The Unitarian Universalist Association was formed in 1961 as the result of the consolidation of two existing religious organizations: the American Unitarian Association (founded in Boston in 1825), and the Universalist Church in America (c. 1785, leading to the eventual creation of the “Philadelphia Convention of Universalists” in 1790). Both these institutions in turn represented still earlier ecclesiastical organizations and theological traditions which, in some cases, can be traces back to the earliest days of Christianity.
• Unitarianism: the belief that God is One. (i.e. Jesus is not God).
• Universalism: the belief that ultimately All Souls shall be reconciled with their Creator (i.e. “no hell” or Universal Salvation).
Nowadays there is some question about how “UUism” is best understood:
1. is it a form of “liberal Christianity,” and the historical successor of these two earlier ecclesiastical bodies?
2. is it a “post-Christian” Protestant heresy, embracing wisdom and inspiration from ALL of the world’s great faith traditions?
3. is Unitarian Universalism its own “New Religion?”
Of course it is also possible that we may be all of the above, or even NONE of the above but something entirely different instead (such as “secular Humanism in religious clothing,” or “the Democratic party at prayer”).
But however one chooses to understand “Our Liberal Movement in Theology,” it’s important to acknowledge that Unitarian Universalism’s most direct, powerful and immediate historical roots are Biblical, and are derived from a certain method for reading the Bible, which was eloquently articulated by William Ellery Channing in his 1819 Baltimore Sermon entitled “Unitarian Christianity.”
“Our leading principle in interpreting Scripture is this, that the Bible is a book written for men, in the language of men, and that its meaning is to be sought in the same manner as that of other books...[through] the constant exercise of reason.”
Channing and his fellow Unitarians were accused at the time of elevating human reason above the word of God. Nowadays, this method of interpreting Scripture is basically universal throughout the academic community; the Fundamentalist doctrine of “verbal inerrancy” (“God said it, I believe it, that settles it”) is an early 20th century backlash against what is now known as the “historical-critical” method of Biblical scholarship.
What Channing REALLY did was privilege the authority of what was known as “Natural Theology” over that of Supernatural Revelation. In other words, Scripture (ALL Scripture) is best understood as a testimony of human experience, which may contain or reflect a “revelation” of the Divine, but which is always mediated through the personality and peculiarities of the authors, and their own particular historical and cultural context and assumptions.
In a subsequent generation, this principle led to a notion called “Absolute Religion,” which was believed to be true regardless of whether or not human beings believed or understood it, but which was to some degree or another reflected by every authentic “historical” religion. In other words, what is True is True whether we believe it or not, and is true for everyone regardless of our differing levels of understanding. But Absolute Truth is also ultimately mysterious and unknowable, since (after all) we’re only human, and not God. The task of religion is one of “Self-Culture” -- a growing understanding of “the Truth” in the context of our own lives, through a humble and disciplined, free and responsible search not just for “Truth,” but even more importantly for “Meaning.”
THREE VERY IMPORTANT AND CLOSELY RELATED CONCEPTS:
FREEDOM: we are “a Church Without a Creed.” Rather than organizing ourselves around a shared confession of belief, members of UU congregations enter into a Covenant to “walk together” in a relationship of mutual trust and support.
REASON: UUs are not free to believe whatever we wish; we are COMPELLED to believe what our reason and our experience tell us to be true.
TOLERANCE: UU churches are governed by Congregational Polity, which means that local church members retain the right to elect their own leaders and select their own ministers, and to manage their own affairs through both consensus and “majority rule,” with the rights and opinions of “dissenters” honored for the integrity of their different point of view. We can agree to disagree without being disagreeable.
The ATTITUDES that accompany Freedom, Reason, and Tolerance are Integrity, Humility, and Respect. And together they create the environment through which we work to bring out the best in one another, and make the world a better place for everyone.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
MINISTER’S REPORT – February 12th 2008
Highlights:
Worship Calendar is filling out nicely; Charlie Grindle will be serving as our “interim” Music Director, and may be interested in remaining on permanently as our “Minister of Music.”
20 individuals have signed up for our “New UU” Explorer Classes.
Nominating Committee is meeting to improve our leadership development process, and also to recruit new leaders and volunteers in several key areas
Stewardship Campaign
We’ve known for some time that First Parish will be operating at a budgetary deficit for the next few fiscal years, and that the Trustees will be playing a “backstop” role to make certain we can continue to pay our bills (and specifically make our payroll!) in a timely fashion while we move toward a balanced budget. The questions that remain are just how far out of balance are we, and what can we do to make up the difference? Church Treasurer Carl Laws and Trustees Treasurer Ted Noyes are now in conversation about how best to manage the cash flow through their respective accounts in order to meet all of our obligations.
