Reverendly Yours

October 5, 2008

So how does it feel for you? The lipstick is off the campaign and the spikes are on. These last few weeks before Election Day will undoubtedly draw blood, the swift boaters have started their engines, and the country will observe racism, feminism, and ageism all stirred in the same stew. Meanwhile the economy has tanked globally, the obscene amount of dollars our government gambled on corporate socialism has gained little or nothing, and unemployment is rampant. Is the sky falling? As we ponder that loaded question we undoubtedly wonder if it’s a matter of faith or mettle? If it’s a matter of faith, may our supply run deep and wide. If our mettle is in fact being tested, I hope our supply runs even deeper and wider.
 
The political campaign, which never ceases to astonish me with its vitriol, bizarre metaphors, and brazen deceit, tests my mettle. The economy had every indication of taking a nose-dive three years ago while the government insisted on the strength free market enterprise. And banking CEO’s were in denial as they accumulated vast wealth. Even a child while blowing huge bubbles from soapy water knows that the best of bubbles will inevitably break. The economy tests my mettle to be sure.
 
But I asked myself: What does testing my mettle really mean? All I know is that it sounds better than being pushed to my limits although I confess I don’t know the boundaries of my limits. Not really. I may surprise myself but don’t want to go there. So I opt for describing my anger/angst/agitation as “testing my mettle.” Well, let’s see what it means.
 
Mettle first appeared in our lexicon somewhere in the sixteenth century denoting the quality of a horse’s temperament. It soon evolved into the quality of a person’s spirit. I think it should have remained confined to horses. A horse’s temperament can really make a difference while the human spirit – well, it soars, it dives, but can’t ever be used constructively like plowing a field. Over the centuries mettle has come to mean stamina, bravery, and one of my favorite terms, pluck. Ah yes, the campaign and the economy have caused me to lose my pluck. Of course that word emanates from chickens but we won’t go there although it was Chicken Little who cried the sky was falling. Let’s just say I have lost my pluck and you probably have, too.
 
Mettle suggests the ability to do something well in a difficult situation. I’m all for that, but in this case, what can we do? Besides voting and sticking money under the mattress, what can anyone really do, let alone do “well?” But the opposite of mettle is “spineless.” I’m sure nobody wants to be spineless these days with all that’s at stake. But the solution seems to be circular. It runs something like this: In order not to be spineless in these trying days of civilization, we must show out mettle rather than be paralyzed by fear.
 
I’m all for that. I guess I show my mettle by not hiding in the closet. I show my mettle by campaigning for the right candidates. I show my mettle by the quality of my spirit. And although my spirit feels rather frayed and wary, I must exhibit confidence in the American people that this election, like no other election in my lifetime, will ultimately test our mettle. It’s just a matter of good old horse sense to figure that out. TRG

 

September 29, 2008

Received a notice in the mail along with a newspaper article announcing the 375th anniversary of the tiny church in coastal Massachusetts where I began my ministry. I had to pause a bit to consider just how long a stretch of history that really is. The first few presidents of Harvard College were ministers there, a convenient get away to the ocean by horse and buggy. The original church was built on the waterfront, but the current church in which I also served, is the sixth building in its history and sits about two miles inland albeit with a sloop atop its weather vane. In 1776 the British were spotted off shore by two local girls who made so much noise as to convince the British that the town was bustling with people ready to fight. The Red Coats then moved on. I believe the descendents of one of those girls was a member of the Unitarian church, but regardless, it makes a good story.

Of course that church actually preceded Unitarianism, evolving from a Puritan church originally to Congregational, and finally Unitarian by about 1820. But the liberal legacy of that church has been consistent throughout the centuries. In 1690 the congregation showed its liberal colors by upsetting the conservative types over baptizing the children. The liberals held fast to the belief that children were not born depraved and sinful and therefore did not warrant full-immersion baptism to appear as good and virtuous people in the eyes of God. So the folks who clung to the idea of baptism moved south about 40 miles to Barnstable on Cape Cod to begin a new church. And to this day, Barnstable is regarded as a more conservative Christian UU church.

Legacy is a word on the tip of our tongues these days in Salt Lake as we contemplate the future. We’re just 117 years old and it feels like a stretch to imagine our church at its 200th anniversary. But churches do have an amazing lifeline when handled with care, and what’s more, the very texture of its theology has a lasting imprint. First Unitarian Church in Salt Lake City began with the Rev. David Utter who was quite a biblical scholar but who used his scholarship as a means of liberalizing religion. He made religion relevant in people’s lives with helpful distinctions between myths and wisdom. The congregation since has always been open to liberal influences, and welcomed Ed Wilson as its minister, an original signer of the Humanist Manifesto of 1932. And ministers like Hugh Gillilan, Ron Clarke, Richard Henry, and I have always tried to reflect the liberal prism of ideas and values.

