Unity

So Where Have I been?

2007-02-18T15:40:00.000-05:00

Hey There!

Things have been pretty quiet at Unity, haven't they? That is because I have moved to "Parsonage Life" at revtierneyeliot.net. Its not too far developed but, hey! Check it out!

Oh, and Thanks to Boy in The Bands, Rev. Scott Wells for being my technological guide...

Sermon

2007-01-12T10:33:00.000-05:00

Here is the sermon (translated from notes for your convenience) that I gave in Newton this past Sunday. Not Surprisingly, it is similar to the one I gave in Natick the week before!

PS. I apologize for any unconventional punctuation, grammar, etc. I was never an English major, after all, and this was originally meant to be spoken...

Lost in the Temple (Newton Version)
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot

For many of us, the holidays require quite a bit of packing and unpacking. Starting around Thanksgiving and continuing on into the New Year there are family outings. Ones often farther than a days drive.

In my family, for example, we pack up the van and go to Maine to visit relatives. It is where I’m from, after all, and half of my family still lives there. Into the car go the pies and the presents, the spare clothes, distractions for the kids on the way. On the way back the presents have been replaced with other presents there are leftovers, too. All of this has been somewhat haphazardly stowed in our haste to go south.

Given our haste it should not be surprising that there have been times when I have forgotten some crucial item. Sometimes it is something small, like car keys. However, somewhat less frequently, we drive the long miles back to our home only to find a message on the answering machine: “Son, you forgot your dog”.

You cannot ship a dog. You have to go back.

Now, just maybe this sort of thing has happened to you, and if it has (even though few of us have probably forgotten our children) it is hard not to sympathize with Mary and Joseph. In fact, many of us may be feeling the same way these days. After a long trip and a big holiday it is natural to feel a bit tired--Maybe a little less festive than we felt just days and weeks before
In anticipation of our plans and observances. After all the highs and lows that the holidays bring, it is hard to return to the regular, everyday world

Maybe this is why Joseph and Mary got a little confused and forgot one of their children back in Jerusalem. In their defense, the Bible tells us that they did have other kids and they were moving in a group of friends and relatives. Also, Jesus was a teenager at the time--testing the boundaries of his home life, exploring the new freedom that comes with that advanced age. But, of course, they eventually figured out that he wasn’t with any of their friends returning to Nazareth.

Three days of travel and frantic searching ensued until there he was--in the Temple. “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” His parents probably could have killed him just then and the Bible says that they “Did not understand what he said”

When we read this passage in the context of later orthodox theology it seems merely to be another reference to and reinforcement of the literal divinity of Jesus. In this context he appears to be rebuking his earthly parents by claiming one father (God) above another (Joseph). But upon closer inspection, this doesn’t really make sense. The fact is--If that is all it was--the Mary and Joseph of Luke’s Gospel Would have understood exactly what Jesus had said. After all, they had just had their fill of the heavenly hosts a chapter before.

No, there must be something else going on here. The famous religious educator Sophia Fahs, (who wrote today’s responsive reading) also wrote a book about Jesus back in the 1940’s that has a slightly different, more human take on this same moment. If you are curious, I am sure that there are probably some old copies still in the Sunday School.

“How astonished they were when entering one of the cloisters among the pillars [of the temple] they saw their son, sitting quietly, with older men all around him listening to the rabbi! They heard Jesus ask a question. They trembled lest the teacher become annoyed by their son. But the teacher listened with interest and answered the boy’s question respectfully, and Jesus was…absorbed in what the teacher was saying.”

“[later Mary asks] ‘Son, why have you behaved like this?’ [And Jesus responds] ‘Mother, why have you been looking for me all over the city? Did you not know that I would be right here in the temple?’…So Jesus’ dream of being with the great teachers to listen and ask them questions came to an end.”

To Fahs this story has a practical and understandable message. Jesus was a special child--as all children are. He was one who asked questions about the world around him and about his faith. He wasn’t always understood, but listened closely to the beat of his own drum. Instead of arguing with Mary and Joseph he seems genuinely surprised that it took so long to find him.
He tells them, in essence, “This is who I am! You know that! Where else would I be?”

And where else would he be at the end of one of the holiest times in Judaism. Where else would he be? No wonder they didn’t understand. No wonder we do not understand. After all, in our day at least the religious aspects of the holidays can, and do take something of a back seat to all the other seemingly (but not really) central events like big feasts, family get-togethers…packing and unpacking presents.

Jesus didn’t come for the festival, for the celebrations and the food, for parties with old friends and new. He didn’t show up for the excitement, for all the many secular joys of a time like this in the capital city. Nor did he come to Jerusalem to merely go through the motions of religious observance, to make the appointed sacrifices, to pray the required prayers and be done with it.

No, apparently not.

He came to listen to the old rabbis, to learn about his faith of all things and, in his own way, as a young person, to contribute to the discussion. To ask questions, to air his doubts. Where else would he be?

In fact, this moment of conversation—helping to fill the gap between his infancy and his ministry--gets at the most fundamental aspect of his faith. The theologian Harvey Cox, in his book When Jesus Came to Harvard, points out that “Jesus was a Rabbi…[Jesus] never delivered an easy answer to a hard question but, in time-honored rabbinical fashion…would not allow people to escape the responsibility of making their own decisions”.

One thing that Jesus teaches us in this moment is that real religion expands and contracts as we human beings inhabit it and discover more about ourselves and our world. Sometimes we must abandon (or at least modify) the ways of our elders--To follow new dreams and develop new ideas. Still, even as Jesus leaves his parents he encounters other teachers. For the core of our faith is always the same--whether we are Buddhist or Christian, Jewish or Muslim, or any other of the many responsible varieties of belief that exist today.

Religion can seem complex. This is, in part, by design. It is the design of those who wish to establish a system of right and wrong belief--to define us and them. However, to the reformer--reformers like Jesus and like the other prophets of the past and the present—the goal is to cut through the layers of doctrine, to gather in the shadow of the temple and to talk, to exchange ideas. For them the goal is the simple and understandable faith

Now, there is a difference between simplicity and shallowness. When we seek out the Divine we are searching for something that is profoundly simple. It is also amazingly deep and mysterious
Chaung-Tzu (The ancient Taoist philosopher) writes about the Tao, “how deep and still its hiding place. Without this stillness, metal would not ring…the power of sound is in the metal and Tao in all things. When they clash, they ring with Tao and are silent again. Who is there now to tell all things their places?”

This stillness that Chang-Tzu writes about is something we all participate in, though we may have different names for it. When Jesus sat with the rabbis at the temple he was acknowledging this stillness and the place where he most felt connected to it.

Of course, there have always been those who are so invested in the smallest particulars of religious doctrine that they are unwilling to let them go. From our own tradition, there is the story of Theodore Parker who once observed that “Anyone who traces the history of what is called Christianity will see that nothing changes more from age to age than the doctrines taught as Christian and insisted on as essential to Christianity and personal salvation.” The Church, to Parker, was meant to change with the times and with the growth of our human body of knowledge. Churches, however, (both liberal and conservative) move slowly--as does any community so linked to the past. Even when they do move, there is always some disagreement as to the direction.

The first minister of the Eliot Church in Natick, MA (The church that I now serve) was the Unitarian James Thompson, who refused to exchange pulpits with Reverend Parker—as did others. This is considered quite the insult then and now (so it’s a good thing you invited me). Thompson’s refusal, in Parker’s words “Decides my course for the future”.

Parker became increasingly estranged From many of his fellow Unitarians for his then-liberal views. Still, it would have seemed strange to Parker to have modified his opinions merely to stay in the good graces of his colleagues. “I should laugh out loud,” he wrote sarcastically, “To catch myself weeping because the Boston Clergy would not exchange with me!”

This kind of compromise would have been strange to Jesus, too
“Prophets are not without honor except in their own country and their own house”

There is something else that this story of the Temple tells us about the nature of our faith. It lies in the timing. In this story Passover is finished for the year but Jesus and his teachers are still there--still preaching and praying, teaching and learning…and arguing. The mature faith--the simple faith--doesn’t wax and wane based on the cycles of the season. The hard and rewarding work continues.

Now some people worry about putting the Christ in Christmas. No doubt there is somewhere a catalogue of all the perceived infractions—the ground lost to forces of secularism--that occurred this past year. Maybe instead we should be concerned with putting the life and teachings of Jesus and all the great and true prophets to work in this world, every day of the year. That is a New Year’s resolution worth keeping.

Praying Like Jesus

2007-01-10T14:42:00.000-05:00

I just finished a very good book that I would like to tell you about. It is Praying Like Jesus by James Mulholland. I first learned of Mulholland in conjunction with this year's Revival program in New York. Before I knew his name, I was dimly aware of his work as the co-author of the books If Grace is True and If God is Love. That is, I was aware of the books and their titles and of the rising of Christian Universalism and celebrated their presence in the wake of the slow retreat of Christians from Unitarian Universalism. I, however, hadn't read the books and, frankly, "Grace" and "God" still sit on my bookshelf awaiting the advent of spare time that I most likely will not have any time soon.

Praying Like Jesus, however, called to me. I have been giving some serious thought to my prayer life. When Mulholland talks about the "Prayer of Jesus," the focus of the book, he means what most of us call the "Lord's Prayer" or "Our Father". I, like many people pray the Lord's Prayer (with "trespasses") every day. It is also part of the prayer I say about fifteen minutes before I preach on Sunday. During that time I also pray for my congregation and that I will do a good job for them and for God. We also pray the prayer during the service, itself.

This prayer--the prayer of Jesus--is a big part of my life for something so short. In fact, my entire spiritual discipline is short. It has to be. For me, and (I suspect) for many others, there isn't enough time in the day for any of the nifty "home rituals" that I hear suggested from time to time. Still, in its brevity it must be effective, too.

The book is also short. It is effective in that Mulholland has chosen an effective subject. Additionally, there is a conversation going on. This book is meant in part to be a response to another work The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson. That prayer can be found in 1 Chronicles 4:10. The prayer is fine enough, but the book is aparently part of the ever-popular prosperity gospel that many Americans and others wish were true. Who wouldn't want to be proserous, after all? Who wouldn't want to enlist God to aid them in getting what they want? I am being rhetorical here. The fact is, religion is so much about our worldly needs as about God.

Mulholland attempts to show us how the Lord's Prayer reinforces such Christian virtues as compassion and forgiveness. He also points out the social justice implications of these virtues. The prayer helps us, in a simple way, to look outside our needs and to strive for the true transformation of ourselves and our world. Jesus' prayer does that. Mulholland just underlines what is already there.

I am grateful for this as, at times, I have forgotten that faith requires a certain amount of discipline to live well. I have forgotten the words of the Prayer of Jesus even as I have said them. I am grateful, therefore, to be reminded of their message and power. I recommend this for book discussions and, possibly Adult Religious Education. If I ever get my act together, perhaps I will take a crack at doing just that...

Hey There!

2007-01-09T10:36:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in over a month. I just couldn't do it. December and the holidays have been exhausting and I just couldn't quite get it together enough to put something up here that would be worth reading! However, I am back, at least for the moment, thanks to minor-but-painful mouth surgery that makes it hard to talk (my preferred form of communication). Now I have the time, it seems.

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to preach elsewhere. I went over to First Unitarian Church of Newton, to fill-in for the incomparable James Ford, who is on sabbatical. I had a lovely time. The building couldn't be more different from Eliot's. Ours is a stereotypical "small white church" of the New England flavor. Newton's is just plain huge in a Harry Potter sort of way that made it a fun space to be in. The congregation, of course, was very like the one at Eliot. They were warm and welcoming and--while not Christian--did not mind my fairly extensive exegesis on the story of the adolescent Jesus lost in the temple in Jerusalem.

One of the great things about supply (or exchange) preaching is that it challenges you to get out of whatever mental ruts you might have been in and to look at worship and preaching in a slightly different way. Back before I had a church, I spent a year or two supplementing my community-organizer income through itinerant preaching. Sunday brought back to me the joy and excitement of doing something different, of being challenged and rising to that challenge in a creative way.

Sunday also reminded me of how much I love my own church. Whenever I go somewhere I get a lot of questions about Eliot and its status as an Ecumenical Shared Ministry with the UUA and UCC. Pretty much all that I do is talk about Eliot during coffee hour and in the parking lot! Folks aren't hostile, just curious. I like the way we do things. I enjoy preaching and pastoring to the Eliot church and I love attending services there to hear someone else preach. This shouldn't be seen as a slam on any other religious community. It is great to be able to find a church home. Eliot happens to be mine.

I dimly recall that PeaceBang had a post about liking the church one serves but, sadly, it appears that "old blogger" is in for maintenance. Check it out later...

Adalius for Peace!

2006-12-06T14:28:00.000-05:00

Here is an article about professional athletes opposing the war and the barriers they face in speaking out. Pro athletes have a great deal of potential power that they rarely use. People listen to them. Kids listen in particular, but parents do to. All you have to do is look at all the folks with football connections in the recent election. They are there, from Heath Schuler to George Allen to JC Watts. Tom Brady gets paraded around from time to time by the Bush administration as do others. Dave Zirin, in his article, urges liberal athletes to speak up and to organize. I wish him (and them) luck...

Christmas Vacation

2006-12-05T11:07:00.000-05:00

Two things happened recently that got me thinking. I was walking to the church yesterday after dropping the kids off at school when one of the other "walking dads" asked me what I was doing for Christmas vacation. "I'm Working!" I said. This, of course, is true. I am working three services on Christmas Eve. After that, I proceded to tell him how I would spend Christmas morning. After we parted company I started to wonder if what I told him might have sounded a bit too much like complaining. After all, most people have family-time, parties, and Thanksgiving-style feasts on the big day. My family does not. In fact, if one didn't know what I did for work, one might assume that I had been possessed by the ghost of Ebenezar Scrooge (pre-reformation).

Then this morning I read the post over at Peacebang, where she outlined her rather ambitious Christmas rituals and realized that I am not alone. Her plans are "ambitious" in the sense that we all try to achieve that level of relaxation and in-the-now-ness from time to time. More often than not, we fail.

So I thought I would share with you what I do. This story is not unique to me (or to Peacebang, whose plans are similar). Church Organists, Choir Directors, clergypeople and just about every trumpeter in Chrisendom celebrate in very similar ways. We like it.

For the last seven years, I have worked on Christmas Eve. I get to church early, make sure the place is clean, call my readers, musicians, deacons, etc to make sure all are ready and there is nothing that they need from me. I then read through the services. There are usually two of them. This year there is a third at the usual Sunday morning time. Are there enough chairs up front? Do the flowers still look fresh? Do we have the candles for the "silent night" lighting? I go through everything. I know that the deacons, musicians, etc are doing the same thing, but hey. It never hurts to check that list twice!

Then the services. This year the first one will be a small half-hour gathering for communion (probably) at 10 am. Wherever two or more are gathered as they say! This will be festive in a small way. If it goes well, maybe we will do it again.

The second service is the "Family" one. The kids play music. Congregants (many of them former RE denizens or RE Committee people) read from a "Children's Bible" and we will recite Christmas poetry from Dylan Thomas and Horatio Alger, Junior. Later, the more formal service begins. We used to refer to it as the "candlight" service but we have candles at the Family service, too. My readers will be the two community ministers affiliated with Eliot, the Reverends Dave Miller and Donna Tetreault. After that, I will have lost my voice. We say our "Merry Christmases," our Music Director, Stephen James, grabs a flight, and I close up church.

Back home we put on a video. My wife and kids will have ordered pizza after the first evening's service and put in some serious "claymation special" time. After a while we will go to bed.

My Christmas Day is similar to Peacebang's except with kids. We get up, we open presents, we have an enormous breakfast, walk, eat, play, and then sleep. We do not have visitors. Usually, we do not see family. I am too tired to do much more than hang out with my immediate family. Since they hadn't seen me pretty much for 24 hours, they like it, too.

That is Christmas for a religious professional. Certainly I miss the family and a part of me would like to be with them. Still, I like it this way. My mom, after all, is also a minister, so my parents will be doing similar things. They understand and I like the day without distractions, doing nothing with the wife and kids. It is a rare opportunity for everyone these days.

I hope you all have similarly satisfying ways of spending the holiday. God bless. Merry Christmas.

Advent Sermon, 1st Sunday, 2006!

2006-12-04T11:50:00.000-05:00

Here is my first Advent sermon of the year. I finally took the time to "prosify" one for ease of reading. I should tell you that--I use a lot of these--. Mostly it is because sermons are meant to be spoken, after all. Blogger continues to be a bit sticky, so, for some reason I cannot make this as readable as I would like. Maybe when they get around to fixing themselves, I will come back and adjust everything...

Demonstrations of Doubt
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot
The Eliot Church
December 3, 2006

"The Days are surely coming," says God through Jeremiah
"When I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel."

This is a statement of certainty and optimism. It urges us to look forward with anticipation to the sure fulfillment of prophecy. This certainty is a hallmark of much of modern faith, be it Christian, Jewish, Muslim or any other of the great world religions. There is the sense of absolute truth. We see this understanding in the architecture of the great cathedrals and the rituals of the church. We see it particularly during Advent, when so many people are preparing for Christmas, for our annual celebration of the birth of Jesus

This story of Christmas--one that many churches begin preparing for today--is a powerful one. It is a story that, in many ways, transcends our actual beliefs. But, of course, as moving as the story may be, many of us who gather here today to help usher in the Christian New Year and with it the holiday season, probably have a few questions lurking in the back of our minds. There are doubts sitting and whispering in the corners of our hearts

Our newspapers are filled daily, not with the news of the coming Commonwealth of Heaven, but with news of war and famine and tales of natural disasters that ruin lives and communities. The suffering continues in spite of the promise of prophets like Jeremiah. For many of us, the very stories, themselves, from the Creation in Genesis through the Christmas nativity and on to the resurrection, have become harder to comprehend and believe in the light of two thousand years of growth and discovery.

Our doubts can wear on us and wear on those who would just like to believe and want us to believe, too (to be happy, maybe when we are not,to worry about “putting the Christ in Christmas” when, perhaps in deference to our Jewish and Muslim friends, we do not). Still, we gather on this first Sunday in Advent to once again experience and remember the teachings of the prophets and heroes of the Biblical past. We gather together to celebrate Christmas just as dissenters of the past did--people like the Universalist Olympia Brown, the Unitarian Fredrick Henry Hedge, and (while his father, Lyman forbade it growing up), the Congregationalist Henry Ward Beecher--all of whom we have spoken about this past month. We gather just as they did to live out a faith founded on love.

Why do we do it? Why do we celebrate this holiday even when we have questions? Well, the asking, of course, is natural, it is part of our tradition. It is a tradition of debate that goes back to the Bible. There we can find plenty of people who aren’t so ready to accept the party line. There is Peter, of course, and Thomas, apostles who required convincing on many occasions. There is Zekariah, from one of our readings today, unwilling to believe the angel of God, saying, “How will I know that this is so?” (Luke 1:18)

The Gospel writers, themselves, disagreed with each other--each book representing a different tradition and a different audience. The texts are filled with contradictions as each early Christian community or school of thought attempted to have their perspective heard and understood. This merely proves that in faith and scripture, it is hard to find any absolutes.

For example, in the Gospel of Luke we find the virgin Mary and her husband-to-be, Joseph traveling to Bethlehem where Mary gives birth to Jesus in a barn. In Matthew, however, Jesus and Mary apparently already live in Bethlehem and Jesus is born in a house. The writer of Mark, the oldest Gospel, seems to feel that the circumstances of Jesus’ birth are not remarkable enough to record (which is strange when one considers the claims made by Matthew and Luke). In fact, the earliest texts in the Bible are Paul’s. He doesn’t mention the virgin birth, either, and the Gospel of John refers to Joseph as Jesus’ father, without any qualifications that would indicate that his fatherhood was adoptive rather than biological.

Knowing all of this, it seems almost too much to point out that the Hebrew word (Almah) in Isaiah--a word that Matthew cites to legitimize Jesus as the main character in a messianic prophecy, and that our Bibles have translated as “virgin”--lacks the biological implications that we usually associate with it. It refers instead to a young woman who has recently been married but isn’t yet pregnant.

The jury is out on the historical veracity of the Christmas story as we know it, as it is on many aspects of scripture. However, that doesn’t mean we have to box up our ornaments and take down the tree. Nor must we anoint ourselves the town Grinches.

All of these points of theology, either known or intuited by many of us here today, have less to do with why we celebrate Christmas than we might think. Norman Vincent Peale once said that, “Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” There is something magical about this time, A beauty and a goodness that tries hard to break through the shell and cynicism of our modern minds.

Our understanding of the Bible and its contradictions isn’t a reason to throw it away. Instead, it reinforces an approach and acceptance of the fact that (In the words of Bible Scholar and priest Father John Dominic Crossan) “It is possible to take the Christian message seriously, without having to take it at all points literally.” The spirit after all, is still there, strong and holy. For all that the tradition has done to present our faith as one monolithic system of beliefs, the fact remains that from the very beginning there have been different ways to understand it. We, in the tradition of our forebears are well within our rights to demonstrate our doubt. Our doubts keep us honest. They excite and energize us. They allow us to find, in all the competing signs, the true light and spirit of the season.

One thing that the liberal church does well is to articulate what we do not believe. Much less frequently (and often with an overabundance of modifiers and conditions), we say what we do believe. This Christmas season gives us the opportunity to do both. For at the root of our faith is an idea, one that all of the Gospel writers can agree on: That God is in the world. Wherever and whatever else God may be, God is in the world and in us and between us.

Today we read responsively from a piece inspired by the Magnificat, when the gospel of Luke quotes Mary as saying,
“My soul magnifies the sovereign God
And my spirit rejoices in God my savior
For God has looked with favor
On the lowliness of this servant”
God is with us and in us. God is with and in all the lowly servants, just as it was for Mary and the Commonwealth of Heaven exists for us all--women and men of all races, all nations and creeds--in our joy as well as in our deepest suffering--no matter how painful, no matter how dark.

It is telling that the great Roman critic of the Christians, Celsus, objected to the idea of the virgin birth of Jesus, not because he thought such a thing impossible--the Emperor Augustus, for example was supposed to have been the son of the god Apollo--no, his objection was that such a thing would happen to the least of these. Not to an emperor but a carpenter. Not to a warrior but a rabbi.

The story of the birth of Jesus is a parable in some sense lived by us each year. It is lived by us in rituals and retelling and is meant not to widen the gulf between us and God, but to help us bridge it. To help us bridge the gap through the life of a man who did and said extraordinary things.

The great irony may be how isolated the holidays can make us feel, so let us all try to celebrate this universal message of peace and of love, to remember that God is with us all. Amen

Advent Pastoral Email

2006-12-01T11:10:00.000-05:00

Dear Eliot Church Members and Friends,

This Sunday marks the beginning of Advent. It is a busy time. Advent is the beginning of the church's worship cycle, preparing us for the story of Jesus. It also means that it is a mere four weeks until Christmas! In the midst of all the festivities and general holiday craziness, let us all try to find times of quiet and of peace so we may maintain our own good humor in the days to come. Also, the holidays may be hard for some of us. I urge everyone to look out for each other and to reach out when the opportunity presents itself.

Naturally, it is a good time to be in church, too. It is nice to be able to see friendly faces this time of year. It is also good to gather and remember why it is we celebrate Christmas in the first place! Besides, we have some important dates coming up soon. The famous annual Christmas pageant, for example, will be cast this Sunday and the pageant, itself will be on December 17th. I hope everyone will be able to attend and participate. Also, this year we will have three services on December 24. The first will be at our regular time (10am). The other two will be evening services at 5pm (this is the "family" service) and 7pm (a more traditional service).

Once again, have a blessed and joyous holiday season.

Yours in Faith,
Adam

Quebec Nationhood

2006-11-30T10:53:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of son #2's Kindergarden class singing that Reagan-Era hit "Proud to be an American". The things on their heads are paper turkeys. I will never think of that song the same way again...

While we were all eating our turkey and giving thanks something interesting occured just north of us. the Canadian Parliament voted to recognize Quebec as a nation within Canada. This may have some interesting implications for Canadians in particular and for the concept of nationalism and nationhood in general. What, exactly is a nation (Quebec) within another nation (Canada)? It isn't clear that everyone has even close to the same idea...

My wife and I lived in Montreal for a while "pre-children". We were there during the emergence of the Bloc Quebecois and their then-leader Lucien Bouchard. Since then I have followed the unique relationship between Quebec and the rest of Canada. It is intriguing to me on many levels. It looks like it will continue to be.

Finally just a reminder to folks. The Canadians live right next door! Take an interest, people. They are a large, industrialized, wealthy nation with an interesting perspective on the US, democracy, and life in general. They also impact how we see ourselves and how we live. They even play football. I actually have a dream of someday becoming the Alex de Toqueville of Canada, traveling across the country, writing pompous things about Canadian culture, etc. Maybe you should pay attention, too.

Dead Fish and Such (Or my Dan Harper Moment)

2006-11-29T09:53:00.000-05:00

Not too long ago (I believe it was the Saturday before Halloween). I stopped to sit on the park bench at the dam across from my house. It was cold and the rain was threatening to make its appearance at any moment. I, however, wasn't entirely alone. On the other side of the dam, one of the Herons that make their home on the Charles was busy catching fish. First he stood stock-still and then, thrusting with his beak he poked at the water in front of him. Finally, he was successful and spent the next twenty minutes stabbing his catch to death before gulping it down.

The other denizen of the opposite bank was not so lucky. While the Heron was exhalting in its dinner, a fisherman cast his line twice, and then got it tangled on some rocks. Ah, well. Maybe there was something for him in the fridge.

I thought of this moment today thanks to the church air conditioner. This particular appliance gets very little use from humans and, therefore, has become the home to a family of birds. They are quite loud today. I don't mind. The sound reminds me of my country childhood, of the various suburban nature preserves, and of the urban parks and greenhouses that have been a part of my life. In particular, it reminded me of the Lincoln Park Conservatory in Chicago, similar to the one on Belle Isle in Detroit. No doubt the wet weather today helped me make the connection, too.

I realize that nature doesn't exist for my happiness but, still, it brings me joy. I hope that it brings you joy, too. Winter is coming, and coming soon.

I am a big fan of good science and have never really understood why many faith leaders are so bent out of shape about Darwin and others who have called into question some of the stories in scripture. I would hope that their trust in God is greater than that. Why would we think that any human being (Yes, the bible was written by humans. This is indisputable.) could reduce the wonder of the world to the written page. It cannot be done. Modern discoveries do not prove God's non-existence so much as prove our limitted understanding. I hear the voices of the birds and the rain on the roof today and stand in awe of all we do not know of the complexity of this creation.

In the past, I have written a bit about Natural Selection and made it the topic of my summer reading. The reviews of the books I read can be seen here and here and here. My buddy Dan Harper has a post about the Christian Conservatives and their approach to science here.

Snow?

2006-11-28T10:16:00.000-05:00

I was watching the warm-up to last night's MNF game and saw snow. Quite a bit of it fell, actually, in Seattle. I, of course, couldn't be much farther from Seattle but, still, it got me in the holiday mood and that is a good thing. Dave Miller, one of the community ministers affiliated with Eliot and also a local realtor, was putting his X-Mas lights up at his office across the street from the church yesterday. Man, I love Advent.

I have even started Christmas shopping. I have gifts for various relatives and friends. I have also made my first seasonal donation. I gave a little something to the UCC's God is Still Speaking Campaign. Eliot Church is not a part of this but I find it to be refreshing. You can donate too, if you would like. You can also vote for your favorite UCC commercial. Yes, I do like the "Ejector Seat" commercial the best, but "All The People" is much more Christmasy

One interesting by product of the season is that my archives get a great many hits thanks to google-searches for Advent sermons. I will be posting them again this year. Partly this is because I like to share. Partly, however, it forces me to focus during a hard-to-focus time.

I would, however, like to apologize to all the folks who are apparently looking for pictures of Metallica Drummer Lars Ulrich. Once, a long time ago, I posted a link to a picture of him and since then folks keep getting driven to me! From one fan to another, I am sorry. Feel free to stick around, though...

Congregationalism

2006-11-24T06:06:00.000-05:00

Happy day after! I hope all of you are well. I have a stomach ache, alas, and cannot sleep. Here is an article I wrote for the church newsletter. Eliot is doing quite a bit of formal and informal work on its identity. One problem (and I have mentioned it before) for Union Churches is that they have so many affiliations. At the risk of confusing things for non-Eliots (this is part of a broader discussion). Here is what I wrote on the subject this month...

“Who (or What) are we?”
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot

How do we describe the tradition and identity of the Eliot Church? Are we Unitarian Universalist? Are we United Church of Christ? What do we mean by “Community Church” anyway? I often hear these questions from members of the congregation. No doubt, many of you hear questions like these from fellow-members and from friends and family. The answer sometimes seems complicated. However, it really isn’t.

Much of the confusion, I think, comes from the attempt to reconcile three apparently distinct concepts. Two of these are related to the UUA and the UCC, larger institutions that we are affiliated with. The other is our identity as a “Community Church”. However, appearances can be deceiving. All three are facets of the broader tradition of American Congregationalism.

If someone asks you what kind of church Eliot is, you can’t go wrong by saying “Congregationalist”. Our tradition has a long history dating back at least to 17th century England. Interestingly, it had its start in this country when a small group of people deciding to separate from the Church of England eventually ended up in what we now know as Plymouth, Massachusetts! In addition to a tendency toward religious reform and theological diversity, this is the tradition that gave New England its town meeting form of government and a wide variety of social reformers, philosophers, scientists, and politicians.

Let’s start with our two associations, the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Association. They are called associations for a reason. Associations are collections of independent congregations, each with its own tradition. Over the years the UUA and UCC have merged with other movements and have developed different interests and points of emphasis, but this fundamental fact of their lives has remained. In essence, the denomination in Congregationalism is the local church. This is why Eliot hires its own minister, owns its own buildings and, generally makes its own decisions without having to defer to a larger organization.

The UUA and the UCC are two of four associations of congregations that date their founding to one document, the Cambridge Platform of 1648. This document laid out a system of self-governance for individual worship communities. All four associations provide support and nurture to their member churches and to their ministers. Sunday School, retreat opportunities, continuing education for clergy and lay leaders, and mission (or social justice and outreach) programs are their primary function. The purpose is not to tell the churches or their members what to believe so much as to help them on the journey.

