Channing Church launches capital campaign to restore steeple

Channing Memorial Church is a thriving Unitarian Universalist congregation located in the heart of Newport. First gathered in 1835, our congregation has been a vital and inspirational community for generations dedicated to the values of liberal religion.

The Rev. William Ellery Channing spoke at the dedication of the church first housed on Mill Street. It was Channing who first articulated what came to be known as Unitarian theology, that there is but one God. Driven by his inclusive faith and a passion for social justice, Channing was an influential leader. His thought gave rise to New England Transcendentalists Emerson and Thoreau and inspired intellectuals and reformers worldwide.

The Unitarian congregation chose to build a Memorial Sanctuary to honor William Ellery Channing in his birthplace. A feat that, according to the minister of the time “the majority of the congregation considered impossible and some thought it an insane and wild dream, but they resolved to go forward.” The cornerstone bearing the words “We Build in Faith, Hope, Charity” was laid on Pelham Street across from the Old Stone Mill in 1880, the centennial of Channing’s birth.

Many dignitaries gathered for the Centennial Celebration in Newport including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Bronson Alcott, and Julia Ward Howe. The newspaper reports of the time state that the building of the church was cause for celebration not only for Unitarians but for all people.

Since its completion, the stone steeple of Channing Memorial Church has risen 130 feet above the skyline in Newport. Located on Historic Hill, the steeple can be seen from the water and when crossing the Pell Bridge. Newport’s tallest point, it is a symbol of religious freedom in a town known for religious diversity and tolerance.

Since 1881, Newport has not only looked to Channing’s steeple for inspiration, they have listened to its music. Housed within is a rare nine-bell set of chimes, a massive musical instrument with bells ranging in size from 300 pounds to just over a ton. For over one hundred years, the bells rang out in celebration at weddings, tolled in mourning, and rang in solidarity with the joys and sorrows of the larger community. That is, until the year 2000 when neighbors began hearing a periodic clang in the middle of the night, the sound of bricks falling from within the steeple striking the historic bells.

This phantom bell-ringing alerted church leaders to growing structural problems with the steeple caused by years of moisture freezing and thawing. This moisture found its way into the steeple through faults in previous repairs. A platform was constructed to protect the bells and a steel girdle was fastened to shore up the stone structure.

“Rising to the Challenge!” is the theme of the Capital Campaign to repair the steeple and bells of Channing Memorial Church launched on March 1, 2009. Already members and friends of the church are rising to the challenge! Of the estimated cost of $1.2 million benefactors, church members, and Foundations have already contributed roughly $400,000. In December, Channing Memorial Church’s application for a “Save America’s Treasures” grant of $440,000 was approved. This grant is very competitive. Our successful application demonstrates that the Gilded Age Sanctuary is a treasure not only to our own membership but as a community asset. Our goal is to raise $400,000, the remaining third needed to restore our steeple and bells.

This project is about more than stone and mortar. The steeple project is our opportunity to preserve a beacon of liberal religion for future generations. In the tradition of our namesake, Channing Memorial Church is an open and inclusive community dedicated to the values of equality, justice, and compassion. The church is open to all people for rites of passage, meditation, concerts, and educational opportunities; a safe haven for people of all religious backgrounds or none at all to join together for interfaith services and celebrations.

To reconstruct a steeple is an act of faith. The tower of stone seems to defy gravity as it rises 130 feet into the sky. When so much music is recorded, it is an act of faith to restore a chime of bells to ring out with timeless music. This reconstruction project will begin this spring. When so many banks are floundering, you are invited to invest in a sure thing.

Rev. Amy Bowden Freedman is the Minister of Channing Memorial Church, a Unitarian Universalist Church in Newport, RI.

Helping Our Neighbor

The Good Samaritan is a familiar parable. A priest and a Levite, two esteemed members of society pass by a man who has been left mugged and beaten by robbers. However, a Samaritan, a person looked down upon in Jesus’ times, went out of his way to care for the stranger. This parable is so well-known that the word Samaritan means more than a native or inhabitant of Samaria, but is also defined as person who is ready and generous in helping others; someone who treats all who cross their path with the kindness of a neighbor or a friend.

