Worship

“Where Is Our Holy Community”

A State of the Congregation sermon by Reverend Charles Blustein Ortman
January 27, 2008

READINGS: ANCIENT AND MODERN

Our first reading is from one of the latter prophets of the Old Testament, the Book of Joel:

And it shall come to pass; I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth…

Our second reading is taken from the book, The Priesthood of All Believers, by James Luther Adams, a major force in American social ethics and Liberal theology for nearly 50 years. He taught at the Harvard Divinity School and the University of Chicago Divinity School, as well as at Meadville/Lombard Theological School, our Unitarian Universalist seminary at the University of Chicago.

It is just here, then, that we encounter our peculiar responsibility in society, the responsibility to offer a church in which there is an explicit faith in the community-forming power…, a practice of the disciplines of liberty, and eliciting of the participation of our own membership in creative fellowship. From such a fellowship, concerned to extend the community in which all persons may be encouraged to make their own contribution, our members can meet their social responsibilities by expressing in the other areas of life – in the state, the family, the school, the voluntary association, and industry – the response to the love that will not let us go… It is our social responsibility to maintain and extend this movement in the face of human needs for health and shelter and for a world in which (across the lines of race and class and nation) all may enjoy their God-given dignity and responsibility – for a world in which everyone can make a contribution. If we do not participate in groups that work deliberately for these ends, we are ourselves irresponsible.

SERMON:

James Enery White, in his book, Rethinking The Church, published in 1998, provides a good illustration to begin with this morning. He wrote that if people had been asked, back in 1968, which nation would dominate the world in watch making during the 1990s and into the twenty-first century, the answer would have been predictable – Switzerland. Why? Because Switzerland had dominated the world of watch making for the previous sixty years.
The Swiss made the best watches in the world. The Swiss had developed the minute hand and the second hand. They led the world in discovering better ways to manufacture watch gears, gearings, and mainsprings. They even had developed waterproofing techniques and self-winding models. By 1968, the Swiss made 65 percent of all watches sold in the world and earned as much as 90 percent of the profits.

In the next twelve years though, they had laid off thousands of watchmakers and, by 1980, controlled less than 10 percent of the world market. Their profit domination dropped to less than 20 percent. Between ‘79 and ‘81, 50 thousand of the 62 thousand Swiss watchmakers lost their jobs. Why? The Swiss had refused to consider the new development of the Quartz movement—ironically, invented by a Swiss watchmaker. Because it had no main-spring or knob, it was rejected. It was simply too much of a paradigm shift. Seiko, on the other hand, accepted it and, along with a few other companies, became the leader in the watch industry.

A past that was so secure, so profitable, so dominant was destroyed by an unwillingness to consider the possibilities of the future. It was more than not being able to make predictions—it was an inability to re-think how they did business. Past success had blinded them to the importance of seeing the implications of the changing world and to admit that past accomplishment was no longer a guarantee for future success.

Two years ago, I did a series of six sermons, each of which began, "Why I am a Unitarian Universalist...," They began with, “Why I am a UU Spiritual Humanist,” and ended with, “Why I am a UU Mystic.” They also touched on Jewish, Christian, Buddhist and Pagan Unitarian Universalist theological identities. They’re all available on our website, if you’re interested. I began each of those sermons similarly, stating why I am a Unitarian Universalist at all. I share these thoughts with you again this morning in this sort of a state of the congregation address. Answering the question, where is our holy community, our holy congregation, this is where I begin.

I am a Unitarian Universalist because here I am not told what to believe, but am asked what I do believe. And more, I am asked how that belief matters, not only in my own life, but in the world around me. I am asked here to accept things on faith, but on my faith – not anyone else's. I am a UU because I know my life's path is a journey and while I don't know just where it may lead or to what end, I do know that the content of my life consists of the experiences and choices that I make along the way. And I know that the quality of my life's journey is closely related to the company I keep along that way. And so, I am a Unitarian Universalist because this faith tradition calls me into community, to make the most of – to do the best with, and to love the most fully I possibly can – with this life I have been given. I am a Unitarian Universalist because I believe in the potential for human beings to learn and grow. And with that potential, I believe in the possibility of a better world, rooted more firmly in the ideals of truth, beauty, justice and compassion.

I wonder what answer you might give to the question, why are you a Unitarian Universalist? While we each see through our own perspectives and theological lenses, I suspect that many, if not most of us, are here for some very similar reasons: to explore and to find truth through reason and meaning; to find and to build faith and hope; to be with others in a community of accountability so that we might hold ourselves to the task of finding and making meaning in our lives by applying our truths and reason, our faith and our hope as we go about promoting the transformation of our lives, our homes, our community and our world.