Are there differences between these institutions? Absolutely. A recent public discussion between the leaders of the UUA and UCC—attended by members of our church—underlined many of them. There are reasons why there are so many different paths on the Congregational Way. Not only are there differences between the various associations, but there are also differences within them as there are within any religious movement. Churches are not uniform monoliths so much as dynamic communities in conversation. The conversations that we have at Eliot are uniquely Congregationalist. These conversations are aided by our theological diversity and the creative tension developed from being part of more than one congregational group. However, even if we belonged to no association in particular, Eliot would continue to be a Congregationalist church! This is, after all, our history.

All four of these groups share certain things in common. One is the primacy of the local church, another is a non-creedal basis for membership. We believe that revelation is not sealed. In the words of the UCC, “God is still speaking”!

One of the two associations we are not currently affiliated with, the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC) puts it this way: “People of a Congregational Church do not seek to be led by a creed, but by the Spirit. Ours is the tradition of a free church, gathered under the headship of Christ and bound to others by love, not law.” The NACCC is interesting because it rests in theology and tradition right between the UUA and the UCC, as do we.

The term “Community Church” is also part of the Congregational tradition, although not exclusively. The word “Community” can be a vague one. Our building rests inside the neighborhood of South Natick in the town of Natick. Most of our members are from Natick as well. However, the term also refers to the “gathered community” of (drum roll, please) the congregation. Many of our members come from Wellesley, Framingham, Dover, and Sherborn. They are part of the church community, too. So while we take our place in Natick very seriously, ultimately, the congregation is the community that we are most accountable to.

As we say on Sunday morning, “we bring many gifts and together build one church community”. Our tradition and identity as a non-creedal church, open to a broad understanding of Christianity and of religion in general is the cornerstone, not just of Eliot, but of a great and vibrant tradition. It is worth exploring and talking about in the years to come.

Thanksgiving

2006-11-23T20:37:00.000-05:00

It's pretty much over here at the parsonage. My wife's parents came up from Maryland and have now returned to the hotel where they are staying the night. We had a roast instead of turkey. The sides included roasted vegetables and sweet potatoes. The pie for desert was made by the kids in the West Virginia Work Camp. Good kids. Good pies. I should have cooked the roast a bit longer though.

After we ate I took the dog for a walk around the neighborhood. It is raining hard and cold here in Natick but I didn't mind getting out of the overly warm house for a while. Everywhere we went we could see lights on and extra cars in the driveways. In a few cases, the houses were dark. In a couple you couldn't tell that anything out of the ordinary was going on. I silently wished all of my neighbors well as I passed by. The holidays can bring a variety of emotions, some festive and good, others not so much.

I am praying tonight for all those people who are wrestling with mixed feelings this Thanksgiving. For each person the reasons are different, but still relevent to them. Even the happiest among us knows that there are cares and worries waiting for us tomorrow or Saturday, Sunday or Monday. For some the weight is heavy. For others there are "missing persons" still present to us as memories of times good and bad. For whatever reason, I am praying for you. I hope this weekend is gentle to you.

After my in-laws left I called my parents, who were sitting on a bus from South Station to Portland, ME where they had left their car. They had gone down to Providence to see my brother, Matt, and his long-term partner, Anita. I had talked to Matt earlier in the day and, no doubt, will touch base with the rest of my siblings tomorrow. It is good to have family, even when they are scattered about a cold and dreary New England. I am thankful for their warmth and their thoughts wherever they are. I am grateful for my kids and my wife and her parents, too!

Last Sunday I preached off of a text from 1 Timothy. I have been carrying it about with me today as a reminder of the goodness of our endeavors. Sometimes it is a good thing to have something to fall back on. Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by God's word and by prayer. (1 Tim. 4:4-5).

May you be at peace with God's creation tonight and every night. May you give thanks for all that you have been given. May you see and celebrate even the smallest successes that reside in you. May you triumph over the darkness and may the light surround you.

Happy Turkey-Day.

Amen

If I Were Jazz, I'd Sue

2006-11-22T14:19:00.000-05:00

That's right. If I were Jazz, the vital art form that had its beginnings in the African-American experience and continues to be one of the most exciting art forms in this country or anywhere else, I would sue. I would, in fact, sue Jazz, an incredibly horrid diet soft drink produced by those taste wizards at Pepsico.

When I think of Jazz, the music, I usually recall a club/restaurant I went to with my wife while living in Montreal. the band was Cuban, the wine (from the "Dep" next door) was Chilean. It rocked so much I remember it quite clearly today. Not so for Jazz.

I think that it is supposed to be a sort of boutique beverage, the microbrew of the diet soda set. Flavors have names like "Strawberries and Cream" which, of course, tastes neither like strawberries nor like cream. The cream part, actually, would be rather frightening if it was authentic as most folks don't consume their dairy with bubbles and such. I first encountered Jazz not at a club, but at the Natick Mall when I was accosted with a free sample. The roving Pepsiperson informed me that it was "a new taste concept" that they were "trying out". She asked my opinion, too, but didn't take notes.

It seemed a fitting location for something so pedestrian as Jazz to be making its debut. I love the mall. I really do. I like the people all running around and the bustle of it all. I may even be there this Friday! However, it is a den of giddy consumerism where corporations try their hardest to package what is at its core derivative and standard--clothes, toys, and baseball caps, all fairly similar regardless of what store cubby you might be in--as edgy, experimental, and unique.

That this particular diet soda exists doesn't suprise me, nor am I surprised by its aluminum taste profile. What bothers me is that something so great (Jazz) can be used to market something so pedestrian (Jazz). I realize it is meant to infuse a sense of the exotic into the suburban landscape but, really. If I want to feel (and look) hip and relevant, even open-minded and progressive in thought and culture, do I really want to spend quality time with something that says "I like fads"? I don't think so. The only way to deepen one's awareness and depth of connection to humanity is to actually try not to conform to societal and corporate expectations.

Products like this get at one of the biggest problems we face today. Namely that we are loosing our sense of originality and cultural diversity. "Look, we've mixed some chemicals to gether that taste not enirely unlike berries mixed with milk, how jazzy!" We are forgetting how to be original and actually different--in ways both large and small--from our neighbors. I believe that churches have a role to play in stopping this dangerous drift. Pastors, too. We need to help people see that there is more to this world than what we are told we need. We can behave in different ways. Many of us naturally fear sticking out too much, but it is OK to be a "character" sometimes, even when we have not been endorsed by NIKE....

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in 1931, "The word Jazz in its progress toward respectability has first meant sex, then dancing, then music. It is associated with a state of nervous stimulation, not unlike that of big cities behind the lines of war." Well now it means diet soda. Such progress.

Anyway, I will stick to the real thing. Fight the man. Hear Jazz.

No Comments

2006-11-22T09:50:00.000-05:00

So I disabled the comments function for a while. Primarily this is because my posting has become somewhat erratic and I never really had a whole bunch of comments posted anyway. Since I do not visit Unity every day and rarely respond to the posts that are left. It seemd to make sense to take a break.

In many ways, Unity has a readership similar to what PeaceBang expected for her blog. Hers are two distinct communities with many a comment and discussion. In fact, there have been times that I have not been able to post here because I have been reading the conversations there or at one of my other usual haunts (see the links section). This is a nice spot to read the occasional confused rant as well as to find thoughts and informations about the practice of liberal Christianity in the context of a United or Union church. I am too busy elsewhere to make it much more than that. Anyway, do enjoy what I do post and feel free to chat away elsewhere.

Incidentally, Happy Thanksgiving! We had a great time this past Sunday at Eliot. We had our usual family Thanksgiving service and our confirmation class did a good job playing music ad doing readings. A good time was had (I believe) by all. At least that is what folks said at our annual brunch. It is a tricky time for everyone going hither and yon. It was nice for everyone to touch base a bit before the Holidays truly began!

Suits and Such

2006-11-21T13:52:00.000-05:00

I just got back from my weekly Natick Rotary lunch. Today's speakers were the captains of the Natick High School Football team. In these parts, at least, most teams play a game on Thanksgiving Day against some cross town rival or other. This is the 100th anniversary of the Natick-Framingham turkey bowl and the pressure is on. Not surprisingly, many of the Rotarians present have played in the game themselves. I, however, am hopelessly uncoordinated...

Also today, the Rotarians helped out with the Natick Service Council Turkey deliveries. Harriett Buckingham, Dan Mahoney and I drove about town dropping off Thanksgiving meals to various folks who otherwise would not have had one. The Church donated three baskets (thank you to Aileen Zogby for her work on this). In addition to being a Rotarian, Harriett is also a long-time member of Eliot. Therefore we were doubly proud.

OK, one last thing for the football-minded this week. Sunday marked the first time in a long time that an NFL coach wore a suit on the sidelines. Mike Nolan of the SF 49ers wore one and then on Monday night so did Jack Del Rio of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Why haven't they worn them in the past? Well...way back when, many coaches certainly did. Then there was the small issue of an exclusive contract to Reebok and the NFL started to require all of its personnel to dress in painfully awkward ways.

The solution: a Reebok suit. It is still unclear as to whether or not this will be allowed in the future. I say allow it. It doesn't hurt--every once in a while--to let something graceful slip through the firewall of profit. Besides, some coaches could really use better options and I bet there's a way for everyone to make money...

A Matter of Perspective

2006-11-17T11:20:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in a while and am feeling guilty so here is an interesting observation that I made recently.

First, some backstory. The town of Natick is working on some serious visioning for the future. The program is called Natick 360 and it involves a great many people at a variety of levels of input and committment. I have attended some of their events and contributed my two cents at various times. I am impressed, really, at all the hard work that has gone into this. At the same time, I have been involved with the MICAH interfaith social justice project here in Metrowest. Because of this, I have spent a great deal of time in Framingham, one town west of Natick.

As I was driving through Framingham this week I noticed, not for the first time, how big it is. It is officially a town (it has a representative town meeting, selectmen, etc.) but it feels like a city with its large and diverse population and many services and cultural opportunities. "Hm," I thought to myself, "I wonder how big Framingham is compared to, say, Portland, Maine". I am from Maine and my sister and her family live in Portland. Mainers think of it as city, if not the city as it has the largest population in the state. Lewiston is Second, incidentally, and Bangor is third.

So I went home and took a look. Here is what I found out: Portland (in 2000) had 64, 249 people. Framingham had 66, 910. Yep, if Framingham were in Maine, it would be the biggest city.

I also checked out the population for Natick, Framingham's largest neighbor. It was 32, 170. South Portland, who sustains a similar relationship to Portland (complete with a mall) is at 23, 324. Natick, in fact, was slightly larger than Bangor (31, 074 in 2005)! Most of these numbers are six years old, of course, but if you know Maine and you know Metrowest, one can only assume that, if there is any change, the gap has probably grown a little bit.

What makes this interesting to me is how our image of our selves and of a place can get a bit confused. When folks talk about Natick, they always like to say what a small town it is. In fact, whenever I imply that it might not be as small as people think, I usually get interesting looks, as if they expect me to have sewn a scarlet gadfly into all of my clothing. The fact is, I have lived in small towns where everyone knows each other and Natick isn't it. It is a great place to live, sure, but there are plenty of strangers who will probably stay that way until we choose to recognize them. In order to that we need to recognize our size.

It also works the other way, too. I am not so sure that Portland will ever seem all that big to me again. Maybe this has happened to you from time to time, a change of location can alter your understanding of who you are and your place in the world. This is one reason why it is important to explore and travel. It is also a good reason to question our assumptions.

Fine Young Christians

2006-11-08T13:06:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of some of the Fine Young Christians that were to be found at the UUCF REVIVAL! meeting this past week. Again, it was a good, spirit-filled time. Some things occured while I was there that made me think about the importance of quality worship. Worship is interesting in that it is part performance , partly and articulation of theology, and partly a lived relationship with God and our fellow humans.

We expect to come closer to the Divine through our prayers and hymns--the rituals of communion and Baptism, too. We hope to be inspired by the sermon, when possible. God, of course, is always present, but how we do worship affects how well we sense that presence. How well we put the service together, how we carry ourselves and how we pray and preach are very important.

A muddy sermon, overly long special music, a sanctuary that is too hot or too cold, readings that don't match the theme, an ego that shows just a bit too much on a worship participant--all of these things can detract from the movement of God through our sanctuary. It is hard to be connected when you are distracted! Instead, the worshipper can feel like someone at Thanksgiving dinner who cannot find a single thing to eat. Bad worship leaves you hungry and profoundly unsatisfied. Really bad worship can leave you exhausted and somewhat bruised.

On the other hand, there is planty of room for quality worship. Simplicity is an excellent watchword. Chris Walton's Taize service was simple yet moving. So too are many a "sermon sandwich". Sure, it may not seem exciting at first, but if the preacher is talking about Jesus and God, and if the congregation is truly being fed, then the excitment will build from within. There will be nothing then that can match the power of the unadorned Gospel message. That, after all, is what it is all about.

The weekend gave me some ideas about how to deepen the worship experience at Eliot. I hope to give something a try sometime soon. However, I will also be striving to remember the fact that the medium (in church at least) is not the message. Something clever may be great and fun, but does it serve an actual purpose? Does it tell a story of a people and their God or a church and its prophet? If it doesn't, maybe there is another place where we can excercise our artistic side.

Finally, it is also good to remember that what may work for one community may not work well for another. At Eliot when we do communion, we have the wine and the bread. We pass it around and we pray. For another church (particularly many UU ones) that may not feel right. On the other hand, we do not consider "Flower Communion" a communion. Nor would the "Water Communion" be (unless you drank the water, which could be dangerous). Their meanings are different, after all, for different people. That, too is a part of telling the specific story of a particular community of faith.

Anyway, more on this later. I just heard that Rumsfeld has resigned and I have other work to do as well. I just want to say that I have worshipped with the Fine Young Christians above and they've got it goin' on...

A Little Rain Must Fall

2006-11-08T11:12:00.000-05:00

Yes, a little rain must fall on every parade. A great deal has fallen on Mr. President's but I think that a little has fallen on mine. Am I happy about the election results? Sure am! However, I know in my heart that my first loyalty isn't to my party but to my faith. The work, my friends, isn't done. We need to keep our new congress and governors accountable.

For example, as a follower of the Prince of Peace I am concerned about gun control. Many of our new Democrats are perfectly happy with the way things are. It was nice to see all that blue on the graphics behind Ms. Kouric last night, but will our kids stop killing each other at school?

How about the immigrants who have made this country the vital and energetic place it has always been? What about my Brazilian neighbors and friends here in MetroWest? My faith tells me that there is a place at the table for everyone. Still, I hear that not all of our party saviors are in agreement on what to do. I will be watching for the immigrants and for me, grateful for all that they have done to add depth and richness to my little part of the world.

Also, many of these folks have limited voting records. I need evidence of how they will actually vote before I am willing to relax. For example, my new Governor-Elect/Rock Star Deval Patrick (who I did vote for) is more than a little vague about actual plans and positions. I have a vague sense that he is supposed to be liberal. Why do I think that? Because the incredibly incompetant campaign of Kerry Healey told me so. So, is it true? I guess it could be. That would be nice, but his past actions send a mixed message on many things that I care about. I am not so blissed out by him that I will ignore what he actually does.

I am concerned about economic issues (like predatory lending and the minimum wage), many of which did not get a lot air time thanks to that war in Iraq and the odd actions of various Republican politicians from the President to Rev. Haggard. Their inability to communicate a rational conservative message has been so deafening that I am not so sure that I hear the message of the new Democratic leadership all that clearly. I am looking forward to its articulation. I would feel more comfortable that way.

Here is the problem. I feel more like I did when the Patriots won the Super Bowl than like the nation is on a new, better course. This election was about our President and about a party that had learned rather quickly how to abuse its power. It wasn't so much about ideas or about how to turn our nation around. Now that the smoke is clearing and the rhetoric has (hopefully) toned down. What, if anything will change? How will things improve for the poor of this country and for those who live in the many places of this world where the influence of our government and our corporations is a basic fact of life? I will be watching our politicians of either (and no) party. This isn't over. There is work to do and I, at least, expect it to get done.

Dan Harper will be in Boston tomorrow to fight for gay marriage. If you can make it down, why don't you go? It would be a way to let the Democrats know that we aren't so impressed that we will stop watching, caring, and speaking out.

Voting is Fun!

2006-11-07T10:13:00.000-05:00

I voted. It was fun.

Actually, I am much more interested in finding out about races in other parts of the country. The fight for Congress has taken on epic trappings these past few weeks and I have been swept up in all the excitement. Unlike many Democrats, however, I am not as sure about our chances. After all, there are some pretty funny looking districts out there and many of them (thanks to the years of Republican control on both the federal and state levels) are controlled by conservatives. Still, I would love to be proven overly pessimistic! The Governors reces look better to me, after all, you cannot gerrymander a state.

However, as my dad always likes to remind me, there are important local races to consider. Also, there are statewide offices farther down the ticket. State Attorneys General and Secretarys of State, for example, have a great deal of power within their juristictions (sp?) and with the current administration continuing in office, these postions have become important in the arena of regional and national regulation. I am thinking, of course, about the tobacco industry and Microsoft, but really there are many other, less well publicized cases of state class-action suits...I am officially out of my element and will refer you to Dad's AG Blog if he ever updates it. Still, remember to fill out the entire ballot, people!

When I was growing up, my parents would keep us home from school the day after Election Day so that we could stay up and watch the returns. Tonight it will be just me and Son #3 as the wife has to work and the other boys will be going to school tomorrow. After all, back then it was the day that we found out if Dad still had a job. Now that is not the case. the position of Pastor of the Eliot Church is, in fact, an elected position as many a Congregationalist minister can tell you, but it is a different election cycle.

That fact, is an important one, however, as voting is a part of our faith and our tradition. If we do not allow ourselves to let other people make decision for us on matters of faith, then why, dear God, would we let other decisions and policies be made without our input and presence? Also, it is important to vote, even if you think your guy or gal will be fine without you. The number of voters (sometimes regardless of who they actually voted for) help to keep our politicians accountable and us powerful. Maybe it is because I was raised among politicians, but I haven't always been impressed by the creativity and critical thinking skills of our leaders. This is true for both self-prefessed liberals and their opposite numbers. They need to hear from us and respond to us, otherwise (and this is particularly true the more powerful the office) it is hard for them to get away from that mirror in the morning and remember that they work for someone important, namely us.

So go vote, and then tell Philocrites about it.

REVIVAL!

2006-11-06T11:44:00.000-05:00

I think you always have to write it that way (REVIVAL!). It is part of the rules or something...

I went to New York City to the annual convention/party/workshop fest of the Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship. The keynotes were Jim Mulholand and Gary Dorien (on different days). Mulholland has written a variety of books on Universalism, including the very popular If Grace is True. I am reading it now and it may appear in an adult RE program near you very soon! As far as the presentation is concerned, I was particularly impressed with his pastoral style and focus. I am a pastor, too, and am always interested in good ideas and good models of our profession.

Gary Dorrien was also good. His thing is the history of Liberal Christianity. Dorrien has written a trinity of books on the subject and teaches at Union Seminary. His talk was also good. Unlike the talk on universalism, however, it primarily fed the mind rather than the soul. No problem there. It is his job and he did it well. You may have gathered from previous posts that Eliot Church has been thinking quite a bit about its identity lately. For me it was useful and inspiring. I have much to read and think about over the next few days...

Tim Jenson did a workshop I attended on UU historiography. This was very neat, too. Tim, I owe you money for lunch, don't let me forget...

I missed many of the worship opportunities. I brought my family to NY with me so I spent some time with them interpreting the Kandinskys. Still, I did get to some of the offerings in this area and am very grateful to Chris Walton for his excellent Taize service. As I told him at the time, it was nice not to have a sermon! Thank you also to Fourth Universalist of New York for hosting the event and allowing us to tag along to Sunday Worship.

I have to tell you, though, that the very best thing about REVIVAL! (see I did it again) for me was the time I got to spend with friends new and old. People say the ministry can be lonely, but I think the better term is isolating You naturally live far from people you would like to spend time with and that regular absence can wear on friendships as much as on anything. It was nice, therefore, to get to go out, hang a bit and be, once again, impressed by how smart, witty and creative your fellow Liberal Christians really are. Thanks guys, it was a blast!

The Passing of Red and Other Things Green

2006-10-30T11:53:00.000-05:00

Red Aurbach died yesterday. The Celtics icon has been declining for some years and it has been a while since he graced us with his presence on any regular basis (he has usually lived in DC, not Boston). Still, it is sad. His death is one of the final chapters in the end of an era. The real Garden is gone. Now Red, too.

On a somewhat related note, this year marks the first time in history that the Celtics will have cheerleaders. They call them "dancers", however, which is quite a bit more accurate. Cheerleaders usually do stuff like back-flips and pyramids. They even lead cheers which may be a bit quaint for today's modern sport. I realize that the previous absence of cheerleaders had as much to do with the organization's respect for their female fans as their recent presence has to do with improving the quality of Celtic's play. That is to say, absolutely nothing. The more likely reason is the old-fashioned color scheme of the Celtics uniforms. If we--that is, Celtics Province (formerly Celtics Nation)--didn't need them when we were winning, why--in 2006--do we need them now? One of life's great mysteries, I guess....

Here is an earlier post about when I got to meet Red. It is the sort of thing that New Englanders of a certain age do not forget.

Thomas and Sinkford

2006-10-26T11:06:00.000-04:00

Thanks to a rather unpleasant cold/flu contracted by my wife, I was able to attend the discussion between Bill Sinkford (President, UUA) and John Thomas (General Minister, UCC) held at Andover Newton last night. I am glad I got to go. It was very interesting, indeed. I was particularly pleased by how intelligent and thoughtful they were. I wasn't surprised, of course, but it is nice to know that our collective movements are so well represented.

Did I agree with them entirely? Of course not! First of all, they didn't always agree with each other. They are separate associations for a reason. Second, we wouldn't be good congregationalists if there wasn't some sense of well-meaning discussion and debate. Still, in the midst of the friendly banter and good natured ribbing, serious topics were discussed and some common ground was found.

I asked them a question about United and Federated churches, soliciting their thoughts about how we can play a role in the dialogue between the two institutions. I thought the answers gave some food for thought and will think on them further. Rev. Thomas brought up one of the potential pitfalls of churches like ours which is that in an effort to get along, the church can--instead of being a place of discussion and growth--become a rather whitebread institution. after the presentation I had the chance to chat very briefly with him and he elaborated a bit. He used the term "non-descript" to describe churches like this and I share his concern. United churches
have the opportunity to be the most exciting, broad and dynamic. It is sad when we go the other way and become more comfortable than helpful.

During the conversation I realized that this is a risk that we at Eliot need to be aware of. In some ways we are doing well. We have multiple orders of service for Holy Communion, for example, that reflect the various traditions that we call home. One is adapted from the UCC Book of Worship. One is from a UU hymn book used by our past minister, Walter Kring. Another comes from the Iona Community and serves to honor our ecumenical status. This one was popular with my predecessor, Michael Boardman. Finally, there is one that I put together that is used on special occasions (Maundy Thursday, World Communion Sunday, etc). The first three are rotated through the months. In addition, I try to balance lectionary-based sermons with more thematic styles. Of course in all cases the Bible plays a central role.

In other ways we could do better in honoring our specific traditions and the Congregational Way as a whole. Sometimes we use our designation as a "community church" as an excuse for ignoring our historical roots. This, of course, doesn't make sense necessarily as there are plenty of Churches in both the UUA and UCC who use the same designation. It is a descriptor, after all, not a third and distinct tradition.

Interestingly, when I first came to Eliot I tried to avoid (and was asked to avoid) using specifically "UU" and "UCC" readings and themes. Now I am being asked to do just the opposite. I think this reflects a greater comfort with my ministry (as I have mentioned here before, I have Dual-Standing) and an increased interest--particularly among newer members--in exactly who and what we are as a congregation.

The fact is, while there are many distinct differences in both theology and culture between the two organizations, we have great deal in common. In particular, we approach the world and our faith in similar ways. It will be interesting to see how our conversation develops at Eliot Church. Certainly the leaders of our movement provided an excellent example.

Last Thoughts:

Here are some random links to Community churches affiliated with either the UUA or the UCC (there are plenty of others)...

Community Church of New York, Community Church of Boston (both UU)

Fairfax (CA) Community Church, Arlington Community Church (also in CA) (both UCC)

Peperell (MA) Community Church (both UUA and UCC)

...and a couple other churches named "Eliot"

Newton, MA, Roxbury, MA

Finally, there was apparently some concern in certain quarters that this meeting was a prelude to merger. I just have to say that the fear is unfounded...

2006-10-23T13:40:00.000-04:00

Revival is coming up and will be in New York City. This should be interesting. Unlike the Council of Christian Churches in the UUA, the membership of the UUCF is held by individuals rather than congregations. This makes for a different focus and slightly different interests. For example, the CXCUUA doesn't necessarily need a workshop on being Christian in a non-Christian congregation. However, for most of the members of the UUCF, this is a compelling topic. Likewise, there isn't a "Christian small-group" at Eliot church as all of our groups are, in fact, in some way Christian.

The diversity of the UUCF is its strength. I went to Revival a couple of years ago when it was in Worcester, MA. There were trinitarians and non-trinitarians (yes, there have always been individual trinitarians in our churches) . There are Christians and those who are more interested in the Christian roots of the UUA. I recommend the experience to anyone who can find the time to attend.

As a somewhat-more-than-casual observer I would have to say that Christianity in the UUA is experiencing something of a renaissance. Fewer folks seem to think of Christian Churches in the UUA as quaint living history installations, for example, and people seem genuinely interested in programs like Convocation and Revival. Its a good thing, too. The world needs Liberal Christianity and its message. The UCC, too seems to be growing and experiencing a growth in energy and committment. This is also a good thing, and for the same reasons.

You will note that here at Unity I have posted a link to the Shake Shack Webcam. This is as a service to any Meadville/Lombard Alums who find themselves in Madison Square Park. Why? Its all about the Chicago Dogs. At the risk of offending the New Yorkers in my family, New York is great, but Chicago is greater and being surrounded by all that steel and concrete might make certain fightin' Lombards miss the preserved-meat experience. I'll see if I can scare up an address for Chicago Pizza...

Sermon: Who's the Boss?

2006-10-23T13:28:00.000-04:00

So here are the notes to another sermon. Alas! I put a lot of these up, I know. A few folks asked for copies and it seemed easier to just post it here and direct folks to it. Some of the readings came out of a new book from the UUA who's name is escaping me. It is very nice, however...

The others came from the Bible and from a collection of sermons and writings by Henry Ward Beecher.

Who’s the Boss?
Eliot Church
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot
10/15/06

No doubt when some of you read
The title for today’s sermon:
Who’s the Boss?
Your mind naturally went to a certain television sit-com
Popular in the 1980’s
And starring the incomparable Tony Danza

In a way, this is fitting
That program was a product of its time
And dealt with changes in gender roles
And class relations
That continue to develop in
Somewhat different ways today
But in the midst of all the madcap mayhem
The dated situations, clothes and hair
Was the serious—even timeless—question
Embedded in its title

For regardless of who we are
What we do for work
What our family and private live may be like (after all)
We ultimately are accountable to
Responsible for
Must serve someone or something

Who is the Boss?
Perhaps more importantly,
Who is our boss?
What rules govern our lives?
It is the sort of question
That can drive someone to church
It is a question that gets at our identity
And at our sense of place and belonging
Our understanding of where we fit in

In fact, this question can move us
In many different directions
Depending on temperament and interests

In our more reflective moments
The search for the answer to this question
Drives our actions
And our thoughts
Because of this
(while we usually begin with good intentions)
We need to be vigilant
As it is tempting to cut corners

In our reading from Mark today
Jesus starts by responding to his questioner
You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.
But this isn’t what the rich man is asking
He is looking for more than that
At some level he must have understood
That there was more to life
Than going through the motions/
Obeying the rules

But when Jesus tells him to sell his possessions
He doesn’t know what to do
He despairs and walks away

The disciples, too, despair
When Jesus says It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?"
One might wonder why they were so concerned
Having done, in most cases,
Just what Jesus had told the questioner to do
But they understood that the issue
Isn’t so much what one owns
But how much value we place on our possessions

In addition many of the things that we hold dear
And that may hold us back
Are not physical objects
But ideas and habits, addictions and beliefs
These can become a burden as much as the objects
That represent them

These possessions that burden us
Are hard to see and comprehend at times
Since we are so close to them
So we often do not know who the boss really is
Uberto Eco, in his novel The Name of the Rose
Writes that When your true enemies are too strong, you choose weaker enemies… Only the powerful always know with great clarity who their true enemies are.
In other words, when we, like the rich man
Try to do the right thing
We often are distracted by lesser problems and difficulties
Smaller ways in which we can improve
And so miss the power that truly controls us

This can be true for groups as well as individuals
Especially when it comes to ideas and beliefs
For example, we can consider the debate
That has raged with little development
Since the 19th century
Concerning how the world came to be
The Creationists on the one hand and Evolutionists on the other
Now, the scientific method
Allows for the possibility that Natural Selection
The theory developed by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace
May some day be proven wrong
(It has been altered and adjusted over the years
As new research and new discoveries
Have given birth to new ideas)
Yet I doubt that one fine day
We will discover that a literal reading of Genesis
Is the most accurate description
Of the beginning of the world

The Congregationalist minister and abolitionist
Henry Ward Beecher
In defense of the theory once said
We forget that the scripture itself…is…a proof of Evolution. There is no fact more absolutely patent than that every moral idea from the opening of Genesis…Every one of the great moral ideas rose like a star, and did not shine like the sun until ages had given it ascension. One thing is very certain, that the human race began at the bottom and not at the top, or else there is no truth in history or religion.

