Harvard Unitarian Church

Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church
Harvard, Massachusetts

Monthly Theme Resources

June – Praise” May – Beauty” April – Mystery and Transcendence” March – Wilderness February – Guilt and Shame
January – Trust and Faith December – Resistance/Surrender November – Abundance October – Awe and Humility September – Promises

JUNE - PRAISE


BOOKS
•	Praise by Robert Hass (collected poems)
•	Women in Praise of the Sacred edited by Jane Hirshfield Collected poetry of women mystics from many cultures and religious traditions
•	Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets and Sushi by David Crowder Written from a Christian perspective, this book examines what it means for praise to be a habit, rather than a haphazard event.
•	In Praise of Animals: A Treasury of Poems, Quotations, and Readings by Edward Searl (a UU minister)
•	In Praise of Plants by Francis Halle and David Lee “Why do we revere the animal kingdom, yet act indifferently, or worse, wreak destruction on the plant world? Halle, a biologist offers his perspective on the wonder of flora.

CHILDREN'S BOOKS
•	Illustrated Psalms of Praise (in English and Spanish) by Amy Ribordy Reese

FILMS
•	Beautiful Thing (1996) A gay British teenager falls in love with the boy next door.
•	Life is Beautiful (1998) Highly acclaimed film, described as a “hilarious and haunting comedy” set in the midst of the tragedy of the Holocaust. A young man uses his imagination and humor to try to protect his family.
•	A Walk to Beautiful (2007) Inspiring and award-winning documentary, set in Ethiopia, about 3 women who set off across the beautiful landscape to seek treatment for obstetric fistula, a condition which has caused them to be ostracized and rejected by their families and communities.

MAY - BEAUTY


BOOKS
•	History of Beauty by Umberto Eco and Alastair McEwen Explores the ever-changing cultural standards of beauty. The companion book by Eco is On Ugliness.
•	Finding Beauty in a Broken World by Terry Tempest Williams Beginning with a study of ancient mosaics in Italy, Williams “considers the complex beauty of brokenness and the redemptive art of creating wholeness from fragments.”
•	Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil by Deborah Rodriguez Engaging memoir of a woman who goes to Afghanistan as a nurse’s aide after the fall of the Taliban, but opens a clandestine hairdressing shop instead.
•	Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry by Stacy Malkan An expose of the use of toxins and carcinogens in beauty products, this book “chronicles the quest that led a group of health and environmental activists to the world’s largest cosmetics companies to ask some tough questions.”
•	Behold the Beauty of the Lord: Praying with Icons by Henri Nouwen "How can we live in the midst of a world marked by fear, hatred, and violence, and not be destroyed by it? This is the question with which Nouwen begins his exploration of Eastern Orthodox spirituality and the spiritual practice of praying with icons

CHILDREN'S BOOKS
•	Frederick by Leo Lionni A young field mouse brings beauty into the lives of his fellow mice during the long, cold winter by sharing his memories of summer
•	Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney Miss Rumphius lives a satisfying life and then finds a way to make the world more beautiful, just as her grandfather had once advised her to do.
•	Something Beautiful by Sharon Dennis Wyeth A young African-American girl sees only the ugliness of her neighborhood. With the help of her neighbors, she begins to see beauty in the most unlikely places, and she decides to take action to make her world more beautiful.

FILMS
•	Beautiful Thing (1996) A gay British teenager falls in love with the boy next door.
•	Life is Beautiful (1998) Highly acclaimed film, described as a “hilarious and haunting comedy” set in the midst of the tragedy of the Holocaust. A young man uses his imagination and humor to try to protect his family.
•	A Walk to Beautiful (2007) Inspiring and award-winning documentary, set in Ethiopia, about 3 women who set off across the beautiful landscape to seek treatment for obstetric fistula, a condition which has caused them to be ostracized and rejected by their families and communities.

