We now live in an alternate universe, good folk of UUFH. It’s a place where the primacy of science, legitimate use of presidential powers, and commitment to a common good cannot be assumed.
As you know, these affronts reach well beyond our personal lives. I pray I’m exaggerating as I wonder if we’re witness to a soulless, wholesale remaking of American democracy.
Yet, before I offer some thoughts on how you and I might live faithfully in this new universe, let us acknowledge these trends are affronts to liberal religion itself – a term steeped in theological history, and made real by the lived experience of our spiritual ancestors, UU and beyond.
Put differently, we are the imperfect but determined trustees of the gospel of religious freedom, supportive community and peace with justice. These values are non-negotiable, circumstances be as they will.
Comes the question, then, how to move from the awareness of this rich tradition, to embodying this rich tradition? Some ideas in two parts, the one, a general if familiar list of how to engage this new reality as principled resistors; the second, some steps your staff, lay leaders, regional UU consultants and I are taking in support of spiritual growth and multi-generational community.
First – and in keeping with our more recent religious champions, consider the tools of nonviolent resistance at our disposal:
● Stay abreast of, but not paralyzed by, what’s going on – a constant challenge;
● Bite off one or two issues that call to you – racism, poverty, reproductive rights, etc.;
● Help turn out the vote (calls, texts, etc.) the cornerstone of peaceful resistance;
● If your resources allow, donate to causes and candidates that speak to and for you.
Second, some things are in the works at UUFH online. Like many congregations unused to the potential and limitations of technology, it’s been a journey for UUFH leaders and staff to match needs with programs. It’s been an experiment, still is. Some updates:
● The search for UUFH’s next office manager continues, but Acting Office Manager, Wanda Hughes, continues to amaze;
● Nora Smith, UUFH’s Acting Family Ministries Coordinator, facilitates creative, online programming each Sunday for children, youth and their caregivers;
● The Transitions Team – the group designed to help guide the interim period – is leading the congregation through the first stage of an excellent process to develop a new, congregation-wide, covenant;
● The Board is in conversation with Connie Goodbread, co-lead for the UUA’s Southern Region, to bring her expertise to their work;
● Wonderful Wednesday, the online midweek (Wednesdays at 5:30 PM) service, is a rich opportunity for seeing, and sharing with, long-timers and newcomers;
● Nora and I have scheduled multi-generational, monthly online services starting in January. Each service will be based on one of that month’s holiday/observance, and include activities for all ages;
● Covenant groups (small group ministries) are also in the planning stage. The idea is for 6-10 folks to commit to deep sharing based on uniform topics. Nora and I are looking at a late October rollout;
● Starting in late October or early November, I’ll be doing services that will be partly recorded, and party live streamed. The format will be closer to the interactive approach I use for Wonderful Wednesdays and Sundays at 11:30 AM. Expect some rich sharing, and musical experiments led by UUFH Music Director, Katherine Price;
● The Governance Task Force (GTF) is still busy at work, wading through the dense work of designing a new model for organizing and leading;
● SJOT (UUFH’s main justice body) has created a task force focused on the work of anti-oppression/antiracism/multiculturalism. Be sure to follow them in the online publications and email announcements.
There’s more going on at UUFH online, so please make an extra effort to read the communications Wanda creates for us. Meantime, know we’re slowly but surely adding to your ways to keep in touch, create change, and find our way in this new universe.
Hang in there, Don