 I don't know because she's going to do all these things. I have to let her go on to take the grade three. And it's the cool and the best work she's offering you for me too. I will call Martha's Coventry and say, any step if they show up, you two, um, if you, what do you think, like, run for a grant, and you could put some help on the table anywhere you want to put them where you can easily get a ticket to come to the ceremony. I don't think that they should be doing this. I think that they are going to do that. I'm going to go home and we're going to see if we're going to be able to stand up and see if we're going to be able to stand up and speak. I don't know. I'm just going to take the whole thing. I'm just going to go and have people say, oh, the thing! Ow! I'm not telling that. So, everybody from the U.S. is working on a border service that can be so renewed. It's really important to be able to stand up and speak to the people. And we, thank you, thank you, thank you. So, I will just, um, I will have to go over and I'll just, um, just put and I'm going to put this next to the willy end so that you won't come up which is true. And then you've got to wait for it to say you know the answer. So, I'm just going to, so I'll put them on the screen. Are you guys ready? I'm just going to, I'm just going to, I'm just going to, I'm just going to, I'm just going to, I would like to invite you and a few moments of centering silence our in-gathering hymn found in your order of service, very in society of medicine. This is a community where curious seekers gather to explore spiritual, ethical, and social issues in an accepting and nurturing environment. Unitarian universalism supports the freedom of conscience of each individual, as together we seek to be a force for good in the world. My name is Ray Loffer, and on behalf of the congregation, I would like to extend a special welcome to visitors. We are a welcoming congregation, so whoever you are, and wherever you are in your life's journey, we celebrate your presence among us. Newcomers are encouraged to stay for our fellowship hour and to look for people carrying teal stoneware mugs. These are FUS members knowledgeable about our programs and community life, and they look forward to the chance to speak with you this morning. We welcome children to stay with us during the service. If you or a child would like to talk or move around, please remember that the service can be seen and heard from both the child haven and the back corner for the comments. This would be a good time to turn off all electronic devices that might disturb the service. Experience guides are generally available to give a building tour after each service, so if you would like to learn more about the sustainably designed addition or a national landmark meeting house, please meet near the large glass window on the left side of the auditorium. I'd now like to acknowledge these individuals who help our services run smoothly. Our ushers, Helen Dyer and Smiley, Tom Dolmich, Paul Abramson, our reader, Jeanine Nussbaum, our sound operator, Maureen Friend, our hospitality Sharon Skratich and Jean Hills, our lay minister and Smiley, and our tour guide, Richard Miller. I would also like to announce that FUS is considering becoming a sanctuary church. If you would like to learn more about this, please check the table just over there outside the doors after the service. Please note that the announcements on the red, please note the announcements on the red floors insert in your order of service, which describe upcoming events at the society and provide more information about today's activities. We have one special announcement from Steve Goldberg. Thank you, Ray. This announcement is brought to you by the number five. There are five days left until cabaret. Our Irish cabaret is going to be held right here Friday evening from six until nine o'clock. This entire place will be transformed into one big Irish party and auction to raise some money for First Unitarian Society, but really to raise a lot of fun and friendship for members of the congregation. The opportunity for you to save money on your ticket, you can do that online by purchasing the tickets in advance, they're $35 in advance or $40 at the door. You can also save money on tickets, by volunteering to help with cabaret. We have just a few spots left, just a few, on the cabaret team. You can sign up after the service out in the commons. And if you would like to bring young companions to cabaret, we are offering childcare. You can also sign up for that in advance. We'll feature some Irish music, Irish beverages, and yes, even some Irish food, but don't let that keep you away. It'll still be a lot of fun. And the auction items are donated by fellow members of the congregation, so it's a chance to get to know people and to connect with them in a more meaningful way. So, I look forward to seeing you on Friday evening here for Irish cabaret. Cause you know, cabaret is coming. It'll be here real soon. We'll spend the night in Ireland and we'll dance to some Irish tunes. We'll have a silent auction and a live one come and see. We'll raise a lot of money for our first society. Again, welcome. We hope that today's service will stimulate your mind, touch your heart, and stir your spirit. To renew our faith in the holiness, as embody or in spirit, to join in the words of affirmation as we light our chalice. In the flame from this chalice, we light the glow of hope and the warmth of service. May we have your glory in faith, hope, and service as we give our own lives from its spark. Before we join together in song, please take a moment to turn and greet your neighbor. Like a nose, snapped his father. Listening through the heating vent, Wesley knew that they