Still, it is hard to give up
The comfort of the past
So that image of Adam and Eve
The serpent and the garden
Exists as fact for many Americans
And out of their belief comes many implications
For the environment, medicine, the rights of women
And other important facets of our lives on this planet

Also, our general western culture
Drives us toward a specific concept of success
We keep score in our lives by comparing how much we make
Our tendency to be defined
By the conditions of our employment
(or what we “do”)
Is so well known as to be barely worth repeating
Yet it makes us look in strange directions
For enlightenment
It makes us seek out lesser enemies
And smaller dragons to slay

Or in the words of Waldemar Argow
A past minister of this church
More people poison themselves by what they think than by what they drink.
Often we human beings accept unquestioningly
Things that just turn out not to be true
Standards that are false and unhealthy
And make them the frame through which we look at the world

But there is also a flip side,
There is another way
Argow goes on to say that
Vastly more people find happiness and contentment by what they hold in their minds than by what they hold in their bank accounts.

This is, I think, what Jesus is trying to tell us
We have the freedom to think what we will
Happiness, enlightenment
These things cannot be purchased
Nor can righteousness, and goodness
Power in this world
Can be obtained with worldly weath, sure
But not understanding, not strength of the heart
And of the soul

We can get weighed down
And we all fall short of the ideal
But our lives, if we wish it,
Can be dedicated to the proposition
That there is a better master to serve
Than the one that tells us
How we have to look, what car we should drive
And where our children absolutely must
Go to college

There is another story in the Bible
That seems appropriate
In it we find Jesus and his followers
At the now famous Passover meal
The “Last Supper”
Down at the end of the table
Some of the disciples are
Participating in an apparently eternal argument
About who among them is the greatest/the best

Jesus hears them and responds
The greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves
In this church we provide many opportunities to serve
The reason as I have mentioned before
Isn’t just to do nice things for people
But because humility and service are a crucial part
Of the religious life
So, too we are motivated to participate in other community projects
Like Natick 360

Such work helps us—when it is done with intentionality
To find what in eastern religions
Is often referred to as a childlike nature
Or simplemindedness/Openness
It is the ability to look with wonder at the mundane
It is a great and difficult thing
To put aside the noises in our minds
Our education, the pressures that decide our actions
The basic concepts that dictate our thoughts
And see things as they are
Because, as the writer Benjamin Hoff said
As any old Taoist walking in the woods can tell you
simplemindedness does not necessarily mean stupid

The simple mind is what Jane Rzepka was seeking
At the Brooklyn Zoo
And it is the discovery that Sarah York makes
When in seeking out the deer in her back yard
She actually misses them

Now, Who’s the Boss lasted eight seasons
(A good long time for a television show)

But much more influential
Has been a work called The Wizard of OZ
A highly allegorical movie
That just about every American has seen
(How many of you have seen it?
It is the most watched movie in the country)
The Wizard of OZ
Is about the journey of self-discovery
About leaving the comfortable routine
And what does Dorothy find
After all that she sees and does on her way to the Emerald City?
She makes that same discovery that is made by Rev. York
Namely that The answer to our questions
Can be found in our own back yard

Who’s the Boss?
Certainly in exact formulation
It is different for each of us
But whatever brings us true understanding
Helps us when we are lost
And brings us to touch the Divine
This is what demands our loyalty
Our lives and our faith

May each of us find a way
To take even one small positive step
On our personal journeys
Away from chaos and toward comprehension
To approach this way-too-adult world
With just a little bit more of that simple
And childlike soul
That we have all been gifted with
That we all still possess

CXCUUA Convocation

2006-10-16T11:18:00.000-04:00

So we had our convocation yesterday. "We" in this case being the Council of Christian Churches in the UUA. The Council is made up (not suprisingly) of UU congregations that identify themselves as part of Chrisendom. For Eliot Church this is a no-brainer thanks to our continued relationship with the United Church of Christ.

It was good. Attendance was solid. The presentation (entitled "Freedom of Conscience and the Roots of Religious Tolerance") was edifying. We heard short presentations concerning Sebastian Castellion, the English Dissenters, Roger Williams, William Penn and (drum roll) Thomas Jefferson. A certain someone forgot to turn off his cell phone (me) and, therefore, missed a portion of Scott Axford's presentation on Williams, but it was good to see him. The last time I had the opportunity to spend any time with Scott was in Quebec City a few years back when He, Scott Wells, and I went in search of quality tea. It was good to see (and hear!) him. Thanks also to the rest of the presenters and to Terry Burke and Tom Wintle for the meaingful Communion service.

Special thanks should go to Elizabeth DeMille Barnett for putting this together.

Here is the Invocation I gave at the beginning.

Invocation for the Convocation of CXCUUA
October 15, 2006, King’s Chapel House, Boston
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot

Creating and sustaining God
Whose steadfast love endures forever
Who gives light and life to the world

Dear God be with us today in our endeavors
Help us to keep the faith of Jesus your son
In the face of adversity
In a world of strangers and adversaries
Please be with us

Be with us
In our work and our ministries
Making us aware of your presence
In the valleys of despair and the mountains of hope

We ask that you be present in our churches
Those that are members of the Council of Christian Churches in the UUA
Those that are UU but not Christian
Those that are Christian and not UU
Move in them O God
So that our faith may be strong and our work just
Always striving for that ultimate peace
That we may find walking in your path

Amen

UCC/UUA "Summit Meeting"

2006-10-13T12:13:00.000-04:00

I am mourning the very likely fact that I will not be able to go to this. My wife, as I think I have mentioned before, works nights and, therefore, I have the honor of caring for sons nos. 1-3 during that time. They (particularly the baby) wouldn't find a discussion between Bill Sinkford and John Thomas all that interesting. I would.

Please, please, someone go and tell me how it is. This is more than an historical oddity for me. As many of you know, I have an affiliation with both organizations. The Eliot Church itself is an example of the continued relationship that exists between these two great movements. I would be delighted to hear where people think this relationship is going. I would be delighted to contribute as well. Alas! that is not to be. So, once again, I implore you dear reader to get thee to Andover Newton on October 25 to see, hear, learn...and report.

Whose Water Is It?

2006-10-04T11:47:00.000-04:00

The UCC News recently reported that the incomparable Lynn Redgrave has lent her talents to a new UCC documentary concerning the growing privatization and impending shortage of water on this little planet of ours. Water, of course, is necessary for our survival and that of every living thing. It's life-giving qualities are also symbolically important (yes, Baptism does spring to mind, no?). Maybe the documentary (Troubled Waters, airing on October 22) may be worth a look.

We sould all ask ourselves what it means when we are so willing to sell our rights to what God has given to us for the sake of convenience (bottled water) and short term profit. It is an intriguing example of human short sightedness and, yes, of greed. It is worth while to note that, while the documentary seems to address the global issue, it is also as American as apple pie. Here is an article about Poland Spring, a division of Nestle, read it and decide "what it means to be from Maine" (from Poland Spring's ad campaign).

After doing some research on this, I may find it difficult to purchase bottled water in the future. It will be a struggle, though. Sometimes one finds it hard to resist the ease of its availability and the generally healthful nature of the product when comapred to, say, Coke. Still, I will think about it. Does anyone know of a sound middle ground?

The article quotes one Jim Wilfong. I have known him my entire life and tend to trust him when it comes to these sorts of things. Ok, it also quotes State Conservation Commissioner Pat McGowan, who disagrees with Jim. I have know Pat almost as long (and they each other, Maine is like that) and he is a good guy, too. However, I have to say that the moral, spiritual, and long term impact on our society and our economy should trump any desire for short-term gains. This is water, people, it should belong to all of us.

Horatio II

2006-10-03T14:09:00.000-04:00

It feels like I just blogged on this but then--in my paper and on the news--I have been treated to the hijinx of Representative Mark Foley. Others have posted on this before (see CC) and my opinion can, in general be read in a previous post with a similar title. However, it is worth pointing out that--once again--we see not just a case of inappropriate behavior from someone in power but also a case of others in power being quite willing to turn the other way to protect a buddy.

So, folks, does democracy work? Do we keep our elected representatives honest enough to see when there is a problem with someone in their club? Who are they ultimately loyal to? Is party loyalty the ultimate power? Is it the most important glue that holds us together? That would be too bad, particularly when one hopes that they would put their constituents first or even (dare I say it) the faith that so many seem willing to trot out when it seems expedient. Sexual harrassment is just plain wrong. It doesn't matter if it is Bill Clinton, Foley, or the shift manager at Stop N' Shop. Saying "don't do it again" is not enough. Taking responsibility for you actions to the point where a mistake isn't made in the first place; that would be nice.

I am praying today (as I do every day) for our country and for those who need and seek responsibility from those who have chosen to lead. I pray for the leaders, too that they might remember that they serve for more reasons than feeding their egos and obtaining a footnote in High School History Textbooks. Most, of course, do remember. I am thankful for this and hopeful that, with all that we see and hear going on in the world, we have learned a lesson about the uses and abuses of power.

Baptism and Stuff

2006-10-03T09:29:00.000-04:00

I am fighting with my computer which, I am sorry to say, I know very little about. I had to perform a "destructive reboot" now things that haven't worked for a while do and others have ceased working...

We had a lovely Sunday service. Rev. Hank Peirce officiated and preached a lovely homily. It was World Communion Sunday and we served communion as we do the first Sunday of every month during the regular church year. It was nice not to do all the heavy lifting and to get to enjoy the day. It was, in fact, also the day of Baptism for Son #3, which was truly enjoyable and why Hank, his lovely wife, Rebecca and daughter Ruth were with us and not at their usual haunt of the UU Church of Medford.

It was interesting being on the recieving end. Of course, both these rituals (Baptism and Communion) occured during the regular worship service as is befitting for any events this central to the life of the community. They are an active acknowledment of our connection to God and to each other. As for the Baptism, it was great to have our "church family" present to minister to us by accepting our baby boy into the Eliot Church and the Church Universal. Thank you to all who were there and there in spirit.

I am occasionally called upon to serve the bread and wine (we use both Manischewitz and Grape Juice) in other settings. However, this is (in part) so the community may be present in spirit to the homebound. I have also performed Baptisms outside the usual time and place, but my personal preference is for having them during the service (at least for active member families) after all, the congregation has an investment in that child and if one is essentially committing to raise a little person of faith, it is good to have witnesses. Sometimes, things don't work out schedule-wise, of course and, really, that is OK, too.

I have also perfomed Baptisms for non-member (and non-"friend") families. What it means to them, I do not know. I know that it varies. However, I tend to believe that they all must find it significant, for otherwise they wouldn't have gone through the trouble of looking up a minister to do it. Sometimes these non-members opt for having the ritual done during worship. I like that. It tells me that they take religion seriously enough to respect the tradition and to endure what might be a bit of discomfort and inconvenience. I hope that, if they choose not to attend Eliot, that they find a church home that works for them.

Anyway, thanks to Hank and Rebecca for coming down and celebrating with us. Thanks also to my brother Matt and his Significant Other, Anita. We had a blast and I can promise you that Son# 3 will be raised in the liberal church...

Oh Horatio...

2006-09-21T10:01:00.001-04:00

As I was getting the kids ready for school this morning, I happened to glace down at the front page of my local paper, The MetroWest Daily News. The headline read Kids' fair named for pedophile:Annual event honors Horatio Alger who molested boys. Yep, Horatio Alger Junior strikes again. The street fair in Marlborough has been named after him for the last 11 years and, when I first heard about it, I did wonder why. The mayor's office called the revelation of his crime "new information" but one of the the organizers of the event, Janet Bruno, didn't seem all that surprised, pointing out that "he was never convicted of that" and that the topic of the name "comes up regularly at committee meetings". At least, that is what the paper says.

Interestingly, Marlborough is currently trying to bar sex offenders from living in town.

Of course, the information isn't new. The events occured in 1866 and are currently available on the UU Historical Society's biography of Alger. The reason many folks are not aware is because of the cover-up at the time. This is also the reason he wasn't convicted of a crime he did not deny. That cover up, no doubt was planned, in part within the confines of my living room. You see, I live in the Horatio Alger Sr. house, the parsonage of the last church he served. It was to this place that Junior fled after his removal from Brewster. It was Senior who wrote the letter "promising that his son would resign from the ministry and never seek another church" (see the UUHS webpage, linked below). This, of course, freed him to write children's books and become a tutor for wealthy families in New York City.

Horatio Alger, of course, wouldn't really have fit in one of his stories. While his parents weren't rich, they were middle class. His father (a graduate of Harvard Divinity School, like his son) had served a variety of Unitarian congregations and appears to have been stunningly average both in his gifts and his ministry. Some have described him as "downwardly mobile". Either way, he had the sort of connections his son needed and he used them...

I am, in some ways, reminded of this incident in the history of our movement every time I walk through my front door (there is a plaque, not to the event, but naming the residence) and when I enter the sanctuary of the church (another plaque). I sometimes find myself wondering what it was like for Senior when he heard the news (probably from his own son). What was his initial reaction? What made him decide to take the course he did? What a horrific situation to find yourself in as a parent. Still, that doesn't excuse the actions that enabled his son to have further access to children. In fairness, it should be noted that there are no other known examples of sexual misbehavior during his long life so maybe dad knew something we do not. Still, what a risk to take. We also have to ask what kind of impact this had on those Brewster children. How did they handle it when what happened to them was swept under the rug?

In a time when we are rightly concerned both with the sexual misconduct of clergy and the response to that misconduct from denominational (or association) leaders, it is very much worth our while to remember this dark moment. Sure, what Junior did was bad and I am sure that the folks in Marlborough will (and should!) figure something out and change the name. Yet we shouldn't forget the role played in this by Horatio Senior and his friends and colleagues. We need to make sure that it never happens again in the UUA or anywhere else.

Christian vs. CHRISTIAN!

2006-09-20T16:19:00.000-04:00

For those of you concerned that Fox’s new “religious oriented” division FoxFaith is planning to release sensitive and thoughtful works of art that examine and celebrate the complexity of the diverse faith landscape that we call the United States of America, you can relax. When they say "religious" or "faith-based" they mean one particular branch of one particular religion. It looks like their first movie is a western by Christian writer Janette Oke. For the rest of us there’s still the occasional documentary or newsmagazine on PBS.

Needless to say, this project came out of the enormous success of movies like the Passion of the Christ, which brought out a great many people curious both about the Bible and about how Mel Gibson would work out as a director. This is somewhat dubious if what you are looking for is nuanced social commentary but, no doubt, Fox will be outrageously successful. The special effects for the next Left Behind movie will, I am sure, be jaw-dropping.

One thing that concerns me in this new urge to define a “Christian” market group in a country where most people (churched and unchurched) identify as Christian is the fact that it makes little or no sense religiously. Am I really less of a Christian than Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins? Golly, I hope not. Do I really need to see these movies or buy the books (other than the Good Book, of course) that are geared to the Madison Avenue Christian? Again, they are not my bag. Yet they—like those fish thingys—are becoming part of the “must have” gear for the well-equipped person of faith.

My biggest problem is that this new target group isn’t one I am in and I don’t intend to change my lifestyle so I can fit it. There are few, if any members of my church who would feel comfortable in that “Christian audience” that Fox and others describe. This seems to me and, I suspect, to other Liberal Christians to be another circle drawn to keep us out. I am reminded of those covenant marriages, which somehow make people “more married”. In this case it probably wasn’t intentional so much as an accidental result of a chance to make some cash...

Fox and others have managed to label some Christians as CHRISTIANS, as have some of those CHRISTIANS themselves. The rest—based on their artistic, political, and consumer tendencies—apparently are something else. I guess we need to draw another bigger circle to keep us all part of that movement founded (not sold) by a guy named Jesus so long ago. Keep the faith, people!

Rulers take pleasure in honest lips; they value one who speaks the truth. Proverbs 16:13

Hats for Men!

2006-09-20T09:56:00.000-04:00

My friend PeaceBang has two blogs. One, of course, is "PeaceBang" itself. The other is Beauty Tips For Ministers, which will now have its own permanent location in my place of links. Recently she has posted about hats (Pope Benedict's in particular). This has gotten me thinking about something that has (in all truth) occupied some of my idle-thought time over the years. That is the sad state of the "Man-Hat".

I first encountered this problem while on internship at the Unitarian Church of Grosse Pointe (yes, that Grosse Pointe). There I met a person who had rehabilitated his grandfather's bowler and wore it all fall and winter to church and to other places where a baseball cap would be just plain inappropriate. The thing is, he looked good! Up to that point, I had thought of men's hats (not caps here, but hats) as either the purview of people way too cool for the rest of us (musicians, college kids, etc) or candidates for president in their local Dungeons and Dragons club (I never made president, OK?). This man, however, was inspirational. He didn't become a "character". He kept his identity and struck a small blow for quality head gear.

This is more than a shallow fashion issue, I might add. Winters are cold, heads need to be kept warm even at church or in business meetings. We are increasingly aware of the risk of skin cancer yet most men (many of them bald) go unprotected or underdressed to work.

Briefly I tried to interest some of my friends in this issue. I recieved some suggestions but no real solutions. What does a no-longer-very-young professional male (yes clergy, but anyone who sometimes has to where a blazer or suit) put on their head? What will they feel comfortable wearing? My supervisor wore a fedora. He looked good, but they aren't for everyone. I find it strange with all we now know about the sun's rays that the baseball cap is the only acceptable choice for most Americans. Anyway, if anyone has something to contribute to this discussion, let me know, or better yet, drop PeaceBang a line...

I leave you with these thoughts from the Center for Disease Control (FAQs accessed here)

Get a Hat
Q: Will a hat help protect my skin? Are there recommended styles for the best protection?

A: Hats can help shield your skin from the sun's UV rays. Choose a hat that provides shade for all of your head and neck. For the most protection, wear a hat with a brim all the way around that shades your face, ears, and the back of your neck.

If you choose to wear a baseball cap, you should also protect your ears and the back of your neck by wearing clothing that covers those areas, using sunscreen with at least SPF 15, or by staying in the shade.

Q: For the best protection, what material should I look for in a hat?

A: A tightly woven fabric, such as canvas, works best to protect your skin from UV rays. When possible, avoid straw hats with holes that let sunlight through.

Q: Does the color of my hat matter?

A: The amount of shade offered by a particular hat appears to be its most important prevention characteristic. If a darker hat is an option, though, it may offer even more UV protection.

Another Sermon

2006-09-18T11:54:00.000-04:00

Once again I feed the content monster with a sermon. In this case, it is the one I gave yesterday.

We had a presentation during the service from the chair of the Outreach Committee (the "Barbara" in the sermon) who outlined a project we are doing in partnership with the Pine Street Inn and our neighbors (and fellow UCCers) at First Congregational Church. It should be a good one. We are working to furnish a variety of apartments...

I seem to be doing a series on the Epistle of James. If you haven't read it in a while, you might want to. James was less concerned with the niceties of doctrine and much more concerned with living faithfully. Social Action is, of course, a big part of that living. Obviously, this Sunday we talked about that. My previous sermon tried to get folks thinking about the other ways in which we live faithful lives...

THE RICH AND THE POOR
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot
THE ELIOT CHURCH
September 17, 2006

James, the brother of Jesus was a poor man
Leading the dangerous life of a religious dissenter
So when he and the other members of this early Jesus movement
Read or heard (and most of them, being illiterate, they heard)
The 22nd Chapter of Proverbs
Tell them that The rich and the poor have this in common:
God is maker of them all
It was understood by them in a way that only the poor
(Or those who have been poor) can understand it
Because it is (at its essence) revolutionary

What a concept
In a world where wealth and power
Were viewed as gifts from God
When rulers, both secular and religious
Used theology as a weapon to enforce
The social order that placed them on top

To the comfortable this passage can be viewed
As something of an abstract concept
A reminder not to be arrogant and to remember
That what we have received is meant to be shared
So it would have seemed to the priests at the temple
The aristocrats of Rome and elsewhere
Perhaps it hung around their consciousness
Making them feel a little guilty about all that they had

But, in the context of the early Christian movement
And to the Jews living in occupied Jerusalem
(And James thought of himself as a Jew)
To the impoverished, the truly destitute
This idea of equality (coming as it does
From sacred scripture) is an affirmation
Of the fact, so hard at times for some to believe
The fact (to put it in terms we would understand today)
That the CEOs
The Kings and Queens
The celebrities and socialites
Who always seem to have so much and appreciate it so little
These people are no better than the mother on welfare
And the homeless person living in the park
Or in the basement of a friend

James, a leader of the rapidly growing movement
James, saw this tendency,
The tendency of those with more power
And more prestige to work,
(sometimes unconsciously)
To marginalize those who had less
So Chapter 2 of his letter starts out with a story
Whose setting should be familiar to all of us
That is, the beginning of church
If a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes…while to the one who is poor you say… “Sit at my feet” have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Remember, James had little money
And Jesus, then Peter and Paul
Were homeless, imprisoned, tortured and killed
Because of their belief in a religion for all
This aspect of the faith
Was what helped it to survive and grow
During those centuries before Constantine
Made it the religion of the state
For hundreds of years
The faith was held in the hearts, not of respectable people
But of the outcast, the oppressed
The ones in need of shelter and community
Of hope and love
It was the religion of the ones in dirty clothes
It was the faith of people who (like James)
Weren’t so much concerned with the various formulations
Of who Jesus was
But in the manifestation of what he taught

Christianity back then belonged to the marginalized
They owned it
And you know what?
They still do today
It may not seem like it when we see
So many in the mainstream draping themselves
With extreme displays of piety
People from politicians to actors to sports heroes

But it is true/All we have to do is remember
That story of the Widow’s Mite
When Jesus, observing the wealthy
Come and lay their gifs before the altar
Saw a poor widow come and contribute her pennies
Truly I tell you [he said] this woman has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all that she had
When we look at this story
Not from the perspective of people
Who have been given much
But from that of Jesus and his friends
You realize that, yes,
She has paid for her place in full

Now, a faith for all should and does hold a place
For the “haves” as well as the “have-nots”
But at the same time, it is important to understand
Who built the house we inhabit
And who else lives here
Before making a home

The rich history of our religion
Demands that we pay the rent on our tradition, if you will
And that means more than putting money in the plate
For the continued health of the congregation
(Although that is very important)
It also requires that we turn the secular world upside down
And give power and respect to those in need
To make it possible for them to also contribute
To society, to lead a rewarding life
Defined by something more than survival

This is one of the reasons—a theological one
A Biblical one
For why we serve,
For why we work with groups
Like the Pine Street Inn or the Heifer project
For why we send volunteers to the Open Door
And to the housing ministry in West Virginia
Our faith speaks in a special way to the margins
And we are privileged when we have the opportunity
To witness and participate in that message

A message that can bring the power
That Will Campbell
Wrote about being present
At the Nashville lunch counter sit-ins
A power [he says] that they had not seen before
Now this ability to organize as people of faith
Is what the MICAH project is all about
An ecumenical dialogue that we
(As a church) are participating in
This is not to say that we are planning any sit-ins
But it is, as in the civil rights struggles that
A fulfillment of the biblical mandate to give power
To the dispossessed

That is the strength of advocacy, of theology from the edge
It gives people the freedom to make choices
Our best Outreach and mission work is that which
Gives others a voice and a platform
It starts with providing necessities
Food, housing, a way to make money
And continues by building
A shared forum and means to be heard

We are fortunate in that by giving these gifts
Enabling this freedom
We also receive
Our participation helps all of us,
For (as W.E. Channing wrote) We are thus, without parting with our own human nature, to clothe ourselves with the Divine

Our giving teaches us to look outside our own difficulties
To see how communities help each other
And to feel the depth of faith possessed
By those who are going through challenges in their lives
We learn when we help each other
Through our InReach activities
And we learn in more formal ways as well

Consider the relationship our Sunday School children have
With the Heifer project
Again, an organization
(In this case a global one)
Providing people with the means
For self-determination
In this case a Cow,
Sheep, goats, rabbits--an addition to an equation
That may lead someone out of poverty

Our kids send money, many of you
(their parents, certainly)
Are aware of this
But did you know that a portion of our Religious Education curriculum
Is based on their materials
And that the kids are planning to go soon on a field trip
To one of Heifer’s local farms?
They have given us an opportunity
To broaden our own world
And that of our children

These two aspects
One: our acting out of our faith
Acting on the call to work for justice and equality
That we find in the teachings of Jesus and of James
And Two: the very real spiritual benefits we experience
From our service work
Combine to make us a stronger, livelier church

Now, I am not going to speak for much longer
As I have the honor of introducing Barbara
To present to you a new program for us
But I would like to say this about what we are doing
In partnership with the Pine Street Inn and First Congregational Church

This is the sort of thing that is perfect for our congregation
And it is perfect because it gives us the chance
To do something lasting right here in our own back yard
It lets us build connections
With two other great local institutions
And it makes it possible, through our teamwork
To do something that separately we probably wouldn’t be able to do
That is, to help people transition from poverty to well-being
To help our fellow human beings
Fellow Children of God
Restore their dignity and rebuild their lives
In so doing
We make our own lives just a little richer
Just a little bit better lived

Sermon

2006-09-14T10:52:00.000-04:00

Here are a couple of pictures from our "Camp" in Maine. I know that I have explained this in the past, but it never ceases to confuse folks from other parts of the world (South of Portsmouth, NH) what a "Camp" is. It is not a campground, nor is it a "summer home", a term which implies--in Northern New England at least--a relatively large piece of land with an actual house on it (often by the ocean). A camp is a one or two room structure (sometimes called a "hunting cabin"), usually lacking in electricity and plumbing which is located in the woods or on a lake. Obviously the limitted infrastructure creates some challenges. It also makes them quite a bit less expensive.

The key, however, is the view. These are a couple views from mine.

From this bucolic location I drove last Saturday back home to Natick to help prepare for and then participate in the annual Spagetti Dinner/Church School Registration night. The next morning, I preached the "Kickoff" Sunday sermon. Here it is...

Doers of the Word
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot
September 10, 2006
THE ELIOT CHURCH, NATICK

This is the year

This is the year that we celebrate
The power of our faith
And the strength of our community
This is the year that we worship and learn
Mourn and be comforted together
This is the year that our neighbors
Hear the joyful noise coming from the Eliot Church
Prophetic and Strong

It is the year we get to know each other even better
In meetings, potlucks at home and at church
In worship services and Sunday School

It is the year we will lend a hand
In ways large and small
To friends and strangers in need
And the year we will honor the past
While looking toward the future

This is also the year that we lean in to listen
To the still small voice
Whispering to us from our own hearts
It is the year that we will sit in silence
And pray our own private prayers

It is that year, (I hope)
And I know you hope so, too
A year when great things will flow from our shared ministry
From what we do as a church

James wrote
Be doers of the word and not merely hearers
“The Word” here meaning (among other things) Divine wisdom
But for James wisdom was much more
Than passive understanding
Instead, the Word is an active force
Motivating us to step out of ourselves
To go forth to seek and discover the ultimate truth

When we think of this passage
And of the Epistle of James in general
We often consider its implications
For social justice and outreach ministries
Service to the community at large
And it makes sense that we would
Yet his message is broader and deeper than that

Again, from the passage we read today
James tells us that
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God is this: to care for the orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

There is a challenge implied in this passage
A requirement from James to be both engaged and separate
Which is difficult to accomplish
Even with the best of intentions

How can we, care for others yet remain unstained?
The answer, of course is
That it isn’t being “in” the world that is the problem
But being “of” it
Becoming so much a slave to the expectations of society
That we become strangers—not just to the poor or to God
But to ourselves

Now next week we will be talking about service
Specifically about the ministry that this church is beginning
In relationship with the Pine Street Inn
An organization fighting homelessness
And providing affordable housing opportunities in Boston

But this week, this “Kickoff Sunday”
I am going to focus on that second part of James’
Pure and Undefiled religion
That is, not so much what we do for others
But what we do to keep our own feet on the right path
And how this congregation helps us do that
For while the church is an agent for change
A beacon and light in the dark places of society
It is able to do this and perform powerful ministries
Beyond our doors
Because it also serves the same function
In our own hearts and souls
You see the Word
Does have a contemplative component

The role of our faith isn’t just [in the words of John Dewey)
For conserving, transmitting, rectifying and expanding the heritage of values we have received
It is also for supporting, healing
Nurturing the spiritual lives of those individuals who are trying
To make sense of what they see and do

Spirituality is a part of our humanness
It may seem that the term is best applied
To hermits living in caves
Or mountain monasteries in Tibet and Europe
But our tradition tells us that the transcendent
Is accessible everywhere
That wisdom can be found in the mundane
All of creation has the Spirit within

The religious life, of course, doesn’t preclude
Participating in the world
Feeling pain and outrage
And it does not prevent the experience of
Pleasure at what is around us

The protestant minister Eugene Peterson
Tells a story about a Catholic mystic and nun Teresa of Avila
It appears that the now Saint Teresa
Really enjoyed her food
Once when she was enthusiastically devouring a chicken
One of the other nuns expressed her shock and disapproval
At Teresa’s behavior
To which Teresa replied
When I eat chicken, I eat chicken, when I pray, I pray
For her, the simple acts of going through the day
Were as much a part of the religious life as prayer and worship
Peterson puts it this way
There is an intimacy with God, but it is like any other intimacy; it is part of the fabric of your life.

This may be true
But still circumstances can sometimes threaten
To tear that fabric apart
There is tension in our living
We can struggle at times
With the desire to conform to the
Pressures that are placed upon us

So Thank God we are not alone
Our faith and tradition are there to help
When the going gets rough
Now some people may say
That some religious liberals have compromised too much
With the secular world
And perhaps have been conquered by it
That is a real risk, of course, just as it is with all faiths

But our willingness
To say that we do not know all there is to know about God
To remain open to new perspectives and new voices
To accept that (as they say in the United Church of Christ)
That God is still Speaking
Our openness places its own sorts of requirements on us
And we are answerable and responsible to
Principles that have as much of a hold
As any creed or doctrine
`
Our faith—at its best
Isn’t so much a compromise between
Our ethics/our morals
Our sense of what God wants us to do
On one side
And our desire for what is crass and ungodly on the other
Instead it is a commitment to values and to a world view
That embraces diversity
And encourages us to boldly go
(Yes) where no one has gone before
In all our differences of opinion
In all the various directions we may take as individuals
Here we are committed to becoming and being
A community of radical hospitality
Of faith-filled welcome

People have many different reasons
For coming through those doors for the first time
People have many different reasons for staying…

“I come here to worship God” some say
Others aren’t so sure about God
But wish to follow the path of the rabbi and reformer Jesus
Still others tell us
“I wanted a community in which to raise my kids”
Or “I love being in this building”
And enjoy “seeing my friends and making new ones”
A few come here for intellectual stimulation
And others (though they may not admit it)
Come for the coffee

All of you—(all of us!)
Have found a place, a religious home
Based on mutual respect and a covenant
To walk together, Going
(In the words of Fredrick Lewis Hosmer)
Forward through the ages
In unbroken line

This morning we read together the words from Kenneth Patton:
This house is for the ingathering of nature and human nature. It is a house of friendships, a haven in times of trouble, an open room for the encouragement of our struggle… [It] is a cradle for our dreams, the workshop of our common endeavor.

