Upcoming Sunday Worship Services
“About the Dream”
Tuesday night I was meeting in my office with a young couple who will be married on March 13th. As we talked the choir was rehearsing outside in the sanctuary; and the children of several choir members were coloring and otherwise behaving constructively in the Parlor. The Fireplace Room to the right at the bottom of the stairs was in use with its door firmly closed to keep out the noise of the cast who were busy rehearsing in the Parish Hall for this weekend’s dinner theater. The rehearsal had forced the Lakeville Area Mother’s Club to have their business meeting in the kitchen.
This was the situation when my husband arrived at 7:40, tortellini in hand, naively thinking he could just show up to use the church kitchen – he wanted to try making the dinner theater entrée using church equipment – when you’re cooking for a large number of people – in this case 160 over two nights – you want no surprises. But he quickly realized that it wasn’t going to happen. The church was just too full.
Much of the week’s activity unfolded to the backdrop of drills and hammering as gifted carpentry elves constructed a sound and video booth in the back of the sanctuary. And in fact, one stalwart soul stayed into the wee hours of Friday morning to finish and move out the equipment in readiness for the wedding of a different couple that was held here Friday afternoon. This wedding united two women from Bridgewater who had been together for 20 years. They came in to be married with their two children ages seven and nine. Adults and children – all of them - were proud, excited and very nervous even though it was only the four of them – this was a big day and a special and tender moment. This couple went away legally married and grateful to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and to churches like this one who, long ago, hung the rainbow flag and pushed for the right of same sex couples to be married
I had a call from a woman named Christine Walgreen on Friday. She reminded me that she was the Boston Globe reporter who had written the series of articles over the past couple of years about the effort of this church to get the Middleboro town fathers to expand the Christmas nativity scene in order to bring it into compliance with the Constitution. Right now she’s writing an article about the free meals being served every third Wednesday at Nathan’s Place. The Third Wednesday project at Nathan’s was born when Nathan’s owner, George Glidden mentioned his desire to feed the poor to some “can do” members of this congregation – who brought his idea back to the church. Today our principle partner in the project is Sacred Heart and from 40 to 60 individuals are served each month.
Since a Globe reporter was on the line I wanted to mention to Christine an up-coming project of our Social Action Committee – April is National Child Sex Abuse Prevention Month. Studies indicate that although the public is increasingly aware of child sexual abuse, we have no skills for addressing it. We’re not used to talking about it. The result of our public ignorance is that we tend to ignore situations that don’t seem right – In the silence cause by our discomfort and ignorance it is possible for child sexual abuse to happen. With that in mind, we have outreached to some professionals who are putting together a cutting edge forum. A panel of people will speak to the issue of child sex abuse – but this will not be a line-up of professionals in the traditional sense. In a very unusual move, it will include a speaker who has been abused and a family member and also an abuser and one of their family members. The resulting dialogue as they talk about their experiences will be real and powerful. By the time this forum actually takes place it will have become an ecumenical event. The Middleboro/Lakeville Clergy Association churches are pleased to support this endeavor financially and plan to outreach into their church communities through their church bulletins.
This forum will be the first in an annual series on mental health issues that will be dedicated to Larry Carver, a passionate Unitarian Universalist who believed earnestly in the progress of humankind through education and good citizenship – and truly walked his talk. Larry passed away in 2002 and we miss him dearly. The topic of next year’s Mental Health forum has already been chosen – it will be on suicide prevention. I’m sure Larry would be proud of this series.
We have sponsored other forums in the library in recent years – among them, a four part series on Islam after 9/11, and a three part series on globalization. From Nathan’s to these educational panels, and in our support of the right of same sex couples to marry, this church remains a liberal voice in this community as proclaimed by our mission.
