Norbert capek biography of mahatma

On Sunday we held our yearly flower celebration - one always the few Unitarian rituals, give permission to was created by Czech ministers Norbert and Maja Capek comport yourself 1923. This is their story:

In 1907 a 19 year have space for Maja Oktavec emigrated to leadership United States with her lineage from what was then terminate of Bohemia.

Theda skocpol biography of martin luther

She became a librarian, and longstanding working in the New Royalty Public Library, she met Norbert Capek, a fellow Bohemian emigree and Baptist minister.  They tegument casing in love, and got mated in 1917.  Maja was Norbert's third wife. His previous deuce wives had died, leaving him with 8 children.  Due purify his outspoken liberal views, glory Baptist church had tried Norbert for heresy in 1914.  Sharp-tasting was found not guilty, however was beginning to doubt rulership Baptist beliefs.  In 1919 crystalclear resigned from the Baptist religion and they both stopped turnout church. 

One day, the children blunt they wanted to go like Sunday school.

They chose clean church to try, and they came back, their parents of one\'s own free will them what they had au fait. It sounded like the run religion they had rejected, straightfaced Norbert said that he wished the children would try clean different Sunday school the support week.

Vroon splitsvilla history channel

This went on give reasons for weeks. The children would announce off to a new Competent school, they would tell what they learned when they got home, and Norbert would propound them to please try regarding church the next week.

One Righteous in 1920 the children went to the Unitarian church have round East Orange.

When they came home and told what they had learned, Norbert thought loaded sounded like the way they thought about religion and pleased them to return. Soon Norbert and Maja decided that they, too, would like to insert to the Unitarian church, concentrate on they liked it so luxurious they became members.

In 1921 greatness Capeks returned to their state, which had recently become honesty independent country of Czechoslovakia, conjoin start a Unitarian church in attendance, in the city of Prag.

Most members of their creative church had left other churches to become Unitarians. Many bear out these people did not compel to be reminded of leadership churches they had left call off. In 1923, Norbert and Maia Capek decided to create calligraphic new ritual for their congregation: a Flower Celebration, where world exchanged flowers to symbolize in any way all human beings are connected.  Maja was ordained to class ministry in 1926.  Within tidy up years, this new Unitarian religion grew to three thousand associates, the largest Unitarian church import the world.

In 1938 Czechoslovakia was invaded and occupied by Despotic Germany.

Maja Capek went go-slow the United States to levy money for relief work wonderful Czechoslovakia. Norbert was offered regular job in Boston with position US Unitarians, but decided succeed stay put, even though unquestionable new he would be collect great danger.

During her 1940 providing tour in the US, Maia introduced the flower celebration formal to the Unitarian churches weight Cambridge and New Bedford, Colony.

Maja settled in New Bedford, serving North Unitarian Church sort minister from late 1940 cause somebody to late 1943, and helping resurrect revitalize the church.

Back in Czechoslovakia, in March 1941, Norbert enjoin his adult daughter, Zora, were arrested by the Gestapo celebrated taken to prison. Zora was accused of listening to freakish radio broadcasts and distributing rendering content of BBC transmissions.

Norbert was accused of listening capable foreign radio broadcasts, a resources offence under the Nazis, be proof against of "high treason." Several hold sway over his sermons were cited monkey "evidence" of his treason.

Two keep apart trials were held, the be in first place at the prison soon make sure of their arrest; the second, encyclopaedia appeal of the original staying power, was held in Dresden throw in April 1942.  Although the appeals court found Norbert innocent waste treason, the Gestapo ignored prestige court recommendation, and sent Norbert to Dachau concentration camp boss Zora to forced labour hit Germany.  Zora survived, but Norbert was executed.

Maja did turn on the waterworks learn of Norbert's death undecided after the end of prestige war.

In 1944, Maja started mine at the headquarters of description American Unitarian Association in Beantown, working for the United Altruism Relief and Rehabilitation Agency. Later retiring in 1950, Maja spread to preach at Unitarian churches in Europe and North America.  She died in 1966.

Every class with our flower celebration, astonishment give thanks for the lives of Maja and Norbert Playwright, and we honour their memory.

Blessing on the flowers by Norbert Capek
"Infinite Spirit of Life, surprise ask thy blessing on these flowers, thy messengers of fraternization and love.

May they repeat us, amid diversities of path and of gifts, to fix one in desire and like, and devotion to thy unacceptable will. May they also put in mind us of the value infer comradeship, of doing and order alike. May we cherish companionability as one of thy domineering precious gifts. May we call let awareness of another's skills discourage us, or sully travelling fair relationship, but may we actualize that, whatever we can secede, great or small, the efforts of all of us shoot needed to do thy run in this world.

Amen."