APRIL - MYSTERY AND TRANSCENDENCE


BOOKS
•	Mysticism by Evelyn Underhill A fantastic introduction to mysticism. Explores mysticism from a historical perspective and “examines the application of mysticism in one's life as a means for spiritual growth.”
•	Mysticism and the New Physics by Michael Talbot Explores the similarities between quantum physics and mysticism.
•	The Essential Mystics: Selections from the World’s Great Wisdom Traditions by Andrew Harvey Mystical experience is that "direct, unmediated experience of ... an almost unfathomable mystery," a mystery beyond name or form that draws the mystic toward its presence into a relationship of rapturous, awesome, ecstatic love.
•	The American Transcendentalists: Essential Writings by Lawrence Buell “Transcendentalism was the first major intellectual movement in U.S. history, championing the inherent divinity of each individual, as well as the value of collective social action.” Includes writings by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller and others.
•	Natural Life: Thoreau’s Worldly Transcendentalism by David Robinson “…tells the story of a mind at work, focusing on Thoreau’s idea of "natural life" as both a subject of study and a model for personal growth and ethical purpose.”.
•	Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence by Matthew Sanford Young teenager survives an accident that takes the lives of his father and sister and leaves him paralyzed from the chest down. A story “about the endurance of the human spirit and of the body that houses it.”

CHILDREN'S BOOKS
•	Mr. Emerson’s Cook by Judith Byron Schachner A story about Ralph Waldo Emerson, his young Irish cook, and her childhood cookbook, which feeds both mind and spirit.
•	Father, We Thank You by Ralph Waldo Emerson Captures “…the vast beauty and sanctity of nature that Emerson expresses in this poem…celebrates his transcendental philosophy. For him, all of nature was a place of worship. Through realistic paintings of a family camping trip, readers are shown such varied moods as tranquility, surprise, discovery, and awe.”.
•	Two-Minute Mysteries by Donald J. Sobol Short, but thrilling mini-mysteries

FILMS
•	The Secret of Roan Inish (2000) Delightful mythical, magical, mysterious tale about a young girl in coastal Ireland
•	What the (Bleep) Do We Know? (2004) Part documentary, part narrative about mysticism and quantum physics
•	The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Spitfire Grill (1999), and Slam (1999). Three very different movies about redemption and people rising above the circumstances of their incarceration in one way or another

MARCH - WILDERNESS


BOOKS
•	The Wisdom of Wilderness: Experiencing the Healing Power of Nature by Gerald G. May “In the early 1990s, May took frequent, solitary trips to campsites beautiful and dear to him, relishing nature in all of her glory, violence, beauty, and power. Here he shares the lessons learned during those sojourns and acquired later during [his] chemotherapy.”
•	The Epic of Gilgamesh, various translators The oldest epic poem written tells the story of the young, arrogant king Gilgamesh and his wild, untamed companion, Enkidu, and their journey to find the Spring of Youth.
•	A Desert in the Ocean by David Adam “The spiritual journey according to St. Brendan the Navigator.” Includes meditations and exercises for those seeking spiritual adventure.
•	Earth Bound: Daily Meditations for All Seasons by Brian Nelson and Earth Prayers edited by Elizabeth Roberts and Elias Amidon
•	Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick. “The voyage of the Mayflower was a painful and fatal (one crew member died) transatlantic passage by people who knew nothing about the sea and had ‘almost no relevant experience when it came to carving a settlement out of the American wilderness.’” The de-mythologized experience of the Pilgrims.
•	Anything by or about John Muir

CHILDREN'S BOOKS
•	Earth Heroes: Champions of the Wilderness, by Carol Malnor. Ages 4-8. Now more than ever our planet needs Earth Heroes. This eloquent book takes us on a journey through the personal lives of the most renowned naturalists, describing their lasting influence on the world.
•	The Earth is My Mother by Bev Doolittle Ages 9-12 When an eleven years old girl, wise beyond her years, deeply feels for the earth and its endless bounty of beauty and truth embarks on a journey that encompasses the circle of life. Her "vision quest" begins to save a magical canyon.
•	The Lorax. The ecological Dr. Seuss.
•	Old Turtle by Douglas Wood “…an enchanting fable for children and adults, promotes a deeper understanding of the earth and our relationship with all the beings who inhabit it.” Beautifully illustrated by Cheng-Khee Chee
•	Hawk, I’m Your Brother and other books by Byrd Baylor “A Native American boy captures a hawk in the hope that he can also capture some sense of its ability to fly.”

