“Belonging Here” follows up on a sermon offered two weeks ago in which we took a look at the internal (soul) and external (spirit) dimensions of belonging. Building on that foundation, this Sunday we will explore what it means to belong here, at All Souls Church, or any church, or any other community, organization or workplace. Specifically, we will spend some time asking how the culture of “consumerism” impacts our involvement in various organizations and what it might mean to move from being “consumers” to “disciples/agents of change/leaders” in the organizations we participate in.
Belonging Here
A Sermon Offered to All Souls Church; Unitarian Universalist
October 27, 2019
Rev. Shayna Appel
“Belonging Here” follows up on a sermon offered two weeks ago in which we took a look at the internal (soul) and external (spirit) dimensions of belonging. Building on that foundation, this Sunday we will explore what it means to belong here, at All Souls Church, or any church, or any other community, organization or workplace. Specifically, we will spend some time asking how the culture of “consumerism” impacts our involvement in various organizations and what it might mean to move from being “consumers” to “disciples/agents of change/leaders” in the organizations we participate in.
Welcome & Announcements
Chalice Lighting by Judith L. Quarrels [Adapted]
At this hour, in small towns and big cities, in single rooms and ornate sanctuaries, many of our sibling Unitarian Universalist congregations are also lighting a flaming chalice.
As we light our chalice today, let us remember that we are part of a great community of faith.
May this dancing flame inspire us to fill our lives with the Unitarian Universalist ideals of love, justice and truth. And may this inspiration move us to act as agents of change.
Hymn #40 The Morning Hangs a Signa
Opening Words by Sunshine Jeremiah Wolfe
This is a congregation that gathers in faith. Not faith in one religion or one god or any one way. We gather in faith of the power of diversity, the power of love, and the hope of a world transformed by our care. We gather in faith in ourselves and those around us. Not a faith that requires perfection or rightness in one another. Rather, a faith that in our shared imperfection we may learn to stumble and fall together. Faith that we will help one another to rise and to try again and again. We are Unitarian Universalists.
Anthem In keeping with October’s theme of Belonging, the choir is singing “All of Us,” words and music by Amy F. Bernon, with the lyrics, “Everybody join in, sing a joyful song that belongs to all of us…We’ll start a season of change when we all rearrange our points of view…” with input from La Cima Middle School students (Tucson, AZ)
Time for All Ages
Reading(s)
#1 From “Thieves in the Temple; The Christian Church and the Selling of the American Soul” by G. Jeffrey MacDonald
Today’s churchgoers, of course, understand themselves as much more than heirs to a religious legacy. In their lives outside of church, they’re consumers of a wide range of items, from laundry detergent to landscaping services. Deciding what to buy and where to get it often involves considerations beyond price and convenience. From their conscientious shopping experiences, consumers might learn things that would help them approach their spiritual lives and religious institutions more constructively.
Today’s enlightened consumer considers not only the personal benefits but also the societal and environmental repercussions of every purchase. In 2005, consumers internationally spent the equivalent of $1.6 billion on coffee, sugar and other products bearing a “Fair Trade” label, which signals that farmers in the supply chain used eco-friendly practices and were paid a living wage…
…This kind of conscientious consumption empowers consumers to do more than contract for particular goods and services. They’re leveraging their clout to shape the policies and practices of organizations, even entire industries. If this approach can take root in the hard-nosed world of business, then it probably has even more promise for shaping the Church, where decision making with more than self-interest in mind is already an accepted ideal…
#2 “Communities of Memory and Promise” by Kendyl R. Gibbons
Our communities of memory and promise are founded upon covenants because we all need a defense against the impulse of immediate feelings that challenge our best intentions. It is necessary to be reminded from time to time of what you said you were going to do, and what you really want, over and above the lure of momentary comfort.
“Covenant” is our word for the solemn promises that counteract the randomness of a future in which anything and everything is possible, by committing us in advance to certain relationships and values. We do [this] because what we build with intention, and even with difficulty, is more satisfying in the long run than the pleasures that we happen to encounter. We do it in time-consuming rituals, invoking powers that we scarcely know how to name, because we are seeking some way to give our lives the density, and dignity, and depth that we suspect, with longing, might yet be possible.
Sermon “Belonging Here”
If you were here two weeks ago, you heard a sermon about “The Mystery of Belonging Spirit & Soul.” “Belonging” because that is our Soul Matters theme for the month of October, and “Mystery” because that is the more ‘religious’ word creators of the Soul Matters curriculum paired with the theme of belonging. The mystery of belonging in spirit, as we discussed, has to do with an understanding of our interdependence; that we are literally and metaphorically connected to everyone and everything around us. And the mystery of belonging in soul has to do with understanding who we are individually; the parts of ourselves that are most uniquely us, deeper than our minds and more durable than our wills. The part of us that is holy, if you will, or sacred, radiant with dignity and worth.