Finding the resources not only to bring our current budget into balance, but also to be able to afford to do all the other things we DREAM of doing, is an ongoing challenge…as it has been for every church I’ve served. It’s not a challenge we are going to overcome overnight. But if we continue to do the right things, if we continue to invite people into partnership with us, if we continue to provide the kind of service and ministry to the members of this community that we aspire to provide, I have faith that the resources will follow, somehow. So let’s not take our eyes off of the road ahead to stare too long at the gas gauge. We all know what’s in the tank. Let’s make the most of what we have, trusting that when the time comes we will figure out a way to “fill ‘er up.”
Special Fundraising Events
This obviously relates to the topic above as well. Linda Shary has a fantastic idea for a Spring festival, but still needs lots more help to make it happen.
Planned Giving
There is a committee, and it is indeed meeting. This is potentially a very important aspect of our long-term financial stability, but once again it’s not going to happen overnight.
“Next Step” – (415 Congress Street)
.
[if there is anything new to report, it will be done verbally at the meeting]
Improved Policies and Standard Operation Procedures
Barbara is reviewing who has been issued keys, and has reissued all of the alarm access codes.
The Pathway to Membership
The “New UU” Explorer classes have begun. We have 20 people enrolled, and my hope is that at least that many people will be joining the church on Palm Sunday. The Membership Committee is also planning to re-contact all of the names on our list of recent visitors, in order to invite them to fill out an anonymous “Survey Monkey” regarding their impressions and experience of First Parish.
Volunteer Ministry Opportunities at First Parish
The Nominating Committee met last week, and will be meeting again tomorrow night. The Committee is looking to expand both its membership and its scope, and working to create a more comprehensive leadership development strategy as well as filling some of our currently vacant key leadership positions.
Children’s RE program
Rebecca Hinds has accepted the position of Director of Religious Education, and did indeed begin work on January 15th.
Worship & Music Program
Charlie Grindle begins as our regular substitute organist/choir director this coming Sunday, and has expressed some interest in continuing on permanently as a “Minister of Music,” with additional responsibilities to be determined. This will all be part of the discussion for the Search Committee, which I hope will consist of myself, Personnel Committee Chair Jeff Logan, at-large member Mary Bloch, and one representative each from both the Music Committee and the Worship Committee. The Worship Committee STILL needs to find a new Chair/Council Representative to replace Bob Greenlaw, who resigned from the position because of personal circumstances.
Public Relations/ Identity and “Branding” (walking briskly while chewing gum….)
A by-law amendment to resurrect the “Communications Council” (with Dennis Levasseur serving as Chair) was not ready in time for the special congregational meeting last month, but we are basically proceeding forward as if it had (with the intention of formally re-establishing the Council at the May Annual meeting), and allowing the “proto-Council” to function as it needs to in the meantime.
Small Group Ministry program
A district-sponsored Small Group Ministry Training workshop is scheduled for March 8th at A2U2 – a link to the event site can be found here. I hope we can find a group of interested people to attend this training, and help revitalize our own small group ministry program here at First Parish.
Chaplains/Pastoral Care Ring
If anything, we seem to be going backwards in this area. Sally Madore continues to serve as our “senior” chaplain, but more and more her ministry is evolving in a different direction. Bob Greenlaw and Johanna Spencer (who had both previously indicated interest in serving in this capacity) are essentially missing in action as their own lives move in new directions.
Articulating a Clear Vision and Long Range Plan for the Future of First Parish
The challenge/goal of “Becoming the Church People Think We Are” continues to call us to examine the “big picture” and set high goals for ourselves. The Committee on Ministry has accepted the task of coordinating much of this conversation, through their commitment to implementing the UUA’s “Assessing Our Leadership” evaluation and review process here at First Parish.
Worship Calendar is filling out nicely; Charlie Grindle will be serving as our “interim” Music Director, and may be interested in remaining on permanently as our “Minister of Music.”
20 individuals have signed up for our “New UU” Explorer Classes.
Nominating Committee is meeting to improve our leadership development process, and also to recruit new leaders and volunteers in several key areas
Stewardship Campaign
We’ve known for some time that First Parish will be operating at a budgetary deficit for the next few fiscal years, and that the Trustees will be playing a “backstop” role to make certain we can continue to pay our bills (and specifically make our payroll!) in a timely fashion while we move toward a balanced budget. The questions that remain are just how far out of balance are we, and what can we do to make up the difference? Church Treasurer Carl Laws and Trustees Treasurer Ted Noyes are now in conversation about how best to manage the cash flow through their respective accounts in order to meet all of our obligations.
