Be Advised: We have postponed our Winter Luncheon to January 10. We are determined to celebrate our holiday and the secular values which bind our humanist community -- so, please let us know by Friday of this week if you can join us on the tenth. That will be at one o'clock at the Royal East Restaurant, 782 Main St., Cambridge.

Confidently, for the last time, you must RSVP (by email or telephone) and pay at the door. ($21.00 per person).

Please RSVP by calling Tom Ferrick at 617--547-1497 no later than Dec. 31. Remember, it will take place at the Royal East Restaurant, 782 Main St., Cambridge. (Free Parking available around the corner on Windsor, first lot on left). You will pay at the door, $21.00 per person.

This is just the time to ask all our other members and friends to add their names to the Jan. 3 festivity. (It was celebrated by our forebears as the light returning to the earth). We’ll meet at 12:30 pm, dine at one o’clock and have a wideopen discussion starting with the amazing unification of free minded people that is occurring across the country. Guests from other local free thought groups will offer their ideas.

In the meantime, take care of yourself – and let us hear from you,

So, let’s party. HAM (Humanist Association of Massachusetts), is giving way to GBH, (the Greater Boston Humanists). We are establishing a network among all the free-thought groups in our area, each with its own web site and its way of expressing its non-theism. We are being overwhelmed with new friends and new ideas, from the Boston Atheists with their hundreds of adherents, to the Brights, just lately taking hold. In November all these groups participated with the Coalition of Reason in placing ads acclaiming atheism on local T buses. Great publicity. And, what’s more, our community now has Greg Epstein’s book, “Good Without God,” with a positive ideal beyond stark unbelief. A wonderful read.

Our friends at the Royal East Restaurant, 782 Main Street, Cambridge, provide a generous feast and spacious setting as well as free parking nearby. If you are driving down Main St. from Mass Ave, turn right onto Windsor and go one block, turning into the first parking lot on your left. (Follow these directions carefully). Please let us know if you have special dietary needs that the restaurant will meet.

At meal's end, we'll have a "round table" discussion, starting with the two paragraphs opening this letter. If our president, Joe Gerstein, is able to complete essential repairs to his Florida house in time, he’ll lead the discussion; otherwise I’ll fill in. Come ready to speak your mind about the rational state of modern thinking, or the absence thereof.

The Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard and the Harvard Gay and Lesbian Caucus cordially invite you to join us at 7:30 to 9:00 PM on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009 in honoring and his commitment to equal rights for gays in the military. It will happen in Harvard’s Science Center, Hall D. It is a free event and open to the public.

Lt. Choi will receive the Humanist Chaplaincy`s first ever award for Service to Humanity, to be given annually to a Harvard student who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in ethical service to others. After receiving the award, Lieutenant Choi will speak about truth, service, integrity, and his experience with the U.S. Military`s "Don`t Ask, Don`t Tell" policy.

We Greater Boston Humanists are also a co-sponsor.

“Reflections on Two Movements: Gay Rights and Humanism.” This is the title of talk on October 4, in Hall A of Harvard’s Science Center, (1:30 PM). It is open to the public and free parking is available in the Littauer Lot behind the Center and Law School.

Robert Mack’s life is balanced by strong interests that have been nourished by his rationality and energized by his gay activism. Here’s what we can expect. As a Humanist and a gay man he will compare these two movements, drawing on his experience as a leader of Harvard's gay and lesbian alumni group, and, more recently, as a co-founder of the Harvard Humanist Alumni. He is particularly interested in seeing whether the history of the gay rights movement offers any ideas for planning the future of the Humanist movement.

Bob grew up in Concord, Mass. and attended Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He practiced law at the Boston firm of Hale and Dorr for 16 years, followed by another 16 years helping the same firm with its information technology. He currently works part time atFreshAddress.com, which he co-founded in 1999. Bob has been a leader of the Harvard Gay & Lesbian Caucus, which now has more than 5,000 members, since 1992. He recently helped found Harvard Humanist Alumni, which already has more than 750 Harvard-affiliated members and several thousand non-Harvard friends. That clearly is proof how well the two movements blend in one person. For the past 15 years he has lived in Central Square, Cambridge.

Here are some further musings from your editor on the variety of links these two movements have.

At first glance, one might well ask what one has to do with the other. Clearly neither is a cause of the other nor is there a contradiction. Each profits from the other’s existence. Each is a defender and a refuge for the other. And each has been amazingly successful in recent years. Is there a chance they possess a compatibility that we can find to be energizing and rewarding? Humanism, with its rationality and science, frees the mind from religious dogma. Gay rights liberates a host of feelings, long suppressed, to thrive in the light of day, and under the gradual protection of society’s laws. Everywhere they meet on the terrain of religion where both arouse great hostility, even outright prosecution. Both flourish wherever civil and human rights prevail.