No matter what our expressed reason for attending
This idea of church as a dynamic place
And “doing church” as something more than an exercise in nostalgia
Of being together working on a joint project of great importance
One no less than the exploration of our own existence
And the Wisdom of God
This idea runs through all that we do here
We are working together

We are working together/But we are still individuals
With our own goals and dreams
The challenge
My challenge, the challenge for our lay leaders and
The challenge that lies ahead for you
Is to figure out how
We can take all these different perspectives
All these differing understandings
Of the “hows” and “whys”
The profound mysteries of the world
All this great energy around our building today
And then use it
To help us grow and maintain
This gift that has been given to us
The congregation of the Eliot Church

Verse One in Psalm 15 asks God
Who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell in your holy hill
The rest of the psalm tries to answer that question
Including Those who walk blamelessly and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart

Or, if you prefer, people who
In the love of truth and the spirit of Jesus/Unite for the worship of God/And the service of all
This could be the year
This could be the year for communities such as this
And it will be,
It will be at least, a time of joy and sadness
Of peace and war, of hope and of love
All the moments great and small of which life is made

It will be a great year
A great year like and unlike any other
And special to we who are fortunate enough
To bear witness to its unfolding

Amen

Is This the End?

2006-09-11T10:55:00.000-04:00

I am 80% sure that it is...for Unity, I mean. Church is going along at its usual hectic pace for this time of year. Sons 1,2,and 3 seem to feel that they are deserving of my time and attention. I believe that my wife feels the same way!

I haven't been posting lately because there has been so much else going on. Some of it is good, some of it is less so, but they are priorities in a way that this is not. Maybe I will change my mind or maybe I will be back, but right now my priorities are elsewhere. I will let you know when I finally make up my mind in its entirety.

Faith,
Adam

Thoughts on Evil

2006-08-23T10:26:00.000-04:00

I haven't been blogging much lately. As pretentious as it sounds, I have been thinking about evil. It is one of those subjects that, for most of us, lurks in the corners of our minds and prefers to stay there. We do not like to examine it too closely.

We like to talk about evil, of course. We know about “evildoers”, many of them inhabitants of the “Axis of Evil”. Still, when we ask ourselves what evil is, our collection of examples doesn’t seem to add up to much understanding. Our sense of evil, it seems, is pretty much subjective. “I (or we) am (or are) good, therefore, those that get in my way, who disagree with me or hurt me are evil”. So the “Great Satan” fights with the Axis and individually each of us has our favorite list of least favorite people.

Of course, there is plenty of evil to go around. We know evil deeds when we see them. The Bible is pretty clear on the subject, actually. Killing, adultery, theft, and idolatry are all bad, for example. They are even more so when they intersect. Jesus deepens this list and makes some “lifestyle suggestions” to help us lead a good life:

Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who treat you spitefully. When a man hits you on the cheek, offer him the other cheek, too; when a man takes your coat, let him have your shirt as well. Give to everyone who asks you; when a man takes what is your, do not demand it back. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. (Luke 6:28-31)

Jesus gives us some interesting marching orders here and elsewhere. Orders, I must confess, that I have trouble following much of the time. This leads to one way to look at evil. Evil isn’t so much a concrete thing but an absence. It is an absence of what Jesus and others tell us is the way of goodness. It is a hole. It is a rip or tear. We make these holes when we act. We make them when we kill, rape, and steal or when we cheat or lie. We are constantly making holes. Human beings may not be inherently evil, but we are not perfect, either.

Addressing this tendency in ourselves is a big part of what religion should be about. Instead, it seems increasingly that religion is used for exactly the opposite. It is used as a hook or a wedge. It is used to promote self-entitlement, to ease the way toward personal goals and successes at the expense of other individuals and—globally—to other nations. Are you worried about this? I am.

This Sunday many Christian Churches will be reading Ephesians 6:10-20, which reads in part: Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Let us all heed the advice of Paul and put on the whole armor of God. Let remember that our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness. That is, the war against evil isn’t going to be won in any actual war or military conflict, but through the use of the weapons of love. Wars represent a failure to use these peaceful weapons, our swords of the spirit effectively. This armor is not a badge or righteousness but a tool for introspection and understanding. Religion is at its best an instrument of peace for both the individual and the community so we must try, try again and first look toward our own hearts and our own souls.

Paul tells us: Examine yourselves: are you living the life of faith? Put yourselves to the test. (2 Corinthians 13:5). Maybe we should do just that. Maybe, as we all return to our “regular” lives this September we should test ourselves and look for ways to live good lives of peace.

St. Mirren

2006-08-11T18:49:00.000-04:00

Alas, there appears to be no saint of football. There is, however, a patron saint of football or what we like to call "soccer". A quick search via Google provided a great many sources of information about the St. Mirren Football Club (linked in the title above) but little about the actual religious person of yore. Interestingly the club first played Cricket and didn't turn to its current occupation until 1877. Groovy.

Still, any port in a storm! as a person fo faith I need someone to provide divine companionship. Tonight is the first pre-season game of those wacky and wild New England Patriots (they will be playing the Falcons of Atlanta...which is in Georgia). Therefore it is football time again. This means church is about to begin. Life is good, no?

Some scoff at watching sports. Even more mock the intentional viewing of games that "don't matter". Too bad. These games have all the intriguing characters who you will never see. They star the "little people" (elves) who make all the big people famous. Our starting recievers: Troy Brown (formerly famous) and Reche Caldwell (never, ever). Intrigued? Too bad for you. You are missing an excellent opportunity.

Anyway, it is off to the couch! Go Pats!

Seminary Thoughts

2006-08-10T11:28:00.000-04:00

The recent flurry of posts about the now defunct merger between Starr King and Meadville/Lombard has been knocking around my head quite a bit lately. What I have been thinking about, in particular, is the model that we use for our schools. I am wondering if the M.Div. is really, truly the best way to go about preparing ministers.

I got my M.Div. (as I mentioned before) from M/L. What I recieved, for the most part, was a first class education in theology, church history and Bible studies. When I was there M/L students took over half their courses at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Some of our other seminary courses were cross-listed at UCDS (those taught by John Godbey and Ron Engel in particular) and others were taken at nearby seminarys, so we were very much a part of what was going on in the world of religious studies in Hyde Park. I was excited by the intellectual life of that community and was pleased to be a part of it.

My professional courses were OK too, but I didn't learn to be a minister in a classroom in Chicago. In fact, after two years I left and moved back to Maine to work for money while my wife worked toward her Master's in Social Work. I held positions in the social services and, later as a community organizer in the northern and western parts of the Pine Tree State. That is where I learned to listen, to plan programs, and to work with a budget. I learned to preach because I needed the money supply gigs provided. I preached a lot in many small, rural churches (two of which I later served as their settled minister). It was learning through practicing and it seemed to work.

Also, I took courses at Bangor Theological Seminary. I loved them. In many ways, I feel more of a connection there than to my experiences at M/L. They taught me about faith--mine and theirs. They challenged me to consider my vocation and call in a way that I had not experienced before. Enforcer points out that BTS has fallen on hard times. It is worthwhile to note that in this current economic and religious climate it is very easy for liberal religious institutions to do everything right and still struggle mightily.

Finally, I learned during those years from a small group of senior ministers who encouraged me and provided me with insight and inspiration. Key among them were the Revs. Johanna Nichols, Severn Towle, and Alec Craig. Later, during my internship, I had the pleasure of learning from John Corrado in Grosse Pointe Michigan. These four probably had more to do with the sort of minister I am today than all of my courses combined!

I guess what I am saying is that perhaps it would make more sense to separate the academic work from the practice a bit more than we do. Both are extremely important but are better taught in different ways. Perhaps we should encourage our prospective colleagues to receive two-year MA's from Divinity Schools and then take much longer internships (or, rather, paid apprenticeships) with senior colleagues. In this way the congregations could learn along with the students and the seminarys could provide the sort of formation-work that they are supposed to be best at.

How would we pay for it? I don't know. It would take a re-imagining of theological education, maybe there are some savings there. My sense, though, from what I have read is that many students are not happy with how things are now. I probably could have been happier, too. If we reallya re serious about finding new ways to move our ministry into the future, maybe it requires more than hiring a few professors or tweaking the reading list. Maybe we need a whole new way of thinking.

J. S. Henslow's Boring Life

2006-08-07T10:03:00.000-04:00

Nothing beats a ride on the Swan Boats, don't ya think? If you look carefully, you can see me, my lovely sister-in-law, Hanne and four of our collective children....

I finally finished the biography of JS Henslow and have a few observations:

First, yes, JS Henslow led a boring life. At least it was boring in the biographical sense. He spent many years as a Cambridge professor and (snore) a rather involved-for-the-time parish Rector (Hitcham) in the Church of England. Henslow was interested in many things. He was a scientist and an educational reformer. However, while he wasn't bored, there is no great trip to the Americas (he turned down the post on the Beagle and recommended his protege Charles Darwin). There were, in fact, few specific moments that indicate his substantial contributions. Both academia and the ministry can be that way. Science certainly is. There are baby steps. There are letters and ideas first read by a few and then by more as facts are found to support (or refute) theory.

In fact, trips to parks and around the local countryside composed the bulk of his field research. He was an expert on where he lived. This is nice to think of while cruising about the "Common" and the "Garden" on a hot summer day. It certainly is encouragement to continue getting the ol' canoe out on the river! Also, I should dig up the plant press...

Darwin once put Henslow's life this way: With respect to a biography of Henslow, I cannot help feeling rather doubtful, on the principle that a biography could not do him justice...I cannot help fearing his life might turn out flat. There can hardly be marked incidents to describe.

He said this in a letter to Joseph Hooker encouraging him to seek out "vivid materials to describe his life as a parish-priest" This is, actually, the most interesting aspect of the book I read (Darwin's Mentor, by S.M. Walters and E.A. Stow). I have always been curious about what it was like for these gentleman (clergyman)-scholars and what life was like for them at work in the parish and when relating to their colleagues in the church.

Life in the parish seems, in fact, to be quite similar. I am not sure, however, that we would have quite as many folks at Eliot sign up for day-long field trips! This was an important part of his program to educate the congregation about natural history and the humanities. It also appears to be one of the more popular parts of his program. One difference is that Henslow also had to serve in a judicial capacity from time to time. Needless to say this created a strain in relations with a portion fo his flock!

Again, his relations with his religious colleagues sounded familiar. Every denomination or religious institution--even the liberal ones--has its share of traditionalists and establishment enforcers. There are always people who are opposed to those who may posess a perspective that differs from the norm. Henslow's interests, both political and religious (he was a Whig and an acknowledged liberal Christian) disturbed quite a few people. This is something that didn't seem to bother him. In fact it may have provided some excitement in his life!

Henslow was well-liked amongst scientists, however. Some of them named things after him. Notably there is a sea-cucumber and a crab. In the New World he is memorialized through the now rare Henslow's Sparrow.

I will leave you with a story from JS Henslow's son, George. He was a Botanist and priest like his father. "A clergyman once said to me at a clerical meeting: 'Hitcham never knew what Christianity was till your father died.' I thought silence was the best reply; but it seemed to me that the speaker was somewhat wanting in Christian spirit himself".

I'm Back

2006-08-06T12:48:00.000-04:00

Today was my first Sunday back in the pulpit after four weeks off in July. Attendance was light (as it always is this time of year, what with kids vacations and the rather amazing heat). Still, we had a good time. My mother-in-law was there (she was visiting from Maryland) and we had another visitor as well. I will post my sermon later, just in case anyone wants to look at it...

I do not take August off. Primarily this is because of the various programs that need to get geared up again in September. Sunday School, in particular, takes some time. This year we are planning some adult RE (Bible Study and World Religions). Partly, I just miss everybody. Two months is a looong time to be away! Besides, these summer sevices give me a chance to get up and shake the rust off. It is amazing how rusty one can get in a month.

I do have a confession to make, however. I hope it is OK with Peacebang but I wore a seersucker blazer today (yes, it was Brooks Brothers [click on "1930"]). It was too darn hot for anything else. This made me recall a post from Boy in the Bands about something called a "Preaching Suit". I wonder if these can still be ordered and if I could convince the congregation that I should use one regularly. I assume that one would need to wear a carnation or something similar to generate the full effect...

Finally, yesterday was the NFL Football Hall of Fame induction. Among the inductees was the Rev. Reggie White. Here is a sermon inspired by Mr. White that I wrote shortly after he died. Sure, I don't talk about him a lot but still...

The Tragic Death of Taft...

2006-08-03T09:25:00.000-04:00

...Seminary, that is!

Yes, it is true. The proposed merger between Star King School for the Ministry and Meadville/Lombard Theological School has fallen through, sending a very minor ripple through the educational and religious worlds. If you would like the brutal analysis, please check out UU Enforcer. Enforcer must have better A/C than I do (and more coffee?), however, so I just have some quick thoughts.

I am not really all that disappointed that the talks have ended. I had nothing against the plan and, was pleased to see that there was some energy around actually doing something to stop the slide of two of our most important institutions. Our seminaries, as I have written before, do much to assist us in identity formation as a movement just by existing and serving as forums for discussion. I guess the energy still exists, judging from Lee Barker's comments. This is a good thing.

I am wondering, though, with Andover Newton here in Mass. considering the possiblility of adding the UUA to its list of affiliations (currently ABC and UCC), maybe the best thing for our seminaries would be to start to branch out as well. At the very least, it appears that M/L should spend some of this new found energy working on its relationship with the U of Chicago Divinity School and the other seminaries in Hyde Park (Chicago not New York). They are a lot closer, after all, and these traditional ties have been one of the major reasons people have attended the seminary in the past (myself included).

Also, maybe our seminaries should try not to get quite so caught up in the UU branding campaigns that seem so popular these days. UUs seem to be becoming more exclusive in their world view when, in the past, the movement was one that tried to bring different theological groups together. When I have posted on this subject in the past, people have expressed concern about diluting our "distinct culture". First of all, our culture isn't all that distinct. Second, the presence of many competent (and inspiring) graduates of other schools in the ranks of the ministry shows that this diversity of perspective is, in fact, a key element in our faith.

So, as we say goodbye to the Taft seminary that never was (and, yes, probably would have been named "Chalice School for Religion" instead) let us start looking outside our comfortable walls for support and growth. Let us strive to develop institutions that support the broad tradition of the Liberal Church, rather than the rather narrow strip of it that identifies as UU. If there are UUs that want to go the ANTS (and there are) it is possible that there are Baptists who would feel quite at home at M/L.

Basically, this all comes down, as it often does, to how you see Unitarian Universalism. Is it a religion? As I have said before, I think not. If it IS a religion, one large seminary with a narrow focus on training its clergy makes all the sense in the world. The religion of UUism would be a small sect lacking in influence and interest. Of course, such a thing needs exclusive seminaries to indoctrinate its priesthood into the rituals and teachings that keeps the group together. Of course, we aren't-really-this. We just forget, sometimes, as we worry about our "elevator speeches".

I believe the UUA is (or can be) part of something much bigger. If we keep our eyes on that greater goal, we will find that we are already not alone. We will find, in fact, that our relevance to the world's religious and social debates will increase with the exchange of ideas. That's not such a bad thing. To paraphrase the Rev. Mark Worth, it is time for us to leave the kid's table. To do this we need to be capable of adult conversation. Our seminaries, with a theologically diverse student body and faculty could be a leading part, less of a sect or denomination, but of a movement.

Yours in Faith,
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot M/L '00

2006-07-17T04:20:00.000-04:00

About two summers ago I made a theological excuse for my lack of regular blog posts. It had to do with the abundance of fine mountain biking opportunities and made reference to the great Quillen Shinn. Many years ago Shinn described three "texts" for the religious life. These three ways of connecting to the Divine were the Holy Bible, Nature, and Human Nature. Well, thanks to son #3 there is very little time for the solitary pursuit of biking. So, therefore, my "nature text" has to be something else.

I am spending a great deal of time in and around the Charles River, which is right across the street form the parsonage. Thanks to the generosity of my in-laws (Hi Margaret!), we recently acquired a canoe. Sons #1 and #2 are helping me make ample use of it. For folks way down stream (the science museum in Boston and Cambridge, for example) The river here is hardly recognizable. However, it is the Charles, too. It is also quite lovely.

These two pictures are typical of what we see on the river. I should give credit where credit is due and say that they are the work of Son#1. Maybe he's no Ansel Adams yet, but give him time. He is only 7 years old!

The Arch of Evolution

2006-07-16T08:06:00.000-04:00

I am still slogging through my summer study project which, right now, includes that pesky biaography of Naturalist/Clergyman/Professor John Stephen's Henslow...

I remember reading an American Heritage essay some twenty years ago where they asked a variety of historians what historical moment they would most like to be able to go back in time and see. This is the "fly on the wall" excercise that is also good at parties. I would most like to be present in the the laboratories and workshops of those English collectors of the 18th and 19th Centuries before Darwin and Wallace laid down the new law (excuse me...theory) establishing the most likely mechanism for all the previously unexplainable wonders nature revealed to them.

Our modern debates about creationism and evolution seem rather binary and unromantic in comparison. These men and women really struggled to reconcile their faith to their science. After all, knowing about God's creation is a good thing! It is good even when it challenges ancient doctrine. Some folks, like Darwin became frustrated athiests. People like Wallace found the freedom to re-imagine the Divine in terms that fit better with their experience. Others, like Robert FitzRoy, found refuge in the rapidly developing world of religious fundamentalism. They were real people with real problems and amazing courage.

I will write more about Henslow soon, once things calm down enough here to finish the book and to read a few other things about and by him. Here, however, are links to information on some of the folks who mosted interested me...

John Ray who got the ball rolling

Jean-Baptiste Lamark: I love this guy in part because my high school science teacher taught him as some poor, confused, soul whose thought was way backward when in fact he was quite the forward looker, himself. Thank you , Jean-Baptiste, for reinforcing some of my deeply held predjudices concerning high school.

William Paley: Like Darwin I, too, had a Paley phase. I still think he has some interesting things to say...

Nicholas Steno: This is the rock-layer guy. His theory concerning the relative ages of horizantal rock layers must be one of the first things in geology I truly understood. It was also useful in archeology class...

Erasmus Darwin: This was the Unitarian Darwin which allows wishful thinkers to put the lapsed-Anglican Charles on T-Shirts across this great land of ours. Erasmus (Charles' Grampa) was, however, quite an intimidating figure, himself! As a doctor, naturalist and poet he was key to the development and popularization of the idea of evolution in nature and elsewhere.

Charles Lyell: Like Henslow, Lyell encouraged and influenced the young Charles. Also like Henslow, he struggled with Darwin's conclusions while remaining friends with him.

Thomas Huxley: "Darwin's Bulldog" I love the guys who enjoy being unpopular...

Bishop Samuel Wilberforce: The son of the abolitionist preacher William Wilberforce, he was a major player in the sort of "High Noon" of the evolution debate where "Soapy Sam" (so called because he rubbed his hands together when he spoke) took on Huxley at a meeting chaired by Henslow, but you probably know that. It is one of those semi-legendary science events...

Robert FitzRoy: The original meteorologist and the captain of the Beagle, FitzRoy's substantial accomplishments have been overshadowed by his suicide and hist rather odd behavior at the Huxley/Soapy debate..

I wrote about A.R. Wallace earlier...

Moxie Day

2006-07-12T15:30:00.000-04:00

Well, I have gotten very little reading in the past few days and I feel that, while I may emerge from my vacation relaxed and ready for the new year, I may not be any smarter.

I did go to a parade in honor of the Moxie Day holiday celebrated in my childhood home town of Lisbon Falls, ME. The holiday (as anyone who has been forced to spend too much time with me knows) honors the soft drink Moxie. Why is it in Lisbon? Well, that isn't really all that clear, actually...

I don't actually go for the beverage, which I drink occasionally but which would not prompt me to go to some random town to celebrate in any big way. I attend because my family is there and it is nice to go back from time to time. I do not recognize a whole lot of the folks there. After all, I have been gone for a while and most of the people I grew up with have moved on in order to pursue whatever dreams and goals they might have had. Still, it is nice to come back from time to time and there is no better time than the Moxie Festival.

I posted a couple of pictures for the viewing pleasure of all you who wish you were there. One is of the Moxie Horse. There are a few of these. I counted two this year (also, there is at least one horse of this variety). The other picture is of local troubadours "Kaining Amy". I thought they were named after their lead singer, but her name is Jamie...

Dave's Workshop: Studio Zero

2006-07-04T19:07:00.000-04:00

Happy Independence Day! Here are a couple of pictures of swan boat ridin', multi-taskin' Fourth of July Revellers in Boston...

However, this post is about "Our Friend Dave".

Back in the day (seminary, that is). Dave ran a meditation group known as the "Loveshack Zendo". The name came from the apartment block we lived in. It was owned by the Lutheran Seminary but, for some reason (I think it had to do with Dave), we Congregationalist types referred to it as the Love Shack. Actually, for a brief time I was elevated from "Tea Boy" (the person who served tea during the tea ceremony part) to "Organizing Guy" (the person who leads the group in meditation) when Dave briefly departed for other lands. Fortunately, he returned to the Windy City before everything fell apart.

Every year we get to see Dave when he comes "off island" from his gig as the Chaplain for various Star Island retreats. Dave is a UU minister and, therefore, should be referred to as 'Reverend Dave" when the opportunity arises. This year on his visit he pointed out to us that his on-line meditation workshops we nearing completion! Therefore, I have linked to his Studio Zero internet ministry above and here. Check it out! Take it from Tea Boy: Dave is a great guy and a sensitive and effective spiritual teacher. He is also God Father to my eldest child, a task that I wouldn't entrust to just anyone!

I Read About A. R. Wallace and It Was OK

2006-06-29T22:20:00.000-04:00

So I finished the first of my required summer reading books. By way of accountability, I wrote up a short reflection on a very long book: The Heretic in Darwin's Court: The life of Alfred Russel Wallace by Ross Slotten...

If Alfred Russel Wallace is Famous for anything today, it is because of his role in the publication of the Origin of Species. The story, as it is popularly known and, for that matter, as it actually happened, has Poor Alfred sick in the Malay Archipelago and writing to his prospective mentor Charles Darwin with a new theory that he had developed while out in the field. Charles, frightened out of his wits rushed to complete his book so as to maintain the claim of priority on what became the theory of Natural Selection.

I first read this book to see what became of Wallace and Darwin’s relationship. Wallace, as it turns out, was more than happy to play second fiddle and they maintained a sometimes close and sometimes strained professional relationship for the rest of Darwin’s life. However, there is much more to this book (and Wallace) than that one magic scientific moment.

First, I should note that the book is well-written but really long. Much of it is spent describing the details of various 19th century scientific debates which I fear that I only managed to follow in the most basic of ways. Here, however, are some items that I found interesting:

1) Wallace, unlike most scientists of his day, came from a working class family. This fact continued to impact his career throughout his life. For example, Wallace was partly well-traveled because of his passion for the natural world and partly because it was his job, first as a surveyor and then as a paid collector of specimens. His own theories were developed, for the most part, in the field, whatever that field may have been...

2) If people know more than the one incident from his life mentioned earlier, they also know that Wallace had a reputation for being somewhat goofy. Wallace was a spiritualist. He was also a proponent of land reform, a socialist, and an opponent of vaccinations. While these positions were somewhat unusual for a scientist, for a member of the middle class they were less so.

3) If you have the time (I don’t) you might want to pick up a copy of his “Tropical Nature” and other Essays (I’m sure there must be a copy somewhere). In the words of Slotten “It anticipates a concern for the environment that would not fully emerge until the twentieth century.” In light of this it is worth noting that he had a brief opportunity to hang out with John Muir in California during his American tour.

He also spent time with William James, whom he liked and with James Russell Lowell whom he disliked. Sadly, he was not impressed with many of James’ friends. “I was not much impressed,” he wrote, “by the Boston celebrities as I ought to have been.” Alas for us!

4) Wallace has also at various times been accused of abandoning his theory of natural selection later in life. This, however, appears to be untrue. What is true, is that, in Slotten’s words he “refused to believe that humanity, with its faculties, aspirations, and powers for good and evil, was a simple by-product of random forces—that human beings were merely animals of no importance to the universe and requiring no great preparation for their advent." That is, his deeply held non-scientific beliefs led him to conclude that (at least in the case of humanity) there was some controlling order to the universe. This, of course, has been the position of many thoughtful people over the years and one that many still hold today.

According to Slotten (and I have no reason to disagree with him), Wallace was a brilliant man who was often difficult to get along with. He was someone who constantly struggled to earn enough money to maintain himself and his family but, thanks to his relationship with many of the great scientists of his era (he lived for a very long time) he existed to some extent in an upper-class world that tolerated, celebrated, and sometime vilified yet did not understand him. He is worth getting to know, I think, not only for his contributions to science, but for what his life tells us about the class system of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

PS, Remember you lazy High Schoolers!!

This is a very long book and your teacher expects you to read it, not copy from the dubious reflections of some random clergyman!

Revival Anyone?

2006-06-28T10:35:00.000-04:00

This Shake Shack Webcam has made me think about my family's annual summer pilgrimage to NYC. The Shack has, in the past, been on the itinerary...

It also has made me finally focus on UUCF Revival, held this year in New York on Nov. 2-5. My question is this: who is going? Since it is a weekend, the fam and I are considering a (brief) road trip. It would be nice to know who is going to be around...

When Revival was in Worcester, I had a great time, so did Rev. Dave Miller, a member of my church. I am sure that this year will be a blast, too!

Mmmmm....Chicago Dogs....

The Four-Way Test

2006-06-28T08:46:00.000-04:00

A week from yesterday I had the priviledge of giving the Invocation and the Benediction at the annual Installation of New Officers at the Natick Rotary. I bring this up because it is an organization that does a great deal of good work in the community, both locally and internationally.

I also wanted to post one of the principle pillars of Rotary. One member of our club--while recieving the Paul Harris Fellowship award (arguably Rotary's highest honor) for service to the community--referred to it as a "secular Ten Commandments". Usually, we just call it the Four-Way Test...

Adopted by Rotary in 1943, The Four-Way Test has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways. It asks the following four questions:

"Of the things we think, say or do:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?"

Good questions to ask yourself, I think.

One of the recipients of the Paul Harris this year is a member of the Eliot Church. Congratulations to Harriett Buckingham! This was her second, making her the first member in the 80-year history of Natick Rotary to recieve the award twice.

God Language

2006-06-27T14:30:00.000-04:00

Over at Peacebang there is an interesting conversation about the use of the word "God" in Unitarian Universalist churches. It is interesting, but I must admit that I am feeling a bit distant from the conversation. I have only served churches where talking about God is the norm. My current congregation is Christian. The two previous ones were not but they were rather friendly to theists of all stripes.

I am also feeling a bit distant from the conversation, frankly, because I am one of those folks who is repeatedly invited to leave and join the UCC. I cannot complain about this either as I already accepted half the invitation. That is, I haven't left the UUA, but I do have that Dual-Standing in the UCC and rather like it. I have, to paraphrase the words of friend Scott Wells, one foot on either side of the Cuyahoga!

Another reason is that it is hot out and I am tired of explaining myself. More often than I care to quantify, well meaning UUs ask me how (how!) could my church survive the enormous gulf between denominations. I used to try to explain how the United Church of Christ is a liberal Christian denomination and how they (that is, we) are open to a wide variety of perspectives when it comes to the nature of the Divine. Our (and my) shared affiliatiion isn't a burden but a source of strength that provides both the opportunity for free and responsible exploration of the transcendent and deep roots in one faith tradition.

I do not do that much anymore because this idea seems to not be a part of the UU concept of what a Christian is. After putting out the effort, I am often politely informed that I am wrong and that Christians could never manage in the UUA. Is this because Unitarian Universalism is so complicated that only the enlightened few can fully understand its subtle ways? It is amazing how often people answer this question in the affirmative. Good grief!

The final reason that I am having trouble getting too into the issue is that I still don't see how the UUA represents a specific, identifiable religion! If it was (whether they were allowed to use God language or not), I probably wouldn't belong. Then when I am shown the door, I would be grateful for clear directions out of town. To me, the UUA will always be a collection of independant congregations fully capable of finding their own language of reverence. When did we start working for the UUA instead of the other way around? I like the challenge that different church cultures provide...

So, anyway, I am comfortable talking about God. People at my church are comfortable talking about God, too (even the athiests!). I hope that everyone gets comfortable because that is how so many choose to frame their spiritual journeys. I say good luck (and thank you) to the conversationalists who care enought to discuss this issue. I am particularly grateful to my friend PaceBang for her continued good works on this subject. Who knows? I just might join you when the weather cools off...

Summer Reading

2006-06-23T10:58:00.000-04:00

Toady I am starting to write my last sermon before my July vacation. Summer services will continue but without my presence until I return in August. Needless to say, I am looking forward to some time "off" to reflect and prepare for next year. The addition of another child has left us all feeling a bit busier that usual and the absence of (most) church responsibilities should hopefully give the whole family a chance to get a bit more organized.

One thing that I am hoping to do this summer is read. What with all of the events at work and at home, most of my reading has been sermon-specific. A little branching out would be good. I am always concerned when I encounter a colleague who seems unaware of the world's developments and the nuances of our faith. I fear that, without some concentrated study, I could fall behind as well. My fellow bloggers, of course, do not help as they always seem to be right on track when it comes to matters of the heart and mind. Good job guys! I am in awe of your accomplishments.

This year I will be concentrating on the Gospel of Matthew and on develpoment of the theory of evolution. Here are some of the books I intend to read. I have started some and purchased others.