FILMS
•	Everest: (1999) The world's most challenging mountain, so tempting to mountain climbers, is given thorough treatment here…Hold on tight.
•	Into the Wild: Jon Krakauer's bestselling nonfiction book adapted for film. Shortly after graduation, Chris gives his life savings to charity, burns all of his identification, and begins hitchhiking across America, his ultimate goal being Alaska
•	Ferngully: The Last Rainforest (2002) A heavy-machine operator and a forest fairy team up to save the rainforest.
•	Alone in the Wilderness (2005) Dick Proenneke leaves behind the hustle and bustle of civilization to build a cabin and a live in the wild.
•	The Bear (1989) Young orphaned bear “adopted” by wise adult male bear who teaches him many lessons of survival. Set in British Columbia and featuring exquisite wilderness scenery.

FEBRUARY - GUILT AND SHAME


BOOKS
•	Freedom from Fear; Finding the Courage to Love, Act, and Be by Forrest Church Probes our five great fears: fright (physical fear), worry (intellectual fear), guilt (fear of getting caught), insecurity (fear of inadequacy) and dread (fear of death)
•	Without a Map by Meredith Hall In 1965, Hall became pregnant at 16. She was forced to leave school and shunned by her family and friends. Her child was forcibly put up for adoption. A lifetime later, they are reunited. “This painful memoir builds to a quiet resolution, as Hall comes to grips with her own aging, the complexities of forgiveness and the continuity of life.” (Publisher’s Weekly review)
•	Shame and Grace: Healing the Shame We Don’t Deserve by Lewis B. Smedes “If you persistently feel don't measure up, you are feeling shame -- that "vague", undefined heaviness that presses on our spirit, dampens our gratitude for the goodness of life," and diminishes our joy. The good news is that shame can be healed.”
•	The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis The classic and definitive self-help guide for women survivors of sexual abuse, now in its 4th edition.
•	Guilt is the Teacher, Love is the Lesson by Joan Borysenko The author of the best selling Minding the Body, Mending the Mind, offers a compassionate, healing guide for overcoming the devastating effects of guilt.

CHILDREN'S BOOKS
•	The Day I Killed James by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Young Adult. This compelling tale of love and loss is about broken hearts and how to begin to repair your own.
•	No Shame, No Fear by Ann Turnbell. Young adult. Set in England in 1662 this is a romance between Susanna, a quaker girl and Will, a wealthy student at a time when Quakers were persecuted. Explores religious freedom, morality, class differences, faith and love.
•	All-Star Fever: A Peach Street Mudders Story by Matt Christopher. Ages 4-8. A young boy breaks his parents rules in order to try out for the all star baseball team and learns a good lesson
•	The Wizard, the Ugly, and the Book of Shame by Pablo Bernasconi. Ages 6-10. A beautifully illustrated story of a wizard and his ugly assistant who steals his master's book of spells with surprising results.

FILMS
•	Amadeus (1984). The incredible story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, told in flashback mode by Antonio Salieri - now confined to an insane asylum
•	I’ve Loved You For So Long (2009) Juliette Fontaine (Kristin Scott Thomas) is a frail, haunted woman, an ex-doctor who's a shell of her former self. Having served 15 years in prison for an unspeakable crime, she's back on the "outside." With nowhere else to go, she comes to live with her loving but estranged sister Lea. Together the sisters embark on a painful but redemptive journey back from life's darkest edge in this gripping drama of struggle and salvation.
•	The Reader (2009) What is the nature of guilt--and how can the human spirit survive when confronted with deep and horrifying truths? The Reader, a hushed and haunting meditation on these knotty questions, is sorrowful and shocking, yet leavened by a deep love story that is its heart.
•	Sophie’s Choice (1982) A Polish Catholic who survived Auschwitz settles in America after World War II. A personalized view of the Holocaust and its devastating effect on one woman who survived it but lost her children

JANUARY – TRUST AND FAITH


BOOKS
•	The SPEED of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey How to nurture trust in our personal and professional lives.
•	Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience by Sharon Salzberg A Buddhist takes on the meaning of faith.
•	Have a Little Faith: A True Story by Mitch Albom. A book about a life's purpose; about losing belief and finding it again; about the divine spark inside us all.
•	Speaking of Faith: Why Religion Matters and How to Talk About It by Krista Tippett. Spiritual memoir by host of NPR’s weekly show, Speaking of Faith.
•	The End of Faith: Religion, Terror and the Future of Reason by Sam Harris One man’s case for why faith is “the most dangerous element of modern life.”
•	Why Faith Matters by David J. Wolpe A rabbi’s defense of religion
•	The Future of Faith by Harvey Cox Looks at the history of Christianity and then imagines its future
•	Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development by James W. Fowler Faith as “a person’s way of leaning into and making sense of life.” Describes six stages of faith development
•	This I Believe and This I Believe II by Jay Allison Two collections of personal credos – faith statements – by celebrities and ordinary folks