Why are you a Unitarian Universalist? I suspect the answer for many of us would include the awareness of how important it is to engage oneself in a community of kindred spirits that holds us, not only accountable for our beliefs and actions, but holds us with care and encouragement. I suspect for many of us the answer would include an awareness of how isolating our day-to-day lives can be, and an appreciation for the strength found by being in unity and working in solidarity with others who also believe in the possibility of a better world, rooted more firmly in high ideals.

A while back, an article in the Houston Chronicle, cited a Gallup Poll which indicated that 70% of Americans believe most churches and synagogues are ineffective in helping people find meaning in their lives. George H. Gallup, Jr. said, “…the ongoing vitality of American religious congregations depends, in large measure, on their effectiveness in responding to six spiritual needs of Americans,” as identified in his surveys. These are the six needs he discovered:

To believe life is meaningful and has a purpose;
To have sense of community and deeper relationships;
To be appreciated and respected;
To be listened to—and heard.
To feel that one is growing in faith;
To have practical help in developing a mature faith.

If this report has any more validity than did the more recent Gallup Poll effort to predict a winner in the Democratic presidential primary race in New Hampshire, which I suspect it does, I have to think that we are on the right track. Our goals here at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair are very closely aligned with the six needs laid out by Gallup.

So, we’re doing just what we need to do, right? So, we need only keep doing what we’ve done and we will be fine, right?

I wonder if there are any Swiss watchmakers in the crowd who might be willing to tell us just what time it is. I think if there were, they might suggest that it’s time to pay close attention to our future.

This is not to say that we should stop doing any of the incredibly valuable, effective and meaningful things that we are doing. It is to say that there are also a number of things we are already doing that we might do better. And it is also to recognize that there are things going undone which we would do well to tend to, now.

What are we doing that we want to keep doing? We are a worship community that consistently provides a message and experience of being part of something much larger than ourselves, as well as a sense that, to this largeness – whatever we might call it – we all owe our awe, our gratitude and our service. We do this weekly through soul stirring, spirit lifting music and hopefully inspiring, provocative thought, as we embrace one another and our understanding of the mystery and the holy, here in our worship services. We are a worship community that strives for excellence in our Religious Education programs for the children, the youth and the adults of our congregation.

We have, over the years, continued and intensified the work of antiracism, taking it beyond the congregation out into the community and even the State of New Jersey. Our “After School” program, under the leadership of Pete Williams, has been at the heart of our outreach work as we have served the educational needs of children from our neighboring Hillside School. We strive to affirm and promote the gay, lesbian and transgender communities and have been especially involved in efforts to promote equal marriage rights. During this era of meaningless war, we have continued to provide a voice for peace and an antiwar presence. We have endeavored with renewed energy the quest to be environmentally responsible. Through our outreach programs we have supported the Human Needs Food Pantry, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, and many other worthy local organizations that are dedicated to meeting the needs of our broader communities. We have been supporting partners with Unitarian congregations in Transylvania and in New Orleans, as well as with the Newton Street School in Newark.

There’s so much we are doing that we want to keep doing. We are creating sacred community with its life-sustaining connections. And we are creating meaning in our lives and in the life of our congregation by joining with others to make a positive difference, both in our own lives and out in the world. You are the ones who have done most of the work. My task is to say – great job, and of course to remind you there are still opportunities for much more to be done.

To better serve the world, we could better organize our outreach efforts providing a more coordinated and effective impact on the objects of our social concerns. Today we can be better organized and coordinated with other faith communities to bring about far greater effectiveness in our ministries. There are a couple of things, which if you haven’t already, I trust you will be hearing a great deal about in the near future. One is the Legislative Ministries Program for Unitarian Universalist congregations in New Jersey – a statewide effort by UU’s to influence transformation in our state by promoting legislation that represents our religious values. The other is an effort to become a sponsoring congregation in the New Sanctuary Movement – joining an interfaith coalition of congregations throughout the Metro New York area to promote immigration justice for the millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

And there are other things we need to find ways to do better for ourselves. In this everybody-work-as-much-as-you-can-culture in which we live, how can we better create avenues of connection that bond us together, meeting our spiritual needs without further rupturing our already overly extended boundaries and exhaustive schedules. We also need to do a better job of leadership development so that no one sitting in the pews ever feels, “I wish they would do something about such and such.” We are all they. We are it. It is up to each of us. It is up to all of us.

There’s one more major area that I want us to consider as a as an upcoming challenge in this state of the congregation address this morning that is closely related to our ability to thrive in the future. That is the area of stewardship in relation to the financial stability of our congregation. Here are a couple of assumptions I bring to this part:

Even though many of us would like to think otherwise, our financial commitment to this religious community is part and parcel of the spiritual well-being of the community, as well as an indicator of our own spiritual depth and maturity;
Our annual budget is always larger than our annual income because, if it is not, we have set our aspirational goals too low, and we do not have enough faith in our own ability to grow our spirits to meet our hearts’ desire.