The Gospel of Matthew (Ya know, it is in the Bible)
Matthew by Ben Witherington III
A Heretic in Darwin's Court; The Life of Alfred Russell Wallace by Ross Slotten
Before Darwin: by Keith Thompson
Darwin's Mentor; John Stevens Henslow by S.M. Walters
Christology in American Unitarianism By Prescott Wintersteen

This is actually quite a bit of reading! Ever the optimist, however, I am willing to take suggestions...

The reason for sharing this list is because (as I do every summer) I try to use this blog to keep me accountable. Therefore, expect updates on my progress otherwise, alas, I will have failed...

No GA for Me

2006-06-19T10:52:00.000-04:00

I am sitting here in front of my computer with a nice, cold ice-water thinking about my friends and colleagues who are zipping off to St. Louis today. I will miss hanging out with them for at least another year....

I used to go to General Assembly. I remember driving from Maine to Cleveland with our then two children (then 3 and about 3 months). Man, it was hot. We checked out the homes of Martin Van Buren and James Garfield on the way and then did some major socializing with our friends the Beckels whom we haven't seen in person since (alas! I hope they are well). I remember driving Son #1 up to Quebec from Maine (straight through the woods, Like Benedict Arnold). My son developped a love of mussels, cheese curd, and a tendency to throw up in restaurants when he got--in his words--"partied out". That was also the GA where I got to have tea right outside the walls of the city with Scott Wells and Scott Axford. What a pretty place!

Then, of course, came Boston when we slept on the floor of the Peirce/Scott's apartment in Medford. I believe #1 was partied out again, but we got to ride on the T and, check out all the fun things we could do when we moved to Natick two months later! Since then, nothing. Ah well, we have been busy what with Son #3 and my wife going to work full-time. Still, there is no better bonding experience than a week-long event in a fun city. I wish everyone well...

I should also note that, thanks to my dual standing in the UCC, I now miss meetings in two different theological contexts! This year I managed not to make it to the Mass. Conference Annual Meeting even though PeaceBang did!

Father's Day Sermon (Parenthood)

2006-06-19T10:39:00.000-04:00

Here is yesterday's sermon. Attendance was light (thanks tothe weather and various Father's Day activities) and I was asked to post this so folks could take a look if they wished...

Parenthood
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot
Eliot Church, Natick
6/18/06

Christopher De Vink wrote
We do not ask questions when our children need us. We just do what we must.
And (in a sense) he is right
(Except, of course, when our children need us to ask questions)

However, we do have expectations
We do have hopes and dreams for them
We try to equip them for a world that is sometimes life-giving
And sometimes hostile
We act, both as nurturer
A loving secure presence
And instructor, a guide,
Pointing out the way of the just and the righteous
And trying to walk in that way ourselves

If your heirs take heed to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you a successor on the throne of Israel.

In this passage from Kings
That we read this morning
We see that, in some ways, parenthood
Is pretty much the way it has always been
David seems to have only one major goal
On his deathbed
And that is to pass on to his son Solomon
A sense of the importance of their shared tradition
Of what is right and what is wrong

In this way he is a lot like parents today
He even, like many of us
Takes refuge in religion and in scripture
In this case, he is referring to the requirements
Of the Book of Deuteronomy

When we dream of the future
That we would like for our children
Many of us first think, not of specific careers
Or achievements, but that they be happy and they be good
That is, that they are content with the lot they have received
And that they contribute positively
To human progress

But teaching ethics is hard to do
There are, after all, many challenges that greet
All of us when it comes to leading the moral life
And this holds true for our kids
As much as for anyone else

The Reverend Gordon McKeeman over forty years ago
Tried to name the causes of the erosion of morality
First, he attributed it to the breakdown
Even among church people
Of the structure that meant so much to David and Solomon
A loss of the old faith in the face of the lessons of science
This he didn’t see as necessarily bad
As long as it was accompanied by a change in the basis
For moral action

Of course, this isn’t necessarily an original thought
And his other three culprits are all familiar ones, too
The depersonalization of society,
The loss of a sense of guilt and understanding of sin
And the increasing power of the motive toward personal profit

McKeeman listed these causes back in 1963
And there have been many books and sermons
(too many to count)
On these subjects both before and since
But they are truly the challenges that face us
When we try to teach
Try to pass on what we see
As the true and honest path through life

Albert Schweitzer wrote that
Ethics is nothing other than the reverence for life
It is a simple concept
But one that seems so hard to grasp for so many

Of course, life isn’t the way it used to be
And in certain cases we have had to say goodbye
To a simpler, more honest, better age
But, in other ways society has grown and developed
It has improved in some places
As it has declined in others
And we as parents,
Remembering as we do, days gone by
(Even the parents of young children)
Sometimes miss the significance of our changing world

Henry Ward Beecher, said
In his support for the work of Charles Darwin
That There are many points in which the theology of the past did well enough for the past, but does not any more answer the reasonable questions and the moral considerations that are brought to bear upon it in our day.
Where some saw a weakening of the glue
That held together our communities
Beecher saw an opportunity
To use the insights of science and technology
To deepen our understanding of God
And of our right relationship with the world

After all, there is a reason for the adaptability
Of our democratic faith
And it is that tradition, morality and ethics
While they stay the same at their core
Change, too,
To suit the changes of our world and our people
Who could have predicted during Beecher’s time
The impact of the internet, cell phones
And even the relatively low-tech
Interstate highway system?

As parents, we need sometimes not to teach but to learn
To listen to our children and grandchildren
Who are trying to adapt to an environment
That we cannot fully understand
(as much as we would like to)

This makes our job harder, actually
Because we also try to keep them safe
At some point, for each of us
Our children will do something that we do not approve of
And it is left to us to decide the correct action to take
There is a very good chance
That in their explorations they will need a guiding hand
But, from time to time
They must lead us
Or as De Vink writes
[Our children] will do just fine on their own [if we] Just set them free.

This brings us to that other Bible reading this morning
The one from Luke
Now every year [Jesus’] parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival.

Here we have an example of
When the new world meets the old
Joseph and Mary were afraid for their son
They knew that he is still young
(Though twelve year olds
Would be expected to be much more mature then)
they were worried, just as we would be
But Jesus was alright
He was in the temple, learning from the teachers
And the prophets
About the new way
Jesus, in fact, is surprised by their concern.
Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my father’s house?

Mary and Joseph were confused
Jesus was self-assured
So can it be for all of us, sometimes

Parents must walk a path between two extremes
Even David, who sounded so definite
In his death-bed speech to his son
Left him some wiggle room
When he later said
Act, therefore, according to your own wisdom

And so we, too, try to set out the rules
And leave room for interpretation
Walter Bruggemann, a Bible scholar
When reflecting on the tensions
That existed for David and Solomon wrote:
The issue of conditionality and unconditionality is an interesting one…Some children are nurtured in an environment of ready affirmation that is experienced as unconditionality; that nurture can result in either joyous self-acceptance or in an exaggerated sense of self-importance. Some children are raised in the context of endless moral insistence and implied disapproval; that can result in either a robust sense of duty or in a deep notion of failure and inadequacy. And so it is important to maintain the tension between the two accents.

What Bruggemann doesn’t tell us
But from experience, we know
Is that this tension is one that parents live with
For their entire lives
Because, both as parents and as children
We know that kids always need their Moms and Dads
Whether they are two or eighty-two
And that, just like David and Solomon
That relationship weakens very little
With distance or even with death

When our parents are gone
We still keep them in our hearts
And in our actions
The very way we talk and think

So today, on Father’s Day
When our thoughts turn to family
Let us pray that we are able
To walk the paths of righteousness
For the sake of our children
For the sake of our parents

Amen

The Light at the Center

2006-06-15T11:09:00.000-04:00

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

Last night I attended a meeting which reminded me of why I entered the ministry. In fact, it reminded me of why I even go to church. Where was I? I was in a meeting hall in the Evangelical Christian Church of Brockton, MA. I was there to both learn from and support through my presence the Brockton Interfaith Community (BIC) as they experienced a moment of renewal and rebirth. I was there representing the Eliot Church and Metropolitan Congregations Acting for Hope (MICAH), a similar organization located in the MetroWest region outside Boston.

BIC is a faith-based organization made up of churches and synagogues that has come together to address issues of concern to the people of Brockton and the surrounding area. On the agenda were actions taken in the areas of youth safety and development, community policing, housing and employment. These are issues, incidentally, that exist for all the cities and villages in this great country of ours. The congregations that were there represented a wide array of faith traditions. The people came from many different racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds. All attended because they recognized that the problems they faced are better solved together than alone.

A few things struck me about the meeting, itself. One was the sense of ownership that the congregations displayed. Each speaker (and there were quite a few) introduced themselves by stating their name and then saying “and I am a BIC leader”. Right on! Yes you are! To hear people identify themselves in this way--as a part of a group that has thrown itself into its community--was, frankly, electrifying. We all have the capacity to lead in some way. It was a joy to see so many step-up. Incidentally, one person did say that her church didn’t have any BIC leaders. The response: “How about you?”

Also, I had the opportunity to have a brief conversation (called a “mini-one on one” in the parlance of such groups) with a man named William, a special education teacher and member of the Lincoln Congregational Church in Brockton. He was concerned about the state of the children in his community. In particular, he was trying to figure out how to keep kids away from gangs. I may never meet him again, but his story touched me and will inform how I think about the subject in the future. This is a concrete transformation. That, after all, was the point of the exercise!

None of this, however, would have made the least sense if it wasn’t for what, to me, was the major thread that ran through the evening. Each speaker, in a different way, pointed out the basic fact that our power comes from two places. It comes from God and it comes from each other.

We can put it another way by saying that what sustains and motivates us to action is the Divine Presence both in our hearts and outside ourselves. This, to me, is the light at the center of all authentic religion. The path to God takes us into our own being and out to the places of joy and sorrow in our communities. That is what brings us to church on Sunday and that is what brings us to a church hall in Brockton on a Wednesday night.

For some of you, listening to a sermon may feel antiquated. Going to a rally may feel quaint. Still, there is no better way for many of us to grow and to deepen our relationship with the Divine. Yes, real religion may happen in the confines of the blogosphere. It may even happen in the comfortable environment of the university. However, when people come together face to face from the depths of their faith, it is much more likely, maybe even mandatory.

It takes a great deal of commitment to stay on this path. It means being challenged and it means challenging ourselves. I wish BIC all the best. They are in my prayers. I pray, too, for MICAH and for the work of my own church. May we continue to find ways to reach out and to act for positive change in our homes and in the world. May we continue to find ways to bring about the Commonwealth of Heaven here on earth. Amen

Parenthood

2006-06-14T09:44:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday was "Children's Sunday". This is the final big day on our church calendar until after Labor Day. It was, as usual, a blast. The theme (selected by the students and teachers) was "Peace". All the kids had some contribution to make. I, however, had little to do!

Actually, I have two specific tasks. The first is to commission the High School (and Jr. H. S.) kids who will be going down to West Virginia as a part of our housing ministry. This is a prgram we share with other Natick churches and we always send a significant delegation.

That having been done, all I had left to do was hand out the Bibles to our graduating 2nd Graders. This year we have enough of them that they will form their own class next year! They, of course, were giddy. My son (Son #1) is one of these kids, so there is very little mystery surrounding the pastor. They have been to the house. I have been to theirs. I'm just a Dad. So I am not sure that they helped themselves in the teacher-recruitment department when--led by my son--they started making goofy comments (My son tried to rub my head!). This culminated with one of them pounding his fist in the air and yelling, "Yankees Rule! Red Sox Stink!" (oh my). Seriously, though, they were cute.

After the annual Sunday School Picnic, Son #2 and I did our penance by heading over to Fenway Park where, sadly, the Sox lost in the second game of a double-header. However, we did manage to eat some baseball food and enjoy the day with one of his little friends and little friend's Dad. A good time was had by all!

This Sunday I am preaching about Parenthood. I do this every year on either Father's Day or Mother's Day. This year I was out of the pulpit for Mom's Day, so here it is, time to figure out what to do. If you have any thoughts, please let me know, really. The introduction of Son #3 has given me ample material, of course, but very little sleep.

Being a parent is a challenge and, of course, a tremendous responsibility. Certainly those of us with school-age kids are preparing for a period of increased contact with the little ones as school finally runs its course. I, for one, am looking forward to this time. What to do, however, always requires a certain amount of thought. I hope that all is going well with all you parents out there. Enjoy the summer. It will be over all too soon.

Second Chances

2006-06-09T12:12:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't need a second chance? I have been thinking about this and about it's sister--forgiveness--quite a bit lately. After all, every one of us stumbles and falls from time to time. Every one of us needs to fix whatever it is we have broken or whatever balls we have dropped. I know that lately I have been off my game more than usual. I have made mistakes at work and at home. Sure, there is Son #3, which is enough to make anyone distracted. Still, that is no reason to give up on the ol' quest for perfection!

Of course, there are people whose affairs are in great disarray. They need a second chance, too. I am thinking, by way of example, of Ricky Williams, the Running Back for the Miami Dolphins who failed his final drug test and will be playing for the Canadian Football League this year.

In an article entitled Ricky Williams Dreams of Canada, one of his new teammates, himself a recovering addict, said Ricky deserves a second chance, a third chance. As long as you're breathing, you deserve a chance. He ain't killed nobody yet. He hasn't taken life, so he deserves a chance. What Ricky did, incidentally, was smoke marijuana too many times. There are other felons in sport in general and the NFL in particular who have done much worse, yet they play. They didn't touch, apparently, the untouchable.

Now, you may not be a sports fan. You should still be concerned. You see, its that darned quest for perfection again. What does it mean in our society that we so quickly ostracize people who have problems? I am against the use of illegal drugs. I really am. I hope that Ricky gets his life together up in Toronto. But in this case, there is more to this story. Why is it such a surprise when an individual like Ricky Williams decides that, just maybe, Holistic Medicine is a better career for him than football? Why is it such a scandal, in fact, that he must both be sued to return to the gridiron and grilled by Mike Wallace? Why, again, is violence off the field OK when marijuana use is intolerable?

Don't think this is just the NFL or pro sports, either. They are a business and try their darndest to both reflect and mold the norms of their consumers--us. We have a great deal of trouble when it comes to forgiveness. There are good reasons for this sometimes. We have been hurt, sometimes terribly. At other times, however, the rush to condemn seems to be unwarranted or selective--particularly when we move from the personal to the communal.

There is, after all, a difference between punishment and permanent condemnation (or damnation?). We may not be able to do anything about Ricky, but we can, of course, look at ourselves. When last I checked, anyway, no one was perfect. Besides, as long as you are breathing, you deserve a chance.

Jesus had something to say about this, incidentally. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, 'Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye. (Matt:6:41-42)

It would help, I think, if we ask ourselves from time to time who or what we are ready to forgive, and what burdens we still need to work on. Will we ever find the goodness in everyone? I don't know. Could most of us could do a little better looking for that goodness? You bet. Yes, we need boundaries. Yes, there are rules. But we are human beings trying our best let us try to live with patience and in love.

And Now a Word From John

2006-05-31T10:56:00.000-04:00

Read this, it is from 1 John 4:7-12

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Maybe it was the excited couple I spent Monday morning with planning their wedding. Maybe it came out of concern for the situation overseas and in the Dark Valleys of poverty and violence in our own country. Maybe it is because Son #2 graduated today from Nursery School and he looked so proud with his portfolio and little rolled-up diploma, both graced with the remains of his celebratory Hoodsie Cup. Whatever the reason, I have been thinking about this passage. I like it.

God loves us, people! It's that simple. God loves all of us and the sooner we recognize that and start loving each other the better. It seems strange to have to point this out, but for the sake of Son #2 and all of those graduating this time of year--each one trying to make their way in an often hostile world--it demands repeating. Love is as much an action as an emotion. It is a way of being (God is love) and being like God! It isn't enough for us to love in our hearts.

Here is what I propose to you as a summer project: Look around you and see what needs loving then go do something about it. Do this every single day. Sometimes it will be your kids. Sometimes your parents, a stranger, the environment, your local government or church institutions will need your active love. Every day is not too much to ask. Also, don't expect to get thanked. This is for your benefit, after all.

Oh yeah, "I love my job" doesn't count unless you can truly say that you wouldn't mind doing it for free. Also, we do plenty of things that we love to do that don't necessarily pay it forward. You can still do those, but take that energy you get from them and hand it off in another act for someone (or something) else. Love is like a circular letter, you can't just address it to yourself.

Good luck and remember that I will be out there, too. So will the rest of humanity because, frankly, we cannot help ourselves as long as there is nothing pushing us down (and if you see people being held down, what's the loving thing to do?). Remember that this a "win-win", too. The more you give, the more you receive. Ain't life grand?

Hey! Its Memorial Day!

2006-05-29T08:43:00.000-04:00

I always preach a Memorial Day-themed sermon on Memorial Day Weekend. I did so yesterday as well. I find the whole weekend to be an odd overlapping of sadness, joy, real reflection, and giddy anticipation. I also feel the need to acknowledge those who have died in the wars our country has taken part in. Today I am at work and may not get to any of the special events planned. It is a beautiful day for them. Next year I will make sure we have an American flag at the parsonage and we will fly that too...

I would post my sermon, but my computer broke and I am not willing to risk infecting the office computer on which I am typing right now. Suffice it to say that I talked about how we need to honor our veterans by really giving some serious thought to how we use our armed forces. We need to ask questions when things seem vague and we need to encourage serious debate and discussion. I think that one of the great lessons we can draw from the situation in Iraq is the importance of clarity over rhetoric and reason over emotion (certainly over fear).

The basic thesis was that war represents a failure of vision on the part of some or all of the leaders of humanity. To some extent, it is a failure of humanity, itself. This failure is, in part, because of our tendency to see the Divine in our enemies.

This is something Jesus, of course warns us about. However, my primary text yesterday was from the Song of Deborah. It is in Judges, look it up. Near the end, after describing the battle and the victorious tribes of Israel, we have a haunting image of the mother of the vanquished general, Sisera, waiting to hear the hoofbeats of her son's chariots. Of course, she never hears them. He is dead. The point is, our enemies have families and their lives are more like ours than not. The tragedy is that we cannot seem to realize this in time.

I suggested that we might want to honor the fallen by considering whether or not our current conflicts (and likely future ones) fit the criteria of a just war. We can do that while stuck in traffic towing our boats on I-95, if we must! Here is an explanation of the section of the Roman Catholic Catechism dealing with just war. It is a good place to start and I like to consider them in light of world events more than once a year. Please note that it assumes a defensive posture on the part of the "just' nation.

I also managed to smash my thumb in the car door last night, so Iwill stop typing now. Thanks to everyone who helped to paint the parsonage fence yesterday afternoon. It looks great!

Ministry of Organization

2006-05-24T09:21:00.000-04:00

I realize that I haven't posted in a while. I have been busy with church and family. Eliot Church is in the home stretch now as we prepare for Children's Sunday and the congregational picnic on June 11. I am trying to make plans for the summer and for the fall. There is much to do with Sunday School Curricula and Social Justice work as well as the plain old communal worship that is--and should be--the central fact and blessing of our church community.

On the home front, #3 son continues to get bigger. Now, almost three months after his birth, his lovely mother is returning to work and he is turning to the (milk) bottle. We are digging ourselves out from under a mass of clutter and disorganization which will only grow for a while as we get even more busy! Like most people, we do not have a nanny, after all, and no real affordable childcare. Oh the joy of parenthood! However, also like most families our size, we need two working adults to make ends meet. So back to work she goes. Good luck, Honey!

In the midst of this I have been trying to organize myself in such a way that I do not miss any appointments. "Showing up" is a big part of the ministry and at this time it can be hard to keep track of details. So, after a few near misses (one of which really was a miss), I have bought a Palm Pilot and am trying to use it. I feel a bit out of sorts as I truly am technologically challenged...

Perhaps, in this new seminary we are discussing, there would be a place for a course on the ministry of organization. I could have used one. It wasn't until my internship that it was made clear to me the importance of knowing where you are and where you are supposed to be. There are also sermons and worship services to be organized, paperwork, and committee projects. When we execute them well and keep everyone informed, anxiety goes down. When we do not, we are more stressed. It is a pastoral issue.

Anyway, I must go now. I leave you, however, with a question. What was it that has most surprised you about your job (clergy or otherwise)? What was (or is) your weakness? No need to post necessarily, just some food for thought...

Welcome to Taft

2006-05-11T13:55:00.000-04:00

Yes, William Howard Taft Divinity School (variously referred to as "Taft" or "TDS") is my nominee for the name of our new seminary. Sure, PeaceBang's suggestion of Escalade Seminary conributes a certain romance (as well as a lovely image of our clergy surging through the suburbs with reckless abandon). Of course, Enforcer, the Liberal Theological Institute has a certain 19th Century-sounding class which would be hard to get anywhere else. However, please consider the noble contributions of jurist, president and actual active (very active, actually) Unitarian, William Howard Taft.

"What?" you ask. "Has the parson gone insane?" No, I am quite sane most of the time. Taft was a national figure. He was a leader in two branches of our federal government. He was a layman (those are people we ministers are supposed to serve). He was president of the General Conference of Unitarians. That is, he was and actual member of and participant in our movement! This is something that is harder to claim for others when we start our magical list of famous people. So what if he got into fights with John Haynes Holmes? I bet lots of people did!Still, I feel your pain. I know what you are thinking and that is this: Taft...was...a Republican!

Yep, he was. Now, I am not, nor have I ever been a member of any party but that of the Donkey. I truly believe that I will die as I have lived...forever a Democrat. But now I am talking about the good of the Unitarian Universalist movement. Do you want to make a splash? Would you like to make a statement that cannot be ignored by the great mass of our fellow Americans? I know I do. Most of what we do as a movement is, frankly, predictable. Good? Yes. Worthy?Sure. Surprising? Well...no...not really.

I think that it is pretty to safe to say that naming our only seminary after President (or, as he preferred, Justice) Taft would come as a shock in many quarters and not just our own. So lets give it a try!

Think you have a better idea? Maybe you do! Feel free to let us know what you would like to name UUTS. Want to vote for Escalade? Go right ahead...

UUTS?

2006-05-02T11:09:00.000-04:00

I am halfway through reading the proposal to merge Starr King School for the Ministry and Meadville/Lombard Theological School. I am actually quite optimistic. As you are probably aware, the plan is for the two schools to combine many administrative functions at a “central campus” (Meadville/Lombard) and have two other centers. One of these would be Starr King and the other would be in Boston. The Boston campus, however, is planned for continuing education while the other two will grant degrees.

Maybe it is because I am an alum of M/L, but I like the idea of the central campus being in the middle of the country. Also, it looks like there will be actual cost savings. I am a little concerned about the more active role planned for the UUA. I liked attending an independent seminary and, I suspect, the same could be said for SKSM graduates. However, I also understand that the financial realities may require a closer relationship with the association.

So, I have two questions so far. First, will this relationship create too narrow a focus? It seems to me that there has been a healthy conversation going on for decades about whether or not Unitarian Universalism is, itself, a religion. I tend to think that it is not. I tend to see the UUA as a coalition of theologically diverse religious liberals (and liberal congregations) who have come together, in part, because they do disagree and that--through the discussion this disagreement causes--find that their continued relationship possesses great potential for spiritual growth. Will an institution that attempts to teach “Unitarian Universalism” allow for this kind tradition? I don’t know.

The other question has to do with the name. In the document the new seminary is called “Unitarian Universalist Theological School”. All I can say is “please, no“. The authors of the proposal also make it clear that there is some room for negotiation here. So let us give this some thought people!

The problem I see with “UUTS” is that it is rather bland. “Yep, that is what we are, why not come here?” Particularly when this new endeavor starts out, it might make sense to insert a wee bit of romance into the proceedings. Would people by the Escalade if it was called “The Gigantic Car That No One Needs And Is Killing Us But Makes Us Feel Rugged”? Would I be more inclined to shop at the Food Lion if it was merely called “Grocery Store”? I don’t think so. I want a name that tells me something and that is fun to say. I am a graduate of Meadville/Lombard. There is history there. Quite a bit, actually.

We could name it after a famous minister or layperson. There are plenty of Eliots and Ballous to choose from. How about “Ballou/Channing“ for example? Olympia Brown( “Yeah, I went to Brown...Olympia Brown, that is!”)? Name it after William Howard Taft! There may be other options as well.

I know that there is someone out there thinking “Chalice Seminary” right now. Stop it. No, no, no....

I think the name should also leave us open to other options later. What if there are liberal Christians of other traditions who might wish to attend? They do have money, ya know. Meadville was originally a partnership between the Unitarians and the Christian Connection. Yes, that was a long time ago, but why limit ourselves now?

Anyway, that is all for now, but I would like to see a discussion about this, somewhere. What we call this new school is, in part, what will help to define the movement in the future...

Annual Meeting and Other Thoughts

2006-05-01T10:57:00.000-04:00

I have been thinking, lately, about my job and hoping that I am doing it well. Certainly, when I think of all the time and effort our volunteers put into making Eliot Church run (WITHOUT BEING PAID!) this minister can only hope that he even comes close to approaching what this congregation deserves. Annual Meeting was yesterday, and I find myself in agreement with PeaceBang. I am impressed with the church and how it works.

As part of my preparation for (and reflection of) yesterday's meeting, I have been checking out old Minister's Reports. These, too have made me reflect on how I do my job. Also, Dad went to William Sloane Coffin's funeral and mailed me material he picked up there. Again, reading those things has been a humbling experience. Well, there is much for me to work on, of course, and I shall...

Here is a copy of my sermon delivered right before Annual Meeting. I should also note (at the risk of shocking some people and risking my curmudgeonly veneer) that we used our new Singing the Living Tradition hymnbooks for the second time and for the first time with me in the pulpit (Larry Lamond preached last week)! This, of course, is in addition to the Pilgrim Hymnal that we have used here for many years...

Walking Together
April 30, 2006
Eliot Church
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot

I realize that many of you here today
(Less than an hour before
The beginning of our Annual Meeting)
Are well aware of the fact
That there is much about church life
That revolves around what we could--
For lack of a better word--call business
We, after all, have a budget, we have programs, too
We have bills and we have income

Actually, it requires great attention to detail
On the part of many of us
To keep things running smoothly
So, thanks to all of you who have made today’s meeting possible
There has been and will be a lot to do
And to get to this day requires hard work and dedication
So much hard work, in fact, that we can forget at times
That there is an actual reason why we do these things
And the reason is
That they are a necessary part of our walking together

The Bible scholar James Muilenburg once wrote
About the imagery in the Old Testament
Saying:
The way of a man was the course he followed through life, the direction of his going and the manner of his walking...it was drawn from the vicissitudes of daily life, from a land of many roads and paths...it involved the beginning and end and the intention which prompted the journey.

Each of us is also on a journey
A spiritual one, a religious one
We, too are trying to walk on the correct path
And we have, for many reasons, decided to do it
As a congregation
Together, we are trying to find our way
Seeking to discover gems amidst the refuse
For it is as a group that we find we are best able
To find ourselves
The Bible tells us that there are many different paths
Many different roads one can take
And that people do not always choose the right one
2 Kings tells us that
Amon [for example] did what was evil in the sight of God, as his father Manasseh had done. He walked in all the ways in which his father walked, served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them.

The ancient history of Judah
Is full of kings and other leaders like this
Amon was the norm: self-serving, ambitious
A worshipper of Idols
Of the Gods of his own creation
The Bible says he was walking in the ways of his father
And makes it clear that he was walking
On the wrong road

Now, there were fewer kings like Josiah, his son

Josiah was less concerned about following his own will
More interested in following God’s
But he, too, walked down a path made by someone else
The Bible says He walked in the way of his father David;
He did not turn aside to the right or to the left
We all, you see, depend on others
To help us find our way

But we can, if we choose, make one departure from the journeys
Of these ancient kings
Amon and Manasseh and Josiah
Traveled down the paths
That were appointed for them
In our Democratic faith, however,
We do not follow blindly
While we recognize the importance of history

We are not necessarily bound to repeat what has gone before
Our path, determined as it is
Through the explorations and arguments
Of a group of diverse and strong-minded individuals
Is important not just to the congregation as a whole
But to every individual
For participation here changes us
Lifts up our souls and broadens our horizons

Who among us joined the Eliot church
Because they really wanted to go to more committee meetings?
Maybe there are a few
But in the end, there probably aren’t many
However, I am sure that many, if not most of us
Would say that we joined in part
To get a better understanding
Of the Divine, of our own hearts, of our place in this world

And we have chosen to do this
Not by reading self-help books
Or by watching the many television preachers
Available to us on cable
But instead by belonging to a faith community
That makes demands on us

This is not always a convenient choice
Nor is it usually terribly fashionable
But it is the choice we make /to walk together/
In those three abiding principles
That Paul tells us about, in his first letter to the Corinthians
Faith, Hope and Love

Now, of these three, Hope is the easiest one to describe
Coming together gives us hope
We support each other through hard times
We stand Rank By Rank in times of celebration and sorrow
It is the spirit of hope that John writes about
When he says Beloved, we are God’s children now
Hope is a promise for the future
Faith and Love, however, Faith and Love
Are what we practice on our journey

William Sloane Coffin tells us In his reading today
That faith and love are related
And so they are
Faith [he says] is being grasped by the power of love

Love is the glue that binds us together on our walk
And today, more that any other day
(More that Christmas Eve, or Palm Sunday, or Easter)
Today is the day that we celebrate it
We celebrate
With a Baptism, New Member Welcome, and Annual Meeting
Today is about the sacrifices we make for what we love
This institution, The Eliot Church, the people who come here
And consider it their religious home
And, yes, the Divine presence we seek
And that seeks us, too

If our building disappeared, if committees ceased,
If there wasn't any coffee or snacks after the service
Would we still gather here to worship
To walk together?
I believe the answer would be yes
For a congregation is not a building
In the same way that a family is not a house
Neither are we the sum total of our programs
Deep in the center of this (and any other) authentic community of faith
Is Hope for the future
Belief in each other in our common endeavor
And love for all of creation

We do not come here to annual meeting
We do not join this congregation
So that we can pledge or volunteer
We come here to
Walk in the paths of righteousness
And because of this we give
We give to each other and we give to ourselves
There is one more important step
When we choose to participate in a religious community
We also must welcome strangers
And invite them to walk with us
To be strangers no more
For there is no one, no matter how they have lead their lives
No one who is beyond hope
No one who cannot be loved
Paul once wrote to the Corinthians
Remember, my sisters and brothers, not many of you were wise. Not many of you were nobly born. Not many of you had power or influence. But God chose what is foolish in this world to shame the wise. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that do not exist, to bring to nothing things that are.