In the 1970’s, Darley and Batson conducted a psychological experiment to explore whether there is a link between personality traits and the likelihood of helping others. The experiment was conducted at the Princeton Theological Seminary with seminary students who were told that they were participating in a study of "religious education and vocations". The first stage of the study involved filling out a personality questionnaire on religious beliefs. One hypothesis Darley and Batson were testing was whether people who are religious for what it will gain them might be less likely to help than those who value religion for its own sake or who are searching for meaning in life.

After completing the questionnaire in individual sessions, seminarians were sent to another building in which they were to give an oral presentation. Before heading on their way, half the subjects were given a copy of the parable of the Good Samaritan and were told that they would give a sermon on the subject. The other half were told that they would speak extemporaneously about job prospects for seminary students. This was to test whether people who were thinking "helping" or religious thoughts might be more likely to offer assistance.

The other variable in the experiment was a condition of time. As they set off for the other building, some subjects were told that they were late, others that they were on time, and the third group that they had time to spare.

The real behavior of interest occurred when the seminarians were traveling from one building to the next. In an alleyway, Darley and Batson had placed a man slumped in a doorway, head down, eyes closed. The two psychologists described him as an ambiguous figure like the man on the road to Jericho except fully clothed. This slumped figure could have been injured or drunk. As each subject passed the man moaned and coughed twice.

The results of the experiment were shocking: sixty percent of the seminarians walked on without offering help. Those preparing to preach on the parable of the Good Samaritan were no more likely to stop than those speaking on another subject. In fact, some seminarians actually stepped over the man on their way to speak about the Good Samaritan. The personality profiles revealed no characteristics or religious beliefs that predicted helping behavior. The only factor that seemed to make a difference was the condition of time. Only a small fraction who were told they were late stopped to offer help, ten percent while sixty-three percent of those who thought they had time to spare, offered assistance.

If these seminary students preparing for a "helping profession" like ministry, some actually on their way to speak on the timeless message of aiding one’s neighbor, did not stop, how much more likely is it that you and I might fail to notice or fail to take action when we encounter someone in need of help. The conclusion to this study was that ethical behavior can be viewed as a luxury as the speed of daily life increases! Personally, I do not want to live in a world like that.

Although we may never encounter someone beaten, robbed and lying naked on the road, it is important to recognize that each person who crosses our path is our neighbor often with losses and injuries invisible to the eye but no less real. Let us live with open generous hearts, taking the time to notice those who cross our path and reaching out to one another with compassion. Performing simple acts of kindness and pausing to seek connection with one another is truly the spirit of the holiday season.

Times of hardship hold opportunities

There is a contest going on about how the world should be rendered. A contest about whether our lives should be governed by Might, Wealth, and Wisdom or Love, Distribution, and Righteousness. I am not referring to the current campaign for President of the United States. The contest is greater than the debate between the Democratic and Republican candidates. This contest is even greater than the current economic crisis or the ongoing War in Iraq and Afghanistan. The outcome of this contest will determine how we live our lives. More than that, it will determine the health of our planet and the well-being of the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

In June, Walter Brueggemann, a Professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary addressed a gathering of Unitarian Universalist ministers. His address was so compelling that he inspired me to read his most acclaimed book, The Prophetic Imagination, and to consider how his message applies to our lives.

King Solomon flourished during the mid-tenth century BC. He is described both in the Hebrew Scriptures and the Qur’an as a leader of might, wealth, and wisdom. He was the third and final king of the United Monarchy, ruling for forty years over a land that divided into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah after his death. He was a prolific writer of proverbs and songs many of which are attributed to him in the Bible. Scriptures also attribute the building of the First Temple in Jerusalem, considered one of the ancient wonders of the world to his leadership.