were right. He was an outcast from the civilization around him. He alone in his town disliked pizza and soda, alarming his mother and the school nurse. He found professional football stupid. He'd refused to shave half his head, the hairstyle worn by all the other boys, despite his father's bribe of $5. Passing his neighborhood's two styles of housing, garage on the left and garage on the right, Wesley alone dreamed of more exciting forms of shelter. He had no friends, but plenty of tormentors. Fleeing them was the only sport he was good at. Each afternoon, his mother asked him what he learned in school that day. That seeds are carried great distances by the wind, he answered on Wednesday. That each civilization has its staple food crop, he answered on Thursday. That school's over and I should find a good summer project, he answered on Friday. As always, his father mumbled, I'm sure you'll use that knowledge often. Suddenly, Wesley shot sparks. His eyes blazed, his father was right. He could actually use what he learned that week for a summer project that would top all others. He would grow his own staple food crop and found his own civilization. The next morning, he turned over a plot of ground in his yard. That night, a wind blew in from the west. It raced through the trees and set his curtains snapping. Wesley lay awake, listening. His land was being planted. Five days later, the first seedlings appeared. You'll have almighty bedlam on your hands. If you don't get those weeds out, warned his neighbor. Actually, that's my crop, replied Wesley. In this type of garden, there are no weeds. Following ancient tradition, Wesley's fellow gardeners grew tomatoes, beans, Brussels sprouts, and nothing else. Wesley found it thrilling to open his land to chance to invite the new and unknown. The plants shot up past his knees, then his waist. They seemed to be all of the same sort. Wesley couldn't find them in any plant book. Are those tomatoes, beans, or Brussels sprouts? asked Wesley's neighbor. None of the above, replied Wesley. Fruit appeared, yellow at first, then blushing to magenta. Wesley picked one and sliced through the rind to the juicy purple center. He took a bite and found the taste an entrancing blend of peach, strawberry, pumpkin pie, and flavors he had no name for. Ignoring the shelf of cereals in the kitchen, Wesley took to breakfasting on the fruit. He dried half a rind to serve as a cup, built his own squeezing device, and drank the fruit juice throughout the day. Pulling up a plant, he found large tubers on the roots. These he boiled, fried, or roasted on the family barbecue, seasoning them with a pinch of the plant's highly aromatic leaves. It was hot work tending his crop. To keep off the sun, Wesley wove himself a hat from strips of the plant's woody bark. His success with the hat inspired him to devise a spinning wheel and loom on which he wove a loose fitting robe from the stalk's soft inner fibers. Unlike jeans which he found scratchy and heavy, the robe was comfortable, reflected the sun, and offered myriad opportunities for pockets. His schoolmates were scornful, then curious, grudgingly, Wesley allowed them 10 minutes a piece at his mortar, crushing the plant's seeds to collect the oil. This oil had a tangy scent and served him both as suntan lotion and mosquito repellent. He rubbed it on his face each morning and sold small amounts to his former tormentors at the price of $10 per bottle. What's happened to your watch? asked his mother one day. Wesley admitted that he no longer wore it. He told time by the stalk that he used as a sundial and had divided the day into eight segments, the number of petals on the plant's flowers. He'd adopted a new counting system as well, based likewise upon the number eight. His domain, home to many such innovations, he named Westlandia. August was unusually hot. Wesley built himself a platform and took to sleeping in the middle of Westlandia. He passed the evenings playing a flute heat fashion from a stalk or gazing up at the sky, renaming the constellations. His parents noted Wesley's improved morale. It's the first time in years he's looked happy, said his mother. Wesley gave them a tour of Westlandia. What do you call this plant? asked his father. Not knowing its name, Wesley had begun calling it Swist from the sound of its leaves rustling in the breeze. In like manner, he'd named his new fabrics, games and foods until he'd created an entire language. Mixing the plant's oil with soot, Wesley made a passable ink. As the finale to his summer project, he used the ink and his own 80 letter alphabet to record the history of his civilization's founding. In September, Wesley returned to school. He had no shortage of friends. Thanks for listening. You may now leave for classes and we join in singing him 128. For your reflection with you about my own experience, there are a few ideas in this world that I cherish as much as independence. My name is Ray Lawfur and last year independence turned my world on its head. I want you all to picture me as I used to be. In junior high, I was a nerd. No, not even the cute kind of nerd who's really sweet and kind of attractive. No, I'm an insecure kid living by the philosophy while I make friends and learn to be my own independent person. I could just stay inside and play video games all day until my parents say supper's ready. As high school started to unfold in front of me, I figured out that this is not the way I wanted to live my life, but I didn't see any way to change. I wanted to start experiencing things and discovering myself. So in a fleeting moment of epiphany, I did what any rational 15-year-old would do. I packed my bags and flew to South America. My plan was to live in Argentina with a host family and speak