CHILDREN'S BOOKS
•	Faith by Maya Ajmera, Madga Nakassis and Cynthia Pon. Ages 5-9. Celebrate faith around the world in its many expressions: praying, singing, learning, caring and more
•	In God We Trust: Stories of Faith in American History by Timothy Crater. Ages 9-12. Collection of stories highlighting people in history with an emphasis on how that person¹s faith in God played an important part in the development of America.
•	How Could You?: Kids Talk About Trust by Nancy Loewen. Ages 7-10. A13-year-old advice columnist gives advice to other students.
•	Trust Me, Mom by Angela McAllister. Ages 4-8 Ollie’s first trip to the store by himself…and he learns that he can trust himself to take care of himself

FILMS
•	Agnes of God (1985) Man's doubt vs. his desire for faith: Agnes herself wants to believe, as does the viewer, that her conception was 'of God'.
•	The Last Mile (1959) “Sometimes you have to put your faith in what you can't see. In what you wish.”
•	Miracle on 34th Street (1947) “Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to."
•	A Bell for Adano (1945) WWII movie about occupying American troops who restore religious faith in the village by restoring the bell for the church.
•	Field of Dreams (1989) “If you build it, they will come.”

DECEMBER – RESISTANCE/SURRENDER


BOOKS
•	Living Consciously, Dying Gracefully by Nancy Manahan and Becky Bohan Memoir of a nursing professor who lives with and dies from breast cancer. A story of both resistance and surrender in the face of illness.
•	Standing Up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times by Amy Goodman and David Goodman Tells the stories of everyday people who take a chance and stand up for what they believe.
•	Peace in Our Lifetime; Insights from the World’s Peacemakers by Susan Skog. Step by step instructions for resolving conflicts and creating peace, at home and in the wider world.
•	Geographies of Resistance by Steve Pile and Michael Keith. The contributors introduce unexplored notions of resistance, offering exciting insights for those exploring social, cultural, urban, political and development issues in different worlds of change.
•	Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching: A Book About the Way and the Power of the Way by Ursula K. Le Guin

CHILDREN'S BOOKS
•	Darkness over Denmark: The Danish Resistance and the Rescue of the Jews by Ellen Levine. Grade 5-8 This fascinating account pays homage to the remarkable efforts of the Danish people to smuggle the vast majority of their country's Jewish citizens to safety in Sweden during World War II.
•	Festival of Lights: The Story of Hanukkah by Maida Silverman Ages 5-8. The story of the resistance of the Maccabees.
•	The Christmas Menorahs: How a Town Fought Hate by Janice Cohn Based on a true story that took place in Billings, Montana.
•	Stand up for Yourself and Your Friends: Dealing with Bullies and Bossiness and Finding a Better Way by Patti Kelley Criswell and Angela Martini Helps girls resist bullying.

FILMS
•	Weapons of the Spirit and The Reckoning: Remembering the Dutch Resistance Two documentaries, which describe how ordinary people resisted the Nazis and saved thousands of Jews from extermination during World War II.
•	Letting Go (1985) John Ritter and Sharon Gless star as two people who join a therapy group for the broken hearted and learn to let go of old baggage and begin again.
•	The Violin (2008) Musicians and humble farmers play a role in the guerilla movement’s armed resistance to the oppressive government
•	The Grocer’s Son (2008) With is father sick, thirty-year-old Antoine is forced to leave the city and return to his family and the lifestyle he thought he had left behind.
•	Freedom Song (2000) Small town citizens risking their lives to gain their civil rights.