Over the course of his reign, King Solomon experienced great commercial prosperity in part by trafficking in arms. Solomon virtually enslaved his nation to build the Temple and his palace. He taxed his subjects to poverty while he lived surrounded by luxury. Solomon had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses. It is an understatement to say he was a ladies man—he had one thousand wives.

The life of King Solomon is one to which many nations and individuals aspire today: Might, Wealth and Wisdom as the shining goal. Only, it is a goal that will never be reached. Within this worldview is an insatiable appetite for more at any cost. When Might, Wealth, and Wisdom are upheld as the ideals of living, then everything becomes a commodity, including other people.

This is what Walter Brueggemann calls “royal consciousness.” When the dominant culture extols political power, military might, and affluence, truth becomes equated with power; as the saying goes, “Might makes right.” When the goal of life becomes “The one with the most stuff wins” then victory remains very shallow indeed. The current credit crunch and home lending disaster was fed by this myth of the good life. A life surrounded by luxuries, new toys, and pretty objects that would somehow secure our happiness; an outward show of prosperity to demonstrate our worth to ourselves, our family, and the wider community.

Through out the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, prophets present an alternative worldview to “royal consciousness.” Moses, Elijah, Amos, Nathan, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Jesus were more than political activists these Biblical prophets were teachers and poets. Through their words and actions, they demonstrated the World as a Neighborhood upholding the values of Love, Distribution, and Righteousness as the purpose of living.

As Jesus reminds his disciples in Matthew 6, it is not possible to serve two masters. Brueggmann asserts that the reason so many Americans feel harried and exhausted is because we are attempting to serve two worldviews. However, it is not possible to serve two masters. For us to order the World as a Neighborhood instead of as an Empire, we must recognize our responsibility to one another including how our choices impact the interdependent web of life.

I know that you as people of conscience share in my grief over the disparity between those who have in abundance and those who struggle just to get by. I know you share my pain over the current climate crisis and the plight of our fellow inhabitants of this earth. You also share my anxiety about the current state of the economy and how it may affect our future. Grief work is a precondition for joy. Unless we fully experience life in its pain and struggle, we remain unable to truly experience the beauty and wonder of life. Although none of us would wish this economic downturn, we must allow it to break through our numbness to inspire new priorities in our daily lives.

Margaret Starbird tonight at Channing

Tonight at Channing Church will be presenting on the Sacred Union at the Heart of Christianity. Starbird's research was one of the sources inspiring Dan Brown's bestselling book and movie The DaVinci Code.

This will be Starbird's second presentation at Channing. This evening she will be discussing the relationship between Jesus of Nazarith and Mary Magdalene. Starbird's research suggests a long supression of the role of Mary as the bride of Jesus Christ, a role she believes must be restored for Christianity to thrive today.

7pm at Channing Memorial Church
Suggested donation $10
Google Map: http://tinyurl.com/channingmap

Starbird is the author of The Woman with the Alabaster Jar: Mary Magdalen and the Holy Grail, Magdalene's Lost Legacy: Symbolic Numbers and the Sacred Union in Christianity, The Goddess in the Gospels: Reclaiming the Sacred Feminine, Mary Magdalene, Bride in Exile and others.

As one life passes, new life begins

Ministry brings me in touch with the cycles of life on a daily basis. I am called to be with members of the congregation in times of struggle and loss as well as times of joy when people welcome new life or commit themselves in love. This is one of the gifts of my calling that I am constantly reminded that our lives are precious. That no other person or special moment should be taken for granted.

My understanding of the fleeting nature of existence motivates me to live without regret to the best of my ability. As I weigh decisions about how I will spend my time or the quality of relationships with other people, I constantly ask myself whether I have done the best possible. I try not to delay speaking words of caring concern. When someone is in my mind or heart, I reach out to them even if unexpected. When there is an unresolved conflict or hurt, I seek reconciliation and forgiveness. When I have left a responsibility unfinished, I work to complete it or find help or adjust the timetable. By no means am I perfect, but I refuse to reach the end of my days haunted by “what if’s” or “should have’s.”

