Twas the Night of Halloween

 

Twas the Night of Halloween

Written by Beth Anz (adapted from Twas the Night Before Christmas)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB-hsyTI4S4

 

Twas the night of Halloween, and all through the tomb,

All the creatures were stirring, fore night time was soon.

The ghouls bags were hung by their costumes with care

In hopes that Halloween soon would be here.

The ghouls were all rising out of their graves,

With visions of candy corn and the haunted corn maze.

Mamma ghoul in her witches hat and pa in his mummy wrap,

Had just gotten up from a long graveyard nap.

When out on the street, there arose such a clatter

They sprang from their tomb to see what was the matter.

Out in the streets they flew like a flash,

Flying by quickly to behold the great bash.

The moon up above gave a haunting light glow,

That shone on the streets and the revelers below.

And what to their ghoulish delights at this mash,

But a gaggle of monsters, with candy to stash.

With witches, and mummies and monsters galore,

They knew in a moment what fun was in store.

More rapid than zombies the children they came,

They screamed and they laughed and they played their trick games.

Now Glinda, and Dracula, monster of Frankenstein

Goblins and ghouls and creatures of all kinds.

To the streets, to the porches, to the knock on the door

Collect all the candy, tricks and treats are in store.

The wind starts to howl as the moon starts to rise

And the hunt has begun to fill up the skies,

As the moon rises high and the bags start to fill

The children continue the trick or treat drill.

So up to each doorstep the children they run

With bags full of candy, and a night full of fun.

And then on the wind, I hear in the sky

The cackling of witches and see broomsticks fly.

As I turn my head and see all around

The legions of zombies with their moaning sound.

They were dressed all in tatters from their head to their feet.

and their hunger was growing for their human treat.

A gaggle of monsters with their candy sacks

Ran down the street to escape the attack.

Their eyes open wide, their mouth in a gasp

Their feet moving quickly, their voice in a rasp.

The ghouls were all haunting up and down the road

And the witches were cursing the naughty into toads.

And Frankenstein's monster, roamed through the streets

And mighty superheroes showed off their feats.

The night now belonged to the ghouls of the night.

The creatures lined streets all over our sight.

They cackled and smirked and went in the nights gray,

On a night to cause mischief, in a merry old way.

With a wink of their eyes, and a twist of their heads,

They showed me that I had nothing to dread.

They howled and they hollered, and to each door they knocked.

And filled all their baggies, their buckets and socks.

Then grabbing their broomsticks, and jumping astride

The witches they rose up above to the skies.

And the ghouls and the goblins began their descent.

For their candy bags full, to the graveyard they went.

But I heard them exclaim as they took to their flights.

“Happy Halloween to All, and to All a Good Night”.

Old Stingy Jack and the Jack O Lantern Story

 

Old Stingy Jack and the Jack O Lantern Story

Adapted by Beth Anz

shared at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brevard on 10-30-22 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB-hsyTI4S4

 

Every year on Halloween night you see pumpkins and turnips 

lit up in front of houses up and down the streets.  Carved in 

fun shapes of ghouls and goblins and scary smiles.  

But where does this spooky gorded creature come from, 

we’ll none other than “Stingy Jack”.  Who is 

stingy Jack you ask?  

We’ll a no good louse that I had the misfortune to 

come across one moonlit night.  You see, my name is Lucy, 

and I am one of the good folk.  The wee ones who 

may grant you good fortune or back luck, a “trick or treat” 

if you will.  And on all hallows eve, us wee folk can move 

through the veils and interact with mere mortals 

on their journeys.  

Now “Stingy Jack” as he was known to the townsfolk 

had a reputation, and not a good one.  He lied, cheated 

and stole from everyone he could.  He had few friends 

and many enemies.  One All Hallow’s Eve, on his 

way to the Harvest Festival, Jack came across an 

otherworldly woman on the road.  She had a large 

cart, full of treats, which had toppled over.  

“Good Sir” I shouted.  “Will you help me turn over my cart, 

it is so heavy and many hands make light work”.   

Now us wee folk have been known from time to time 

to grant treats, and kind wishes to those who show 

good character, but this gentleman was of no good character.     

“What concern is that of mine?” He said.

“Well concern for your fellow man” I said.  

“All of the other townsfolk are already at the harvest festival 

and there is no one else to help.  Could you please 

assist me and we can be on our way?”

