A thread runs all through us It runs from joys to sorrows Like a song of joyful caring Like a loving course of weavings. And this sacred web of journeys Has now gently caught us You can see it in our faces Perhaps a little startled Finding we, the many Are really we, the One.
We are one. I keep asking, what does that mean? Are we M&M's different colors on the outside only, all chocolate on the inside? Are we somehow a tree, putting out individual leaves yet nourishing them all through the same trunk, the same roots? Are we a forest of trees, intertwined beneath the ground, sharing the resources that keep us alive? Are we part of a spider web, connected in not always obvious, labyrinthine ways? Are we different, diverse, unique and at the same time one? The answer is yes, and yes, and yes, and yes. Hindus say that there is one god who shows him/herself in a million different disguises. Nikos Kazantzakis compared the nature of life to the double helix of the DNA molecule. The strands weave themselves together, then draw apart, then come together. Intersecting, separated, intersecting, separated . . .Our unity and our diversity dance with each other in an "endlessly changing beauty of . . . unfolding . . . . Now arm in arm, now face to face, now back to back . . . (but) moving to the same rhythm, creating a pattern together, and being invisibly nourished by it." (Anne Morrow Lindbergh) Celebrate diversity. Celebrate unity.
In the context of today, of now, of we in the congregation "We are One" means we join together to create this community. We make a bright, beautiful garden of vegetables. Some of us brussels sprouts; some of us zucchini; some of us tomatoes; some of us garlic scapes; arugula, potatoes, broccoli, you name it. Each of us carries some different combinations of nutrients vital to good health, but none of us carries all the nutrients. Each of us a piece of the ever-growing, open-ended jigsaw puzzle that is the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Catskills, a piece needing to be linked to the others in order to make the picture come alive. Each one plays a part in the greater whole. Just as the picture has an empty space in it when some the pieces are missing, so too is each one of you important to this community. We are not the same without you. And because each has a part in the whole, "We Are One" means each has a part of the responsibility for the whole; for the life of this community; each plays a role. Not some of us, but each of us, everyone, all. "We are One" means there is no other one. We are the ones. We are the ones who, if we want the vegetables, must plant and tend and reap this garden and hopefully do it with skill and with love.
Never thought of yourself as part of a garden, part of a puzzle? Never thought of yourself as an M&M in a bag of M&M's? Think of yourself as an independent, as an individual doing your own thing, when you want, where you want? Holly Near sings a song called "Unity" in which she sings "Doesn't always mean agreement, and it doesn't always mean the same." We Are One becomes a coming together of different unique individuals united by a purpose, standing upon common ground. I like that because it makes room for differences while pointing the way toward a powerful, creative unity.
What do you think is our unity, our unifying purpose? What is our common ground? Perhaps to offer and to live the Unitarian Universalist approach of freedom of belief with respect for differences? Perhaps to offer and live a community of action and justice as well as a community of support and help? Perhaps to offer and live with minds and hearts and spirits open to listening, growth, learning and change? Open to each other. We may have come here for different reasons; we may value different aspects of this community, but this congregation is our common ground. Its life is what we individualists create and build and take care of together, as one. Because in that sense, we are one.
We Come (Nancy Beard)
Whether we have before or we're new through this door We come Whether we're young or we're old shy or so bold We come Whether we join in song or choose to march all day long We come Whether to care for the earth or to explore our own worth We come Whether the chalice or candles we burn to share our joy or express our concern We come Whether we call it goddess, spirit, god, or none-of-the-above, or we choose simply to believe in the power of love We come When we give, we receive and shall find what we need When we come.
Why do you come here? For the connections with people of similar values? For acceptance? For friendships? For support? To be yourself? For your children's religious education and grounding? For the opportunity to act for change in the world? Because you believe that a socially engaged community, based upon shared ethical values and freedom of faith and conscience is important? Because UUCC is a place where your spirituality is welcomed and invited to deepen? Where your intellect is challenged to develop? Where your social needs are addressed? Where your emotions are enlivened and healing becomes a possibility? Because here you are called to live according to your best self and to bring that self to the wider world?
I say we come, each one of us, to give and to receive. There's a part of us that wants to be seen, known, accepted, recognized, welcomed. When we find such, we begin to bloom like the crocuses and the snow drops we can see on the lawn. And when we bloom, we fill the air with our beauty and our fragrance, making the lives of others so much sweeter. When we give we receive and find what we need. When we receive we give, and find what we need. All of the reasons for coming here mentioned above involve giving and receiving. We give ourselves on every level: our skills, our time, our money. We receive from each other on every level: the personal connections; the spiritual, emotional, intellectual stimulation; the opportunities to make a difference with our actions; a village to help with raising our children. Giving and receiving -- an interchange of mutuality. A dialectic takes place when we give and receive, a creative synthesis, a synchronicity.
