American Unitarian and Universalism were founded in many of the Enlightenment ideals which partially informed the foundational ideals of many of our country’s early philosophical documents. Throughout our history we tended to view our country as working to be a better embodiment of the best of those ideals. Today, our Democracy and our Democratic ideals are under attack both from other nations and from within. This morning we issue a call to reinvigorate our faith and practices of democracy and to mend our broken community. Rev. Kate Rohde is Minister Emerita at the Unitarian Congregation of West Chester where she was minister from 1987-2004. She and her husband, David Cohen, recently returned to West Chester in retirement. She began ministry in 1980 when she was the only woman serving as a full-time UU minister in the Southeast. In addition to West Chester, she has served as an interim or a settled minister in Georgia, British Columbia, Devon, PA., Florida, Sacramento, Omaha, and Austin. She has two grown children, one of whom is currently walking from Georgia to Maine. She loves retirement and keeps occupied with reading, theater, teaching ESL, political activism, and attending church. She firmly believes that being an old lady is underrated.