At one o’clock, on Sunday afternoon, November 1st, we Greater Boston Humanists will host a seminar at Phillips Brooks House, Harvard Yard, inaugurating an expansion of free-thought unity. We are about to witness a bold experiment which will light forward a cooperative spirit among all reasonable and fair-minded human beings The United Coalition of Reason is a national organization created to raise the visibility of and cooperation between local groups in the larger community of reason. Our longtime friend and leader of the seminar, Fred Edwords, former editor of the AHA’s magazine, The Humanist, now heads up this well-funded, well-designed umbrella organization. In cities across the nation, a number of atheist, free-thought, Humanist, skeptic, secular Jewish, Ethical Culture, and other non-theist groups exist in one city. These groups, no matter if they are large or small, all have unique ways of organizing --  some meet in libraries or community centers, others are congregationally focused, and some use meetup.com. However, no matter what they call themselves or how they meet, the problem is that the groups either don’t know about each other or don’t communicate. But we've seen time and time again, across the US, that cooperation between secular groups brings greater success for all-- the whole is greater than the sum of all our parts.

To remedy this situation, United CoR offers the following:  

1. The initial work to establish a local Coalition of Reason to serve as an informal forum for group leaders and a clearinghouse for public information on local groups.
   
   
2. Free Web hosting and a design template for the local CoR website. For example, see PhillyCOR's site: http://phillycor.org/
   
   
3. Free public relations and media training of local group leaders so they may improve the public profile and outreach of their groups.
   
   
4. Funding for a local publicity campaign aimed at bringing traffic to the CoR website, where the local groups will be listed.   The publicity campaign in Boston will feature a high-visibility T ad campai
   
   

In Boston, United CoR will launch these advertisements to coincide with an appearance by Harvard Humanist Chaplain, Greg Epstein, on his book tour, along with leaders of the United CoR. The advertisements will tie in with Greg's book "Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe" (which will be released on October 27th). His book tour will bring him to Boston Nov 1-2. Here is where we local Boston Humanists come in. To have a local connection, the advertisements will highlight the website of the Boston CoR. United CoR thinks this will give the groups in Boston an amazing publicity boost.

The most important point -- perhaps your biggest concern: United CoR is a new national organization, but its focus is local. As such, it doesn’t compete with other national organizations.  And its local work is geared toward fostering the success of existing groups, not changing their nature or adding a new group.  A central goal is to help unaffiliated non-theists in a given geographic area learn about local activities and, ideally, get involved.

Across the country, United CoR is arranging visits by Fred Edwords, communications director, of United CoR. Fred's visit will include a joint lunch or dinner with one leader from each group in the Boston area.

Fred will provide a two-to-four-hour seminar for those interested in learning how to do publicity. For all of this, there is never any obligation, financial or otherwise, to United CoR from any local CoR or the groups within it! Once the media training has been provided and the advertising campaign has been launched, the rest is totally up to the groups involved as to what direction the CoR will take next. With our full support, Fred Edwords, along with Jende Andrew Huang, National Coordinator United Coalition of Reason look forward to changing the future of non-theism in greater Boston. www.unitedcor.org // 866.897.7248

This is truly big! We will keep you abreast of developments through the weeks ahead.

Grass Roots News, the newsletter of the American Humanist Association Chapter Assembly, is featuring the Greater Boston Humanists in the July '09 issue's Chapter Profile on the front page.

From Joe Gerstein and Tom Ferrick's statement:

We members are a happy lot; attend any one of our social events, luncheons or picnics, and it’s obvious we enjoy each other’s company. We’re loyal -- we set a budget annually and we meet it. We put out a fairly erudite newsletter, (Joe Gerstein’s essays and Peter Denison’s book reviews) and announce the relevance of coming programs. The latter have been notable, remember Fr. Drinan, the progressive-minded Jesuit, John Kenneth Galbraith, B.F. Skinner, and of course, E.O. Wilson. Harvard University has been a fabulous resource. For several years now we have had both an innovative and indefatigable president, Dr. Joe Gerstein, and a steady executive director, Tom Ferrick, who helped found first the Chaplaincy and then the Chapter in the 1970’s. Our board members have been self-sacrificing and responsible, (one of whom, David Niose, now heads the AHA). Several chapter members are authors of note, including Tom Clark (Philosophy), James Farmelant, (Atheism), Mark Lindley (Gandhi) and, the latest, our colleague, Greg Epstein, whose book, “Good Without God,” will soon be published.

Among our proudest achievements has been Smart Recovery, an addiction program based in cognitive science and free of any supernaturalism, which is now world wide - thanks first and foremost to Dr. Gerstein. It has been also his generosity and imagination that have supported two educational centers in India and one in Turkey; their leaders have journeyed here to thank and inspire us. We’ve had our share of shortcomings, of course, such as failing to involve more of our members in voluntary action and bringing a sufficient number of younger persons into membership. However, when it comes to living out the principles of Humanism, through reason and empathy, we are doing our very best.

Members & Friends of HAM/GBS:
 
I hope you are having a pleasant and relaxing summer despite the recession and a world out of balance. Let’s take a break and go to a Picnic.  This year we’ll invite “Humanists” of every ilk INTO OUR COMPAY.  In a very true sense we are all related; our thinking is based on science and a this world  philosophy, and it’s the human person, not the supernatural, not a revealed deity, that stands atop our value system. Let’s get to know one another better….at a Picnic.
 
