunity pass to make your voice heard at the ballot box.

On white privilege/a Contrast in self awareness:
Rush Limbaugh said on a radio show: “That is a liberal political construct right along the lines of political correctness. It’s designed to intimidate and get people to shut up and admit they are guilty for doing things they haven’t done. I don’t have any white privilege.”  What?!

Jimmy Kimmel said on his late night TV show: “‘White privilege doesn’t mean your life hasn’t been hard. It just means the color of your skin isn’t one of the things that makes it harder.’ Wherever you stand, I don’t see how you can argue with that.”

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture states:“Whiteness and white racialized identity refer to the way that white people, their customs, culture, and beliefs operate as the standard by which all other groups of are compared. Whiteness is also at the core of understanding race in America. Whiteness and the normalization of white racial identity throughout America’s history have created a culture where nonwhite persons are seen as inferior or abnormal.This white-dominant culture also operates as a social mechanism that grants advantages to white people, since they can navigate society both by feeling normal and being viewed as normal. Persons who identify as white rarely have to think about their racial identity because they live within a culture where whiteness has been normalized.”        Let that sink in

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Since the issues discussed above have taken justified dominance in the news, little has been noted about June as PRIDE MONTH.

Usual celebrations have been cancelled due to the virus, but the spirit of LGBTQ Pride is stronger than ever. I encourage you to support gay-owned and gay-friendly restaurants and businesses (a rainbow flag flying in front might be a clue).

Support LGBTQ and equal rights organizations. Call out anti-gay/anti-equality statements and actions. Send a virtual hug to those you know in the LGBTQ community to show that you Stand With Love. And those IN the community: Be Loud, Be Strong, Don’t be Afraid to Be Queer.

COVID deaths continue to rise and will likely go higher after the recent state openings and the close contacts of demonstrators, some not wearing masks. One of my great nephews has been called back to West Point for graduation (because Trump wants to give the commencement address) and several of the cadets have tested positive. I urge everyone to limit outside activities if you can and use safety protocols. A note of caution: per CDC suggestions, we have been “nuking” our mail for 20 seconds. I nuked a graduation announcement that had a metallic sticker used to seal the envelope and burned a hole through the whole thing!! So be careful if you use this sterilizing technique!

Check out CJ Jones and the Spirit Bones on YouTube singing “Stand your own Ground”. Thank you, Ted.

Now on a lighter note. A true story.
Chancey was sitting in her car at the shopping center with the windows down, listening to the news as Trump was holding a news conference. She started pointing her finger and saying loudly “You lie! You lie! You Lie!” About that time a woman was walking in front of her car, was startled and turned to look. Chancey explained out the window that she was yelling at Trump. The woman walked on and got into the next car. After a minute Chancey could hear the woman on her cell phone telling someone, “I was walking past this car and the lady was yelling you lie, you lie, you lie.” 

Be strong, be safe, be kind, be love.

Marsha

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Coronavirus stress relief:

• Tomorrow is the National Homeschool Tornado Drill. Lock your kids in the basement until you give the all clear.   You’re welcome!!
• 2019: Stay away from negative people.
• 2020: Stay away from positive people.
• The world has turned upside down. Old folks are sneaking out of the house, and their kids are yelling at them to stay indoors!
• You think it’s bad now? In 20 years our country will be run by people home-schooled by day drinkers…

Greetings on day 317 of the stay at home orders.    What?     It hasn’t been 317 days?   You’re sure?     Well, ok.      But it seems like 321!

OK. Maybe it’s just me but it’s beginning to feel it’s been longer than it actually has been since we’ve been self isolating at home. As I’ve said before, I’m one of the lucky ones who has ample opportunities to stay busy while staying safe. But I’m beginning to feel antsy, ready to go out, see friends, get back to work (I really want to get back to work!). But I find myself considering the risks, sigh, and hope for a time in another month. I realize that I have kept myself pleasantly busy but until the past week, I haven’t allowed the fullness of my emotions to have their time. I feel them now.

Maybe it’s because my feelings have been so heightened this past week. It has been an emotional time across the county as we saw the death toll from the corona virus pass the 100,000 mark. That’s 100,000 previously living human beings. We can believe that each one had someone -family, friend- that is now grieving in a new reality the loss of someone who had meaning in their life. But what about those homeless, those whose names may never be known? Their lives were just as valuable and their loss is a tragedy. My heart has been heavy thinking about the dreams unfulfilled, potential gone, the grief of those left behind, the impact on the community. My power in these circumstances is limited but I will do what I can to ease the pain/support those I know in words and actions and find ways available to me to support those I don’t know by openly expressing my feelings, giving when possible and being a part of the voices demanding actions from our elected representatives. This is not a time to give in but to find strength and commitment to stay connected, ask for what you need, give what you can.

Before I could take a breath from news of the COVID death milestone, I found myself watching with shock as a white police officer pressed his knee into the neck of an unarmed black man, handcuffed behind his back, lying on the street clearly saying “I can’t breathe.” I have seen this video many times and felt horror at the last minutes of George Floyd’s life. I wonder what happened to this officer that he became so callous and unconcerned about this man’s life? How could he not feel the need to treat this man with basic human concern? And the officer who stood at George Floyd’s head, who heard his pleas and did nothing? I felt physically sick thinking of those last minutes of George Floyd’s life. How insane, needless and racist. Since then, the peaceful demonstrations of anger and grief have been usurped by outside agitators (by some reports white nationalists) who have subverted the legitimate purpose of the demonstrations. We must stand together against this hatred, this racism, this class war, this status quo. Cry. Pray. Meditate. Call. Write. March.