This is a time in my personal life that is particularly bittersweet. My father died on September 12, 2008. Robert J. Freedman was born in 1921 in Brockton, MA, the third child and only son of Abram and Hilda. He was a caring, intelligent man with a keen interest in people. He was married to my mother Josephine for 41 years and was also Stepfather to my brother, Michael.

Above all, my father was a man of integrity. He was always hard-working, dependable, and true to his word. He did not suffer fools or hypocrites. However, he also had a sense of wonder about life in its infinite variety. At an early age his Uncle Harold had told him, “Bobby, you do not really look at anything.” He took this message to heart and began a lifelong practice of capturing color and form on film. His photographs do not focus on landscapes or people but instead show fascinating details found on his walks, such as an abandoned building, a store window, a funny sign, a tree reflected in a puddle, a shadow cast on a wall.

Over the past four years, my father suffered a decline in his abilities. This began subtly at first with an inability to remember certain words and then to complete certain tasks. He was frustrated that he was not able to perform to his usual high standards. After a weeklong stay in the hospital due to internal bleeding, we began having a team of health aides care for him. It was not easy to have strangers in my parents’ home but we found a caregiver who was not only a skilled health professional but fit into our family beautifully. Early on, my father even had her take him around the Boston area taking photographs.

My mother’s love and devotion to my father motivated her to find creative solutions to accommodate his mental and physical decline at home. My parents moved to their home in Newport this August when it seemed my father had reached a plateau in his health. However, his strength and appetite soon waned and his imminent passing was anticipated.

During his final days, my mother, my husband, my father’s caregiver and I said prayers from many different traditions around his bedside. We held his hands, told him how much we loved him, and that although we would miss him we would take care of one another. I was there as he let out his last three sighs. The cycles of life fill me with humility and wonder. Dad never really understood that I am pregnant. However, at the same time as I bid farewell to a man who will always hold a special place in my heart, I could feel new life kicking inside me. Truly, I am blessed.

Green Conference this Saturday

This Saturday, September 20th, Newport is the place to be for anyone with an interest in the energy future of Rhode Island. The Aquidneck Island Energy Conference will feature an impressive list of speakers and exhibitors, including Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, R.I. Senate Majority Leader Teresa Paiva Weed, Cynthia Giles of the Conservation Law Foundation, Karina Lutz of People's Power & Light, and a diverse list of energy producers, wind advocates, and more. All will share their insight into how going green can save energy and money while creating new jobs. Topics include Solar, Wind, Geo-Thermal, Green Buildings, Energy Efficiency, Renovations and Retrofitting. The conference runs 9:00am to 5:00pm. Lunch will be available on the site. Suggested donation: $10.

The event is sponsored by Salve Regina University, Channing Memorial Church, and the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission to address global-warming related pollution and strategize among a wide cross-section of participants.

Public teaching with Khensur Rinpoche - October 30, 2008 in Newport, RI

I'm excited to announce that Venerable Khensur Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang Wangdak will be offering a public teaching at Channing Church this October. The following is a brief bio provided by the Chenrezig Center.

Lobsang Tenzin Geshe Wangdak, Khensur Rinpoche, was born in 1934 in Tibet. Rinpoche was the senior teacher for 14 years, and Abbot for four years, at Namgyal Monastery, the Dalai Lama’s personal monastery in Dharamsala, India. In 1995, H. H. the Dalai Lama appointed Khensur Rinpoche Abbot and Senior Resident Teacher at Namgyal Monastery in Ithaca, NY. He retired from Ithaca in 1998, and now resides at the Chenrezig Tibetan Buddhist Center in Middletown, Connecticut. Khensur Rinpoche was awarded the Geshe Lharampa degree, the highest Tibetan Buddhist doctorate. Rinpoche received initiations and teachings of tantric practices of all four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. For a more complete biography of Khensur Rinpoche, visit the Chenrezig Center’s website.