only Spanish and figure out everything myself over the course of half a year. I wouldn't have any video games so I'd have to start looking for good ways to fill my time. All of a sudden, I couldn't just ask my mom or my papa to fix all my problems. I learned how to socialize, how to make friends, and before I knew it, life became amazing. I did things I'd only dreamed of doing before that point, going to parties, making my own schedules, taking psychology lessons in Spanish, and even signing myself up for an extremely foreign, odd activity that quite frankly scared me, sports. I learned how to be kind and confident and to be respectful to everyone because you never know what they're going through personally. A fun example of my adventures in independence, if you will, was the day I decided to do something about my acne. So in Argentina, right, the general diet consists of fatty barbecue and bread. This, coupled with a lack of proper facial cleansing products, led me to the point in which my head contained more zits than IQ points. I wanted to fix this. Right, so one day, after school, I'm walking with my friend David and I say to him in Spanish, yo dude, I'm a hit up that farmacia and grabbed some benzoil peroxide. I did my research, that's the stuff I need. So David walks off to go buy an empanada or something while I head into this little pharmacy at the corner of San Martín Boulevard and Pellegrini Street. Immediately I realize I have no clue how to say benzoil peroxide in Spanish. None at all. But I'm already standing there in front of the counter, probably mouth breathing or doing something equally dorky. So I start throwing some circumlocution at the poor farmer's sky, who's probably only 25. I'm all like, I need this, this paste, this acid paste for my face. It erases the red hills, small, small red hills, small red infected hills. So this whole time I was standing there waving my arms to make the shape of little hills and pointing at the pimples on my face and I guess something about my broken espagnol and hip hop dance reminiscent trades made at least a little sense to the guy. Cause I left the store a few minutes later with the medication. It felt good to handle the situation all by myself, even if I looked like a dweeb and had no clue what I was doing. A few months after the peroxide incident, I decided to see the world a little bit. So I packed up my few belongings and took a 14 hour bus ride by myself to the mountain city of Bari Loche. For a week I stayed in a nice lady's house and during the day I would go off to see the sights alone or take a tour. One day the tour I was attending passed through a national park. Technically I could enter the park for free since I was under 16. Let me tell you though, it isn't easy to convince a Spanish speaking park ranger that yes, in fact, I am all by myself. I live 5,600 miles away and I'm 15 years old. I'm glad I did though, because that was a pretty awesome tour. There were mountains and glaciers and all kinds of stuff. And sure, there are some other inherent challenges that come with independence. I made mistakes and I had to live up to them alone for the first time in my life. I got in a petty argument and ended up with one last person I could count on. I started missing my friends in the United States and for almost a week I was quite miserable and mopey. Around that time, David and I were sitting in a hill by the town amphitheater. He was also an exchange student and sometimes we hung out there late at night to chill and watch the stars. That particular night we talked for hours about how difficult studying abroad was and how much harder it was than we imagined. How we didn't really have anyone to go to and ask, hey, what am I supposed to do in Axe's situation? Neither of us had any solution better than figure it out. But let me tell you, I wouldn't trade my experiences in Argentina for a billion dollars. I wouldn't even change the low points. Everything, every challenge, every highlight and every failure was a chance to learn how to make it on my own and thrive as a soon to be adult. Now I'm almost 17 and I'll be heading off to college in less than four months. In 2015, I would never have even chosen to speak in front of a crowd like I am now. Much less chosen to move to a different state and go to college. But now, after everything I went there on my own, I have only three words for this world, bring it on. My name is Marco Salin and I decided to speak maybe 25 minutes before the service and thinking about this, I wanted to say something to this congregation because this congregation has been such a large part of my life and my journey to becoming an independent young person that coming today and not saying something to everyone here for being supportive and being there for me, I would have just regretted it. So here I am. I wanted to say thank you for the help through my journey because there's been many points in my life where I'm able to look back and say I learned this here and now I used to be, well I used to be a young kid hiding in a hoodie that used to be my thing. When we moved from Colorado here, I was very afraid of the world. I was afraid of people, other people, meeting people and being independent. I used to hide behind my father and my mother and my sister and becoming the person that I am today was a long journey. I remember many times where there was people that I need to lean on and some of the people have been here. So this is a general thank you to everyone here for helping me through my journey. So thank you. I discovered this book when I was working here in the childcare room. Westlandia is by far my favorite book to read to the kids because it teaches important themes such as creativity, independence and dealing with