Legacy is far more intricate than simply preserving longevity. Our legacy in this campaign deals with practical matters such as ensuring enough space for future Unitarians to grow and conduct their business under ideal environmentally sustainable conditions. But legacy includes much more, namely the continuation of character that identifies a liberal religious community. The hue of our church has not changed much in the past 117 years, and so we can feel reasonably confident that our mission today will reflect our mission in the year 2091, our 200th anniversary. We just need to make sure our mission and ideals will be appropriately housed in that new era. The legacy of social justice work, welcoming diversity, healing the planet, rational religion, and commitment to children learning the values of an open mind and the call for compassion comprise the legacy of our church. It’s the legacy we have inherited and the legacy we feel moved to continue. It’s who we are, and we would be short-sighted if we believe the legacy will carry forth without our attention, love, and support. If we are to reach 375 years of liberal religion in Salt Lake City, (obviously a doable number as far as churches go), some big plans and commitments need to take place now at this critical juncture of our history. As our 44 canvassers make their way through our church community to discuss precisely this notion of legacy, please be welcoming and join the conversation. Try to envision our UU church celebrating 375 years, and what needs to take place now for that to happen. TRG

 

September 15, 2008

The General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association is coming to Salt Lake City in June. It’s a mixed blessing in that we can savor from now until then the thought of 5000 Unitarian Universalist delegates from every state and several countries spilling out of the Salt Palace and onto the streets of downtown. Tough to get a reservation at a nice restaurant because all those damn Unitarians are in town for five days, making a liberal splash in a conservative desert. UUs wherever you turn, spreading through town like ants, a refreshing change of progressive winds sweeping across Zion. But the caveat is that the local UU churches (that includes us mightily), will have to supply volunteers to make the General Assembly flow seamlessly. More information about this will follow soon. I hope we all roll up our sleeves and pitch in as best we can to welcome religious liberals by the thousands.

I am currently in conversation with our UU president and UU social justice chairperson about the General Assembly’s Public Witness in Salt Lake City. Each year at our convention we take time to interrupt the rhetoric of liberal thought and fill our prophetic role of working for justice. The delegates, and all in the local community who are sympathetic to the cause, gather for a huge rally to witness publicly on behalf of those who suffer injustice in our society. It’s giving our faith a physical presence visible in the host community. As you can imagine, there is great power inherent in a liberal faith community standing on the side of love on social issues that are often distorted by the religious right.

Although nothing is finalized yet, we are leaning towards a public witness in Salt Lake City in support of immigration reform and humane treatment of undocumented workers. Our UUA president, Bill Sinkford, has waxed eloquently in support of the New Sanctuary Movement, urging UU churches to sign its petition in support of undocumented workers. Our own local church has been greatly involved in this issue and is working with other churches to promote a greater awareness of the injustice perpetrated against (mostly) Mexican illegal immigrants. Our church’s Sanctuary Task Force hopes the congregation is ready to sign the petition at a congregational meeting this fall. Materials will continue to be available for those who missed opportunities to learn about the movement as well as the UUA support.

We in Utah are not only affected by the reprehensible raids by ICE in Lehi and Hyrum that left hundreds of immigrant families devastated, but must now contend with Jason Chaffetz, running for Utah’s 3rd District congressional seat. Chaffetz has introduced an immigration plan equivalent to erecting an internment camp (Tent City he calls it) ringed by barbed wire to warehouse all immigrants here illegally before their deportation. Chaffetz insists on calling undocumented workers “fugitives,” and wants them out of the country. Somehow, the six percent of all illegal immigrants from Canada and Europe would not be subject to this callous treatment. Chaffetz’s opponent in the race, Bennion Spencer, called the plan “abominable,” and “not representative of mainstream Utah.” Well, do you think Spencer has a chance of taking the seat, or has mainstream Utah succumbed to this barbaric treatment of people?

The fabric of our society hangs together by tenuous threads. The oppressed, the poor, the powerless, need the support of all of us who feel the blatant inequities in our society must be addressed, and the fabric mended with deep convictions of equality and fairness. Public witness is one way to raise the profile of our nation unraveling in its moral leadership. We can work on behalf of social justice in our local congregation, and then in June, link forces and voices with thousands of UUs in a demonstration of love for those who have been denied their basic human rights.

Public witness represents a small part of the General Assembly’s whirr of activity. But it says a lot about getting off one’s derriere to feel actively engaged rather than just shrugging shoulders in despair. For those who have not been active in a General Assembly before, this June represents a golden opportunity to feel part of organized liberal religion. The best and brightest will be among us. And we have the opportunity to show our UU brothers and sisters (literally) from around the world, just what good hospitality feels like in Zion. TRG