Finding the resources not only to bring our current budget into balance, but also to be able to afford to do all the other things we DREAM of doing, is an ongoing challenge…as it has been for every church I’ve served. It’s not a challenge we are going to overcome overnight. But if we continue to do the right things, if we continue to invite people into partnership with us, if we continue to provide the kind of service and ministry to the members of this community that we aspire to provide, I have faith that the resources will follow, somehow. So let’s not take our eyes off of the road ahead to stare too long at the gas gauge. We all know what’s in the tank. Let’s make the most of what we have, trusting that when the time comes we will figure out a way to “fill ‘er up.”
Special Fundraising Events
This obviously relates to the topic above as well. Linda Shary has a fantastic idea for a Spring festival, but still needs lots more help to make it happen.
Planned Giving
There is a committee, and it is indeed meeting. This is potentially a very important aspect of our long-term financial stability, but once again it’s not going to happen overnight.
“Next Step” – (415 Congress Street)
.
[if there is anything new to report, it will be done verbally at the meeting]
Improved Policies and Standard Operation Procedures
Barbara is reviewing who has been issued keys, and has reissued all of the alarm access codes.
The Pathway to Membership
The “New UU” Explorer classes have begun. We have 20 people enrolled, and my hope is that at least that many people will be joining the church on Palm Sunday. The Membership Committee is also planning to re-contact all of the names on our list of recent visitors, in order to invite them to fill out an anonymous “Survey Monkey” regarding their impressions and experience of First Parish.
Volunteer Ministry Opportunities at First Parish
The Nominating Committee met last week, and will be meeting again tomorrow night. The Committee is looking to expand both its membership and its scope, and working to create a more comprehensive leadership development strategy as well as filling some of our currently vacant key leadership positions.
Children’s RE program
Rebecca Hinds has accepted the position of Director of Religious Education, and did indeed begin work on January 15th.
Worship & Music Program
Charlie Grindle begins as our regular substitute organist/choir director this coming Sunday, and has expressed some interest in continuing on permanently as a “Minister of Music,” with additional responsibilities to be determined. This will all be part of the discussion for the Search Committee, which I hope will consist of myself, Personnel Committee Chair Jeff Logan, at-large member Mary Bloch, and one representative each from both the Music Committee and the Worship Committee. The Worship Committee STILL needs to find a new Chair/Council Representative to replace Bob Greenlaw, who resigned from the position because of personal circumstances.
Public Relations/ Identity and “Branding” (walking briskly while chewing gum….)
A by-law amendment to resurrect the “Communications Council” (with Dennis Levasseur serving as Chair) was not ready in time for the special congregational meeting last month, but we are basically proceeding forward as if it had (with the intention of formally re-establishing the Council at the May Annual meeting), and allowing the “proto-Council” to function as it needs to in the meantime.
Small Group Ministry program
A district-sponsored Small Group Ministry Training workshop is scheduled for March 8th at A2U2 – a link to the event site can be found here. I hope we can find a group of interested people to attend this training, and help revitalize our own small group ministry program here at First Parish.
Chaplains/Pastoral Care Ring
If anything, we seem to be going backwards in this area. Sally Madore continues to serve as our “senior” chaplain, but more and more her ministry is evolving in a different direction. Bob Greenlaw and Johanna Spencer (who had both previously indicated interest in serving in this capacity) are essentially missing in action as their own lives move in new directions.
Articulating a Clear Vision and Long Range Plan for the Future of First Parish
The challenge/goal of “Becoming the Church People Think We Are” continues to call us to examine the “big picture” and set high goals for ourselves. The Committee on Ministry has accepted the task of coordinating much of this conversation, through their commitment to implementing the UUA’s “Assessing Our Leadership” evaluation and review process here at First Parish.
Friday, February 1, 2008
THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “What’s for Lent?”
The season of Lent isn’t something that Unitarian Universalists generally pay a lot of attention to. We tend to think of it (when we think of it as all) as six dreary weeks separating school vacations, the period of time between Mardi Gras and Easter where nothing really happens, and nobody really expects to have much fun anyway.
