History of the Flaming Chalice

Adapted from the pamphlet "The Flaming Chalice" by Daniel D.Hotchkiss
UU Fellowship of North Central Iowa.

"At the opening of Unitarian Universalist worship services, many congregations light a flame inside a chalice. This flaming chalice has become a well-known symbol of our denomination. It unites our members in worship and symbolizes the spirit of our work.

The chalice and the flame were brought together as a Unitarian symbol by an Austrian artist, Hans Deutsch, in 1941. Living in Paris during the 1930's Deutsch drew critical cartoons of Adolf Hitler. When the Nazis invaded Paris in 1940, he abandoned all he had and fled to the South of France, then to Spain, and finally, with an altered passport, into Portugal.

There, he met the Reverend Charles Joy, executive director of the Unitarian Service Committee (USC). The Service Committee was new, founded in Boston to assist Eastern Europeans, among them Unitarians as well as Jews, who needed to escape Nazi persecution. From his Lisbon headquarters, Joy oversaw a secret network of couriers and agents..."

Read the complete history of the Flaming Chalice at http://uufnorthiowa.org/flamingchalice.htm

Let me introduce you to "Literati"

Pronunciation: lit er a ti or [my phonetics would be lit er ah tea]

The original idea of a "Literati" publication" was/is the brainchild of David Templeton, the Artistic Director of the UUCSR Glaser Center at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation Santa Rosa, CA.

It seemed fitting that the UUCSR Writers take it a step further as a 'blog' for UU History and stories by UU Writers from all over the world. Guidelines for posting to this blog are listed in the sidebar.

What is Literati?

Among the many sources for describing the word, Literati, here are some from the definition as written in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Adjective:
1a. Able to read and write.
1b. Knowledgeable or educated in a particular field or fields.
2. Familiar with literature, literary.
3. Well-written; polished: a literate essay.
Noun:
1. One who can read and write.
2. A well-informed, educated person.
[3. plural noun: The Literary Intelligentsia]
Etymology:
Middle English litterate, from Latin littertus, from littera, Itera, letter.
See letter. [Latin: Literate]
Other Forms:
liter ate ly--Adverb
liter ate ness--Noun

Usage Note:
"For most of its long history in English, literate has meant only 'familiar with literature,' or more generally, 'well-educated, learned.' Only since the late 19th century has it also come to refer to the basic ability to read and write..."

Any comments? Anyone?