LIVING OUR VISION EVERY DAY
Sermon Date 10.20.24
Good morning and welcome to the Sedona Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. I welcome you in the name of the ancestors, on whose shoulders I stand, and I welcome you in the name of all that is holy and sacred. And any and all that you hold sacred. It is indeed an honor and a pleasure to be able to share this space with you on this beautiful morning.
My personal appreciation for the principles of Unitarian Universalism are best summed up in the welcoming words adapted from the Unitarian church of Dublin, Ireland, and I quote:
“We do not ask what you believe, or expect you to think the way we do, but only that you try to live a kind and helpful life, with the dignity proper to a human being. Welcome, all who believe that religion is wider than any sect and deeper than any set of opinions. Welcome all who might find in our friendship, strength and encouragement for daily living.” Don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.
On January 6, 1841, an independent-minded 23-year-old man in Concord, Massachusetts, submitted a short note full of attitude quitting the local Unitarian Church. The notes cursive letters are firm and sweeping, especially the first. “I do not wish to be considered a member of the first parish in this town,” he wrote the town clerk, signing “Henry D. Thoreau.” Thoreau, who was baptized and raised a Unitarian, was, to put it mildly, one of our wayward youth. He never returned to the meetinghouse, but now, more than 200 years after his birth, the meetinghouse has come to embrace him. Unitarian Universalists today teach and celebrate the liberal religion he championed more vibrantly than ever.
The current minister of the Concord church said Thoreau is more than an influence on our faith tradition. “Modern-day Unitarian Universalism was in many ways started by Thoreau and Emerson as a branch of the tree of historic Christianity that we are now at the end of”, said the Rev. Howard Dana. “Both are alive and well in UU theology and practice today”, he said. “Emerson points us toward a unifying force greater than ourselves, and Thoreau shows us that we must practice our theology in the here and now.” The result of Thoreau’s influence, Dana said, is “UU activism grounded in self-reflection.” Or as I would say…living our vision every day. This dead, white, male fixture in our American literary canon is also more alive in our society at large than when he was buried in sleepy hollow cemetery 161 years ago. His calls from the barnyard roof to live more simply, use nature’s resources more wisely, and preserve wildness are carried on today. Simplicity, sustainability, and environmental movements. His eloquent defense of the individual’s right to resist immoral laws rings loudly in our current political climate. And his call, in Walden, to be fully awake is echoed by a million mindfulness apps
Across our land, “he is blessed,” Thoreau wrote in “walking,” “who loses no moment of the passing life in remembering the past.” Were Thoreau to visit first parish in Concord today, the white-columned church might at first look like the one in which he waited impatiently as a boy to be liberated from Sunday school. But the large black lives matter banner out front would surely disrupt that image and make him question if it could possibly be the same church he criticized for being timid on social issues. If he stepped inside and slipped into a pew, he might be further confounded to hear a sermon focused on experiencing the holy rather than defining it, or were he to return on some other Sundays or visit other Unitarian Universalist congregations, Thoreau would be surprised to discover full-throated affirmations of other things he wrote and thought: elevating the life of the spirit over the material; an ethos of simplicity; reverence for the divine in nature; justice and inclusivity in matters of race; and the search for wisdom in eastern, earth-centered, and other world religious traditions.
As we gather here today, I want us to reflect on the vision of our fellowship and how we can live it out every day. Our vision is not just a statement on paper, but a call to action. It is a reminder of the kind of people we are and the kind of community we strive to be. Living our vision every day means that we are intentional in our actions and attitudes. It means that we are committed to living out the values of love, service, and faith that we hold dear. It means that we are always striving to be better and to make a positive impact in the world around us. Now, if you haven’t noticed the acronym for living our vision everyday it is L.O.V.E.…. love.
But how do we live out this vision? It starts with our daily actions. It starts with the way we treat others, the way we prioritize our time, and the way we use our gifts and talents. It means that we are always looking for opportunities to serve and to make a difference in the lives of those around us.
Living our vision every day also means that we are always growing in ourselves and in our faith. Living our vision every day also means that that we make mistakes. It means that we are always learning and growing, both individually and as a community. Living our vision every day is not always easy. There will be times when we fall short and when we struggle to live up to our values. But let us remember that our vision is not just a goal to be achieved, but a journey to be lived. So, let us commit ourselves today to living out our vision every day. Let us be intentional in our actions, committed to our values, and always striving to grow in faith and service. And let us remember that as we live out our vision, we bring light and love to the world around us. Living our vision every day.
Can we speak the language of love? Answer me please, can we speak the language of love?
Ok, let us practice some love language! I will share the responsive reading of Erika Hewitt.
When I say (congregation), you say……We speak the language of love.
We come here from many different experiences and backgrounds. Some of us have trouble speaking; others have trouble with our hearing, all of us share this in common. (Congregation)…We speak the language of love.
In the moments before service begins, and again when we return to the service of life, we greet one another with kind words; we chat about the days behind us and days to come, and point. (Congregation)…… We speak the language of love.
We lift our voices in song, not to sing perfectly or in tune, but to hear and feel our voices form a life-giving sound. (Congregation)…. We speak the language of love.
We form a web of compassionate listening when individuals among us, risk being vulnerable, we name the fears that grip our hearts, and the joys fire up our spirit. (Congregation)…. We speak the language of love.
At times, our voices clash. We disagree. Tension enters our voices as we make room for different beliefs, different opinions, different perspectives. Through it all, it’s our intention that: (Congregation)…. We speak the language of love.
In this congregation, we welcome a multiplicity of truths, and we invite them to be named out loud. We long for the age when justice and peace will be evident all around us and, (congregation)…. We speak the language of love.
Let us make room for one another as whole beings, tender hearts, hungry spirits, and curious minds. With our actions and with our words. (congregation)……We speak the language of love.
Tender hearts, hungry spirits, and curious minds. With our actions and with our words. (congregation)… We speak the language of love.
Repeat…one mo time’…. may it be so!!
Blessed be, Amen, Ashe’