And so, on the path
We take together
Let us remember that we were once new
That we once needed a hand
(as every one of us will again)
And that when we go about our business
Giving of our time and our money
It is because we are truly blessed
Blessed to be part of a community
As fresh and vibrant, and healthy
As this one

Maryland and Baseball

2006-04-22T13:44:00.000-04:00

OK, the family and I just got back from Maryland, where we were showing off Son #3 to the in-laws. Needless to say, they were happy grandparents, indeed! We also, all got sick and had a remarkably long drive back home. It was one that included a stop over in Norwalk, CT. Thank you, Norwalk, for being a nice place to hang out for an evening!

In the car we were talking for a while about baseball and the various regional team preferences. Much of CT, of course, is Yankees territory--which always shocks me--but I get over it as the highway bring me back to Red Sox Nation. However, we came upon a sticky question that we would like to have resolved...

Where are the Mets fans? Do they have any? I am thinking that they must as they manage to field a team every year and sell their tickets. In the past they have been quite good and may be again! However, I rarely see Mets gear in my travels so...what's up? Are there any Mets fans (other that Dad) who read this blog? Where do you live? NYC, perhaps?

Anyway, that is all that I can muster on this first day back, maybe I will post my Easter sermon...

Maundy Thursday

2006-04-13T12:49:00.000-04:00

Today is Maundy Thursday. At 7:30 this evening we will open the doors of Eliot Church to celebrate communion together. The congregation tonight will be small. While some folks, no doubt, aren't interested in attending, others will not be there merely because of the complications of their schedules. Thursday evening, after all, isn't the easiest time to be out, particularly if one has kids! We will, of course, keep them in our hearts so their spirits will at least be with us.

To me, this evening has to do with the building of community in the face of difficulty, darkness and death. The first last supper wasn't done in anticipation of the resurrection so much as in vague anticipation of a still-undefined tragedy. These few days before Easter (for me) are for reflecting on death and suffering and on how we can reach out to those who journey with us. My thoughts tonight will be with those who are in need. Those needs, for many are physical or financial, but they may be spiritual, too. I will also be thinking of my fellow liberal Christians who also take the time to observe this Holy Week.

Here are some resources on today: Philocrites, BBC, Catholic Encyclopedia

I will leave you with a prayer by Augustine that I will be reading tonight. I found it in "The Thought of God" a Lenten Manual by Palfrey Perkins.

Blessed are all they, our God and King, who have traveled over the tempestuous sea of our mortality, and have at last come into the port of quiet and felicity. Cast a gracious eye upon us who are still in our dangerous voyage; strengthen us when we are exposed to the rough storms of trouble and temptation; defend us from our own negligence and cowardice and from treachery of our unfaithful hearts. And grant, O Lord, that in thy good time, we may bring our vessel safe into our desired haven.

Amen

Great Idea #5 Shock and Awe

2006-04-12T09:58:00.000-04:00

This Gospel of Judas has gotten me thinking about something that has captured my imagination in the past. I have often wondered if we, as people of faith, might want to stir things up more than we usually do. Of course we make statements and sign petitions around various social issues. We preach, occasionally (sometimes very occasionally) on controversial subjects or take a controversial position.

However, how often to we really challenge the underlying assumptions of our society in more mundane ways? We usually dress, talk and act in ways that ensure we do not offend or call attention to ourselves. Most of us rarely cause a stir and when we do, we often are embarrassed by what we have done. What if we intentionally poked at these things? They may seem small but in many ways, risking our social standing is a bigger thing than we might think.

In this Gospel (which, yes, is Gnostic and I am not) almost immediately we see Jesus being rude:
One day he was with his disciples in Judea, and he found them gathered together and seated in pious observance. When he approached his disciples gathered together and seated and offering a prayer of thanksgiving over the bread [he] laughed...
This is different from the righteous anger he exhibited at the temple. Here he is being inappropriate in a small way, yet in a way that both angers the disciples and makes them think. Come on, he's laughing during communion!

Really, the whole Gospel of Judas is seen as innapropriate by many. It is rude. It challenges how we are supposed (and are accustomed) to think. I believe that if we read the Bible with fresh eyes, that too is rude. It is refreshingly blunt (Check out Matthew 10:34-40). At its best, it shocks us out of our complacency and makes our minds (briefly, alas) move in new and exciting directions before we once again slip into what Kant called our "dogmatic slumbers". I think we slumber quite a bit too much.

As religious people we need to be inappropriate. William Sloane Coffin once said,
"Every prophet has realized that nobody loves you for being the enemy of their illusions." Yet we are called to be prophets to ourselves and to others. We are supposed to point toward what is real and eternal. We are supposed to be the enemies of our own illusions, large and small, as well.

So I am thinking, really, of rudeness as a spiritual discipline. A little bit of this can be healthy for ones own faith and for others, too. I do not mean that we should cause others pain or be hurtful, but so many of our assumptions about what is important are built on sand. For example, you could try (if you live in the suburbs) NOT raking (or watering, or fertilizing) your lawn. You may have a great deal of previously unrecognised free time and you and your neighbors might have to come to terms with where, exactly, proper lawn maintenance falls in the grand scheme of things. Ministers might want to act goofy from time to time or, even, use the occasional off-color word in public. I have found that our culture has a great many taboos that exist for no reason but to limit self-expression. We have a rich language, we should use more of it.

I, at least, have tried to make this a part of my ministry. Obviously, there are times when my vocation calls for the utmost seriousness. Other times, however, it does not. It takes some work to get out of "stuffy clergy" mode sometimes and (for me) it takes even more work to get back in! However, it is worth it. Religion and faith are funny, sometimes. We should laugh if the spirit moves us.

That Judas Thing

2006-04-10T13:01:00.000-04:00

Over at PeaceBang there is a post concerning the "Gospel of Judas" and its remarkable popularity. I, too, watched the entire documentary last night and enjoyed it as much as one can enjoy the documentaries on National Geographic these days. Frankly, I think their standards have slipped a wee bit. I am tired of the re-enactors looking all spooky. At least this one didn't have soem strange guy using crop circles to find the lost arc. Still, if they took those re-enactors out and spent a little more time with the talking heads, it would have been much shorter and much more informative. Incidentally, my favorite goofy part were the antiquities thieves. Oh, and (quite randomly) a statement from Bob Schuller, just so we know this doesn't really change anything. Thanks, Dr. Bob, I feel better already!

The popularity, no doubt, has something to do with the intense marketing. In one day (Friday, I believe), I read an extensive article in the NYT, recieved an email with link, AND encountered stacks of the two new books on the subject (both published by Nat.Geo.) on the "20% off rack" inside the door at Barnes and Noble. Good work, Marketing Team! Imagine the "man-hours" it took to pull it off! As usual, there was plenty about it Saturday, too, as other religion reporters read the Times article, took the kids to Barnes and Noble, and did their own reports.

Having said that, I have read the Gospel of Judas and a goodly portion of the shorter one of the books. (minus the cloak and dagger stuff as I have already seen the movie). It is interesting and-- I find at least--fairly accessible for an ancient text. Also, because it has to do with Judas, it's appeal is somewhat justified. It is just darn different to think of him as a good guy. Of course, a Gen-X commentator on NPR pointed out the obvious, which is that this bears nice similarities to the Gospel of Tim Rice, set so stunningly to music by some guy named Andy Webber...

Anyway, I might just preach on it. Or, more likely, I will preach a sermon about the ancient church and the many different experiences of Jesus people had. THAT is interesting. Regardless of whether this new gospel shakes the foundations of orthodoxy or not (and I suspect not, but then, I don't really have much of an investment in orthodoxy) , it is another example of how rich the human religious imagination can be. This imagination (or "creativity", if "imagination" makes you think of Mr. Snuffleuppagus) is what we seek in our own religious communities. Maybe we don't all agree with the Gnostics, but I do believe that it is good to think for ourselves and to use our experience of the Divine to make sense of our lives in the world. We can do this. Thank God for that.

Preaching on it would also give me the chance to roll in that Bart Ehrman book everyone in the church read last week (I'm serious, it was quite a remarkable coincidence) and continue on a track started before Palm Sunday with a sermon about the edits and history of the Psalms...

Slightly Later:
I am so ashamed! Peregrinato has quite the essay going on just this subject. His is insightful and scholarly. No Sesame Street character, etc... Check it out!

The UCC, Dual Standing, etc...

2006-04-05T09:58:00.000-04:00

Now, I'm not saying that my Blogcation is completely over, but...

A few of things have happened lately that have gotten me thinking about the UCC. One of these is Scott Well's "Church Search" that most recently lead him to a UCC congregation. Another is the current readjustments at the Mass. Conference of the UCC. They are changing their structure and laying off a few employees. One of those who is being let go is the Rev. Laura Lee Kent, the Central Association Minister. For you UUs;the UCC has an extra level of management. Laura Lee is roughly similar to a District Executive. I will miss her. She has been a good leader and a great help to this church as we begin to explore our relationship with the UCC. Also, on a personal note, if it wasn't for her kindly badgering I would never have finished my application for Dual-Standing in the UCC.

Yes, that is the third thing. I--for as long as I am the minister of the Eliot Church--am to be treated as one of their ministers. This is an interesting experience and one that has gotten me thinking about the condition of Christianity in the UUA.

Every once in a while a minister or seminarian leaves the UUA for the UCC (here is Pearlbear's excellent post on her journey). Sometimes they retain their fellowship but attend and even join congregations affiliated with the UCC or some other denomination (Society of Friends as been popular in the past). The reasons given often concern the rather unfortunate tendency of many, many UUs to question the Liberal Christian's continued fellowship with the UUA. Strangely, many of my UCC colleagues ask me the exact same question. It came up before my Dual Standing interview as "So...you are Christian and a UU...you can do that?" This was a sincere question, I might add, based upon their own experiences of Unitarian Universalist ministers and congregations. I told them that it is certainly possible, but it is hard.

Another reason is, of course, that the other community of faith is just a better fit.

My heart goes out to those who leave. I sympathize with them and wish them the best. However, even with (or because of?) my new affiliation, I will be staying UU for now.

Here is what keeps me in the UUA:
I like the freedom both theologically and structurally. I am allowed to explore my Christianity without having to worry about anyone watching over me to ensure orthodoxy. I also like the fact that the Eliot Church and churches like it are able to participate in the life of the District and of the UUA. I enjoy the challenge of spending time with people who disagree with me and, when they are willing, having good, healthy discussions about these disagreements. I enjoy spending my time with my fellow UU ministers (this is not a small thing).

What I do not like, however, is that sense of superiority that many UUs have about their faith. A sense, I might add, that often implies (or explicitly states) that my faith is inferior to theirs. Interestingly, one of the things I have observed is that my actually being a UU seems to be the most objectionable part. I have spent time with UCC colleagues who serve UU/UCC churches and they rarely have the same experience when attending UU events. They say people are more polite to them. Hmmm.... Maybe I should start telling people I'm a Congregationalist and let them figure out what kind.

Also, there is a triumphalism to some UU rhetoric that is remarkable for a group professing to be liberal. I have written here before about the offical from Beacon street who informed his audience (including me) that the UUA was the only thing between the religious right and total domination. This, no doubt, would come as surprise, not just to the UCC, but to Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, the unchurched, etc. Needless to say, they mostly missed this thunderous declaration and continue to do good toil on...

I should say, also, that the UCC has its issues. If you follow the links above, you will see that there is a great deal going on locally that, at least for the short term, will make some things rather confused. Also, our congregation is a mix of perspectives and people best served by both organizations.

So this arrangment works. I meet, from time to time with ministers and laypeople from both groups and I sometimes run into ministers of churches like mine at these meetings (particularly meetings of the Council of Christian Churches in the UUA and the Ecumenically Shared ministries group in the Central Association, UCC). We receive the support we need from the people who speak our theological language, whoever they may be.

Another Lenten Sermon (Welcome Spring!)

2006-03-27T10:30:00.000-05:00

So, here is that sermon I was writing during my last post. These are the notes, at least. Today when I openned my New York Times there was a picture of two Roman Catholic nuns rollerskating in Manhattan. This was just what I needed to see on a day when office work will take up the vast bulk of my pastoral time. Thank you Nuns, for finding joy in your vocation and reminding the rest of us how honored we truly are...

Welcome Spring!
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot
3/26/06
The Eliot Church

Today we didn’t read that famous passage from Matthew
When Jesus tells us to
Consider the lilies, how they grow, they neither toil nor spin
But, of course, that is just what many of us are doing these days
Both toiling and watching the flowers bloom

Now, those of you who are regular visitors to the dam
(Across the Street)
Know that the flowers are starting to come out there
(I have no idea what kind of flowers they are
But I am sure someone can fill us in later)
Last week the flowers in the park slowly began to make their appearance
And this week they have picked up the pace

They are among the first signs that a change is occurring
Both in nature and in our own lives
Rise up fair one and come away for lo the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.

No matter how we may feel about winter: the season
Whether we love the cold clear days,
The skiing and other sports
Or if we could just as soon do without these things
There are few people who cannot identify with this passage
From the Song of Solomon
After all, there are very few who haven’t
At one time or another endured the winter of the heart

You know what your winter feels like
Better than I can tell you
But we have, most of us, experienced the emptiness
Felt the cold of a moment of doubt, pain, or anxiety
And struggled through day after day, week after week
Unsure, sometimes, of what to do or what the next moment will bring
Many of us, also will acknowledge
That the winter of the heart comes regularly, too
On its own cycle
And that some winters are more harsh than others

Martin Marty, a professor of Church History
Describes the feeling he had since the death of his first wife
In this way
Winter can blow into surprising regions of the heart when it is least expected. Such frigid assaults can overtake the spirit with the persistence of an ice age, the chronic cutting of an arctic wind

Marty also believes that these cold times are necessary
For our own growth
But still, just as we cannot survive long in the arctic wind
We humans cannot live with total absence
Bereft of joy, warmth, creativity forever

And so we hang on to listen again for those Divine words
Rise up fair one and come away, for the winter has past

Now, according to the calendar, spring is here
But, of course, it comes slowly
Our liturgical calendar, focusing as it does
On the big holidays, like Christmas, Palm Sunday, and Easter
Sometimes neglects the gradual nature of change
Walking every morning by the dam I see new things each time
But these new things are small
Their alterations incremental

And so we wait,
Just as we wait during Lent for Easter Morning
We wait and see the awakening of the earth

Now, there really is a connection between spring
And the growth of the soul
After all, for all our pretences concerning
Civilization and the use of logic and reason
At the end of the day people are animals, too
And the warming of the days
The chance to be out in the natural world
Changes us, gives us an opportunity to experience the magic
Of creation

The minister and religious educator Jeanne Nieuwejaar
Writes
When I was a child, the fields and the forest were my playground…I remember moments of lying in a meadow, grass and wildflowers tall above me, vast sky overhead, insects buzzing and brushing by me. In such moments I felt a sense of near dissolution into the earth…moments of feeling that the boundary between me and the meadow was a permeable [one], when I was a child I was a spiritual being—as all children are…

The birth of spring gives us the chance
To experience the rebirth of something inside us

Now some folks, don’t have to wait too long
Before spring enters their hearts
They are already up and about
But others don’t rise as quickly

We want to realize that promise of Psalm 107
For God satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry are filled with good things
But sometimes we need help
And we need to find the faith to see the hope that love brings
This is the faith that defies creed and sterile theology
It is basic and elemental to who we are
It is a faith, that, itself sometimes needs
That unexpected but always hoped for
Message from God

Thomas Long, a professor of preaching
At Candler School of theology writes
Then I realize that I am face down on a linoleum floor somewhere in my life, powerless, praying like mad “You have done it for others, God, I am begging you, do it for me.” And when I find myself lifted up [he says]
I am more grateful than I can say
So we wait, during this time of year for that kind of help, as well

Now, waiting can be done in a variety of ways
We can pace, we can plan, we can complain
About how long the trip has been

But there are other ways
And this is a good time to practice them
Because, no matter when the winter of your heart is
The transition from the season of winter to the season of spring
Is marked by Lent
This is an excellent time to intentionally practice transitions
Charles Dickens describes those
March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

What better time to build up our strength
To push ourselves up off the floor
And to develop our spiritual sensitivity
So that we can hear the voice telling us to rise?
This is the time to develop new habits,
Not the immediate kind
But gradually, as with the flowers in the park

Now, last week we talked about relationships
Nothing fills the absence as well
As sharing the love others have for us
And we for them

Now, there are ways that we can do this (each of us)
There is the formal way
For example, since Lent is already halfway over,
It may be a good time to give something up, for example
And instead of giving up a material thing (like dessert)
Why not make it be something to do with the connections we have?
I have a colleague, for example,
Who has given up the judgement of others this year
Last year she refrained from gossip
Apparently life was pretty quiet for her in March
There are these kinds of things
That make us think about how we relate
In an often cold environment

But, of course, there are other less structured ways to practice relationships
I remember the congregation I served in Sangerville, Maine, for example
where we would all gather in the kitchen on Wednesday mornings
This time of year before the sun came up
We would have pancakes and smoked salmon
We would have some short reading, usually from the Bible
And then we would just visit before folks went off to work.
Human connections get us through the hard times.
Casual rituals such as this help us relate to each other
So we are ready when the hard times are less seasonal and more unexpected

Before walking my son home from school Friday
We stopped at the playground
So he could hang out with his friends
The other parents and I were marveling
At how all the children had grown over the winter
And also at how little we had seen of each other
The winter of the heart, as with the actual season
Is a time of inwardness
A time where the lack of ease and comfort
Naturally limits our movements and our encounters
There is a lot of connecting going on these days
In church, in town, and everywhere else

But this does not mean, however,
That we should start living so far outside ourselves
That we ourselves stop growing
After all, as our quote from Dickens said earlier
There are days of winter in March, too
And we need to be ready for them

One relationship that needs to be kept up
Is the one we have with ourselves
We need to spend time,
Yes, in nature
Yes, with each other
But also listening to voices inside
Both in times of absence and abundance
We need to just be

Robert Frost writes
Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year

So let us, during this time of awakening
Remember to spend time together
And to spend time alone
To not look too far ahead
To wait patiently for the breaking in of the Divine

But let us also cry out when we need to
Reach out when the spirit moves us
And seek out the voice of the Beloved
Calling us to rise up
And to move on

Tired?

2006-03-24T13:13:00.000-05:00

I am tired these days. Probably it is in part because of the new baby and partly it is because of Lent. My computer also died, precipitating more hours in the office writing and researching my sermon for this Sunday. The title: "Welcome Spring!"...

This time of year, I think, many of us feel this way. Certainly in my conversations with colleagues I have heard much the same thing. There is a weariness that runs through our talk. There is an accumulation of winter concerns that weigh us down. We are right on the edge of turning some corner that--when we do--will change our perspective and, quite possibly the arc of our lives.

That corner for me comes some time around Easter morning. Sometimes not right on the day but it comes and I say "Oh...this is how it is!" then I get that burst of energy to carry through to the next small revelation. The trick is to understand that there is no speeding the process up. Now is the preparation time. Right now we wait, go about our work and get ready for the moment when inspiration (or resurrection) strikes.

Of course, we don't wait alone. This is part of the reason I love church. I remember a congregation I served in Sangerville, Maine where we would all gather in the kitchen on Wednesday mornings before the sun came up during Lent. We would have pancakes and smoked salmon. We would have some reading and then we would chat before folks went off to work. I am thinking about those meals this March. Human connections get us through the hard times. Lent helps us practice relating to each other for when the hard times are less seasonal and more unexpected.

So I have a question, dear reader, how does this process work for you? Does your life cycle from winter to spring in this way, or does your spiritual calendar differ? I have always loved Easter because of the change and the clarity I get from it. For someone else, this may come at a different time. I am curious about this. I know of few people who never experience times of serious reflection. The few I do know I often think could use one...

Here is a quote I found from Charles Dickens that goes well with the week.

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

May your summers grow and your winters recede this season and when your winters return, may they make you strong.

Beloved Community

2006-03-20T09:47:00.000-05:00

Here is yesterday's sermon. Note the shout out to my anonymous colleague PeaceBang...

Beloved Community
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot
March 19, 2006
The Eliot Church, Natick, MA

Johnathan Swift once observed that
We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love
When we look honestly at the condition of our world
And of human relations today
It is hard not to sympathize with Swift’s statement
So much of what passes for religion in modern society
(All religions)
Seems at times to devolve into various exercises in finger pointing
Into a sometimes deadly debate
Over who best knows the unknowable

And while there are many people
Who are truly sincere in their beliefs
Too often we find under the surface piety of our leaders
Conflicting self-interests and willful misunderstanding
In an environment such as this
It can be hard to build a truly community of faith

We can see this is in the work and career
Of St. Patrick, for example
Who was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery in Ireland
And who, after escaping, returned there as a priest
A man of peace and opponent of slavery
Surrounded by tribes and clans
Constantly at war with each other
Now That was a challenging work environment
And while he achieved many things
He never was completely successful

And just like Patrick, all that we achieve
Comes from the dedication and hard work
Of individuals and groups
If this were not the case
If a true community was easy to build
Then there wouldn’t have been any reason
For Jesus to behave the way he did
In the temple

Take these things out of here! [he declared] Stop making my father’s house a marketplace.
Then he chased them,
Making a whip out of rope, turning over tables
Generally creating a nuisance

Why did he do this?
Not because there is anything wrong with commerce
But because the temple, a sacred space
The house of God
Serves a higher goal
There was, in the presence of these merchants
Selling sacrificial items, religious trinkets, souvenirs
A confusion of communities
A conflict between secular norms
And religious requirements

The purpose of religion, after all
Isn’t, really to develop products
But to build an inner life both for the individual
And within congregations
The presence of the merchants challenged that basic function

Much as with the temple in Jesus’ time
We can see this trend/
This confusion of communities in the church today
(And here when I say “the Church” I am speaking of the church universal
Rather than the Eliot Church specifically)
We see the confusion of a consumer culture
Applied to religion
In an area where the mall
Has become a greater gathering place than the common
It is natural to expect that people’s understanding
Of other parts of their lives
Would change, too

The most obvious example would be the Las Vegas Wedding Chapel
Where a “church wedding” of sorts can be had quickly, for cash
And with no real reflection or discernment required
But this attitude can also filter into how people relate to
Actual religious communities
A colleague of mine who serves a church near here
And also near a popular reception hall
Told me recently that only 10% of her wedding services
Are for people with a connection to the congregation
And only 2% of the other couples
Eventually form a connection with her church

Now everyone is entitled to the kind of wedding they want
But when a location is selected based on convenience and architecture
Rather than a sense of belonging
Then the basic relationship with and expectation of religion has changed
From a provider of community and connection
To a provider of services

(I should note that 100% of my wedding here have been for people from our Eliot community…maybe we should move)

The basic function of faith communities is still
To bring people to together in meaningful ways
Aristotle tells us
That all healthy communities have certain things in common
There is an assemblage of people
With different interests and gifts
And there is a shared goal
In his words
The salvation of community is the common business of [us] all.
Without this common business
A group of people make
Not a community but an assemblage of self-interested individuals
Sharing services

In religious communities this common business is worship
Worship in the sanctuary
And worshipful lives in the world
Jesus spent his life, as did his followers like St. Patrick
Trying to build
A community of faith loved by God
A Beloved Community
A love that can be seen in Genesis
Between God and Abraham and Sarah

And it can also be seen in our covenant:
In the love of truth and the spirit of Jesus
We unite for the worship of God and the service of All
That is:
On a quest for truth, (the same quest that Jesus took)
We come To worship together in love
And to serve, not just our own Eliot community
But everyone we touch
That is a tall order, but all around us in the sanctuary today
We see people who are willing to try

We are getting ready for annual meeting
On April 30th
So we are well aware
Of the many different gifts our members have
From managing money to educating our children
And lately we have been thinking
A great deal about our outreach programs as well

The programs of this church
Aren’t undertaken because we need to feel busy
Most of us are busy enough as it is
They aren’t even done merely because they are good things to do
No, the purpose of the activities of our congregation
From the deadly serious to the fun and whimsical
Is to deepen our faith
And our relationships with each other
All our activities
Help us fulfill our covenant

For example, Last week we celebrated Outreach Sunday
Where the committee focused
On one of their many projects
Namely the West Virginia Workcamp
In the part of the service where we heard from participants
Each of them told us that the experience had changed them
Had deepened their faith enough that they wanted to return

The same can be said for volunteering for the service council
For working with the Pine Street Inn to fight homelessness/
Even when we invite people to our after service forums
To discuss things like the Community Preservation Act
We are living out our love of truth and of the Divine

All of these activities have something in common:
Human contact, the exchange of ideas of hopes and dreams

Today we are having a forum after church
Focusing on a relatively new endeavor, both for the church
And for the MetroWest region
The Metropolitan Interfaith Congregations Acting for Hope
(or MICAH) Project
A group founded on this concept of beloved community
Specifically, it contends, as many people of faith do
That the basic glue that holds a community together
Is made up of the relationships that we make with each other
And with the God
At MICAH Catholics and protestants, liberals and conservatives, believers and seekers, Christians and Jews sit down together to talk about
What concerns their local communities today

This emphasis on conversation
Is inherently religious or spiritual
John Haynes Holmes in our reading today wrote that
Religion has to do with the ideal ends of life. In the very nature of these ideal ends [he says] religion must direct its attention not to individuals, but to relationships between individuals.
Building a house, serving food,
Meeting to discuss the issues and problems of the world
These things are often harder than sending money
More challenging, even, than voting
(Though we certainly should do these things, too)
Because it requires us to risk ourselves
To take a stand
To make our faith a relevant part of the world
And of our own lives

We are also required to set clear boundaries
Rules for healthy interactions
Healthy relationships
That is another reason the church has a covenant
For the quality of our conversation is important

We are always in relationship, after all
In a rapidly shrinking world
Each of us is even more dependant
Not just on family and friends
But on people we do not know and may never meet
And, strangely, this proximity can make us more isolated than before
It can encourage us to give up control
To those who seem to have all the answers

By being here at Eliot, by sharing/ belonging
We do risk something
But the rewards of right relationship
Are greater than the risk
We have become part of something larger
What Martin Luther King called a Network of Mutuality
Each of us is an essential part of the human drive
Toward that new and ideal society
The commonwealth of Heaven here on earth

Among the legends of St. Patrick
There is one involving a sacred fire
One lit on a hill in the darkness that could not be put out
We, too, here at Eliot
And in every church, temple, synagogue and mosque
Can light that unquenchable fire in the darkness
Not on some lonely hill
But in our hearts and in the hearts of others

So that we may, someday prove Swift wrong
And have too much religion to hate
And just enough to love

Blogcation!

2006-03-14T09:50:00.000-05:00

I am taking a semi-blogcation! With all the work at church (it is Lent) and the baby at home there is just no time to do much in this department of my ministry. I will, however, post sermons when I can and will return when I can (most likely after Easter) to writing more extensively.

Yours in Faith,
Adam

My Three Sons, etc...

2006-03-08T14:14:00.000-05:00

We spent most of last week at the hospital. Baby #3 came into this world weighing a remarkable 10lbs 4ozs. That is a lot of baby! My wife and I spent a few days getting used to our new arrival and getting him to be somewhat less jaundiced than how he entered the world. I, being the dad, had somewhat less to do and, since I was not an actual patient, had the freedom to explore and to…well…watch TV.

Actually, I had a lot of time to think and hit upon a variety of topics that are more or less interesting enough to be blogged-upon. Here are some of the issues that occupied my time.

NFLPA: The NFL Player’s Association is doing its darndest at the moment to stand up for the rights and interests of its members. I say “good job!” Even as I write, the owners are discussing whether or not to accept the Union’s offer. At first, you may wonder why you should care about how much money these players make. All I have to say is that you probably have a job, too and you probably would like to be (or enjoy being) paid what you deserve. There is not real difference in this case. The players work hard and are making the franchise owners very wealthy. They deserve a large piece of the pie over their remarkable short careers.

It is, as in many businesses, the rank and file that make the product. After all, I don’t tune in to watch a bunch of old white men play football do I? No, I do not and you don’t either. Not all of these guys are wealthy. For every Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, there are many, many more people who play for a few years at the league minimum and then find themselves unemployed and with little to fall back on. They may have a college degree, but even this may not be helpful, as college for many of these folks ends up being more like a minor league franchise than an educational institution. The owners owe it to the players to find a way to put aside their own differences and address the needs of the men who make them rich.

MFK Fisher: While I was in the hospital all I had to read was the food writer MFK Fisher. I have now read two of her books and I can safely say that I will read more. I enjoy them. However, I do not think I would have enjoyed Fisher, herself. She seems to be condescending toward her readers, rude toward the “help” and the “simple” folk who cannot cook or eat as well as she, and overly self-involved in a way that can be grating. However, she is a great writer who has given more than one gift to the English language and I enjoy reading what she has to say.

I remember a phone interview I once heard in which the host (Michael Feldman) told an author (Ann Lamott) that he liked her new book but didn’t like the characters. Lamott appeared to get upset and hung up. I, however, understand what Feldman meant. Fisher is an annoying character. It doesn’t mean she isn’t interesting...

Hospital Food: The care at our hospital was fine. The food was horrendous. One time, while collecting various items in the cafeteria, I overheard the cook telling a co-worker that he no longer ate what he made because it was killing him! I would like to say that this revelation caused me to get the salad. It did not.

What we eat is extremely important, not just for our bodies but for our souls. Please hospital establishment, please find a way to restore some sanity to your food services! Hospitals strip us of our humanity. We need you to help us find that humanity again. Paint you cafeterias with something other than discount colors. Hire actual chefs to develop a menu that is both nutritious and soul-affirming. Make us feel like something other than an afterthought. We will thank you for it and we will shop with you again.

Pat Tillman: Need I say more?