Put these two critical aspects of our lives together and the mystery of belonging in spirit and soul winds up debunking the theory that our belonging is made possible, or not, by those who comprise the community we are seeking to belong to. Belonging in spirit and soul is what happens when our deepest joy finds an intersection with something wanted and needed in the world. Frederick Buechner said of our vocations that they are where our greatest joy meets the world’s greatest need.” Two weeks ago, I was saying the same thing about our sense of belonging.
Today we will explore what it means to belong here, at All Souls Church, or any church, or any other community, organization or workplace. Specifically, we will spend some time asking how the culture of “consumerism” impacts our involvement in various organizations and what it might mean to move from being “consumers” to “disciples/agents of change/leaders” in the organizations we participate in. Or, how we might take what we have learned as consumers and translate that into something truly productive.
But, why start with consumerism? Because of the enormous impact it has had on mainline churches across America, and even on America itself. In his book, ‘Thieves in the Temple; The Christian Church and the Selling of the American Soul,’ author, journalist and ordained minister Jeffrey MacDonald begins with a story about the Community Church of Joy in Glendale, Arizona. Long story short, the Community Church of Joy was a booming operation in 2002 with a vast 187 acre campus, around 12,000 names on their membership rolls, and a group of professional musicians playing through a top notch sound system every Sunday. The congregation was lively, worshippers were happy, and the church’s reputation in the greater Phoenix area was that it was a place for fun and an upbeat reprieve from the daily grind.
Beyond the walls of the Community Church of Joy however, the scene was anything but joyful. Within the metropolitan area of Phoenix rates of crime, substance abuse, divorce, poverty, unemployment and unwanted pregnancies were climbing steadily. But attendees at the Church of Joy seemed oblivious to the social problems right outside their doors, as if they were happily separate from the rest of the population. Recalling Jesus’ example of caring for those on societies margins, the church’s pastor, Rev. Walt Kallestad, began asking himself some disturbing questions, such as, if the Community Church of Joy were to disappear, would the larger Phoenix community even miss them or know that they were gone?
Again, long story short, Rev. Kallestad concluded that the members of his congregation were less interested in ‘taking up their crosses’ and following the hard road of discipleship and more interested in getting relief and inspiration. He went before his congregation and tearfully repented, then pulled all of the frills church-wide. “Gone were the talented professional musicians who had no personal passion for the faith. Churchgoers bid adieu to group trips to favorite restaurants, square-dancing classes, and card-playing evenings that had nothing to do with Christianity.” “Rebellion,” notes MacDonald, “quickly followed.” One out of every three members quit the church in protest as did half the staff. And six years later, the church still hadn’t recovered even one-forth of the members it had lost.
According to author Jeffery MacDonald, the story of the Community Church of Joy is a story about a church reckoning with a spiritual crises most congregations across America have chosen to ignore. “Faith,” writes MacDonald, “has become a consumer commodity in America. People shop for congregations that make them feel comfortable rather than spiritually challenged. They steer clear of formal commitments to Christian communities. They flee when they are not quickly gratified or when they encounter interpersonal problems. Changing churches has become as routine as changing jobs. [And] as a result, churches are no longer able to help people develop solid moral characters.”
MacDonald is viewing this dilemma through the lens of the Christian Church because that is his domain, but the same challenge vexes our own congregations within Unitarian Universalism. The same challenge is one we face right here at All Souls Church, and one need look no further than our own church history to see that this is true. This congregation has historically divided itself over any number of issues…the move from downtown to our current location, differing experiences of some painful episodes in our past, disagreements with sitting ministers. We lose members when their children grow up and head off to college, as if the transition of the kids out of the house signals the end of the parents need for spiritual growth and soul renewal. We lose members over certain Board decisions, or certain votes of the congregation, or certain sermons preached by the minister. In short, we UU’s in general, and we at All Souls in particular, are not immune to consumerism and its impact on the church.
So, I want to delicately suggest something here this morning and I pray none of you leave this church because of it! But first, let me offer a few observations.
First, while we are a liberal church theologically and our membership is overwhelmingly progressive socially and politically, when it comes to the work of this church we are amazingly traditional! Fellowship hour, for example, or member breakfasts, or anything revolving around the church kitchen is consistently in the hands of the women of this church. It’s almost as if there’s a sign on the kitchen door that reads, “No Boys Allowed!” Many of our committees are also largely served by women, who make the crafts and sell them, who educate our children, who care for our congregants, serve on our Board of Trustees, (with our President Ed Burke sitting as the token male). Slide on over to committees like Finance and Capitol Needs and you will find more men serving there. These, after all, are committees with some power and authority to bend and mold church identity and policy
In like manor, I am always moved to chuckle when we look for a few strong men to move tables and chairs – a task for which they show up, and for which we are grateful! – but seriously! Look around! We’ve got strong women in this church as well…not that they need more work to do!
We are a liberal church theologically and very progressive politically and socially, but when it comes to who is doing what here, we show up as pretty darn traditional. Does this surprise you? Or was this something you’ve been aware of as well?
O.K. second point…after moving from full-time ministry to three-quarters time ministry, and then having your settled minister retire, you hired a half-time contract minister for two years, which became one year, and then you hired another half-time contract minister, and during this period of time the vitality of this church waned. Membership dropped, we had no young families or children, no RE, committees were minimally functioning, stewardship was stagnant, and the entire West Wing of this building was virtually moth-balled and being used for storage.
