Dear Members and Friends of 1stUUPB,
The Teaching Thursdays season reaches a climax in March and
the first week of April with a mixture of three
penetrating insights into American foreign policy and two inspiring
presentations on tips for personal well being. While the season officially ends
with Bob Ashmore’s presentation on April 6, we are tentatively adding two bonus
sessions on the two Thursdays in April leading up to the 1stUUPB ANNUAL
MEETING on Sunday, April 23.
Here is your Teaching Thursdays schedule for the rest of the
season.
March 2 Bob Burns – America’s Decision to Fight in Vietnam: The Historical Blindness of Reflexive
Anti-Communism
The
title speaks for itself. Bob, a new 1stUUPB member, will speak with unusual authority on the topic.
He was a draftee who served as a sergeant in the Signal Corps in Vietnam from
1969 to 1970. He later became a history professor serving as chairman of the
History Department at Choate Rosemary Hall, a New England Prep School.
March 9 Gus
Rubeiz – The Trump approach may not help
the Israel/Palestine peace process.
This title also speaks for
itself. Gus also brings unusual authority to his topic with his background as a
professor of sociology, a career spent negotiating closer relations among the
religions of the Middle East, and a native of the region.
March 16 Russell Bourne –Let’s trade ideas. An interactive session
with an eminent clinical psychologist about anything and everything.
He’s back. One, of many,
highlights of last year’s season was Dr. Bourne’s highly interactive
presentation on this topic. He comes to us with his freewheeling conversational
take on words, thoughts and ideas.
March 23 Andrew
Kahn – Japan and China: Conflict in the
East China Sea
Last
year’s presentation on China by past 1stUUPB Andrew was another highlight of
last year’s Teaching Thursdays season.
He’s back with a presentation which covers the relationship between these two
countries in terms of (1) the continuing issue of Japanese imperialism in China
during the 19th and 20th centuries, (2) conflicts over
sovereignty in the East China Sea, (3) their
economic relationships and (4)
their respective military strengths.
March 30 Rich
Palermo – A Brief History of the American
Labor Movement
Rich will present a fascinating story of the origins, conflicts, ascendancy and demise
of organized labor in the United States.
April 6 Bob
Ashmore – Our Well-Being as We Age: Preserving and
Improving our Physical, Mental and Emotional Health.
Bob will share research-based findings with us. Handouts
will amplify the presentation on this grand finale of the 2017 Teaching
Thursday season.
April 13 and April 20 Annual
Meeting Previews
We
have set aside these two Thursdays for interactive learning sessions which will
enable members to learn more about our Congregation’s future. Our plan is to
have the first session deal with present and future financial matters and the
second to cover the major non-financial aspects of our Congregational life.
However, we have asked our president and the board to make the final decisions
regarding the content of these two sessions.
In closing, we want to thank all of this year’s
presenters for the insights, entertainment and stimulating thoughts which they
shared with us. And thanks to all the rest of you whose participation let the presenters know that their efforts
were worthwhile. Thanks, also, to Barbara Hatzfeld for organizing the community
meals which preceded the programs and for taking care of scheduling matters.