I also gave quite a bit of thought—as many parents do—to the state of society and the immense responsibility we have to make this a place that, when we die (and we will) there is something worth experiencing, living for, and loving in this world. That subject, however, requires a great deal of thought and prayer. After all, isn’t that what true religion is about?

Great Idea #4 Not Necessarily Diners

2006-02-23T16:15:00.000-05:00

In his 1948 culinary tour de force “The Unprejudiced Palate,” Angelo Pellegrini wrote “The American breakfast, an ingenious combination of fruit, cereal, eggs with bacon or ham, and the finest coffee found anywhere is a superb culinary achievement.” There is no better place to begin my description of Great Idea #4. Yes, once again, we enter the realm of food. I can’t help it. I like to eat and so, dear reader, do you. Today I want to call to your attention an institution that goes by many names and is one of the finest cultural achievements of these United States.

Some would refer to it as a Diner. This is fine, as far as it goes. However, when many folks think of diners, they instantly go to the chrome-encrusted railroad car, or the equally shiny ‘50’s themed restaurant. Stop yourselves, please. Many such establishments suffer from the rather odd belief that one wants to pay more than one should to listen to Buddy Holly and be treated rudely by the waitstaff. This, they feel, is authentic. This, in reality, is a rip-off. Others (particularly the railroad-car variety) used to be something more but have become tourist traps or places for the yuppies to buy coffee. The “Miss Brunswick” (a "Worcester Diner" and, therefore, a purist's dream) for example, has phases of tastiness, but when I was in high school, at least, was a great place if you needed a lawyer.

Still, to call it a diner is as accurate a description as one might desire. After all, to call it a “breakfast place” neglects its ample burgers. To say “lunch counter” ignores both breakfast and the fact that some have no counter at all! “Greasy Spoon,” is a sign of disrespect toward the hard-working, often immigrant families that run these establishments. These are people who would die of humiliation if the restaurant were found to be unsanitary! However, you could call it a “Grill (or Grille)” or even a “Place” as these are the words you will often find over the front door.

Sometimes they are known by the name of the proprietor. When I was the minister of the First Universalist Church of Sangerville, Maine, I was expected, from time to time, to hold down a seat at the counter of “Gloria’s”. The fact that this was not the name on the sign out front was beside the point. Gloria was behind the counter. If you sat at it, it was Gloria’s restaurant. I also ate at Drake’s in Guilford and a variety of other places over the years.

To describe them by one blanket name is, of course, to miss their uniqueness. Going there you enter a community. If you go there too many times, you must be prepared to converse with your neighbors and tell your waitress how you are really feeling. When at Gloria’s, I was expected to chat with my neighbors, the workers, and anyone else who may drop in. Popular topics were the Pats, the Sox, the weather, church, business, and politics. Such conversations help to define you. They give you a place and a reason to be there. Conversation is, more than the money, the currency of breakfast.

In a dining establishment where belonging is important, the rules of politeness change. When you go to one of these places it is true that they might not at first give you a menu. This isn’t, actually, an attempt to be rude but, in fact, the opposite. “Regulars” don’t always need or want menus. It may be that the staff doesn't want to insult someone by not remembering them! This, friends, is very different from the practiced snobbery you might be familiar with. However, if they are rude when you ask for one, you have my permission to get up and leave.

My local "Great Idea" is called the Central Street Grill. It is located, not surprisingly, on East Central Street in Natick, MA. There is no better place to go in the morning when you don’t feel like breakfast at home or when you want to spend some time in an unpretentious environment with your family. All kinds of people go there. Everybody is welcome, just like churches should be, except that it is “more true” at the Grill. There is no counter here and I miss that, but the service is welcoming...even friendly. I highly recommend it.

In fact, I recommend that you take your first available morning and explore a bit, yourself. Particularly if you have avoided the store-front diner and the road-side breakfast place. There may be more inside than meets the eye! Of course, there may not be, too. However, life without risks has few rewards. It is the brave bird that gets the best Breakfast Burger…

I Ate the Meatballs...

2006-02-21T18:46:00.000-05:00

...and they were good!

Waiting for baby can make you do strange things. Today the fam went on a field trip to IKEA. Now, Boy in the Bands has from time to time mentioned to me the magical goodness of its furniture selection, its prices, and, yes, its Swedish Meatballs. Others had forewarned me that the air-terminal sized establishment was...well... somewhat unusual. Still, I thought myself prepared. I have been to Jordan's Furniture in Framingham and seen its "Bourbon Street" show. I was wrong! Nothing in my sheltered existence had prepared me for the IKEA experience. Jordan's now seems a mere sidewalk stand to me. It was, truly, an amazing display of consumption and vaguely scandanavian design.

We were there looking for certain items for the baby-room and, of course, to sample the famous meatballs, but we gained so much more. For starters, my housewares spirit was lifted in a way it hasn't been since the demise of the DANSK Factory Outlet in Freeport, Maine. The cafeteria even had (albeit cheaply made) forks with three prongs! I used to work at Dansk and, some days, still miss it. Also, the music was total '80's. I know I will be old when IKEA stops playing Wham!!

I had so much fun, in fact, that had I eaten the meatballs yesterday, maybe I would have pulled for Sweden instead of Canada in the Women's Hockey finals...

...and speaking of the Olympics, has anyone noticed how angry some people are getting at Bryant Gumbel? Gumbel, whose sports show is the only reason I ever watch HBO, in a recent editorial had some rather strong words about the Winter Olympics.

Finally, tonight, the Winter Games. Count me among those who don’t like them and won’t watch them ... Because they’re so trying, maybe over the next three weeks we should all try too. Like, try not to be incredulous when someone attempts to link these games to those of the ancient Greeks who never heard of skating or skiing. So try not to laugh when someone says these are the world’s greatest athletes, despite a paucity of blacks that makes the Winter Games look like a GOP convention. Try not to point out that something’s not really a sport if a pseudo-athlete waits in what’s called a kiss-and-cry area, while some panel of subjective judges decides who won ... So if only to hasten the arrival of the day they’re done, when we can move on to March Madness — for God’s sake, let the games begin.

Now, I will leave it up to Bryant to explain what he meant here. However, I have to say that, as a person who tried--really tried--to watch this year, I am ready to have this over. My favorite moments included the Croatian Woman (Janica Kostelic) who skied with the flu, the Slovak men's hockey team, and the US Bobsled team (why is it Bobsleigh now?). My least favorite moment was when a comentator said that the Canadian women's gold medal was a "hollow victory" because they didn't play the Americans (they seemed happy enough to me).

The fact is, I do not ski. I do not play hockey. I went to a private high school (and then, briefly, Bates College, Gumbel's alma mater) in Maine where, frankly (and with a couple major exceptions), the kids who skied and played hockey weren't my favorite people. Some of them seemed to be a lot like Bode Miller (I do feel sorry for him), clueless and popular.

I was briefly impressed by the snowboarding, with its rebellious, non-conformist roots but, it seems that these roots are pretty much forgotten now. This is why we saw Lindsey Jacobellis put down for "showboating". Yeah, it was silly, but I am sure that her VISA contract will help console her. I did enjoy reading about Shani Davis, the first African-American man to win an individual gold at the winter games. But now, I am done.

Please, Bryant Gumbel, minor deity of sport, give me a call and we can talk about the NFL Combine, OK? I am ready, too...

Waiting

2006-02-18T07:55:00.000-05:00

Last night I officiated at a very lovely wedding for a very lovely young couple. They were younger, even, than me! I have noticed that this happens more often lately... After the service, I was asked by a few congregants how I was doing. This had little to do with the service but with something else. As you may have gathered (and some of you already know), my wife and I are expecting our third child any day now.

When I say "any day", I of course am referring to the week-and-a-half before the due date when you just can't stand another moment. Everyone is exhausted (especially "Mrs. Unity") and all is in place. All there is left to do is wait. I have the week relatively off. Clergy readers will recognize this state as "On-Call" or "Study-Time". That wedding was the last set appointment on my schedule for some time. Now I must put the crib together, assemble the changing table, and distract the kids (it is February Vacation), while Terasa Schwartz and the Rev. Liz Magill cover for me in the pulpit. Come on kid! This is the time!

Its amazing to me how distracting real waiting can be. During Advent and Lent we try to practice this a bit. We have projects like buying presents or giving something up. Now, however, it is a little less spiritual and quite a bit more practical. Maybe that will change, but I am not the kind of expectant dad who can say, "this looks like a great time for self-improvement!"

Actually, I am more likely to become an absent-minded curmudgeon. I told my wife, for example, that I can no longer go to Babies "R" Us because the last time I was there it was all I could do not to go and lecture a couple of first-timers. They had lined up all the different "Diaper Genies" (a trash can that makes little sausages out of disposed diapers) and one of them had actually used the term "aroma" unironically. Poor kids...all they can do is learn to love the smell. Meanwhile, I can rarely find my keys and my work schedule has become something of a maze of complexity.

Of course birth, itself, is (among other things) profoundly religious, but it is not quite as orderly as Advent. There is no slow-stately donkey-ride. There is, as far as I can tell from past experience, a shortage of wise folks bearing gifts. The due date, too, doesn't quite correspond to the actuall birth day. The big moment sneaks up on you like a chronological ambush. That makes it hard to plan those pesky pre-birth rituals. It is why Santa only comes once a year.

I will need to go get some books, both for my wife and for me. We are both big readers. As the moment approaches (whenever that is) and immediately following, we will want to pretend we have time to read. Also, I will take some time with 1&2 Kings. I have been meaning to read them again but haven't. No, really...it will be fun! Otherwise the older boys and I will work hard to keep from going crazy by way of walks, trips to Boston, and playdates (for them). My people aren't all that great in the patience department. Still, we will wait. Then the real fun begins!

Do Not Conform!

2006-02-13T11:47:00.000-05:00

Here are the notes from my very short sermon a week ago Sunday. It is short because it was a "Communion Sunday" as all first-Sundays-of-the-month are. However, it is extra short because it was Confirmation Sunday. When we confirm people at Eliot we invite the confirmands to "sign the book" and join the church. Two did and this is what I said about the big day.

As usual, this is printed the way I preached it. Also, the Bible passages lack the "chapter:verse" endnote. They are only notes because I lack the time to put them into another format. I leave the bible verse out in hopes that, if you are interested in the source and context, that you goodle and read the stuff around it.

DO NOT CONFORM
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot
Eliot Church
2/5/06

Do not conform to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds

This is the suggestion, the charge, the commandment
That we find in our reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans today
And it is a fitting one for us
It is fitting, not just for Ben and Zach
But for all of us, members and friends of the Eliot Church
Do not conform
Many sects and denominations in the contemporary Christian landscape
Look at this passage and see, rightly
A requirement to avoid overly entangling oneself
In the many superficialities of daily life

Do not conform, Paul tells us
To the fashion of the day
The urge to fit in
The race for more wealth and more fame
Do not, he seems to say
Do not get too carried away with the pressures and values
Of a specific era in human history
But, instead, look to God for guidance
And Be transformed by the renewing of your mind

But this is where many faiths stop
When read in the light of many churches
And other houses of worship
We are meant to assume
That Paul stops short in his call
When it comes to the church
In other words
Do not conform to the world. Conform to the doctrines and teachings of this one, true faith whatever that may be

Of course, here at Eliot, we don’t usually agree with that interpretation
For how, (we and our predecessors here have asked)
How can we both conform to a static faith
And be transformed?
How can we renew our minds, our hearts and our souls
If we aren’t expected to stretch them and explore?
And so we, too, as a church are nonconformists
Like Paul and those other members of the early Jesus movement

Waldemar Argow,
(as many of you know, a past minister of this church)
Waldemar Argow once wrote
The first of the tenets of liberal religion is freedom in religionReligious liberalism does not ask that you subscribe to any creed or doctrinal statement…Why not? [he asks and then answers] Because it does not believe that the truth is ever fixed, or that any one religion or creedal formulation contains the final answer. It does believe that our comprehension of truth is an emergent thing which grows clearer as humanity grows wiser, nobler, and better informed.

This, this idea of growth that Argow describes
Is the guiding light of the faith of many in this room
And so, it informs our religious education program
Just as it informs and guides our worship services
And our outreach projects
And many other moments for us
Both as a community and as individuals
Our liberal faith is dedicated to something that is sometimes called
The Free and Responsible Search for truth and meaning
{from the P&P}

First, ours is a free faith
One where we do not expect others to agree with us
We can see that freedom in action today
Where we are celebrating the good work
Of those in our Confirmation program
Con-fir-mation:
we have come today
Not to celebrate a journey that has ended
There is no test for the people coming out of our Sunday School
This is not Conformation, at all
We do not ask our adults to conform
Why would we do so to our children?

No…We are today confirming, or affirming
Zach and Ben and, for that matter all the people
Who call Eliot “their church”
We are affirming their (and our) maturity
Their (and our) willingness and ability
To conduct and pursue the constant transformation of our minds
We are confirming their (and our) connection to this church

I call that mind free writes William Ellery Channing
Abolitionist, Liberal Christian, and long-time minister
Of what is now called the Arlington Street Church in Boston
I call that mind free which has cast off all fear but that of wrongdoing, and which no menace or peril can enthrall

That is the goal still today
The free faith, the free church, and the free mind
But such a goal can breed arrogance

And we must beware
For the purpose of our faith is just as much
About respect of others
As it is about the quest for truth
For it is through others that we learn about our world
About the Divine
And so Paul warns us
Not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, but think with sober judgement

Good advice from the follower of a man named Jesus
A Rabbi another dissenter who paid the ultimate price
For the freedom he sought for humanity
This is why we, in our search for truth and meaning
Must also be responsible
Responsible to each other
And responsible for ourselves

The faith of the Eliot Church is built on trust
From the Universalists: trust in the goodness
And eternal, unconditional love of God
And from the Congregationalists (both Trinitarian and Unitarian):
Trust in the ability of our fellow human beings
To do the right thing
To govern themselves in matters of faith
As well as in those matters pertaining to society as a whole
That is why our members meet annually
To select officers and approve the budget of our church

(A system of governance that our tradition
Gifted to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Through Town Meeting)

And it is also why we reach out to the community
Through the Outreach Committee
And through MICAH
For example, As you heard today,
Ben went to West Virginia with the Work Camp
And both Zach and Ben have volunteered at the Open Door
Here in Natick

We are responsible for each other as a congregation
We are responsible as a congregation
And as individuals for the condition of the world

There is no higher earthly authority in our faith
To tell us what is right or what is wrong
It falls to us to do that
To Zach and Ben and to each of us
Member or not, adult and child
To share in that process of discernment and action

This process is an ongoing one
One that requires us not just to receive
But to give, to give of our time and our selves
As much as anything else
So it is with pleasure that I (along with the rest of you)
Welcome Zach and Ben
In to membership
Affirm their respective journeys
And confirm their place here

Let us take a moment now in silent prayer
For all those who have found a place
Within our walls and within our tradition

Sunday Snow

2006-02-12T07:41:00.000-05:00

So, we've cancelled church today because of the remarkable amount of snow currently blanketing Natick. Naturally, we have forgotten how to change the message on our church phone so I am responsible for sitting next to it and telling callers that, yes, we are closed. Next time we will put this on TV. Next time we will have a phone tree, too. We live, we learn I guess. Fortunately, I doubt too many people will have any question. The weather folks are as excited as I've seen them. Plenty of opportunities to stand outdoors and say things like, "It's really snowing now!" or "It's snowing less but we think it will pick up...look, there's a skier!" I am happy for the meteorologists...

Anyway, I will probably spend some of the day catching up on my reading. Right now I am picking my way through three books:Saint Augustine by Gary Wills, The Gastronomical Me by MFK Fisher, and Our Endangered Values by Jimmy Carter. All of these are compelling, but I like to rotate them. When I get bored with the old saint, I can read about the culinary explorations of semi-bohemian Fisher, then when that gets too rich I can revel in the call to action made by our square-but-lovable past president. If only I don't get them confused...

OK, probably there won't be too much reading today, even though that is what storms like these are made for. My very pregnant wife expects me to have assembled the crib and the changing table BEFORE the new baby comes and, frankly, I am out of time...

Finally, just a note to say the the Blog Awards have come to their fiery conclusion. I, alas, wasn't even close to winning the one category in which I was nominated. However, I have enjoyed reading the winning entries and suggest that, if you haven't you should check them out during the storm. They reminded me how much our UU blog community has increased! Congrats to the winners and keep up the good work...

I must go shovel now. More later!

Church, Jokes, Jesus

2006-02-09T13:47:00.000-05:00

There has been much talk as of late about the place of humor in religion. Needless to say, most of it has been centered on certain Danish cartoons featuring the Prophet Muhammad. This is a tragic situation that is grounded, in part, in differing religious expectations and the complexity inherent in relations between different groups with differing amounts of power (here is what Sojourner’s has to say). Here is another article about this very tragic situation.

However, today I want to focus a little closer to home and ask one important question: Why aren’t liberal Christians funny? It may seem a strange thing to ask when we have so recently seen what can happen when bad "humor" can spark riots around the world. However, I do not think humor is the problem there so much as bigotry. Our ability to laugh remains one of the most important aspects of human existence. This ability seems to be somewhat challenged in the daily functioning of many of our church leaders. Sadly, when this occurs, we are neglecting a major part of our broad church mission.

Sure, some of us are (some of the time) and many have been known during moments of extreme weakness to crack a joke that has nothing to do with evolution. Still, when you go to church, how often do you find yourself generating more than a light chuckle about anything that contains theological or spiritual meaning? Ministers in particular, it seems are incapable of anything more hysterical than, say, Family Circus. It makes us look a bit stiff, surely. It also contributes to a view of church that is remarkably one-dimensional.

Many people, I think, are surprised when they encounter real humor at or near a church, even their own. They do not expect to and, even though they might find some cause to laugh at the preacher or the organist, they often seem to rest secure in the complete piousness and dullness of the church. In fact, many of them rely on this assumption to assure themselves of their own rebelliousness when they stray from the true grim road.

Am I making this up? Well, I may be exaggerating a bit. But try going to a party some time where nobody knows you. Tell them you’re a minister (if you’re not, its okay to pretend just once) and then start cracking jokes and sending up one-liners. You will probably experience the same thing many church people do amongst their un-churched friends and many ministers do wherever they may be. If there is more than one witness they might glance at each other in surprise, giggle a bit, and then (depending on how funny you actually were) respond as if you were a “normal” person possessing whatever humor skills you displayed. The point is, it is funny to them that church people are funny in a “non-PG” way. Sometimes you can actually see them come to terms with the disconnect. The problem is, they think this because there is some truth to the stereotype.

This should be an area of concern for us all. The fact is, when we are unable to laugh at ourselves and our tradition, we run the serious risk of becoming too brittle to survive in the real world and too boring to be relevant. We need to be comfortable shocking and prodding folks from time to time. Sometimes the folks who need prodding are us! We need to be less concerned with polishing our reputations and our communion silver and more concerned with making a difference. Faith needs to speak the language of the people which, for the vast majority of us, includes the occasional laugh. It includes being tasteless, even. Fortunately, there are some who are trying to do something about this.

First, I refer you to the work of Chris Yambar, featured recently in an interview in the Wittenburg Door, a magazine I have mentioned here before. Also, please note this intriguing article about humor in Christianity from the UCC, possibly the funniest denomination in existence (Their “Spongebob Visits Headquarters” piece is still a great pick-me-up on an otherwise dreary day). The UUA is not so funny, which is too bad, because I have always found things about them (I should say us) to laugh at (and with).

Anyway, this has become quite a bit longer than I meant it to be. Remember these words of the ancient Greek poet, Pindar, "A thing well said goes forward with immortal voice, crossing the fertile land and the sea". So stay relaxed, love Jesus, and be funny.

Lincoln and Plutarch

2006-02-08T10:46:00.000-05:00

This Sunday we will mark the birthday of President Lincoln. Lincoln was, as most people realize but some would like to forget, a complex man who struggled with issues of war and race during one of the darkest times in our nation's history. Naturally, we honor him (and all the other presidents) in February by selling cars. It is so much easier, after all, to cast our history in as one-dimensional a light as possible. So why not don a fake beard and declare freedom from down payments for the first six months? How much simpler than really thinking about the Civil War and the results of that conflict that still help shape the American cultural and political landscape.

This is what I fear for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, actually. I worry that it will become a "second tier" holiday that once meant something and now means a day off. Labor Day and even Memorial Day have also become less significant in the lives of most Americans. It is too bad. There is so much that needs to be done in order to make our communities and our families places where kindness, humility and justice are simply the way of life. It takes a lot of work and we are all, at times, tempted to place our own personal satisfaction ahead of the common good. These national holidays are to remind us that the struggle is far from over. When we cease to reflect on our nation's successes and failures, we lose the ability to govern ourselves with the sensitivity, subtlety and understanding that has always been truly necessary.

Here is a quote from Plutarch that I found while looking for material for Sunday. Maybe it will work for you...

Uneducated rulers think that by a bass voice, ferocity of expression, harshness of manner, and unsociable way of life they are imitating the weight and dignity of leadership; but actually they are like those colossal statues which have a heroic and godlike appearance on the outside but inside are filled with clay and stone and lead--except that the statues are kept in an upright position by the heavy substances, whereas uncultured rulers are often rocked and overturned by the ignorance within them.

Peace be with you...

Great Idea #3: The Restaurant of Hope

2006-02-03T11:53:00.000-05:00

Recently in the New York Times sports section an enterprising reporter—interviewing average Detroiters about the Super Bowl, factory closings, et cetera—spoke to a man “coming out of a hot dog shop.” Now, maybe the reporter was new to the region. Maybe he (or she, I cannot recall) was just trying to translate a unique place to a world wary of difference. Either way, I will bet you that the “hot dog shop” in question was none other than a Coney Island.

Yes, a Coney Island. Many an easterner who has visited Michigan has wondered at the area’s fascination with the Big Apple and its entertainment melting pot. Many an easterner has been tragically confused. A Coney Island is a restaurant that, contrary to what you might have been told, does not cater to Detroiters nostalgic for merry go rounds (they have those in Detroit and in nearby Dearborn) and other quaint NYC-type entertainments. No, this is not a Subway sandwich shop! The Coney Island is an institution unto itself.

The Coney Island sells Coney Islands. Simply put, they are hot dogs. However, to put it simply doesn’t do them justice. One could also say that they are natural-casing franks, covered in chili, diced onions and mustard and served on a steamed bun. That, too, is inadequate for they are special franks with special chili, special onions and special (usually French’s yellow) mustard. The bun is that special combination of fresh and stale. They are Detroit’s contribution to the American culinary landscape and they are darn good.

Here is what Dan Keros of American Coney Island says about its history in a recent Life Magazine article. "My grandfather Gust came from Greece and got his first taste of a hot dog in Coney Island. When he moved to Detroit he worked a bunch of jobs--pushing a popcorn cart, shining shoes, cleaning hats. He eventually saved enough to open American Coney Island, basically a hot dog cart with a roof and no wheels. He sold dogs, and he sold chili..." I think you can figure out how the rest of the story goes.

So, why are they Great Idea #3? It’s a religious thing. Do you remember the MASH episode about “Adam’s Ribs”? Hawkeye Pierce from Crabapple Cove, Maine got a hankerin’ for barbeque from a specific restaurant in Chicago Illinois. Maybe he developed his affection while a medical student? I do not recall. The point is, amazing high jinx ensue, Hawkeye gets his ribs and all is right in the world for one perfect evening.

OK…still with me? Adam Tierney-Eliot from Lisbon Falls, Maine loves Coney Islands. This is a love developed while on my parish internship in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, right outside the Motor City. I miss them, too. Sure I can make them at home, but that is not the point. The Coney Island to me—just as the ribs, no doubt, were to Hawk—symbolize so much more. These Hot Dogs represent adventure, freedom, the chance to try something new. They also stand for their city, an exciting place with much more going for it than people often will allow.

Coney Islands are my comfort food, not because grew up with them but because I did not. When life throws me a curve, when there are bumps in the road as there are for all people, I often find myself thinking back to time spend in Coney Island Restaurants, when my wife, son and I were on a great new trip and I was starting out on this new career. We were filled with hope and love for each other and for the world. That, gentle reader, is why it is religious for me. For what are human beings without these two things? Where, friends, would we be without our dreams for the future and the bonds that support us? Well, I’ll tell you, life would certainly be a faith free zone, devoid of joy.

So, anyway, I conclude my missive today with something of a celebration. Like Hawkeye, I have found a way. I have ordered 20 Coney Islands from American Coney Island in downtown Detroit. This is enough to both harden my arteries and see me through to the spring. What joy! What happiness is now mine as I prepare to eat these delectable treats while drinking beer and watching the big game on Sunday! I, for one, will be rooting casually for Pittsburgh and passionately for Detroit. Go Lions! Fire Millen! Fire Ford First! I urge you to join me. Then maybe, for one brief shining moment, all will be right in the world.

Sermon on Revelation, Chinese New Year, Friends of Jerry Falwell

2006-02-02T13:29:00.000-05:00

Here is the sermon I preached last Sunday.

Also, I should point out that the UU Blog Awards voting is going on even as we speak (er...write...er...read...). Last year Unity did quite well. It got nominated for some things and even might have won something. This year, thanks to the very hard work of some very creative UUs, Unity is just fortunate to be able to bask in the company of some really great weblogs put out by some really great writers. So fell free to go vote. I will not be hurt if you don't vote for me...

Year of the Dog
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot
1/29/06
at the Eliot Church

One very good reason for talking about the Chinese New Year today
Is that, in China, it is actually also known as the “Spring Festival”
It is the start, in some areas, of the ploughing season
And of preparations for the warming up
The thawing out of the days to come
What better reason, at the end of January, do we need?

Well, it probably won’t surprise you to hear
That there is at least one other reason that I bring this up today
But first, lets take a look at another of our readings

In our reading today from the book of Revelation we heard
Then I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven from God.

The book of Revelation
And passages like this have,
At various times in the history of humanity
Spawned some rather startling ideas about the Divine
There are too many to describe today
But one group of ideas that has been extremely influential
In 21st Century American thought
Can be lumped together and described as End-Time Theology

There are people today, many varieties of evangelists
On the radio and on television, for example
Folks like televangelist Rev. Jerry Falwell
Who read this book of Revelation and see in it
Predictions of future events
All leading to an epic battle
Between the forces of Good and the forces of Evil

This is the world view
That makes Falwell and others see God’s hand
In many of the recent natural disasters
That have afflicted us
When you think in this way it cannot be
The actions and cycles of nature
That brought the hurricanes to the Gulf Coast
But instead must be some human act
That required violent punishment

Not surprisingly with such a binary world view
The people who hold these beliefs today
Have very little patience for differences of opinion
Those who disagree with them (they feel)
Are at best misguided
Those that disagree strongly
(Muslims, Jews, other Christians, agnostics…)
Are, at worst, soldiers of Satan

So, why should we care that people think these things?
Why shouldn’t we just reject
Or ignore this part of the Bible for ourselves and move on?
Because this modern, literal, interpretation of Revelation
Is becoming less of a fringe position
And influences our daily lives quite a bit more
Than our view of the world influences theirs
How we talk about our faith
How we frame the debates and issues before us in our society
How, (through the influence of the Religious Right)
Our nation is governed
Is increasingly impacted by beliefs
That are purportedly based in the book of Revelation
And we citizens of the American religious landscape
Might just want to know a thing or two
About this last book in the Bible

Now, there are other ways to interpret the book of Revelation
First, John of Patmos, its author
Points out right up front that Revelation
Is the record of a dream that he had
Very rarely are dreams literally true

And second, the book is a product of its time
Written for seven specific churches
To address the needs and issues that they had
The fact is, First Century Christians and Jews
Had a very different understanding of the world
Of the uses of literature
And of the the parameters concerning the study of history
That is, their context was very different from ours
Some two thousand years later

For example, many modern fundamentalists
Have been unable or unwilling
To take in the lesson of The Year of the Dog

The Chinese, like the Jews and the Muslims, use,
Not the Gregorian calendar, with its fixed dates
Based on the position of the Earth relative to the sun
But their own versions of a Lunar Calendar
Based as it is on the more easily experienced
Phases of the moon
Its beginning and end are based on actual observable events
And these events (the waxing and waning of the moon)
Are ongoing and cyclical

This is quite a departure from how we see time in the west
For us a day comes but once with its assigned tasks
And once a day has been completed
You can never go back
We worry about “wasting time”
As we march relentlessly forward
Toward some unknown goal
This view is a requirement
For the rather imaginative arguments for the end-times

Now, the way we think of time here is useful
When it comes to things like international trade
And keeping appointments
Things that even the Chinese, themselves, use our calendar for
But, it is still a modern idea
And would not have been something
The ancient John of Patmos understood

In fact, Bible writers
Had much more in common with the Chinese
In this respect
Using their own, ancient lunar calendar
Still in use, in the Jewish and Arab worlds

The Chinese New Year, the Spring Festival, reminds us
That in the same way that our seemingly flat earth
Is round
Our seemingly linear lives, with their beginning and end
Are also an illusion

This is most clearly illustrated in the Chinese Zodiac
When you see the zodiac drawn out
It is usually circular
(Zodiac posters were popular dormitory decorations
When I was in college
So, no doubt some of the rest of you have seen them as well.)
This circle is meant to convey the continuous nature of the cycle of life

In fact, as with the story about Jonah that we talked about last week
We have, once again found a tale that is meant to be a bit funny
When viewed through the lense of the Chinese calendar
We see that the animals are racing for nothing
Because there isn’t, really, a first year
Or a last, when a cycle of twelve months is complete
The moon continues it phases just as it did before
One after another after another
And twelve years later, it will be the year of the dog again
So, as it says in Ecclesiastes
There is nothing new under the sun

When we are confronted in Revelations
With this New Heaven and New Earth
It is quite possible that what may be apparent to
To the conservative theologians of the 21st Century
That is, predictions of
An entirely different world brought about
Through acts of angelic violence
May have actually held a another message to its writer
And its original audience
For they were thinking of something other than
The literal end of time

This style of writing can be found in other books of the Bible
(Like the book of Daniel),
And elsewhere, too
For as long as there have been human beings
Someone has been apparently predicting the end of the world
But in this literature is still where we see
Some of the greatest expressions
Of human creativity and imagination
In part, I believe, because at its heart
It isn’t meant to be taken literally
In a way, it has a much more radical message
Based on insight and inspiration
Rather than obedience

Bible scholar Mitchell Reddish writes
Revelation is a fantasia of sights, sounds, smells and action
Through this rich imagery,
We can see the message
That starts with the understanding that
The kingdom of heaven,
(Or as we sometimes say around here, Commonwealth) of Heaven
Isn’t some foreign entity, some new city that comes
After wiping out all the old things in one great gesture
But heaven is, instead an idea
That is forever growing in our hearts
That has, in the words of Augustine been coming down since the beginning
The Commonwealth of Heaven is already here
Waiting to be discovered

And it is also a gift that comes not from our actions
But from the Divine
As the preacher David Buttrick says
Left to our own devices we’ll dream a holy city and build Babel every time.
God speaks to us in Revelations 21 and says The home of God is among mortals…See; I am making all things new

Too often we have been tempted to look outside this world
Reading here in the Bible and elsewhere
A promise of a future eternal happiness
Which, of course, is only granted to those who obey
Whichever leader or theologian developed that particular idea

But the book of Revelation was written
To address specific needs
Just as Daniel was meant to give heart to the Jews
During the period of the Maccabean revolt
What message we gain from literature such as this
Must also have a similar practical foundation

As I mentioned earlier today
The Book of Revelations is what is known as Apocalyptic literature
Mitchell Reddish tells us that is
Is meant to be read imaginatively—with eyes ears and mind wide open. It is no wonder that artists of all types have been inspired by this work.

