The Bob Ross thing…

A couple of years back I bought this here 16-piece Bob Ross painting kit for my wife. She actually makes lovely abstract paintings, but she’s self-taught mostly. The Bob Ross kit was part of a WGBH public TV fundraiser, so I went ahead and made the big donation. I thought she’d have fun with it, and maybe get a new trick or two up her sleeve.

It turns out, my wife can’t stand Bob Ross’s paintings.

I mean, they’re more “decorative art” than “art art”. Agreed. But I just love his instructional videos. I watched them even as a kid because they were so soothing. That’s before anyone ever knew or talked about ASMR. Sometimes people call Bob Ross the original ASMRtist.

I still watch his videos all the time on YouTube. I find them mesmerizing.

I’m going to take the kit into my wife’s studio and give it a shot. I have zero artistic ability, when it comes to visual art. But why not give it a try? Hopefully it will be fun, whatever the final product turns out to be.

One thing that I wish… Ross always painted Alaskan-inspired landscapes. It seems like all of his mountains are pointy “new” mountains. I wish he gave more tips for painting elderly east coast Appalachian-type mountains. Maybe I’ll figure it out. Or not.

This Thanksgiving, I’m grateful for the opportunity to try new things. I’m grateful for teachers and instructors. I’m grateful for a little free time now and then. I’m grateful for a sunny day like it is today. I’m grateful for my wife. I’m even grateful for Bob Ross.

“Come in, Number 7, Your Time’s Up!”

“Come in, number 7, your time’s up!” yells Ringo Starr during his extended scene in A Hard Day’s Night. He’s along the river and is teasing (or “taking the mickey” out of) the folks who rent out boats.

It has recently hit me that the Silent Generation is really aging. That’s the generation that got sandwiched between the GI Generation (with all its glory) and the Baby Boomers (with their numbers and culture-shifting power). I’ve lost several Silent Generation folks that I love in recent times. And several others that I know and love are failing (I hate that term) in various ways. It feels like their days are starting to be numbered, and that’s what made me think of the “your time’s up” quotation – though it’s not funny in this context.

It hits me hard that this generation is largely living in its final decade or so. Partly, as a member of Generation X, I relate to the Silent Generation. We were born into a similar generational situation, sandwiched between the Baby Boomers and the huge (and culture-shifting) Millennials. Small, slightly cynical, power-challenged generations, unite!

But also, the Silent Generation is largely the generation that raised me. The Baby Boomers were like the cool “big kids”, kind of like big sisters/big brothers/older siblings. But my father was, and my mother is, a member of the Silent Generation. Most of my school teachers and many of my troop leaders and music teachers and coaches were members of the Silent Generation.

I am “precious-ing” them (to turn the adjective into a verb, forgive me). I can never repay all that the Silent Generation has given me, and my generation. I am grateful.

Folk Festival at FCU Littleton!

I’m starting to get really excited for the upcoming FCU Folk Festival ’23! It will be on Saturday, November 11 at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.). Location/parking information is here.

The headlining artist is award-winning folk-blues-soul act The Sugarsnap Trio. They’re a super talented young group, and I can’t wait to hear them live!

There are two warm-up acts as well. Boston-based singer-songwriter Sarah Levecque will perform a brief set as will FCU’s own Patti Sardella (with friends Laura Pailler adding vocals, Kristine Tomlinson on electronic bagpipes, and Lara Hoke — that’s lil’ ol’ me– on bass).

There will be a brief intermission with refreshments.

A suggested donation is $30 per person or $35 per family, but any donation in any amount is appreciated, and no one will be turned away.

Macdellar school in Ghana…

Above: Macdellar student-athletes with school founder/director Mark Tillah to the right.

Several folks from my congregation (First Church Unitarian, Littleton) have become involved in fundraising for the Macdellar Sons of Grace School in the Volta region of Ghana. In fact, there is a yard sale this Saturday (June 10) to raise funds for the school; volunteers from FCU will hold the yard sale at the Littleton Historical Society (4 Rogers Street, Littleton, right near the church).

I have a four month sabbatical coming in early 2024. Inspired by my parishioners, I will visit the school and volunteer there for about a month any way that is useful. (At least, “God willing”. That’s the plan.)

I created a website for the school (the same one linked above), so that was my first volunteer task!

I’m very excited to get involved with this wonderful school that provides a free education to kids who would not be able to afford the private and public schools in Ghana otherwise.

Coming back from the pandemic

It has been quite a busy time, trying to come back from the Covid-19 pandemic. I realize that it’s not over, but we are approaching a “new normal”. I’m proud of what First Church Unitarian has been able to accomplish, offering most things in multiplatform or “hybrid” mode. But everything has changed; not just for FCU, but for everyone. Time just keeps marching along too, of course. (Whatever “time” is.) It’s a good time to be nimble and prepared to try new things. We are doing our best. I do enjoy the challenge, mostly. But I still miss some things about pre-pandemic times. I still feel like fewer events happen in-person now, and I miss many of the gatherings. No denying that there are benefits, including more online options and less driving and less pollution. I try to keep an open mind.

