In the Jewish tradition of a Passover Seder, an extra cup of wine is poured for the prophet Elijah, whose role is to announce the coming of the Messiah. Elijah, looking for an empty chair in which to sit, is symbolic of the stranger in our midst who knocks on our door seeking shelter and a warm meal. In our world today, chaos of wars and natural disasters has sent hundreds of thousands of people to seek asylum as refugees. We’ll learn about how one mid-size community in Germany has responded to this situation and consider how we might prepare ourselves for a knock on our congregation’s door. Could we as UUs gain understandings that would strengthen justice, equity, and compassion in human relations? Might we find new ways of moving in the direction of world community?

Helen has consulted with nonprofit organizations and UU congregations all over the US, has worked for The Mountain, and has served as District Executive in the Central Midwest District of the UUA after earning a doctorate in organizational leadership. Her background includes work in genetics, medieval and Renaissance music, and distance learning.

Charlotte grew up in Northern Germany during the Nazi era and the war, and finished her education in England where she lived from 1946 to 1950. She immigrated to the US and resided in CA for over 50 years, raising her family and working as a microbiologist. Charlotte remarried in 2001 and came to Hendersonville in 2005.