“Well what’s in it for me?” he said.  “Why should I strain 

my back for your cart?”.  

After going back and forth for some time, I relented.  

Clearly this man was looking for a trick, and not a treat.  

“I will give you coin for your harvest cider” I said.

“Make it several” he said, and then reluctantly assisted 

me with my cart and we continued on the road to 

the harvest festival.  Well any fool knows that kindness 

is its own reward, but this man was an 

exceptional fool indeed. 

As I learned from the townsfolk, “Stingy Jack” as 

he was known, was universally disliked for his lying 

and thieving ways.  Surely he was ripe for a trick.  

As promised I gave the barkeep my coin for his cider.  

I bought him 3 as is the wee folks custom, and Jack 

became more and more inebriated as night went on.  

Of course the barkeep warned me “Stay away from 

that Stingy Jack, he’ll steal your coins as soon as 

you’re not looking”.  Sure enough 3 free ciders for one 

good deed was not enough.  When I refused to buy 

him another, he reached into my pockets and tried 

to steal my coins for what he was owed.  

As quickly as he tried to steal the coins, they dissolved 

in his hands.  His selfishness knew no limits.  Over and 

over he was thwarted until he became desperate.  

“Please”, he said “Just one more drink”  I’ll give you 

anything, anything.  

“Would you sell your soul?” I said.  

“My Soul” he said, “Sure, what is a soul anyway”, 

anything, just give me another drink. 

So a special drink was made, that only the wee folk know of, 

that Jack happily consumed.  Of course any fool knows 

not to take food or drink from the fae, but Stingy Jack was 

no ordinary fool.  Once he had fallen into my trap, 

I revealed myself for only his eyes to see.  

“You see, I'll take your wretched soul, and drag you to 

the otherworld where no good lying cheating rogues such 

as yourself are tricked into our realm for eternity”.  

Suddenly the earth opened up and Jack learned that 

his soul was very real indeed.

“No, wait” Jack begged and pleaded and looked around 

everywhere for some loophole to avoid his fate.  

It was then he pulled out his horseshoe necklace and 

wrapped it around my neck.  “Iron,” I said.  Rookie mistake.  

I should have checked him before I revealed myself.  

Everyone knows that Iron traps our kind 

and prevents our mischief.  

“Let me go” said Jack, and I will remove this horseshoe.  

“A debt must be paid” said I,”but I will make you a deal.  

10 years you may have, and not a day more.  

10 years and I will return to repay the debt.  

In that time if you grow and learn from your stingy 

ways a new bargain may be struck”.

“I will change”, he said “I promise.  I have learned 

my lesson”.

So I let him go on his way.

Now 10 years passed on all Hallow’s eve, and 

Stingy Jack quickly forgot his promise.  He continued 

in his miserly, thieving and unkind ways.  And on 

all Hallows eve, 10 years later, I met him again 

on the road. 
“It’s time”,  I said to Jack.  “I have come to collect 

and take what’s mine”.  

Jack grabbed for his neck and searched for 

his lucky horseshoe.  

“Not falling for that again” I said, as I pointed to 

his horseshoe swaying in the top of a nearby apple tree.  

Frantically, Jack started to climb up the tree, desperate 

to reach the horseshoe and avoid his fate again. 

But this time I was ready.  My elemental friends caused 

a  strong breeze to move across the land, swaying 

the tree to and fro.  Jack reached the very top and 

grabbed onto the horseshoe just as the branches broke 

in the breeze, and down he went, tumbling down 

to the ground to his death.  

Jack had tricked me again, unable to claim his soul 

for the fae, he went on to the afterlife.  But the afterlife 

didn’t want Stingy Jack.  All his thievery and lies left 

him alone in limbo after his death, cursed to walk the 

earth for his crimes.  And so I took pity on him, and 

gave him a fairy light to guide him on his way.  

Jack found a gourd and carved a toothed smile on its 

skin to carry that light for all eternity.  And that is how 

Stingy Jack became the Jack of the Lantern on 

Halloween night.  So make sure to say hello to Jack this 

Hallow’s Eve, and remember to share your treats 

so you don’t get tricked.

What is Beloved Community

 This is a Sermon I gave online to the 

Unitarian Universalist Church of Brevard on 8/15/21.
(FYI, the extra punctuation is to remind me to breathe

 - in general good advice). 