And speaking of education, I’d like to talk about the church school for a moment. Our church school is bursting at the seams. After listening to concerns from the Religious Education Committee about the increasing noise and energy level downstairs that we sometimes can feel coming up right through our feet, I approached Betty Murphy, the real estate agent next door. She is now looking for a nearby storefront rental space, to see if there is an option that might appeal to us as a temporary solution to our current lack of RE space.
And I’d like to let you in on a recent conversation with our Senior Youth... when they were asked if they’d like to do a youth-led worship service this year they immediately said yes. When they remembered that the subject of last year’s youth sermon was “Why the church is important to me,” someone said. Gee, too bad, cause I’d like to talk on that again. The church is even more important to me now.” And you know what? That’s what they chose. Why the church is important to me – take two. Their service will be Sunday, May 22nd.
As many of you know, the Senior Youth have been nurturing a dream all year. They have been working behind the scenes, doing yard work for folks, babysitting, selling chocolate to make enough money for the whole group to attend Star Island together this summer. A lot of factors have to fall into place for it to happen, but they decided to go for it on faith, knowing that whatever comes out of the process, it will be good.
One of the marks of spiritual and emotional maturity in any individual comes with the wisdom that your life’s meaning will be found in activities that go beyond serving your own needs. The above descriptions do no more than point to the living, breathing community practicing religion here – Everything - the hammering, the cooking, the singing and studying – these are activities of our faith – but there is more.
A deep and sophisticated spirituality runs through this congregation, some of which we witness through Joys and Sorrows and some by the fierce resilience of this place when there is suffering, conflict or disappointment. Let me explain. Things do go wrong here. Some people die and some are forced to live with chronic illnesses. Conflicts happen. Sometimes there is pain and anger on our lips. Life can disappoint us in big ways. Often we fall down and fall short. But it is the strength, always a goal of this community, that this is not the end of the story. You learn to reach deep inside - you get weary, but there is the hope, always the encouragement that you get up – that you reach for the stars – come rain or come shine.
I am reminded of the words to a song by little known singer songwriter Jeff Buckley who died young. He wrote, “Love is not a victory march, it’s a cold and broken halleluiah. And so it is with life: all of our lives are broken to some degree, our community as a whole is broken to some degree – so is every community. We would be foolish indeed if we were to close our eyes to our wounds - we would shut down our spiritual growth if we were to deny our imperfections and brokenness – but what’s beautiful is the pervasive tenacity, the belief, the certainty that the light of promise is always present here in this community. And that makes it so. In the God or goodness you seek here, in the relationships you foster, in the caring and in the authentic desire to discover what’s true and real, the spirit rises. The spirit is here – I feel it when I walk in – I hope you do. Something goes on here that is greater than our individual stories. Hallelujah.
The strength of this community is our ability to grow and remain vital come rain or come shine. I hope by mentioning some of the activities of just this week alone, to help you realize what a good investment FUUS is for you and your loved ones and to urge you to be generous in your pledge. The thing is, this is a healthy and (have I said it enough times) talented congregation – and that actually creates for us a special opportunity or burden of responsibility.
I want to take a moment to say something about our multitalented Directors of Music and Education. It has been my pleasure to serve with Jeannie Gagne for all of the seven years that I have had the privilege of being your minister. In recent years, the Music Committee has ensured that Jeannie has had the professional expense money to go to the UU Musicians Network Conferences in the summer. But what’s happened is that Jeannie has been discovered by the larger denomination. She has risen to a position of national leadership in UUA music circles. Jeannie is on the committee putting together the next Unitarian Universalist Hymnal that will bring us into the 21st century and beyond – reflecting UU values with its broad selection of world music and rhythms that move. Jeannie, along with Jason Shelton has been given responsibility for the music portion of the big, public worship service at this year’s General Assembly in Fort Worth, Texas. Truthfully, we can’t afford Jeannie. She could be in another church somewhere else. One reason she’s here - and she says this – is that this congregation is special – it is overflowing with talent, ideas and songs and dreams and hands reaching out willing to serve. It is a privilege to be here.
