would leave for the Bahamas and I would not have had a chance

to tell them one more time how much I cared and wanted to help. I needed to give them one more hug. I felt so sad and afraid of what lay ahead of them.

I watched the group around them for several minutes when I thought I heard someone say my name. I looked around and there was Paul, standing by himself in the lobby. He said, "Come here. You look like you need a hug."

Sky

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Erika, at this most difficult time, we struggle to find the proper words to express our deepest love and respect for a man such as Paul. We will always remember his sly smile and calm and soft voice. He lived a very full life; served his fellow friends and strangers.

He will be missed for a long time. He was the quiet backbone of our Unitarian Fellowship. He will be missed in the community by everyone he helped through Habitat for Humanity. May Paul rest in peace.

For you, Erika, our deepest love and respect. You were the ideal partner with Paul. Remember, the fellowship is here for you in the days to come. Anytime you need anything just be sure to mention it.

Love, Al & Veronica

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Recently, I had the privilege of spending a few hours assisting Erika and Paul. As I was leaving, Paul squeezed my hand and thanked me for my visit. I told him, "As you know, the giver receives more than the recipient." He said, "Yes, and don’t forget that." I won’t. He lived his faith, and his example affected so many more than he probably ever realized.

Carol Peaster

A good spiritual friend who will help us to stay on the path, with whom we can discuss our differences frankly (and be) sure of a compassionate response, provides an important support system which is often lacking. A really good friend is like a mountain guide. The spiritual path is like climbing a mountain: we don't really know what we will find at the summit. We have only heard that it is beautiful, everybody is happy there, the view is magnificent and the air unpolluted. If we have a guide who has already climbed the mountain, he can help us avoid falling into a crevasse, or slipping on loose stones, or getting off the path.

The Flower communion service was created by Norbert Capek (1870- 1942), who founded the Unitarian Church in Czech- oslovakia. He introduced this special service to that church on June 4, 1923. The service was brought to the United States in 1940 and introduced to the members of First Parish in Cambridge, Massachusetts by Dr. Capek's wife, Maja V. Capek.

In the service, people were asked to bring a flower of their choice and place them in a vase. Dr. Capek then said a prayer, after which he walked over and consecrated the flowers while the congregation stood. After the service, as people left the church, they went to the vase and each took a flower other than the one that they had brought.

The significance of the flower communion is that as no two flowers are alike, so no two people are alike, yet each has a contribution to make. Together the different flowers form a beautiful bouquet.

By exchanging flowers, we show our willingness to walk together in our search for truth, disregarding all that might divide us. Each person takes home a flower brought by someone else - thus symbolizing our shared celebration in community.

It's time for our semi-annual Saturday morning highway clean-up project. Our stretch of highway is from SH 259 to FM 1844 on Judson Road. We wear our UU t-shirts and bring our own work gloves. Trash bags are supplied. We will meet on May 13th at Annie's Attic (which is midway between 259 and 1844) at 9:00 am, split up into teams, and are easily done by 11:00 am.

Ellen Herbert made us a fantastic sign that says UNITARIANS AT WORK. We post that at one end of the road. It would be nice to have another sign at the other end of our stretch of the continued on Page 4 ... see Road Clean-Up