More… “A Cloud Never Dies”

A new short documentary of Thich Nhat Hanh’s life was just released. You can watch it here:

It’s a nice short documentary. And it made me feel affirmed in the things I had chosen to highlight during my March 20th service since a lot of the same things are covered here!

In other news, I did indeed receive the 5 Mindfulness Trainings from the Order of Interbeing on my Sunday off (March 27th). They bestowed on me the lovely dharma name “Steadfast Peace of the Source”.

I continue to be fed by my increased meditation and mindfulness practice. I feel very lucky.

Inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh

The past years have produced a shift in me, spiritually. For years, I have studied Vedanta and Taoism. I continue to be very moved and inspired by the wisdom found in these traditions.

A few years ago, in 2017, I loved to Lowell, Massachusetts. Lowell has the second-largest Cambodian immigrant population in the United States. I have attended some local Buddhist services with the Cambodian community when I have been able (sometimes challenging due to my duties as a parish minister and the timing of that). Through these experiences, I have been feeling myself pulled increasingly toward Buddhism. Cambodian Buddhism is in the Theravada school, but in part because of my years of being drawn to Vedanta and Taoism, I find myself personally drawn to Chan or Zen Buddhism.

This year, I began to offer a weekly meditation practice group with my parishioners that we call the Loving-Kindness Sangha Meditation Practice Group (normally we meet on Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m., online during the pandemic). Typically, we meditate in the style of Insight Mediation or Vipassana.

I have often found myself listening to the online meditations given by Thich Nhat Hanh, as so many are available through the Plum Village website and on YouTube. Sometimes I have shared his meditations with my group. I have found myself more and more drawn to the practices of the Order of Interbeing that Thay founded, which I have learned about since Thay’s passing in January.

This past Sunday, I led a worship service in honor and remembrance of Thich Nhat Hanh. It was done in the Unitarian Universalist style/tradition. In the process of preparing for that, I realized that I have quoted Thich Nhat Hanh in my sermons over the years more than any other person; the only sources I have quoted more often are scriptures of various world religions.

I am finding myself wanting to take refuge in the three jewels and getting deeper into Buddhist practice. It feels like a calling unto itself. I am a member of the Unitarian Universalist Buddhist Fellowship, and want to be more actively involved there. But I also want to be involved with the Order of Interbeing. I am excited for what delving into the practice might bring.

Here is the Sunday service remembering Thich Nhat Hanh:

My sister in ministry, around the corner…

Long time, loooooong time, no blog post. Covid-19 has meant that I spend far too much time online. I think in part because of that, I’ve had essentially no desire to blog. But I’m going to try to get back into it, because … there’s a lot to share!

Photo title: “It’s not polite to point”. (Rev. Lara Hoke points at Rev. Jen Munroe-Nathans during the charge.)

One of the nicest things that has happened during the pandemic, for me personally, is that an old friend is now the minister at the church around the corner, the Congregational Church of Littleton (CCOL). Once upon a time, CCOL and First Church Unitarian (FCU) were the same Town Church, established in 1714. In the 1830s and 1840s, we had that trinitarian/unitarian split and became two separate congregations. But with my old friend (Pastor Jen Munroe-Nathans) now around the corner, I hope we can join together more and more!

Yesterday, I had the honor of delivering the Charge to the Minister and the Charge to the Congregation in Pastor Jen’s installation. If you want to watch the service, here it is:

It was a lovely and inspiring service. (My piece, for my mother, who will want to start there, is here.)

I so look forward to more and more “good trouble” with my old friend, and our congregations.

My grandfather was in fact an ordained German Reform minister (Rev. Dr. Elmer R. Hoke), which is part of the United Church of Christ, like CCOL. So that’s kind of cool, too.

Fun outdoors and in-person!

One of the biggest treats in this year of Covid-19 has been occasional outdoor, in-person events with some of the church’s kids (from our Religious Education “RE” Program). It’s just simple joy to be outside with other people, having fun. Our RE Program has been led by volunteers this year (following the retirement of our Director of Religious Education or “DRE”), and they’ve done an incredible job.

After the RE lesson, we all walked from the church over to Fay Park and played a few games. One of them was “Strike a Pose”, or “Freeze Frame”. Here’s one picture from when I joined in with the kids.

Rev. Lara Hoke with some of the RE kids, freezing a pose at the sound of the bell.

Later on, we played a spontaneous game of “monkey in the middle”. The kids loved it when I was the monkey.

I can’t thank our RE Committee enough for the leadership and creativity they’ve shown this year!