NOVEMBER – ABUNDANCE


BOOKS
•	The Tao of Abundance: Eight Ancient Principles for Living Abundantly in the 21st Century by Lawrence Boldt. According to Boldt, everyone can live abundantly by identifying their true sources of happiness, by following the path of least resistance, and by redirecting energy that is unnecessarily tied up in the daily struggle to survive in our culture.
•	The Trance of Scarcity by Victoria Castle Confronts the prevailing myths in our culture of "not enough" and "not good enough." These fallacies limit the ability of individuals to fully embrace their lives and create abundance.
•	The Real Wealth of Nations: Creating a Caring Economy by Riane Eisler. Proposes a new “caring economics,” from sustaining activities of the household, to the life-enriching activities of caregivers and communities, to the life-supporting processes of nature.
•	In Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed and Under Pressure: Rescuing our Children from the Culture of Hyper-Parenting by Carl Honore Two books by a Canadian journalist who has written extensively about the Slow Movement
•	Unplug the Christmas Tree by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli Classic manual filled with advice on how to make the holiday season less materialistic and more spiritual.
•	Plenty: Eating Locally on the 100-Mile Diet by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon Two people, one year, trying to eat only foods grown within a 100-mile radius of their apartment.

CHILDREN'S BOOKS
•	It’s Not What You’ve Got by Wayne Dyer, Kristina Tracy Addresses the topics of money and abundance, with the understanding that children’s earliest thoughts and perceptions about money are those that will last throughout their lives.
•	The Table Where Rich People Sit by Byrd Baylor Mountain Girl (nicknamed for her place of birth) would like her parents to earn more money so they could have nicer things.
•	Mama Panya's Pancakes by Mary Chamberlain Kenyan cross between "Stone Soup" and the story of the loaves and the fishes.
•	Just Enough And Not Too Much by Kaethe Zemac Simon the Fiddler has a very good life. He lives in a cozy little house; sleeps in a comfy bed; and has plenty to eat, a soft hat to wear, good friends, and a beautiful fiddle. One day, he decides, "I want more!"

FILMS
•	18 Secrets To Abundance - Well-Being, Doing, Having (2006) "Be fruitful and multiply," God tells man in Genesis. But exactly how much is enough? This presentation, a blend of natural vistas with inspiring quotations, gives viewers the tools to find the proper balance in their own lives.
•	The Lost Boys of Sudan Follows two Sudanese refugees on an extraordinary journey from Africa to America. Here they find themselves confronted with the abundance and alienation of contemporary American suburbia.
•	The Good Earth A young farmer named Wang Lung marries a selfless, loyal slave girl, O-Lan. Wang is initially devoted to the land and rises to prosperity. Later, however, Wang deserts the land and takes a second wife and tragedy threatens to overwhelm him. Eventually Wang realizes that the land and O-Lan mean more to him than his wealth.
•	Affluenza and Escape from Affluenza PBS documentaries about the high social and environmental costs of materialism and overconsumption.
•	It’s a Wonderful Life Classic film about George Bailey who wishes he had more before finally realizing that he has more than enough.

OCTOBER – AWE AND HUMILITY


BOOKS
•	A Private History of Awe by Scott Russell Sanders “Sanders' thoughtful reflections on the cycles of life, the flashpoints of awe, and our quest for meaning are quietly revelatory.”
•	Awe: The Delights and Dangers of our Eleventh Emotion by Raul Pearsall A neurobiologist writes about the importance of having a sense of awe.
•	Reverence: Renewing a Forgotten Virtue by Paul Woodruff Woodruff “defines reverence very simply as ‘the well-developed capacity to have the feelings of awe, respect, and shame when these are the right feelings to have,’ and as ‘the virtue that keeps human beings from trying to act like gods.’ [He asks how we can] recover reverence and act more reverently?”
•	When God is Gone Everything is Holy by Chet Raymo “In this rigorous and wonder-filled paperback, Raymo describes his ‘late-life credo,’ …[and] confesses that ‘faith no longer matters to me so much as attention, wonder, celebration, praise.’”
•	The Power of Humility: Choosing Peace over Conflict in Relationships by Charles Whitfield, et al. “From four of America's top experts on emotional healing, spirituality and recovery, comes a new approach to solving the conflicts that cause us both physical and emotional stress. [The authors] explain that having humility doesn’t mean being a doormat…- it's about being authentic, open and understanding”.
•	The Poetry of Mary Oliver Oliver artfully leads us on a journey to pay attention and notice with awe and wonder the grandeur of the natural world, and helps us to better understand our place in that world.