And our Director of Religious Education, the Reverend Laurie Hotchkiss is another talented professional – show me another church of our size with a fellowshipped and ordained Unitarian Universalist minister in such a part-time position. (You won’t find it!) Although Laurie is new, the bond between Laurie and our church school children is totally evident – just look at how enthusiastic they are to come down front and listen to her stories. (Laurie, of course, runs a cooperative church school and many adults contribute to the success of her program) The children enjoy coming, and I can assure you that they are getting a thoughtful, first-class exposure to religion, to holy curiosity, to love, to service and gratitude and so much more. It is evident that they know they are valued and respected and feel empowered by the love they receive here. I got such a kick when, after the adults contributed $1,600 to victims of the tsunami the church school children, on their own, decided to hold their own fundraiser – and, by golly, they recruited the right adults in Juli Gould and Judith Werley and raised over $300. The UU acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Laurie, too, has not been attracted here solely by the enormous stipend we pay her. We can’t afford her either. She too has chosen this church at least in part because she is attracted to the talents and potential of this remarkable congregation. Why do I point this out? Because this congregation is better poised to grow now than it has been any time since I have arrived. Beyond what the staff contributes we have healthy active committees with wise and energetic leadership that provides the backbone and support that makes everything happen. I feel so grateful to Jeff Stevens who has served as our president for the past five years – Jeff, would you please stand…stay there for a minute Jeff - if you currently chair a committee would you please stand… if you are on a committee would you please stand, if you have ever served as RE teacher, provided pastoral care for another, greeter, brought flowers, dishwasher, yard sale or service auction contributer, coffeemaker or generally helped out, please stand
The three of us as your staff would like to see this congregation grow. There is a very special spirit here. You are a gifted and talented congregation – if you choose to grow now you can make it happen. It is our hope that you will.
You may have gathered by now that this is Canvass Sunday, and it is my job to ask you to give to this church as generously as you are able. You know, I have to tell you that this sermon was easy to write because focusing on your strengths is fun. It is a pleasure and a privilege to serve this congregation.
I think it’s possible to view the pledge that you make as being for you as well as for the church – it is a sign to you of how much this faith and this community matters – to you, to your family, to the community around us, to the world. Your pledge dollars pay the staff salaries, yes – and also go toward securing space for our children, toward headsets for the hearing impaired, for upkeep on this beautiful building that gets worked so hard all week long. Yes. But more than that – your contribution is an investment in tomorrow.
Whether we are aware of it or not, as stewards of this church we are brought into relationship with generations to come – our dreams are handed off and are transformed by the dreams of the next generation, and so it goes – Your faith in this church and your financial support are gifts to the future, to your children and our children’s children. We received the precious bequest of this church from caring, loving individuals. Now Unitarian Universalism is your legacy to leave one day - in the words of Barbara Pescan found in our hymnal... “for endings that are beginnings, for beginnings that are endings…. For the circle, the spiral, the web, the egg, the orbit, the center, the seed, the flower, the fruit, the opening, the death, the release, the seed… we are going on… it is going on… blessed be.”
Dan has already outlined why you should give better than I could. I just want to say this – one definition of “saint” is “a person of exceptional holiness.” In relation to canvass, I think a saint would be anyone who is exceptionally giving. Only you know what you are able to wisely give – no one wants you strapped, we don’t want you to give beyond your means. But everyone has the capacity to be a “canvass saint.” I encourage you to give to the church absolutely to the extent that you are able.
Someone called me the other day asking questions about Unitarian Universalism and about our congregation. I answered her questions and encouraged her to come and give us a try on Sunday morning as that’s the best, and really the only way to know if this might be the right church for her and her family. And she said she would come. And then she said, “ I’m just so sick of my church because all they ever talk about is money!” So, I want to say, if you are here this morning, or to anyone else who might be here for the first time this morning, that if you add up the total number of sermons dedicated to money during the year I believe the total is one – you just got lucky to be here today.