Remember a few years back when we painted the inside of the sanctuary? Remember the feeling of all the people in here, each painting his/her wall or ceiling, arguing about what music would play on the radio, which snacks we wanted? Working independently and together toward a common goal? Remember seven or eight years ago when the Kingston, Benedictine and Northern Dutchess Hospitals proposed merger and all agreed to follow the Catholic directives regarding reproductive services, meaning that birth control counseling and termination of pregnancies would not occur in any hospital? Remember how the Social Action committee drafted a statement, held sessions for anyone to give feedback, modified the statement and brought it to the congregation? Remember how we passed it, with enough time for consideration and airing of all points of view? Remember how we published it in the media? Remember what it felt like to take a public position for what we thought best served the public good, standing together on common ground? Remember what it felt like if anyone in this congregation ever reached out to you or your children in welcome, support, friendship? Remember what it felt like when you reached out to someone else? How very much grows out of such words and communal actions. This is the dance of giving and receiving. Receiving begets giving; giving begets receiving. Many of us come, at first, because we want to receive. Often we find ourselves in transition and we need to receive. If we return it's because we gotten something of value to us. Then there comes a time when we recognize that we want to, or are asked to, give something back. Join a committee, help with a project, make soup or sandwiches, make a financial pledge. That's a crucial time. Some of us leave at that point, perhaps feeling that we have nothing to give. Or that what we might give would make no difference. Some of us don't want to give. But those who stay, and take a chance and offer something of themselves: skills, time, money, experience the interchange of mutuality that is giving and receiving.
Why do people give? The reasons exist on a continuum of involvement. At one end of the continuum we begin to give, maybe because someone asked and we really never thought about it before. Then we do think about it and we give to causes and organizations whose work we believe in and want to support, but are not necessarily involved with. Then, as we begin to take part in an organization or community, we become more aware of the needs and maybe we give as an obligation, a recognition that belonging to a community is a give and take kind of thing. Sometimes, though, our sense of obligation gives rise to feelings of guilt and that complicates our giving. Further along the continuum giving may become a spiritual practice. Maybe we experience generosity of spirit and material goods as a happiness that puts more happiness and peace into the world. Some think of generosity as a virtue. Even further along the continuum, as our deepening involvement becomes a sense of shared ownership, we may give, as a spiritual practice, as a response to need and as a shared responsibility for the community as a whole. Giving grows with awareness of need, greater participation, shared ownership and mutual responsibility. And as giving grows, so does receiving. As receiving grows, so does giving. Let yourself receive here. Here, let yourself give. For we come to both give and receive.
Who are we, we that come? We are One (Bobbi Katz) We are expert disagree-rs. We know just how to complain. We will dissect any theory. We will argue and explain. We have many different ideas. on just how things should be done. But - ¦if there's a problem. We are one. We are always, always hungry for good food and for good talk. And we don't just stop at talking. We each try to walk the walk. Our directions might be different Some step slowly; some will run. But - with goals of peace and justice We are one. We are quiet meditators. We raise voices strong in song. We are grumpy agitators, yet somehow we get along. Although some of us are vegans and others omnivores, We paint, pull weeds, wash dishes. Yes, we polish off the chores. And we're super duper experts When it comes to having fun. Yes, we laugh - and cry - together. We are one.
Who are we? All of the above and much, much more. We are a community in which you can be who you are and at the same time be called to the best you can be.
Who do we want to be? I think we want to be a Unitarian Universalist community that is responsive to the needs of the people already here as well as to the demands of those yet to come. I think we want to be a community of people that does not rely on only a few to carry the load, but one in which many pitch in. It means we take good care to provide for our programs, particularly religious education, music and worship, social action. We take good care to provide for our community by having fun together and welcoming newcomers and helping new members find their niche. We bring on professional help in the areas of financial record keeping and maintaining the grounds and buildings. I think we want to be a community that can take care of its present and build a strong future together.
We are one. We come to both give and receive. Today our pledge campaign begins and we hope that you will make time to visit with your steward and make a generous pledge. Why? Because we are one. We are the only ones who will make this congregation what we want it to be. We, all of us, come, both to give and receive. All of our gifts are precious.
I give to you my ministry, my presence, whatever skill I have. I wonder if you know what you give to me. I wonder if you know what an honor it is to be invited into your lives; to be entrusted with the deep joys and sorrows of your hearts; to be valued for what I do well; to be forgiven for what I do not. You made my sabbatical possible and every Sunday when the bell calls us to worship and to meditation-- it is your gift that sings. I too both receive and give in this community.
And I pledge. Most ministers in the Unitarian Universalist tradition make a pledge to the congregations they serve. I tithe, which means I pledge 10% of my income after taxes are taken out. This year my pledge is $4500. I do it seriously and as a pleasure; as a spiritual discipline; in gratitude to this community and to Unitarian Universalism itself, which gives me so much. I like taking part in a religious community. I like taking my place in a tradition that goes back over 500 years. I like knowing that at many critical points we UU's have stood on the side of love and justice and sometimes even helped lead the struggle. I like who we are and I want us to flourish. Not merely to survive; not merely to maintain, but to flourish. To thrive; to bloom profusely.
We will only do that if we recognize that we are one and that we must be together in the caretaking of our community. We are one, whether M&M's, trees, joined in a spider web or part of a vegetable garden. Our unity and diversity dance in and out. We give, we receive. We laugh we cry; we live we die. We've come to sing our song. For "We believe in life and in the strength of love and we have found a need to be together. We have our hearts to give; we have our thoughts to receive, and we believe that sharing is an answer."
(Shelley Jackson Denham) May it be so.