Event details:

Venerable Khensur Rinpoche
Geshe Lobsang Wangdak
October 30, 2008
7:30pm - 9pm

Channing Memorial Church

135 Pelham Street

Newport, RI

Suggested donation of $10, but no one will be turned away

Proceeds will benefit the Chenrezig Tibetan Buddhist Center of Connecticut
http://www.chenrezigcenter.org/

Our Doors and Hearts Will Remain Open

On Sunday morning, Unitarian Universalists gather for worship, a time of fellowship, reflection, and celebration of life. Only on Sunday, July 27, 2008 a horrifying tragedy took place at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. About two hundred people gathered for the service which that morning featured a performance of “Annie,” the culmination of a two-week musical theater workshop for children. The musical production had just begun when a man entered the sanctuary carrying a guitar case and wearing a fanny-pack around his waist. To the shock of the congregation, the 58 year old man, drew a 12-gauge shotgun from the case, pulled shotgun shells from his pack, and fired three rounds into the pews.

Members of the congregation tackled the shooter and subdued him before the police arrived on the scene and successfully took him into custody. Greg McKendry, a church usher and trustee, died on the scene after shielding others from the gunman. Linda Kraeger, a member of nearby Westside UU Church, died later that evening. Eight other people representing both Unitarian congregations in Knoxville, TN suffered injuries from the gunfire. No children were physically harmed by this act of violence. Taylor Bessette, a cast member and McKendry’s foster son said to a reporter about the incident, “Make sure that everyone knows that George McKendry was a hero, a total hero.”

The shooter has since been identified as Jim David Adkisson, an unemployed local man who blamed “the liberal movement” for his inability to secure a job. Following the incident, police found a four page letter in Adkisson’s car expressing his hatred of “liberals in general, as well as gays.” According to further police investigation, he targeted the Tennessee Valley Church because of its well-known support of equal rights for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender people, as well as women’s rights, and commitment to racial justice. Adkisson expected that he would be shot down by police while carrying out his premeditated attack.

Instead of fear and hatred, this tragic incident has caused an outpouring of solidarity and compassion. During a packed service, one week after the shooting, the Rev. Chris Buice, Minister of Tennessee Valley UU Church preached, “There are many names for the power of healing, and we have felt that power in this congregation this week. This has been a time of paradoxes. Last Sunday a man walked into this sanctuary with the intention of inflicting terror, and he inspired quick and decisive acts of courage. Reports tell us that he believed liberals were soft on terror. He had a rude discovery! He came into this space with a desire to do an act of hatred, but he has unleashed unspeakable amounts of love.”

This love has come from the Knoxville Interfaith community as well as Unitarian Universalists across the country that have sent expressions of support to the two grieving congregations. The Unitarian Universalist Trauma Response Ministry provided counseling and resources to people of all ages touched by this tragedy and a special fund was established to help pay for further therapy as needed.

“Our Doors and Our Hearts Will Remain Open” was the headline of a full-page advertisement that appeared in the New York Times on Sunday, August 10, 2008. The ad put forth by the Unitarian Universalist Association expressed our sincere prayer that the shooter, Jim David Adkisson, find peace and reconciliation, and our dedication as a faith movement to our religious mission. The ad quoted the Rev. William Sinkford, UUA President, “We will not give in to fear. We will meet hatred with love. We will continue to work for justice. Our hearts and the doors of our more than 1000 Unitarian Universalist nationwide, remain wide open, Unitarian Universalists stand on the side of love. We invite you to stand with us.”

Channing Memorial Church is committed to the core values of Unitarian Universalism: freedom of belief, tolerance, reason, equality, and the dignity of every human being. We gather as a faith community to support one another in living these values daily and in order to work together to make the world a better place. Our hearts, minds, and doors will remain open. If you are looking for an inclusive loving community, I invite you to join us anytime.

This I Believe

“This I Believe” is the inspiration for lay-led Sunday services at Channing Memorial Church while I am on vacation and study leave though August 5th.  As a Unitarian Universalist congregation, we uphold shared ministry, a vibrant partnership between the faith community and ordained minister. 