being different. Sorry. Wesley is a curious child who is more interested in learning and creating than in fitting in with his peers. Even when classmates chase him or make fun of his quirky personality, Wesley sees an opportunity for innovation. Wesley never acts miserable in the face of adversity. Instead, he puts his tormentors behind him and uses his free time to create a civilization. This is the most constructive way to solve a problem that I've ever heard of. I think we can all learn something from Westlandia. Be yourself and the people who are worth knowing will realize just how special you are. Since childhood, I've been practicing the art of not sharing what people think about me and I would like to give a good deal of credit to my parents. My mom likes to tell a story about when I was in kindergarten and it goes something like this. She told me, Nicole, there are a few days of the year when I care what you're wearing. School picture day, family Christmas, maybe Easter. I think you're old enough to pick out your clothes the rest of the year. The next day I came downstairs wearing a flowered shirt and a flowered skirt and flowered pants and socks. None of the prints were the same but when my mom asked me why I chose that, I said, flowers go with flowers, mom, it's matching. I guess you can't argue with that logic so she sent me off to school. Sometimes it's difficult not to care about people's opinions and I'm not advocating for anyone to wear head to toe flowered clothing to their next job interview if they don't want to. But there are a few situations in life where it matters what people think and going to Target in your sweatpants at 10 p.m. is not one of them. I did this on Friday and I saw someone I knew so I said hi and went on my way. Sorry to break it to you but nobody cares that much about what you do. When people notice, what people do notice is how you treat them and how they feel when they're around you. Most of your embarrassing moments are probably only remembered by a few people and if someone really has a problem with your music choices or your tendency to wear five patterns at once, they're likely not worth your time. Maybe this whole speech sounds a little cheesy and you're thinking easy enough for you to say, Nicole, but I could never stop caring what people think about me. I want to be normal and that's okay. Sometimes it feels nice to fit in. So just start small. The next time you're worrying about what someone on the street thinks about your lackluster bike riding skills, focus instead on making it up the next hill at your own pace. When it's laundry day and you're wearing a baggy 20-year-old sweatshirt, don't freak out when you open your front door and some college kid with a clipboard wants to talk to you about your local election. Once you realize that strangers don't care, try it with people you know. Don't worry that you tripped on the stairs in front of your coworker. They were probably relieved that someone else also has problems walking and talking on the phone at the same time. Who knows, with all the time and energy you save, not worrying about what people think about you, you'll probably have time to start your own civilization. As is hopefully evident, I have made violin a fairly important part of my life. More specifically, however, I did this independently. When I was six, my mom brought me to the Civic Center, which is now the Overture Center for a Madison Symphony concert. While she expected me to sludge with boredom, I sat on the edge of my seat for the entire Weber Overture Brahms Concerto and Mozart Symphony. On the car ride home, I announced with all the unshakable confidence of a kindergartner that I wanted to play violin. Over the past 11 years, violin and music in general have been many things for me. An escape from academia and work, a passion cone through OCO, and yes, some time an extended, torturous practice session, trying to master tenths, which my fingers can barely reach. Most of all, however, it has been a symbol of my independence, which in turn drives my self-confidence, self-motivation, and passion. This, I think, is the core value of independence for any individual. A sense of independence provides a sense of self-confidence, which in turn agendas self-motivation and allows one to find one's passion. Conversely, lack of independence strips us of these values. Some of my peers feel too dependent, relying on parents to provide both financially and emotionally, and to direct their lives rather than independently doing the latter. These peers struggle to find self-confidence, self-motivation, and passion. They dabble in drugs, binge drink for fun, and fall into anxious hells of uncertainty about themselves and independence. Fortunately, I have also seen some of these peers lift themselves from these states. One friend, we'll call her Lily, did this so beautifully that it shaped my expectations for college and even life as a whole. Lily, much like myself, focused 90% of her energy and soul on academia throughout her high school years, seeking to get into an Ivy League caliber school. Qualified though she was at the end of her senior year, she, like so many of my incredible dedicated peers, opened rejection letter after rejection letter. Lily ended up going to a highly ranked public university, yet felt understandably devastated and struggled with depression throughout her freshman year. While her friends had wonderful experiences at their dream schools, Lily bemoaned her lack of fortune and wallowed in a state of, and wallowing, and wallowed in a state of paralyzing depression. But then she realized something crucial. Sure, grades are important. Sure, schools and universities are important, but the ability to learn independently, to find a