“Harry Truman said ‘we needed someone with greater experience, and may I urge you to be patient, and John Kennedy replied, the world is changing, the old ways will not do, it’s time for a new generation of leadership.’ So it is with Barrack Obama — it is time again for a new generation of leadership, it is time for Barack Obama.” — Senator Ted Kennedy said at a rally.

Dwight Ault called me Saturday asking if I was interested in going to the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Rochester on Sunday. It took less than a few seconds to decide.

They have a 9 a.m. service and an 11 a.m. service. Some of you have probably been there. I suspect most of you haven’t. We decided on the 9 a.m. service.

There used to be a Unitarian service here in Austin that I believe met at the Hormel House. The Unitarian Minister performed the wedding for my cousin Ed and his wife Linda.

In the early 70s, I attended a Unitarian Church in Riverside for a few years before moving on. The books they had for sale were more diverse in there writing than what one finds in more traditional church settings. This too applies to the Unitarian Church in Rochester —more worldly.

The Unitarian Church in Rochester is at 1727 Walden Lane, set against a hill with an assortment of wild flowers surrounding it presently in their decline. To get there you exit off 52 on Sixth Street, go to the stop sign, cross over the highway and take a left down that road and turn right at the VA Clinic, drive up the hill a short distance and there it is.

Traveling with Dwight makes the time go fast.

We also stopped at the rest area to read the plaque, a poetic plaque, to two horses observed by two poets, James Wright, its author, and Robert Bly, who stopped to say hi to the horses, a visit made in 1987.  

This Sunday was New Member Sunday and the talk was “Wisdom from the World’s Religions” presented by the Rev. Doctor Carol Hepokoski and her husband. Carol let it be known as the service began that she was suffering from a cold and that she would not be shaking hands with the members and guests.  Instead she would greet with her hands together with a short bow in a Buddhist fashion.

Words shared by members in the program included The Space Within by Lao-Tse and Let Us Be at Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist Priest now living in France. Some of you may have read his works. One of his early books was written in Vietnam and explains the Vietnam War with great clarity. He has also given talks to people in prison here in America. If you haven’t read anything by Thich Nhat Hanh I suggest you do. A quick read is Be Still and Know, reflections from Living Buddha, Living Christ.

Carol had a hard time sharing her notes for the sermon with her cold and about two-third of the way through her husband walked up to relieve her of her duty, with some reluctance and Carol took a seat.

This was a first time experience for him in all their years together. Carol returned to the microphone before he completed the reading and her husband said: “But there’s still another page,” with a smile on his face.

Carol’s husband returned to his seat amid applause, and Carol brought the sermon to a close. Then Jim Scott, a talented writer and guitar player, played and sang May Your Life Be as a Song.

Dwight, I discovered, could easily be in their choir. He has a wonderful, strong singing voice. Me on the other hand had to lip sync in the fifth grade music presentation in the gym at the high school with all of Austin’s elementary schools, along with Gary Adams. I couldn’t carry a tune then nor can I now.

After the service we stopped in “commons area” for cake, in honor of the new members, and coffee. We also talked with a former resident of Austin and acknowledged the fine job Carol’s husband did while filling in for her.

A younger woman with two kids sitting at the same table with Dwight and I engaged us in conversation. She too had grown up on a farm in Iowa.

The ride home on the new interstate lanes was nice too.