 

We believe that each person has unique insights to share about life and the workings of the sacred.  It is a true gift whenever people share their personal experiences and spiritual discoveries.  We learn essential truths of people’s lives.  In listening to this sort of authentic revelation, our own hearts and minds are expanded whether we share the same convictions or we are challenged to consider a new perspective.

 

“This I Believe” is a weekly series broadcast on National Public Radio in which both famous and every day people share their personal beliefs.  The essays are only three and a half minutes in length but they have incredible depth as people tell not only what they believe, but how they reached that conviction, and what made it grow.

 

The original program was hosted by Edward R. Murrow from 1951-1955.  Murrow became one of the most well-known and respected American journalists from his radio broadcasts from London during World War II.  When he returned to the States and CBS, he was concerned by what he perceived as an increasingly materialistic and adversarial trend in society.  At lunch with colleagues, as they discussed the issues of their day, Murrow asked, “Where are the values?”  It was from this simple question that “This I Believe” was born.

 

“This I Believe” was a product of its time.  It brought an important message of hope, faith, and courage in a period fraught with fear, doubt, and insecurity.  The fifties marked the dawn of the Cold War.  The United States was gripped by Anti-communist fears which led to loyalty oaths, blacklisting, and the House Committee on Un-American Activities led by Senator Joseph McCarthy.

 

Despite the growing climate of fear and insecurity, men and women were living lives of faith and integrity.  The aim of the program was not to be religious in a traditional sense but to offer insight into the core beliefs that guide daily life.  At a time when church attendance was high, this emphasis on personal belief rather than religious dogma became a cultural phenomenon.  The radio show aired across the nation and even abroad.  The essays also became syndicated and appeared weekly in newspapers as well as being compiled into a bestselling book.

 

A key to the program’s success were the guidelines for sharing.  All contributors were asked to frame their thoughts affirmatively: “This I Believe” instead of a tirade of disbelief or cynicism.  In order to do so, participants were asked to reflect upon their personal experiences and to speak from the first person instead of preaching or editorializing.  When people speak their deepest truths from their own experience, we are offered a precious gift, a window into life from a new perspective that can enrich our own.

 

In introducing the original series, Murrow said, “Never has the need for personal philosophies of this kind been so urgent”.  “This I Believe” was revived on National Public Radio in 2005.  Now, fifty years later, our nation is at war and there is a climate of fear especially with rising costs, job insecurity, and market volatility.  We are bombarded with messages of hate, conflict, violence, and deceit on a daily basis.  For these reasons, it is more important than ever for us to uphold the positive values of life.

 

One of the simplest ways to do this is by attending worship.  All are welcome to our Sunday services held at 10:00am in which members of Channing Memorial Church will share their beliefs along with music, meditation, and a time of sharing.  No matter whether you are a member of another faith community, searching for a religious home or looking for a place to center before a busy week, you and your family are welcome.

 

Navigating Life's Transitions

READING: To a Daughter Leaving Home, Linda Pastan              

When I taught you

at eight to ride

a bicycle, loping along

beside you

as you wobbled away

on two round wheels,

my own mouth rounding

in surprise when you pulled

ahead down the curved

path of the park,

I kept waiting

for the thud

of your crash as I

sprinted to catch up,

while you grew smaller, more breakable

with distance,

pumping, pumping

for your life, screaming

with laughter,

the hair flapping

behind you like a

handkerchief waving

goodby.

 

 

            The poem by Linda Pastan brought back memories of my learning to ride a bicycle.  It was my father who taught me.  By the time I was nine, I could ride my bike to my best friend’s house so I must have been around eight or younger.  Before that, I had a red tricycle on which I was fearless speeding in circles around the columns of our concrete basement.  There was a time in-between when I got the light blue two-wheeler with training wheels securely attached.  As I recall, it was relatively easy switching from the tricycle to the bike with training wheels.  The biggest challenge was learning to brake by reversing directions of the pedals instead of just throwing my feet on the ground while the wheels were in motion.  A bicycle of course was much further off the ground then my red tricycle.  A sign that I was growing up!