sense of self independently and to find self worth independently, this matters so much more. Lily is currently pursuing a major and two minors and even has a bare shape of post undergrad plans in her mind. She's begun to find her passion in this vast world we inhabit. So for you music musicians out there, I've gone through my exposition and development and I've finally arrived at the recapitulation in Kota. Independence is no easy feat. Some people are born with a more independent nature than others, but for everyone it's something we must work to find and develop. But it's worth it. Walt Vittnens, when I heard the learned astronomer exemplifies this, we must reject the simplistic rigidity of the charts and diagrams in academic learning and instead rise and glide independently. With this independence, we'll see the stars and constellations of self-confidence, self-motivation and passion. Today we take a moment to stop and recognize those among us who are making the transition from youth to young adulthood. We are here to affirm and celebrate all that they have brought to our community and to bestow our blessings for their journeys. But first, a thank you to those who have supported our youth group throughout the past year. Our youth program coordinator, Linda McAfee. Our advisors, Deb Lawrence, who's not able to be with us, Tim and Jenna Hansen. The bridging ceremony is a rite of passage that welcomes these bright and energetic people into the rewards and responsibilities of young adult life. The bridge has two sides. One is childhood and adolescence where they have become leaders and role models. The other side is a vast frontier of the unknown, full of boundless opportunities and new challenges. We, the members of this church community, stand on that other side. We stand there with our arms open to welcome them, our minds prepared to mentor and learn from them, and our hearts prepared to share our life together with them. And so I'm going to call up our bridgers, Marcos Allen, Cullen Chosey, Nicole Frye, Aurora Green, and Ray Loffer. And if those who are giving blessings will please come forward. My name is Leslie, and I speak as the voice of Unitarian Universalist Religious Education. We have served you through religious education classes in our youth program. We have tried to give you the gifts of freedom of thought, loving community, a sense of justice, and a deep love of this bountiful world. We hope that we have nurtured a new sense of identity as a Unitarian Universalist and as an engaged citizen in our world community. We hope that you will remember what you have learned and use it to believe in the strength of your spirit and to build a strong and just life. Why not to cry? Our names are Henry and Eve, and we speak as the voice of Unitarian Universalist Youth. We've spent many Sunday evenings together in fellowship and joy, creating memories and great food, new stories, and chalice ornaments. As you leave this community of youth, we hope you remember the gift of listening and the stillness of heart. We hope you keep with you the gift of our laughter and the joy of our songs. And may you continue to grow in mind and spirit and body forever, our friends, forever in our hearts. My name is Emily, and I speak as the voice of Unitarian Universalist Young Adults. We have watched you grow as we taught your classes and heard your stories. We welcome the individual gifts of your soul, the hopes you bring, the anxieties we share. We welcome the blessings of your fresh vision and inspiring energy. We represent the promise that there is community on the other side of the bridge. We welcome you into that community in conferences, churches, and campus ministry programs here or wherever you might go. And as the voices of the youth ensure our religion remains ever aware and ever evolving, we remind you that your voice is necessary to our faith. As you join the young adult community, we give you our blessing that you may find among us friendship and support, yearning, and joy. And my name, as you know, is Kelly. And I speak as the voice of the Unitarian Universalist Ministry. We served you as we served this congregation that nurtured you and embraced you. We have tried to give you the gift of roots and wings. We hope that you will treasure what you have gained here and do your part to nurture what we have together. We bless you now with history and leadership. And if you all will join me in the congregational blessing, which is printed in your order of service. We speak as the voice of the congregations. We provided for your religious education and youth program, and we cherish your voices in our halls of fellowship. We have tried to give you the gift of a place to belong, a place of friendship and growth. We hope that you will know that we are here for you as you travel on your many adventures. And that as you deepen and grow, so too will the tradition that cherishes you. We bless you now with honor for this rite of passage into our wider Unitarian Universalist community. Tim and Jenna are going to give each one of our bridgers a token of our appreciation, little gifts that they can carry forward with them. And in there, there is this prayer that I'd like to share with you all today. I send you out now to share yourself with the world. May its promise and complexity set your mind ablaze. May you hold fast to what your life has taught you. May you question everything. And when you have changed the world and the world has changed you, may you return again to this place and share what you have learned with us will be waiting. If you can join me in congratulating our bridgers standing and join in our closing hymn, number 1064. And because I could not do everything, I will not refuse to do the blessed be and go.