Then you were able to hire a half-time minister for 3 years, and that 3 years became 4. During this time you have resurrected a full compliment of highly functioning committees and they are working really well. Also during this time, membership has grown, stewardship has nearly doubled as has your endowment, we have young people back in our church, a regular RE program and a paid steady nursery care provider. The West Wing is now cleaned out and fully back in use, the lower level being dedicated to an Early Childhood Education center which makes this place feel blissfully alive during the week. Your staff are all being paid within the guidelines laid out by the UUA. And you have made, and continue to make, significant and ongoing improvements to this building.
What does all of that tell us? It tells us that half-time ministry is enough, if you have some stability and commitment in leadership, both lay and ordained. On this last point, I would be remiss if I did not point out here that while your minister serves half-time, our president for the last 4 years, Ed Burke, has been, I believe, serving time and a half, and that has made a huge difference! But many other people have stepped up as well, and they are too many to name here, but they all have something in common. They have made a commitment to All Souls Church and the communities beyond our doors by investing their time, talent and by so doing, they have, I pray, found some of the intersections between their deepest joys and the needs of this congregation, the community, our region, wider denomination, and the world beyond that. In short, the vitality we are currently experiencing here at All Souls Church and the West Village Meeting House is due, in no small part, to those of you who yes, want to come here for reprieve and spiritual fulfillment, but who then translate that reprieve and spiritual fulfillment into the service of something more. Our current success, our vitality, our sense of aliveness is due, in no small part, to those empowered church consumers doing more than contracting for particular goods and services here. They are/you are/we are, leveraging our clout to shape the policies and practices of this organization and all those with whom we subsequently interact. And you are doing it magnificently.
And the work, the spiritual growth, the discipleship, the faith formation continue. So I want to turn now briefly to our second reading for today. “Our communities of memory and promise are founded upon covenants,” writes Kendyl Gibbons, “because we all need a defense against the impulse of immediate feelings that challenge our best intentions.” Kendyl calls us back to an essential reality when she says, “It is necessary to be reminded from time to time of what you said you were going to do, and what you really want, over and above the lure of momentary comfort.”
These covenants form the cornerstones of our faith in short because they help us identify common aspirations and goals. Without them, and without a common narrative, we become less of a community of faith and more of a social club that comes together to get relief and find inspiration. Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with that being part of what we do here, and I hope it IS part of what we do here. But what I want to delicately suggest here this morning is that it cannot be all that we do or someday we too may fin ourselves wondering, “If All Souls Church disappeared, would the larger Brattleboro community miss us, or even notice that we were gone?
This house of faith, this community of seekers and justice makers, care-takers and educators, visionaries and deep, deep thinkers gives us all a chance to be together so much more than we could ever be alone. It’s what makes this church, and all of you, such an invaluable gift. This morning I am inviting you, encouraging you…and, O.K. maybe exhorting you a little, to think about how you engage here…how you belong here. Where are the edges of your souls or spirits growth, and how might you…we…nudge those edges wider still. What would that even look like? What would it look like to do it together?
On that last note, following worship today, you will find some copies of our congregations current Mission Statement posted around the place. Next to those Mission Statements you will find slips of paper and some pens. I want you to covenant with me right here, right now, to take a close look at that Mission Statement and write down the 10 words from it that carry the most energy for you, that inspire you, that resonate for you but that also have the weight to inspire us for the journey ahead. Our current statement is old, it is too long…none of you even know what it says, right?…and so it really cannot serve us anymore in the way it once did. It’s time to hit refresh…hopefully without a rebellion and the loss of 1/3 of our congregation!
Why am I asking you to do this? Because, as Kendyl Gibbons says, “what we build with intention, and even with difficulty, is more satisfying in the long run than the pleasures that we happen to encounter. We do it in time-consuming rituals, invoking powers that we scarcely know how to name, because we are seeking some way to give our lives the density, and dignity, and depth that we suspect, with longing, might yet be possible.”
So may it be. Amen.
Hymn #287 Faith of the Larger Liberty
Offering
In August, Cari and Lauri Ryding came home to find their rainbow flag had been stolen and their house egged. Homophobic vandalism wasn’t at all what they expected in their close-knit Natick, Massachusetts neighborhood. As it turned out, it wasn’t what their neighbors expected either. Figuring the vandals couldn’t take flags from all of them, Cari an Lauri’s neighbors all bought and hung rainbow flags from their homes, which totaled about 40 in number.
We are always more when we recognize that we belong together then when we are apart. And so are our gifts multiplied when they are so shared. Please give generously as we collect this mornings offering. Thank you.
Offertory
Blessing Candles of Joy & Sorrow
Unison Affirmation
Hymn #194 Faith is a Forest
Extinguish the Chalice by Debra Burrell
We have basked in the warmth and beauty
of this flame and this community.
As the chalice flame is extinguished,
let us carry its glow within.
Let us kindle new sparks within these walls and beyond.
Closing Circle