 

            However, once those training wheels came off, I longed for my good old tricycle!  I had a hard time finding my balance.  I was afraid of falling.  I was afraid that if I ever got going, I would not be able to stop.

 

            I grew up in West Newton, Massachusetts on Waltham Street, a road with a constant buzz of traffic.  Directly across from our house was the Swedish Home, a nursing home set back from the road with a long circular driveway.  When my father could see how frustrated and discouraged I was we crossed the street with the light blue bike between us to practice while my mother prepared dinner.

 

            I don’t remember how many times we went to practice but it became an afternoon ritual.  My father would hold the handlebars while I got the rhythm of pedaling.  Later, he held the back of the bike and simply let go when my pedaling seemed more confident. 

 

            After a while, we had an audience.  The residents of the Swedish Home started gathering on the front porch to see this father and daughter routine.  When my father pointed them out to me, I felt shy at first.  My father explained that they too first learned to ride a bicycle and they were simply cheering me on.  After a while, a group was always out there to greet us as we walked the bike across the street and up the driveway at the usual time. We exchanged friendly smiles and waves.

 

            My father was a wonderful coach.  When I exclaimed “I can’t do this!” he encouraged me.  His steady reassuring presence motivated me to keep trying and never give up.  When I fell over and scraped my hands, he’d whistle a few bars of a song that continues to echo in my head to this day, “Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, try all over again!”  One day, I was able to ride without my father’s steady guiding hand.  I found my balance pedaling on my own and even engaged the brakes—the start of my journey toward independence.  Now I could ride my bike to my best friend’s house on my own.

 

            The determination to persist even when at first I do not succeed is a lesson that has helped me face many challenges and transitions through out my life.  My father offered the same steadfast reassuring support as I learned to drive, auditioned for plays, went to college, applied for jobs, felt called to the ministry, purchased my first home, and committed myself in marriage.  The transitions were always mine to face but the fact that my father believed in me gave me the confidence to move forward in unfamiliar territory.

 

            On this Father’s Day, I am keenly aware that my father is facing his own unfamiliar territory.  His mind is increasingly clouded by dementia and his body has become frail.  My mother is offering him steady reassuring support by caring for him at home with the aid of home healthcare workers.  He is afraid of the transition from life to death although I have tried to assure him that he will be at peace.  At this point, there is no disease nor prognosis so we do not know how long this slow goodbye will continue.  Even though I am not able to visit with him as often as I would like, my heart is with him as I know his heart is with me, across geographical distance and ultimately when the veil of death passes between us.  As I face this life transition, my faith assures me that the bonds of love remain unbroken and timeless.

 

            Today we honor the transition of our youth toward adulthood.  At the end of the service, this community will create a bridge symbolic of this life passage.  In truth, each one of us no matter our age is navigating life’s transitions.  Some of these changes call on us to learn new skills or face new challenges.  There are new chapters which we consciously choose for ourselves that help us move toward our personal goals.  There are other transitions like the loss of a loved one or an obstacle unforeseen but no less real on our life’s journey.  There are times when the love and support of family or church community is close at hand, cheering us on, providing comfort, and offering inspiration.  There are other times when our new chapter takes us far away from all that is familiar to face unknown territory alone.

 

            I want all the youth to know that even though we might not see one another as often, this community is here for you.  I am only an email away anytime you have a challenge or a success you would like to share.

 

For all people who navigate life’s transitions, we offer inspiration from our Unitarian ancestors, first Ralph Waldo Emerson who was present at the dedication of this historic church, “Nothing is secure but life, transition, the energizing spirit.”  And then the following words from Henry David Thoreau who had Emerson as his friend and mentor, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  Live the life you have imagined.”  Foremost when you fall literally or spiritually hum a few bars of the simple tune, “Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, try all over again.”