Joe Gerstein offers to be our host again this year and we hope you are free on SATURDAY, AUGUST 1 WITH SUNDAY AS THE RAIN DATE. You are asked to arrive around NOON. If the weather seems threatening, call Joe  at (781) 891 8667.  Location: The Gerstein Home, 400 Highland St., Weston.
 
Please bring a salad, drink, or appetizer, if you can. There will be hamburgers, turkeyburgers, veggieburgers, regular and fat-free hot dogs and a fruit-and-sherbet dessert provided. Cold beer (with and without alcohol), wine and soft drinks will be available.

IMPORTANT.  Please let me know that you will be coming and what you will bring so we can plan better: call (617) 547-1497. Also, let me know if you are a Vegetarian or a Vegan.

Directions below. Let us know if you need to be picked up and/or dropped off at Riverside MBTA Station or at Weston’s Kendall Station on the North Station-Fitchburg Line.
 
We can arrange a trip to the Weston Swimming Pool after the program or a walk in the Weston Town Forest with comment on the natural wonders thereof. Please bring a bridge chair or beach chair if you drive and have some. There is plenty of parking if first arrivers will pull behind the house. Please do not park on the grass.
 
DRIVING DIRECTIONS: From the West, Mass. Turnpike (I-90) E. Exit at Natick/Route 30 and go East on Route 30 about 5 miles. Watch for WINTER ST. on the left 200 YDS. after you pass the Tennis Club on the right. Turn L into Winter St. At the T, turn Right. This is Highland St. Take 2nd paved driveway on the L (400). House is a Gray and White Cape Ranch. From the East: Mass. Tpke. Or Route 30 to Weston/Wayland/Route 30 W Exit. Take Route 30 W about 2.7 miles. Pass the football stadium/track on your L and pass through the Wellesley St. traffic lights. Highland St. forks to R about 0.3 miles from this intersection. 400 is 1st driveway on R. From South & North: Take 128/95 to Route 30 West Exit; follow the “From the East” Directions from there. We’ll try to mark the important landmarks with balloons.

On behalf of Joe and the Board, here’s wishing you a healthy, relaxing, and care-free summer.

Dear Members and Friends,

We are holding our Summer Solstice Luncheon on Sunday afternoon, June 28, at the Royal East Restaurant, 782 Main St., Cambridge at one o'clock. And you are invited - of course!

The ambience and the food are wonderful, friendliness abounds. This year we will be celebrating for a special reason. Our national organization, the American Humanist Association, has designated us as "Chapter of the Year," an honor bestowed earlier this month in Phoenix, AZ at the Annual Conference of the AHA.. We received great praise (for just being who we are), a framed citation, and a check for $500. It was fun.

One very happy effect of that occasion was the willingness, the eagerness, of the AHA president to speak at the June Luncheon. He is our own David Niose, a husband/father and lawyer/writer in the Fitchburg area, and a member of our board of directors. He heads the AHA at an eventful time for Humanism, when its ranks are expanding, its programs multiplying,  and the media focussing on our secular causes, such as separations of church and state, civil rights and gay rights, educational reform, health care and world peace. What is he seeing from his advantaged heights in Washington, DC and how does he size up the Obama administration?  He'll tell us at our summer luncheon.

Our president, Dr. Joe Gerstein, and the Board join me in wishing you a healthy and relaxing summer,

Tom Ferrick

Update 1:  While you are thinking about it, please reply by email or call in your reservation today, (617--547-1497) -- that's necessary. Deadline to reserve: the last Friday of June. Plan on paying $21.00 per person, by cash or check, when you arrive at the restaurant, (or ahead of time by mail). 

Update 2: Directions to the restaurant’s Parking Lot:  In Cambridge’s Central Square area, turn from Massachusetts Avenue onto Main Street.  After passing by the Royal East on your right, take the next right, Windsor Street, and turn into the first parking lot on your LEFT, repeat, LEFT). 

Update 3:  Members of the Board of Directors will meet at the Royal East at 11:45 AM.

Humanism has long been concerned about freedom and self-management for all of us when death draws near. Doctors, hospitals and relatives must be aware of our desires. Let’s learn to take charge.

The "End of Life" video, funded by former HAM member Lisa Kuhmerker when she became aware that she had a fatal brain tumor, and subsequently supported by her Gifts of Time Foundation was produced by the Tufts Healthcare Institute. It features 3 separate vignettes illustrating various aspects of interplay between physicians and patients/families in difficult scenarios. Each vignette is followed by a group discussion moderated by John Paris, Professor of Bioethics at Boston College. The dicussion group consists of physicians of various specialties, patients/families in precarious situations, social workers and clerics. The product design envisions an ensuing group discussion among the viewers.

This video has been shown to physicians and lay people around the world (including the Asia-Pacific Conference on Chronic Lung Diseases and Sloan-Kettering Institute and has proved a very provocative and useful tool for helping professionals and laypeople to gain insight and empathy for these types of difficult social, political, religious and ethical situations. 

The group discussion will be moderated by Dr. Joe Gerstein, who helped in the production of the video and has presented it and led discussions in many other venues.