I had planned to end with some jokes or comics but my mind can’t go there now.
Be strong. Be kind.

Marsha

WHAT? Has it been a week already?  My,  how time flies when you’re having fun! Or maybe it’s because without a schedule, I can’t keep track of the days.

It was a good week for me. More playing in the dirt. I even got to use my Christmas chain saw! Wahoo! And last Saturday we had a birthday party on our front deck for a friend who was feeling down because she lost her Mother in April and Sunday, Mother’s Day, would have been her Mother’s birthday. So 4 households came together, each having their own area of the deck and 6+ft apart. It wasn’t raucous fun but it was so good to see each other, laugh and celebrate. And after the celebration one of them cut my hair! These are the days when little things mean so much.

I received my mail-in ballot and have been reading about candidates for races I am not familiar with. It’s been interesting trying to find info other than campaign material. Many candidates did not respond to the League of Women Voter’s questionnaire, which gives me a negative impression. But for most offices with multiple candidates, I know pretty clearly for whom I want to vote. I hope you have requested your ballot (if not, DO IT NOW) and have checked out the views of the candidates as best I can. Every office is important. We must be informed voters and make reasoned choices. This is our city, county, state, country and our future is in our hands. (Amen)

This is Memorial Day weekend. A time to remember and honor those who have made the sacrifice for all of us. Please take time to stop and feel the importance of their gift and the loss suffered by those they left behind. I have 4 immediate relatives who have served in modern wars, 1 of their offspring who is serving now and 2 who are graduating college (UGA and West Point) this May and will immediately enter service. They and their families will be in my thoughts and heart as I feel gratitude that they are well at the same time I give thanks and honor to those who have passed.

Along with the holiday comes the opening of many businesses, parks, beaches, etc across the country. Trump is demanding that places of worship be allowed to open regardless of the local pandemic circumstances. There may be areas and conditions under which it would be safe for some to open. But with the knowledge that there are many asymptomatic people in the mix, such opening would be assuming a great risk. At First E, the Board of Directors is taking a cautious approach with no plans to set an arbitrary date to reopen, rather to let science continue to guide the process. In the meanwhile, we are enjoying the good fortune to have technology to hear/see our Sunday speakers and meet virtually afterwards. Special thanks to Patton White for his expertise and leadership in this. Continued thanks to Robert Stewart for the weekly e-blast, to Edith Covington for keeping the office running remotely and to Bill Read for… well, everything he does behind the scenes.

Are you still “being good”? It’s easy to let down your guard after so long and when the stats seem to show a decline. But now as much as in the beginning we must be vigilant and keep ourselves and others safe. That is the way we can beat this until there is a vaccine or other medical intervention. Note: I have it on good authority that COVID is not a deliberate plan by China or the Democrats unleashed to destroy the economy and Bill Gates does not plan to tract you with an implant in the vaccine.

And while you’re being good, call your mother. Or your sister. Or brother. Or son/daughter. Friend. Neighbor. Got the picture? Support, connect, share ideas, ask questions, acknowledge feelings, explore ideas, more support. Repeat.

I’ve included some funnies and an interesting article. Stay safe, be positive, know you’re missed and loved.

Rev. Marsha

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How non-religious worldviews provide solace in times of crisis

Valerie van Mulukom, Cognitive Scientist, Coventry UniversityThe ConversationMay 21, 2020, 7:32 AM EDT

The saying “There are no atheists in foxholes” suggests that in stressful times people inevitably turn to God (or indeed gods). In fact, non-believers have their own set of secular worldviews which can provide them with solace in difficult times, just as religious beliefs do for the spiritually-minded.

The aim of my research for the Understanding Unbelief programme was to investigate the worldviews of non-believers, since little is known about the diversity of these non-religious beliefs, and what psychological functions they serve. I wanted to explore the idea that while non-believers may not hold religious beliefs, they still hold distinct ontological, epistemological and ethical beliefs about reality, and the idea that these secular beliefs and worldviews provide the non-religious with equivalent sources of meaning, or similar coping mechanisms, as the supernatural beliefs of religious individuals.

The number of non-believers is growing, with at least 450-500 million declared atheists worldwide – about 7% of the global adult population. But since non-believers can include not just atheists but also agnostics and so-called “nones” – the religiously unaffiliated, who might tick “no religion” in surveys – this number is likely to be much bigger. Here, we use non-believers to refer to individuals who do not believe in God, and who do not consider themselves religious.

Rationalising the fear of death

The idea that beliefs or worldviews support us in difficult times is the foundation of Terror Management Theory. This holds we fear death because we are consciously aware of the future and therefore our own inevitable demise. This fear can be so great that it can paralyse us when we try to live our everyday lives.

But we can manage this fear – through belief in God and the afterlife, for example, but equally through the knowledge that death is natural. Knowing that one day we will die, worldviews reinforce our beliefs and the identities that we build around them, and can provide comfort – by providing us with so-called symbolic immortality, for example, or feelings of connectedness to something bigger than ourselves. Here, it is the meaningfulness of the belief rather than its (religious) content that is important: among non-believers, increased stress and reminders of one’s mortality are associated with an increased belief in science.

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