But within the traditional Christian liturgical calendar, the 40 day period between Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday is a season of renewal: a time for prayer and fasting, study and sacrifice (which means, literally, “to make sacred”) during which new “converts to the faith” would prepare themselves (like Jesus in the Wilderness) for their own “rebirth” (through baptism) at the beginning of Holy Week.
Personally I’ve always been attracted to the idea of a disciplined season of religious growth and learning. Lent isn’t about giving something up; it’s about trying something new, and learning more about the life of faith in the process. In that spirit, I always try to do something a little special for the churches I serve, which usually turns out to be a great experience for me as well.
Those last few weeks before Easter are also a great time to bring a friend to church. On February 10th UU musician Jim Scott will be leading our worship service, so if you know of someone you think might enjoy being part of First Parish, and have been looking for an excuse to invite them to one of our services, this is your big chance. Feel free to reassure them that accompanying you to church one time is not a lifetime commitment, even though it might just turn out to be a life-changing experience.
When you aren’t in the habit, stepping through the doors of a place like this can feel pretty intimidating. It’s nice to have someone you know there by your side to show you the ropes. So I encourage everyone to think carefully about who you care enough about to share this meaningful part of YOUR life, and then to offer them the hospitality of our community. It might just turn out to be the most amazing gift you ever give them.
Finally, this year on Palm Sunday (which comes early this year on March 16th) we will be formally welcoming new members into our congregation here at First Parish. No immersion in water will be required (other than your usual bath or shower); all you really have to do is show up and sign the book, receive the accolades of your new co-religionists, and enjoy the delicious food afterwards. But we are also offering a series of classes during Lent that you can take beforehand in order to learn more about our faith tradition, and how to get the most out of your membership here. Please look for more information elsewhere in this newsletter, or call or e-mail me if you have any questions.
OK, so maybe Lent really IS a dreary time of year. But that’s no reason to take it personally. Rather, take advantage of this opportunity to renew your spirit and refresh your soul. And let’s enjoy one another’s company in the process.
But within the traditional Christian liturgical calendar, the 40 day period between Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday is a season of renewal: a time for prayer and fasting, study and sacrifice (which means, literally, “to make sacred”) during which new “converts to the faith” would prepare themselves (like Jesus in the Wilderness) for their own “rebirth” (through baptism) at the beginning of Holy Week.
Personally I’ve always been attracted to the idea of a disciplined season of religious growth and learning. Lent isn’t about giving something up; it’s about trying something new, and learning more about the life of faith in the process. In that spirit, I always try to do something a little special for the churches I serve, which usually turns out to be a great experience for me as well.
Those last few weeks before Easter are also a great time to bring a friend to church. On February 10th UU musician Jim Scott will be leading our worship service, so if you know of someone you think might enjoy being part of First Parish, and have been looking for an excuse to invite them to one of our services, this is your big chance. Feel free to reassure them that accompanying you to church one time is not a lifetime commitment, even though it might just turn out to be a life-changing experience.
When you aren’t in the habit, stepping through the doors of a place like this can feel pretty intimidating. It’s nice to have someone you know there by your side to show you the ropes. So I encourage everyone to think carefully about who you care enough about to share this meaningful part of YOUR life, and then to offer them the hospitality of our community. It might just turn out to be the most amazing gift you ever give them.
Finally, this year on Palm Sunday (which comes early this year on March 16th) we will be formally welcoming new members into our congregation here at First Parish. No immersion in water will be required (other than your usual bath or shower); all you really have to do is show up and sign the book, receive the accolades of your new co-religionists, and enjoy the delicious food afterwards. But we are also offering a series of classes during Lent that you can take beforehand in order to learn more about our faith tradition, and how to get the most out of your membership here. Please look for more information elsewhere in this newsletter, or call or e-mail me if you have any questions.
OK, so maybe Lent really IS a dreary time of year. But that’s no reason to take it personally. Rather, take advantage of this opportunity to renew your spirit and refresh your soul. And let’s enjoy one another’s company in the process.
Planning to Grow
My friend and Divinity School classmate, Dan Hotchkiss, who now works as a consultant for the Alban Institute, has written a very excellent article about planning for church growth, which includes the observation: "With the possible exception of rich, repentant criminals, nobody visits a church in the hope of being asked to pay some of its bills. But a lot of people visit with vague hopes of friendship, intimacy, spiritual succor, and support in living a more useful life...." Dan's point is that by planning to create the kinds of activities which nurture these things, rather than setting numerical goals for membership growth per se, churches actually have a much better chance of achieving the growth they desire.
The complete text of Dan's article can be read here
The complete text of Dan's article can be read here
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