CHILDREN'S BOOKS
•	The Tower: A Story of Humility by Richard Paul Evans A young boy, determined to be great, builds a tower so that he can look down on everyone in the village. Eventually he learns that “to be great is not to be higher than another, but to lift another higher.”
•	The Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth A little cat comes to the home of a poor Japanese artist and, by humility and devotion, brings him good fortune.
•	Brother Bartholomew and the Apple Grove by Jan Cheripko An ambitious monk earns a lesson in humility when he encounters Brother Bartholomew, the old monk who tends the apple grove.
•	The Wonderful Happens by Cynthia Rylant Describes some of the things that bring happiness and awe into our lives, including a baby bird, fresh-baked bread, snow, clocks, the moon, and more.

FILMS
•	Departures (2008) Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film. A Japanese musician loses his job, has a sort of mid-life crisis, takes a humble job in the funeral industry, and develops a deep respect – even a sense of awe and wonder – for life in the face of death.
•	Contact (1997) A great space movie about the search for intelligent life on other planets, which explores the theme of awe and wonder, reminding us of how vast the universe is and how small we are by comparison.
•	The Fisher King (1991) A modern day fairy tale that explores the themes of pride and humility as a radio personality “tries to find redemption by helping a homeless man whose life he inadvertently shattered.”
•	Gandhi (1982) and An Uncommon Kindness: The Father Damien Story (2006) Two movies about great men whose lives exemplified the virtue of humility and service to others.
•	The National Parks: America’s Best Idea by Ken Burns Six-part series currently airing on PBS.

SEPTEMBER – PROMISES


BOOKS
•	Marriage from the Heart: 8 Commitments of a Spiritually Fulfilling Life Together by Lois Kellerman and Nelly Bly Written by a pastoral counselor and ethical culture leader, this book explores the “eight core commitments that form the heart of true intimacy.” Includes exercises.
•	Promises I Made My Mother by Sam Haskell A memoir by successful Hollywood executive, Sam Haskell, about the formation of his character.
•	Vows: The Story of a Priest, a Nun, and Their Son by Peter Manseau A “deeply personal memoir” and “a meditation on family, church, faith and self.”
•	Promises to Keep by Joe Biden In his autobiography, “Biden shows us how the guiding principles he learned early in life–the obligation to work to make people’s lives better, to honor family and faith, to get up and do the right thing no matter how hard you’ve been knocked down, to be honest and straightforward, and, above all, to keep your promises–are the foundations on which he has based his life’s work as husband, father, and public servant.”
•	Our Covenant by Alice Blair Wesley A very interesting series of lectures on UU history and polity.
•	Walking Together: Polity and Participation in UU Churches by Conrad Wright “The history of church autonomy in the Unitarian and Universalist traditions.” More on our covenantal (vs. creedal) tradition.

CHILDREN'S BOOKS
•	A Promise is a Promise by Robert Munsch, Michael Kusugak, Vladanya Keykorka “An Inuit girl disobeys her parents and goes out on the dangerous sea ice. She is stolen by the dangerous Kallipilluit people who live under the ice. To escape, she makes a rash promise…”
•	Angel City by Tony Johnston An old farmer finds a baby abandoned on a lonely L.A. street and vows to raise it as his own.
•	The Crane Wife by Odds Bodkin This classic Japanese folktale…gently explores the nature of love, promises, and betrayal.
•	Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss Horton the elephant “is persuaded to sit on an egg while its mother, the good-for-nothing bird lazy Maysie, takes a break. Little does Horton know that Maysie is setting off for a permanent vacation in Palm Springs. He waits, and waits, never leaving his precarious branch, even through a freezing winter and a spring that's punctuated by the insults of his friends.”

FILMS
•	The Promise (2006) Six-year-old Emily wants nothing more than to spend time with her father. Emily's father, despite good intentions, constantly makes promises he is unable to keep.
•	Promises (2001) by B.Z. Goldberg “A powerful portrait of seven Palestinian and Israeli children who live in and around Jerusalem”.
•	Liar Liar (1997) Jim Carrey's character keeps promising his son things but never comes through; eventually his son makes a wish that his dad couldn't lie anymore.
•	10 Promises to My Dog (2008) Japanese movie about a young girl and her relationship with her dog, including the promises she makes, breaks, and then renews.

	Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church
Website Design by The Macoun Group