You will encounter several poems in this month's newsletter from a collection of poems entitled Poems From The Land of Religions - A Message For Peace written by Walid Keilani. He was Al's companion on the Hajj last year. Keilani is in his mid-sixties and lives in Plano, Texas and has a real estate business in Dallas. He was born in a small village close to Jerusalem before the creation of Israel. Members of his family live in the West Bank and some are in refugee camps in Jordan and other Arab countries.

I am an American Arab from Dallas and Nablus

My roots go back to the fig and almond trees

To the cactus leaves: with their firm thorns

With the flocks of butterflies landing

On their fragrant yellow cones

To the trunks of the olive trees marked with age

like scaled stones

Living in my soul carved in my bones

To the fragrance of the lemon tree blossoms

Filling my lungs and sweet in my nose

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Sunday, May 1, 2005 was a special day for our Fellowship. That day, in the company of many members, friends, and visitors, we formally dedicated our new building on Alpine Road. Ruth Semrau began the service with a beautiful prayer of dedication. Our president, Frank Herbert welcomed all those who had come from near and far to help us celebrate this special occasion, and then introduced Robert Hill, SWUUA District Executive who spoke to us about celebration and challenge and growth.

Helen Ausman, Jessica Noble, Jack and Sheila McElroy, and Jo Porterfield helped us reflect on the exciting, difficult and memorable moments of "how we got from there to here." After a closing prayer by Ruth, we followed Frank out to the front lawn where he led the tree planting ceremony. Everyone pitched in, literally, as we filled in the hole that now contained the dogwood tree that will symbolize our growth, steadfastness and welcoming offer of shelter to anyone seeking fellowship and searching for truth. After we planted the tree, we managed to corral everyone so we could take a group photograph. We capped off the day by celebrating with champagne, hors d'oeuvres, and sparkling conversation! (Lots more pictures online at our website www.uulongview.com!)

Frank Herbert

The tree is one of our most potent symbols. It represents the embodiment of life, the point of union of the three realms – sky, earth and water, and the archetypal world axis around which the entire universe is organized. In Aboriginal traditions, initiates climb the Sacred Tree to ritualize transcendence of the earthbound condition toward the spirit world of Gods and Ancestors. Ancient peoples widely believed the tree to be infused with an abundance of divine energy which can be consciously tapped, allowing access to other states of being. Forests came to symbolize mystery and transformation, places of peace and refuge, where secrets can be discovered and dark emotions and memories faced. Wood itself also carried symbolic meaning and was thought in the Middle East and India to represent the fundamental material from which all things were made.

The Dogwood represents regeneration and rebirth, dropping its leaves in Fall, bare and hidden in the gray of Winter, but among the first trees in the forest to distinguish itself with new growth and a mantle of glorious flowers heralding Spring throughout the forest.

The life of the tree is assured only by reaching out. As roots spread down through the soil, gathering nourishment in water, so the branches reach to the sun, spreading leaves to generate food that feeds the body. And so, in the same way, the body and life of this Fellowship is fed by the reach and support of each member and friend, connecting with each other to share in community. Our joys and concerns, our offerings and labors are spread upward and outward as we seek the light of truth together, and draw deep and wide from many sources of inspiration and guidance in our common covenant of love and mission of service.

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Meher Baba