That said, you should know that we are currently facing a deficit of something around $38,000 this fiscal year. Whose fault is that? It’s our fault, folks. And it’s not because we’ve over budgeted expenditures. We had hoped for only very moderate growth this year. There are many reasons for this situation; some of them are related to the fact that we had a $1 million capital campaign this past year, in which you gave so generously to the future of our congregation. Somehow though, in the mix, we lost site of our more immediate needs. Some of us held back on, reduced or even neglected to make our pledges for this year’s budget. In a way you might say this has made us somewhat house poor. Even though this year’s gap may be larger than previous years, it is consistent with past experiences of the need to dig our way out of a hole each year. And while the Board and the staff have worked long and hard at balancing things, there will still need to be a redress made by many if not all of us this year.

There are many ways of understanding what we have not done. Rather than spending a lot of time and energy on what did not happen though, I think we’d do well to consider how to move forward. We need to move in a way that allows our spiritual commitment, our responsibility for stewardship, to reflect the spiritual fulfillment that we come here to obtain.

In his book Facing Loneliness, J. Oswald Sanders writes, "The round of pleasure or the amassing of wealth are but vain attempts to escape from the persistent ache...The millionaire is [often] a lonely [person]..." We are not all millionaires here, not by a very long shot. But affluence does abound, despite any volatile market fluctuations during this past week. And we know that our affluence cannot protect us from loneliness. Perhaps the recent drops in market values are the best illustration of what I’m saying. The value money has as money can be very tenuous. Its true value can only be seen in its redemption – by what is done with it. Having money may represent potential power; using it unleashes that potential – for good or ill.

Many of you already know that, and you contribute regularly with great generosity. I’m sorry to say that many more of us have not yet made that connection, as it relates to our religious home. In the balance we find ourselves from year to year, living hand to mouth. We can do this stewardship thing much better, and under the leadership of our Treasurer Collin Minert we have an opportunity to restructure the way we think about giving, as well as the way we determine our budget. There will be considerable communication about this for our special congregational meeting to be held a little over a month from now on March 2nd. I’ll hope that you will be a part of the conversation and a part of the solution of securing our future by growing the financial health of our spiritual community. By the way, anyone wishing to speak with Collin, Judy Tomlinson, myself, President Sabine von Aulick or any of the other board members regarding contributions to help close the gap in this year’s budget, please be assured that we are here for you.

There is a litany of unknown origin that speaks to many of the issues that have been raised here this morning. It underscores the truth which answers the question, where is our holy community? We are alive and well and in Montclair. The litany also helps us to see some of our growing edges, and how we might focus on all of this, still a little bit better.

Thriving congregations' expenses are always more than their income; Failing congregations don't need much money!
Thriving congregations have parking problems; Failing congregations have empty spaces!
Thriving congregations may have some noisy children; Failing congregations are quiet as a cemetery.
Thriving congregations keep changing their ways of doing things; Failing congregations see no need for change!
Thriving congregations grow so fast you can't keep up with people's names; In Failing congregations everybody always knows everybody's name.
Thriving congregations strongly support world missions; Failing congregations keep the money at home!
Thriving congregations are full of regular, cheerful givers; Failing congregations are full of begrudging tippers!
Thriving congregations outgrow their Sunday School facilities; Failing congregations have room to spare!
Thriving congregations welcome all classes of people; Failing congregations stick to their own kind!
Thriving congregations' members enthusiastically support the ministries; Failing congregations have no ministries—only functions!
Thriving congregations' members reach out to share their faith with others; Failing congregations' members don't have enough to share!

Earlier in the service, Norman Francis read to us from a piece by James Luther Adams. In conclusion I’d like to pick up where that reading left off:

It is our social responsibility to maintain and extend this movement in the face of human needs for health and shelter and for a world in which (across the lines of race and class and nation) all may enjoy their God-given dignity and responsibility – for a world in which everyone can make a contribution. If we do not participate in groups that work deliberately for these ends, we are ourselves irresponsible…

Here, then, is the vocation placed upon us by the promise of old, “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.” The promise is ultimately not one that we make to ourselves. It is one that we receive in faith. Yet it is also a promise whose fulfillment is contingent upon our response in responsibility.

In our time of troubles the problems are vast in their dimensions. But they were vast also in the birth period of the primitive church and in the birth period of our Free Churches. To cringe in despair of ourselves is to despair of the divine promise. It is to forget that responsibility is response to a Spirit that is given to us – to the light that has shown and that still shines in the darkness.

So then, where is our holy Church?

May we find comfort and joy in the good company we have found here.

May we find here the ability to bind our wounds as well as the determination to dress and address the wounds of our world.

May we be moved by awe, given to gratitude, and dedicated in service, that it may come to pass; that the Spirit will be poured out on us, our planet and on all people – that Life itself, might be served, and our lives blessed in the process of its service.