What is Beloved Community

Let me begin with the intention of creating this space as inclusive, as a 

beloved community.  A community of equality and equity, where we are 

all welcomed, heard and celebrated for our diversity.  Now as a 

white person I feel a little awkward talking about issues of race, particularly,

 as I benefit from the system of oppression we have built in this country.  

But as a white person, it is also my responsibility to speak up, particularly 

to others, who benefit from society’s white dominated view.  To seek the 

creation of a beloved community, I need to start by recognizing, where 

we fail to be.  I need to recognize where I fail, either through ignorance, 

or inaction, or fear.  

The root of the beloved community, to me, is actions towards inclusion, 

towards true equality, and understanding through listening. I am a

work in progress, as we all are, and I seek to grow and learn with 

each of you, as we create this beloved community together.     

When we as Unitarian Universalists are asked what we believe, 

we often turn to our 7 principles.  We seek to create the world 

within our values, often using terms found in the traditions of 

nonviolent civil disobedience and the civil rights movements, 

like beloved community.

As a review, Unitarian Universalists affirm and promote:

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person;

2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;

3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to 

   spiritual growth in our congregations;

4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;

5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic 

   process within our congregations and in society at large;

6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, 

   and justice for all;

7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence 

   of which we are a part.

The term Beloved Community, comes into popular use, 

from the Civil Rights Movement, and in particular, 

Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr.  The King center describes

the Beloved Community as  

an ideal community...a society of justice, peace and harmony 

which can be achieved through nonviolence….Dr. King said, 

“The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the 

beloved community.”

https://thekingcenter.org/

A Harvard article by Grace Tatter defines beloved community as:

“a community in which everyone is cared for, absent 

of poverty, hunger, and hate.” 

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/19/01/achieving-kings-beloved-community

An admirable goal, but seemingly out of reach.  The King Center 

clarifies this more, they say:

For Dr. King, The Beloved Community was not a lofty utopian goal...

The Beloved Community was for him a realistic, achievable goal 

that could be attained by a critical mass of people committed to 

and trained in the philosophy and methods of nonviolence”.

https://thekingcenter.org/

As Unitarian Universalists, we seek to share in a beloved community.  

We share a covenant with one another, shared in our 7, 

(and sometimes 8) principles.  Did I say 8 principles?  

Yes, and not quite.  Unlike more traditional faiths, 

we do not have doctrines, or infallible truths.  

We are a living tradition.  Which means our principles 

are just that, living, moving, changing, and growing over 

time; and the UUA commits itself to revisiting those traditions

 as we grow.

According to the UUA, Article II; (which is where we find our 

seven principles and six sources); it was last updated in 1987.  

Much has changed in the world since 1987, and as our world 

changes, our covenant to each should grow, with our changing world.  

Due to this, a commission has been created to 

reexamine Article II, who is charged to:

review Article II of the UUA Bylaws, and propose any revisions 

that will enable our UUA, our member congregations, and our 

covenanted communities to be a relevant and powerful force 

for spiritual and moral growth, healing, and justice  

https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/article-ii-study-commission

Since 1987, several proposals have been made to add to, 

or amend the 7 principles.  This includes the 5th principle , 

in which our democratic inclusivity, was reviewed in 2009, 

and several reviews of the inclusivity, of our newest 7th Principle.

As for the proposed 8th principle, this stems from some of the 

same conversations seen in the 5th and 7th principles.  

Paula Cole Jones, who was the mid Atlantic director Director 

of Racial & Social Justice, started working with Bruce Pollack-Johnson 

on an 8th principle proposal in 2013, and eventually in 2017 

recommended the UUA adopt this principle.

The proposed 8th principle is, we

covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward 

spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse 

multicultural Beloved Community by our actions 

that accountably dismantle racism and other 

oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”

https://www.8thprincipleuu.org/

(read above twice)

From the 8th principles website, Ms Jones

developed the idea of the existence of 2 different paradigms 

in UU circles: the UU 7 Principles and Beloved Community 

(deep multiculturalism). After working with congregations 

on these issues for over 15 years, she realized that a person 

can believe they are being a “good UU” and following the 

7 Principles without thinking about or dealing with racism

 and other oppressions at the systemic level. 

https://www.8thprincipleuu.org/

Note here in the 8th principle is the term “Beloved Community”.  

