Justice Ministry Film Night: The Monarch: A Butterfly Beyond Borders

Sep 28, 2023 | Uncategorized

The monarch butterfly is at once the most familiar and the most mysterious butterfly in the world. It amazes us for what we know about its life and it tantalizes us for the secrets it still holds within its delicate frame – secrets that scientists and lay people in North America have been trying to unravel for decades.

We know that monarchs east of the Rockies travel thousands of miles every winter to specific sites in Mexico, while those west of the Rockies migrate to sites in California. How they find their way to sites they have never seen before remains a puzzle. Today, monarchs face environmental threats at both ends of their migratory route. This beautiful documentary looks at what we now know but more importantly it reveals what we still do not know about this amazing creature.

The migratory monarch butterfly is now classified as “Endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

YOU can help avert monarch extinction. UU Animal Ministry will provide attendees with a
handout detailing the current status of the butterfly crisis, and master gardener Jennifer Oversmith will share tips on how to create a monarch garden in your yard.

On Saturday, Oct. 7th, a garden area will be prepped on the UUAsheville grounds.
On Sunday, Oct. 8th, children and youth from RE are invited to participate in planting the garden along with the UUAM chapter! Everyone is welcome to participate in creating this special garden!

Note: This film will be shown in person in Sandburg Hall and on Zoom. If you wish to view
the film on Zoom, request a link from Charlie Wussow at mnpopi@icloud.com .

Justice Ministry Film Night Friday, October 6th, 7 PM
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville
One Edwin Place, Asheville, NC 28801

Inertia

Sep 28, 2023 | Weekly Message

Newton’s first law says objects in motion tend to stay in motion in a straight line unless outside forces act upon them and our congregation is certainly in motion. The sanctuary buzzes with excitement and hope each Sunday as we work together toward our individual and collective truths. Our hearts swell with the message of hope and we cry tears of joy and sorrow together as we move forward. I can barely keep up with the opportunities at UU Asheville and my experience only scratches the surface of what is available and possible.

As a scientist, I appreciate our faith influenced by the lived human experience, secular humanism, Judaism, Christianity, to name a few. Tracing the trajectory of our religion, Christianity was in motion when an outside force acted upon it altering its course. Each time an outside force altered the trajectory of our religion, the result was forward momentum forging a unique path unlike any other. From our Unitarian and Universalist roots we have arrived here now.

This is also true of ourselves as individuals, each of us with our own unique trajectory. Many of us were raised in a singular faith tradition, but when we learned about a different faith tradition in which we saw value, our bearing was forever altered. The straight line of our momentum was forever altered.

Newton’s first law also says objects at rest tend to stay at rest unless an outside force acts on them. Coming to a service on Sunday is frequently exactly when I need to get back in motion.

Adam Griffith, UU Asheville Board Vice President