Now many state that our 7 principles already encourage these 

principles, from inherent worth and dignity, to justice, democracy, 

community and interdependence.  And that is a valid statement.  

We as Unitarian Universalists encourage one another towards 

social justice.  We are often the first in line, to stand against 

oppression and injustice.  

But we should also look at ourselves, with a critical eye.  

Are we living up to our beloved community? Are we being 

explicitly all inclusive?  Are we truly allies, together in 

Beloved Community?

From the King Center Website:

The Beloved Community, as described by Dr. King, is a global vision,

 in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth. In the 

Beloved Community, poverty, hunger and homelessness 

will not be tolerated because international standards of 

human decency will not allow it.

Racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice 

will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood.

In the Beloved Community, international disputes will be resolved 

by peaceful conflict-resolution and reconciliation of adversaries, 

instead of military power. Love and trust will triumph over fear 

and hatred. Peace with justice will prevail over war and military conflict.

https://thekingcenter.org/

In theory, we as Unitarian Universalists do just this.  We seek to 

be all inclusive, to resist descrimination, to seek peace and justice, 

and to be in a beloved community.  But as has been pointed out by 

our critical members, our principles come from a predominately  

white culture view, and the 8th principle seeks to make us 

explicitly state our commitment to beloved community, 

and everything that entails.  

And perhaps having our intentions explicitly stated is what reminds 

us to move towards action, when we have the option to remain neutral.  

Am I saying that you must embrace this principle to be 

anti-racist, no, but as we are a living tradition, it is worth discussing.  

Let me make an analogy that may seem controversial, but stay with me

for a moment.  In 2012, in our own backyard, the modern Black Lives Matter 

movement started with the tragic death of Trayvon Martin.  When his killer 

George Zimmerman was acquitted in 2013, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, 

and Opal Tometi responded with a Black-centered political movement 

called #BlackLivesMatter. 

Now as a white person, I had to learn a few things from 

#BlackLivesMatter and the BIPOC community.  The argument of 

course is that All Lives Matter, that is the goal.  But it's specifically 

calling out individually that black lives, indegenious lives, AAPI and

 LGBTQ lives matter, that shines the light on that inequality.  

If I break a bone, the focus has to be on the bone that is in need of care, 

not the whole body all at once.  The systematic inequality of non white 

and LGBTQ communities, is that broken bone.  

In my view of the 8th Principle, and this calling out of living our 

beloved community, anti racism and anti oppression; it is our 

Black Lives Matter statement.  As Paula Cole Jones said of me, 

as a white “good UU person”, I get to choose when I want 

to focus on race issues, and I can choose when to remain neutral.  

Others in our beloved community don’t get the luxury of choosing, 

society chooses for them.  Society does not allow people of color

to be neutral in their well being.  And if I am to truly be in the 

beloved community of the Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr., I need to 

commit to inclusivity, to justice work and radical love.  To not just 

dismantling institutions of racism and oppression, but to recognize 

those institutions within ourselves. 

So what does this mean for us? To be a beloved community of 

Unitarian Universalists for us, is to create and continue, to work 

on being in covenant with one another.  To listen, more than we speak.  

To discuss views and disagree, but understand some connections 

are greater than our personal worldview.  

To see the greater humanity, within each other and to celebrate our 

differences, and diversities.   While at the same time, seeing our 

commonalities, and understanding we all bring our own experiences 

with us, and that’s a good thing.  We should understand that your 

experience, is not my experience, and our diversity makes us stronger.  

We need to “walk the walk”  as they say, of being in community.  

So as we seek a beloved community, within our congregation, 

within our community, and in the greater UUA, let us strive, to 

radically love, our fellow human beings.  Let us practice empathetic 

listening, and a greater understanding for each other, especially 

when our views are challenged.  

We can leave room for grace and understanding, and walk 

together in each other’s shoes, as we do our own.  Let us seek 

to create a beloved community, through solidarity and non violence. 

Let us understand ways, to be that change for one another we 

collectively seek.  Let us see each other as beloved, and 

worthy of dignity, and respect.  Let us be, together, in 

a beloved community. 

https://www.8thprincipleuu.org/

https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/article-ii-study-commission

https://thekingcenter.org/