We need, like the artist
(And like John of Patmos)
To be creative in our faith
For an inflexible religion in the end
Prevents our growing in the spirit

Whereas one view held by Falwell and others
Requires that we seek out this new world
Which the righteous shall rule
The other view is more concerned with finding the new in the old
Sensing the slow changes that have come with the turning of the wheel

Still, we do have a task
As the new world grows and develops
And one that is in tension
With how we often live our lives

With our limited perspective we can sometimes try
To be the Rat in the Zodiac
Trying always to get ahead, cheating, pushing others out of the way
To reach the opposite shore
To win

Or we can make the effort to be like the dog
Stopping for a bath
Or better yet the dragon helping others
Because we realize that what comes around goes around
And the first shall be last soon enough

Seeking the Commonwealth of Heaven
Requires patience/Requires tolerance
Because chances are that no one person
Is completely right about anything
All we can do is make sure
That none of us are completely wrong

Yes, there is work involved
Not so much in the building and regulating line
As in the connecting, the reaching out
The understanding of difference

So let us work
To find
That constantly renewing spirit and vision
In Elizabeth Tapia’s prayer today
The one for transformed relations, sustainable communities, [and] a pacific, peace-loving world

Two Great Americans Two Great Women

2006-02-01T09:47:00.000-05:00

I briefly considered blogging about the State of the Union Address, but I am not. One reason is that it has become a near literary form amongst bloggers and I can, therefore, leave it to the fine practitioners of this art. The other reason is that I watched it with the "mute" button on and, therefore, only know what I read in the papers. I do have some fashion notes, however. My wife (and some congregants) always tell me that blue does not go with black. Yet I saw at least three of our nation's leaders making that particular combination (Alito, Bush, Kerry). I do not know why Alito and Kerry went that way but Bush, I think, was meant to be part of a red-white-and-blue triumvirate involving the gigantic flag over the rostrum and the red ties of Cheney and Hastert (sp?). Guys, sometimes you just have to say "no" to your handlers. For those of us who weren't listening to what you were saying (and, believe me, I am not alone) it was a bit much...

(I should note that I didn't listen to this guy, either)

Really, I just wanted to lift up the loss of two great Americans. You know the ones I mean. One of them, Coretta Scott King, has been a fixture in the lives of most of us. She is someone whose name we know and who has contributed a great deal to the discussion of race in this country. My hope is that we can, as a nation, resist the urge to sanitize her message (and that of MLK). They were radicals in their own way. This is something that many people would like to forget during that inevitable and ongoing revisionism that occurs when a leader dies.

The other is Wendy Wasserstein, the playwright. Her death pulled me up short in a way that King's did not. I was surprised by my reaction, actually. I have always been a fan and have seen a couple of her plays (and read others), but a casual one. All I could think was that our cultural, social, and political life as a people will be diminished through her absence.

At the Natick Interfaith MLK Service our guest preacher, Dr. Ed Rodman reminded us that Martin Luther King didn't have a dream as much as he had a vision. Hopefully someone else will be able to articulate as complex and moving a vision as these two remarkable women and great Americans were able to do.

Wet Day

2006-01-31T14:14:00.000-05:00

It is a grey and dreary day here in Natick and (though this happens rather rarely) it matches my mood. Alas! It seems that the post-holiday slump is upon us and it is hard to get too excited.

I have been thinking a bit about the Super Bowl lately. I have not so much for the game but because of the location. Many articles have been written about the odd juxtaposition of the wealth of team owners and their corporate friends with the general economic and physical landscape of the great-but-suffering city of Detroit. Many people say that the NFL owners should "do something" for the city. I am at a loss as to what that might be. However, every time someone says "Ford Stadium" I can only think of all those families Ford laid off just weeks ago and how none of them will be at the game.

All I can say is that the tension of images may help some to see the plight of this and other cities at the beginning of the 21st Century. No cheery facade can obscure the situation, no matter how hard folks try. Most people don't need parties as much as they need jobs. Certainly they don't need parties that they aren't really invited to in the first place. Maybe people will have cause to think about how our national economy has helped some a great deal and others not at all. Maybe, if this turns out to be true, there is a silver lining after all.

I used this prayer by May Sarton at Rotary today:
Help us to be the always hopeful
gardeners of the spirit
who know that without darkness
nothing comes to birth
as without light
nothing flowers

Also, this by Robert Browning was a runner-up
I but open my eyes--and perfection, no more and no less
In the kind I imagined, full-fronts me, and God is seen God
In the star, in the stone, in the flesh, in the soul and the clod

A Silver (NDP so technically Orange) Lining

2006-01-24T10:13:00.000-05:00

I know what you're thinking. Your asking yourselves how, really, could the insightful and nuanced American coverage of the end of one of the most powerful Liberal governments in the world could be improved upon? Yes, I am sure that the Canadian election, held not very far from your home, most likely. Has drawn your attention like that of mold to bread or flies to meat. If it hasn't, it should, you know. We should be curious about our neighbors way past silly jokes about how they are stereotypically polite...

Anyway, in case you are part of that portion of the United States who didn't know who the Prime Minister of Canada was (Paul Martin). You need to begin not knowing another world leader (Stephen Harper). After an election marred, I think, by some unfortunate gaffes and stumbles on the part of the Liberal Party, the Conservatives are back in power after a loooong hiatus. In fact, I was an undergraduate studying, of all things, Canadian history at McGill University when Jean Chretien soundly trounced Kim Campbell in one of the most stunning victories in any modern Democracy. That Conservative Party (The Progressive Conservatives) did not survive the beating.

This could be a problem folks. The new government (albeit somewhat weaker than expected) will no doubt try to roll back many of the reforms enacted over the last decade or so. What that will mean, I do not know. However, it is worth watching.

OK, so, the silver lining. The New Democratic Party (NDP) under the leadership of Jack Layton has picked up quite a few seats in Parliament. Why is this important? The answer has to do with the unique dynamics of Canadian politics. The Conservatives have a minority government. This, of course, has to do with the Bloc Quebecois (BQ), who would very much like to take Quebec out of the country. Ah, math...it rules more than science, people!

Anyway, this means that the NDP may be able to slow or blunt some of the Conservative policies. Here is an excerpt from an article in the Toronto Sun:

Layton laid out four fundamental conditions during the campaign that he says are essential for the New Democrats' support in Parliament.
Those "bottom lines" include a demand not to dismantle the country's public, single-payer health care system and the support of Canada's existing environmental commitments.
He also said his party would not allow the country to fall in step with American foreign military policy such as using Canadian troops for more aggressive missions in Afghanistan. The final condition was the defence of civil and equality rights such as same-sex marriage legislation.

Hmmm.... Now do you think you might want to pay attention to Canada?

Great Idea #2

2006-01-20T14:20:00.000-05:00

PLANT PRESS

Ok, this is probably not an idea you have thought of recently. However, the lowly plant press has changed the way we see the world. These little botanist’s dream-tools have enabled folks to collect and categorize much of what we think of as the natural world. Without them, we wouldn’t know nearly as much about the earth as we do now. In fact, it is quite possible that we would not have much of a sense of that over-arching theory of life on this planet known as evolution.

Last week I went to NYC to the Natural History Museum to see an exhibit concerning the life and work of Charles Darwin. During his famous journey on the HMS Beagle—commanded by Captain Robert FitzRoy, himself an eminent and complicated scientist—Darwin and his associates collected hoards of plant specimens, pressed, mounted, sketched and described them. All of which helped the scientific community to see the patterns and cycles that led to the theory of Natural Selection that gets people so worked up today.

None of this would have been possible without the little piece of technology known as the plant press. It is quite clever, really, just two flat, heavy things. Growing up, I would press leaves between the pages of a large book, for example. I stopped doing this sort of thing a while ago, but apparently the habit stuck with other members of my family.

My brother Dan gave my son a plant press for Christmas this year and we are looking forward to putting it to use on the local flora. Sure, you might say that we won’t discover anything new here in greater suburbia and, in a sense, you are correct! However, how many different kinds of plants can you describe where you live? Do you think there might be more? What the press provides is the same thing that binoculars and a good bird book, or a telescope does. They help us make our own discoveries. They give us a way to connect to the wonder of creation in a way that we otherwise would be unable to. That is a crucial part of our human experience.

Being fully human requires us to question the world around us. We need to find ways to connect to the many truths that we encounter every day. Without that agile questing mind, we can end up missing such glorious facts as evolution and such giddy delights as squished plants. We can fail to respect our environment and each other.

So I say “press on”…

Baptism Sermon +

2006-01-19T13:42:00.000-05:00

I have been a bad blogger as of late. Things have been very busy around here! The church has been experiencing quite a flurry of activity around issues of outreach and social justice. Also, we are planning for spring when folks return and annual meeting occurs. There is never a dull moment in church! Also, I managed to bang up my wife's car. Everyone is OK, but we are a one car family for a while as we get it repaired...

So anyway, I have been way too busy even to think about Unity for a while. I am feeling somewhat guilty, however, thanks to Peacebang and her posts from Madrid! So I am posting now...

Here is a sermon I gave recently on Baptism:
In The Spirit
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot
Eliot Church
1/8/06

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Baptism is one of the most controversial parts
Of the Christian tradition
And this has been the case from the very beginning

The Bible Scholar and Roman Catholic priest
John Dominic Crossan
Once wrote
Nothing is more certain about Jesus than this: that he was baptized by John in the River Jordan. The reason for our certainty, he continues, is that the Christian tradition shows increasing embarrassment about that baptism.

What does he mean by this?
From the earliest Gospel
(Which would be Mark, the one we heard from today)
To the latest (John)
The description of Jesus’ Baptism
Continued to change as the early church
Tried to make sense of some rather nagging questions:

Why, after all, does one of the most fundamental
Aspects of the church
One of two sacraments that almost everyone can agree on
Why does this sacred and central act of Christianity
Come not from Jesus (from whom this religion stems)
But from the earlier rabbi John?
John the Baptizer, in fact

Was Jesus a follower of John?
Did this movement we all know today
Have its roots in an older movement
Founded by another, different prophet?
At the very least, it shows
That some of the revolutionary teachings of Jesus
Must have evolved from something else

Crossan concludes that
Since the church would hardly have invented a story that caused it such problems, that very embarrassment gives us confidence in the historical reality of [the sacrament]

So, we know that the act existed
Before the beginning of Christianity
But when we talk about baptism today
There is still quite a bit of confusion about what it means
Different traditions have different beliefs
Some reject the sacrament altogether

But some people believe that the act of Baptism
Is a physical or magical washing away of sin
The accumulated sins
Of a life on this earth
For adults
And for children
Of the original sin
That is a part of being born into humanity

This is, not surprisingly, tied to a very old theology
Of sin most connected in our minds
To the Roman Catholic church
But it can be found in some protestant denominations as well
From this same theology comes the doctrine of confession
And atonement

Now, quite a bit that is positive can be said about this world view
For one thing, the Catholics have spent a great deal of time
Articulating an understanding of evil
A classic weakness for overly optimistic mainstream protestants

This understanding of baptism, however
Has, in the case of the Congregationalist and other
“Low church” movements
Given way to another, more symbolic understanding
In Mark we read …just as [Jesus] was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torm apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven. “You are my son, the Beloved; with whom I am well pleased”.

While some may read this passage and see
A special relationship between God and Jesus
Our tradition sees a change in the relationship between God
And all of humanity
John himself tells us that while he washed away sins
In the same way that the temple priests of the time removed sin
Through sacrifice
Jesus’ Baptism welcomed the spirit of God

This welcoming, this personal access
That we are all invited to participate in
Changes the way we live in two ways
First, Baptism impacts the individual’s relationship with God
Second, it impacts the individual’s relationship with the church

The first of these in our tradition is the more important
Baptism is a reminder of our constantly changing
Commitment and relationship
With the Universal, the Transcendent
The Handbook for Church Life
Put out by the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches
Describes it this way
The sacrament of Baptism declares the never ceasing love and good will of God for all people. It demonstrates the infinite worth of each individual soul.

So, though it may not be a literal cleansing
It is meant to affect us, to change us
To pull us back and give us
The opportunity to start anew
To support us
When we fail or when we lose our way

We are not changed by the sacraments our tradition tells us
But by what they represent
Our Baptism calls us to live good lives
By rules such as those found in our reading from Leviticus
But isn’t a requirement for the good life

One of the more common elements in the liberal church today
Regardless of what denomination one might feel affiliated with
Is the doctrine of Universalism,
Though one can see the name
Right after the word Unitarian on our literature
I doubt that too many people have given it much thought, lately
Simply put, Universalists do not believe
In the eternal torment of the fires of Hell
Do not believe in a God who could be all loving
And yet so arbitrary and cruel
As to damn souls to eternal suffering

This is a departure from the more traditional theologies
And that, of course, has implications
For what we are talking about today
The famous Universalist theologian
Rev. Hosea Ballou put it this way
If your child fell into the [mud] - would you long to clean him up because you loved him, or would you only love him after he was clean?
The rather obvious answer to this question
Ballou and other Universalists feel
Gets at the basic relationship between us, the children
And God, the parent
Just as we may be frustrated with our children
But still love and care for them
A loving God does not require us
To be cleansed before being welcomed back home

Now, this is, of course, only part of what baptism is about
And when we baptize children
We do not expect them to make any conscious decision
About their personal relationship with God
Or anyone else, for that matter
Because of this, certain traditions and certain individuals
Make the choice to wait until adulthood

But, for the most part, this is not the tradition in the United States
Except amongst the Baptists (hence the name)
Who, in lieu of child baptisms perform a dedication service
As a sort of first step before the child reaches an age
When they can decide what they believe for themselves
This is an option that is also available here
In part because of our belief in a free and unfettered mind
And partly because of that connection to the Universalist Church
Itself a Baptist denomination
(You didn’t know we were also Baptists, did you?)

Child Baptisms and Child Dedications
Emphasize the requirements of the community
The act isn’t so much for the child
But for the congregation
We are witnessing a family’s commitment
To raise an upstanding, moral, and religious person
In the context of our tradition
And we are also committing ourselves to this very same task
(Something to think about
The next time you are asked to teach Sunday School)

However, because of our congregational theology
Baptism is not a requirement for membership
For belonging to this church is through a shared covenant
In our case the Ames covenant
Not (in the words of the Cambridge Platform)
Not Baptism, because it presupposes a church estate…one person is a complete subject of baptism, but one person is incapable of being a church.
Now, are most members of this church baptized?
Probably, but I have no way of knowing
Because we do not ask for information like that
Our only concern is that the individual commits to travel with us
In the love of truth the spirit of Jesus [uniting] for the worship of God (however conceived) and the service of all

Baptism means different things to different people
And, we do not have to agree
As the Universalists declared so long ago We agree to admit all such persons who hold the articles of our faith and maintain good works, into membership, whatever their opinion may be as to the nature, form, or obligation of any ordinances
But I do think that there is a place for this sacrament
And I do believe that it can and has
Worked wonders in the lives of many of us

The root that makes up the word “Baptize”
Means to dip, steep, dye or color

There is something to be said for steeping
For being connected to,
Surrounded by/Soaked in the Divine
And something to be said for that dying or coloring, too
After all, our relationship with God
Should color our lives
It should bring a vibrance that we wouldn’t otherwise have
Teach us to see that color in someone else
And, hopefully, (in recognizing our interconnectedness)
To learn to be sympathetic
To practice patience and forgiveness
Love and Peace

At its root, Baptism is a form of dedication
A dedication to living out
That full and rewarding and good faith-filled life

So let us dedicate our selves, today
To living the lessons taught to us
By all the great prophets
Reaching out instead of lashing out
To open our hearts to the inspiration
That comes from God and nature
Rather than closing ourselves off
To all but own needs and our own percieved uniqueness

Let us all strive to find for ourselves
Some way, public or private
To make peace with the world
And commit to an authentic faith
Whatever that may mean for us

Sports

2006-01-05T12:50:00.000-05:00

I have never been good at sports. I have mentioned that before.

However, I have always been a fan in spite of the disturbingly right-wing way in which it is presented to the public. Everything from the almost-mandatory requirement of athletes and owners to support US foreign policy, to stars thanking God for the big touchdown, is drenched in a sort of nationalist wash that can be more than a bit disturbing. I really, really could do without, for example, the tendency of players and coaches to refer to playing their games as "going to battle" as if what they do has any similarity to the heroic actions of our sailors and soldiers. Wars kill. Sports (usually) don't. However, when the game starts I can only rejoice in the wonder that is the human body even though many of my fellow liberals consider me somewhat shallow for doing so.

Yah know, it is too bad that more people don't enjoy a good game. Many, many people of all political stripes and walks of life do. Athletics (yes professional as well as amateur) is, in fact, a part of of the human experience. When played at its highest level it can be a beautiful thing. Every once in a while I will hear someone say "I only watch college football." This strikes me as being rather like only watching beginner ballet. Sure, Randy Moss is difficult. Guess what, so was Picasso. I guess we shouldn't look at his paintings?

I bring this up today primarily because the NFL Playoffs are about to start (with much, much hype). And because I found a great regular column that is worth a look, not just for those of you who, like me, are liberals who still enjoy a good game on the TV or in person, but for anyone who might like a critique of sports from someone who still values it. Not since the sports page of the Daily Worker have I had so much fun...

Brief Stuff

2006-01-04T09:40:00.000-05:00

"Low Sunday" is past us now. We had a small congregation Sunday, which was fine. A short sermon, followed by communion rang in the New Year and all was well at Eliot. Now, of course, we are getting busy again. This is good, too.

However, since we are at a Busy sort of moment. I cannot blog for long. So here are some links.

The PICO National Network is the umbrella orgainization that includes MICAH, which I have blogged about in the past. Click here to encounter the world of faith-based organizing.

Responding to an earlier post, Bill Baar put us on to the continued existence of Berghoff Beer. Here is their web site, where they will help you select a product for any occasion.

Finally, for those who have resolved to read more of the Bible. Click here for the Daily Lectionary. Incidentally, this is one of the best ways to gain a broad familiarity with scripture.

Great Idea #1

2006-01-03T11:23:00.000-05:00

Well, this place needs sprucing up so…I am starting what will hopefully be an occasional series. Preachers will be familiar with the sermon series. These often occur when the obvious topics have run their course and yet there clock keeps ticking and Sunday keeps coming. For this series I have chosen the title “Great Ideas” in homage to the many blog conversations going on that reflect on the intellectual life of our liberal religious movement. That having been said, I doubt too many of the ideas I find will be directly religion-oriented. Why is this? One of my concerns for the professional ministry and also for the involved and enthusiastic laity is that we all remember to be interested in other things as well. As liberals our faith and theology isn’t so much a separate category of our lives as a way of explaining the whole thing.

So here is Great Idea #1 (Incidentally, these aren’t MY ideas. I am stealing them): SELF-PUBLISHING.

Yes! Take a bow bloggers! You are a great idea. My previous post about the Berghoff and Marshall Fields reminded me of how precious originality is. It is also a challenge. A quick look at the hit counters of most of weblogs will show a remarkably low readership! Yet we struggle on for the sake of originality. So, I applaud the great idea that is the blogosphere. I applaud all of it: the crazy rants, the bemused ramblings, baby blogs, travel blogs, even wedding blogs. Congratulations to everyone for making noise!

That having been said, there are other ways to get the word out. These are important, too. I am talking about the low-tech here, things like zines, small presses, and self-made books. All of these forms of communication--with their poor(ish) production value and low circulation also put original thoughts and ideas out there. In fact, they are even more accessible than blogs for those without an office computer.

Here is an arena for action. Why doesn’t everyone write something—a meditation manual, for example--and instead of submitting it to Skinner House or some other similar (and, yes, comendable) venue, mail it to everyone they know with the permission to photocopy? Sure, the font, binder, and paper texture wouldn’t be nearly as good but, hey! Then we could avoid titles like “Have you really looked at your hands?” and “Soap On, Soap Off: the Everyday Spirituality of Cleaning Stuff.” OK, I made those up, but just barely. Individuality in the world of printed media (or any world, really) keeps the big folks from getting inane, tedious, repetitive...

The problem is, of course, that self-publishing requires humility. There is no money and no real fame. The impact is, theoretically, greater if you can convince some large multi-national to distribute your work without having to compromise message or quality. Copyright, I believe, is a bit sketchy as well. But hey, I have a question for you. Would you rather be famous or change the world? I vote for change. If only because under every bushel there is something worthy of being let into the light.

Think of Antiques Roadshow. Without ol' Uncle Mort's beer-can rendering of an African Elephant, it would be just some regular PBS thing about old paintings and jewelry. Writing can be (and is!) a folk art, too. Folk art makes life exciting!

Where is thy stapler? Get writing…!

They're Closing the Berghoff

2005-12-30T10:33:00.000-05:00

I heard a story last night on NPR about the closing of The Berghoff in Chicago. This, combined with the "renaming of the stores" to Macy's (I mean, of course, Filene's and Field's, among others) demonstrate the trend toward what I fear may be a staggering uniformity in the years to come. Sure, the Burghoff will house a catering business, but it probably won't sell the old menu! Yes, you can buy the same stuff at Macy's as you did at Marshall Field's. Still, there is something lost and that is diversity and history. Macy's isn't really a part of Chicago history, after, all. However, at least it is more interesting than everbodies new darling, Target. Incidentally, Chalice Chick has some things to say about these folks but I cannot seem to link to it...

The church, too, can show this tendency. Certainly it has in the past and many denominations strive for a certain uniformity in belief and worship. The advantage is that you feel comfortable. The disadvantage is that we don't go to church to feel comforted ALL the time. Also, you may not always feel like the religious version of a "Big Mac". Only the faces have changed and probably not by much when one visits churches that strive for sameness. This is enforced by the popular "growth programs" and, of course, from marketing intitiatives. Well, good luck, I guess. I don't think Eliot Church will be signing up for any of that soon.

We are, as I have mentioned before, in something of a marketing phase at Eliot. We are intentionally going it alone because of these issues. What we are discovering is that our primary consituency isn't so much people who identify with the UUA or UCC but the people who live in Natick. We are, it seems, putting the "community" in community church. At Christmas we sent a letter out to the community around our building to reach out and see what they thought about our congregation. We offered various ways of keeping in touch. We also asked for money to help defray the cost of our steeple project. Our steeple, the tallest structure in the nieghborhood, is a local landmark. Response has been good on all counts.

Who knows where our quest to be ourselves will take us...

Interesting Stuff Here!

2005-12-29T10:13:00.000-05:00

I am trying to get to writing/researching my sermon for New Year's Day but the Blog Bug is working its magic....

There are some very interesting conversations going on about the ministry and its theological street cred or lack thereof. You can find it (if you haven't already) over at Philocrites, PeaceBang, and ChaliceBlog. They raise some interesting questions about how congregations "do theology" and the role of the minister in that discussion.

This has all been great fertilizer in the garden of thought for me. I have posted at a couple of these sites already so I won't discuss those issues here. However, I have, once again, begun to wonder how the mainline churches can continue to attract smart, creative, and talented individuals into the ministry at a time when there are so many other options. I have a great many friends who would have made great ministers. They are warm people who care about others. They are bright and articulate, even scholarly. They are also doctors and lawyers. This is not to say that those of us who have made a committment to the church are necessarily second-rate. I, however, would like to see the ministry become the "first choice" more often and for more people.

Are their societal pressures? Financial ones? Of course there are. What are the benfits to a life of service in a religious context? What does the "order" do for us? These are questions I ask myself often because, at the heart of things, I am basically an institutionalist and would like to see the institution of the ministry grow and attract more of the very best and very brightest (a group in which I do NOT include myself, by the way). Anyway, no answers today, just questions....

I'm Back!

2005-12-28T09:27:00.000-05:00

Well, I am back from vacation and, like many of my clergy colleagues, recovering from the post-Christmas crash. I, at least, always get sick either before or after Christmas. Last year I had a raging ear infection and couldn't hear during Christmas Eve services. This year I lost my voice at the beginning of the second service and it still hasn't completely returned...

Today, though, I'm not thinking so much about Christmas as the problem of evil. The New York Times today had an article about the Catholic discussions concerning the status of Limbo. As a Universalist Christian, obviously, this doesn't exactly impact my theology much. However, it does make one think.

I have also noticed in the news a variety of truly shocking and violent crimes. I do not have to tell you what they are as you probably have similar stories in the paper where you live (if you live in Metrowest, MA, you have the same ones as me).
Such events, I think, challenge religious liberals who too often have a rather rosy perspective on bad things.

It is hard, when I see what is going on here and elsewhere to subscribe to the "People are too good to be damned" argument. I am sure that many folks would agree with me and yet our actions seem to assume our own goodness much of the time. We are cruel to each other and we are cruel to the earth we live on often because we cannot get our minds around "our" good (what we feel we need) not being "the" good. Enron (and so forth) may be getting a bit cliched as an example but, of course, it is. There are others, too.

Fortunately, as a Universalist I can say with Thomas Starr King (paraphrasing) that "God is too good to damn people." The first idea promotes a sort of triumphalism that I, at least, do not feel. This one reminds us to seek forgiveness for our imperfections and, possibly, even to do something positive about them. God's goodness, if we fully recognize it, should draw us to our better selves and to make us work to bring others into the broad and welcoming path toward a good life.

OK, we still have a few days to make resolutions...

Christmas Eve

2005-12-24T14:18:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I am sitting here getting ready for our two Christmas Eve Services. I have gone over everything. I have checked it twice and probably will check it all a couple more times before we start at 5 O'Clock. I realized recently that I haven't been a very good blogger this Advent. There has been so much going on at home and in the church that there really hasn't been any time to do anything but check out what everyone else was writing about this season. Well, there will be less to do next week (I hope)!

I really enjoy these services. This is my second favorite time in the church (the first being Holy Week and Easter). Right now I am the only one here and it is quiet. It won't stay that way forever, though. We have hundreds of Orders of Service to be put together, an army of child-musicians (for the first service) to be marshalled, two sets of readers to get together, and, of course, lots of carols to sing.

We do "Lessons and Carols" at this church, so once things get rolling there isn't really a whole lot for me to do. I lead the prayers and do some of the other stuff but it is good to spread the wealth. I like hearing some other voices coming over the speakers. My thoughts will be with my friends and family who are leading worship tonight and (some of them) tomorrow. Also, I will be thinking about and praying for those who have experienced some form of life changing event this past year. God knows there are quite a few.

So, Happy Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah, too since I probably won't blog before it starts. Ok, I might not get back on the computer before Kwanzaa... (this is why people just say "Happy Holidays"). Just everybody have a great holiday season!

I have to go check on something...

The United Church Thing

2005-12-14T11:37:00.000-05:00

The UUA is counting its members and congregations once again. Thom Belote is keeping track over at Philocrites. Eliot church has already registered. We figured we would get it out of the way now so that we could get down to the rather elaborate reporting we need to do for the UCC (it has been a while since we sent them stuff).

If you go to the list, you can find us in the Mass Bay District with 57 members. Don't panic people! We, have, of course, twice that many. When a United church reports its numbers it has two options, it can kind of guess how many of each denomination they have, or they can just divide the membership by the number of denominations. A Federated church keeps records of who is what. We do not.

Sure, this doesn't seem like a big deal, but this little membership fiction illustrates one of the sticky hurdles in United church/Association (or denominational, the UCC requires the same thing) relations. I understand the reasoning. It is, after all, about the money. How else to figure out how much we are supposed to contribute? I do not mean to be sarcastic, either. Money is important.

However, there are some problems that are underlined by the count:

First, if I was a UUA/UCC or District/Conference Official, I think I would want a more accurate picture of the size of the church than that. Maybe I'm wrong, but I would approach a church with 57 members differently from one with 114. Also, I would look differently at a church with 10 members than I would at one with 250. There have been churches like that in the past, too. Our count doesn't always reflect our reality.

The UUA has done something about this in our reportage. There is now a category for "Multi Denominational Members". This is a step in the right direction. Thank you.

Second, the theory, I realize, is that we pay our contributions based on the number 57. This theory in reality only works when the two associations have the same rates! The UUA and the UCC as well as their respective Conference and District offices have different rates and requirements. Since, in reality, we take our funds and send the same amount to both the UUA and the UCC, one group (UCC) gets more than they ask for and one group (UUA) gets less.

What does this do to our relations with the Mass Bay District and the UUA? Well, it probably doesn't help. We may very well appear hostile when we are just trying to be balanced. I have no concrete examples so maybe I don't need to worry about this. However, as a Christian Church in the UUA, in many ways Eliot has a consituency outside our congregation that doesn't need any "bad press"...

Third (and this may be a small point), since the UUA is so small, wouldn't it want to count all the members of a united church if only for boasting rights? The other 57 members have the same minister, sit on the same committees, and hear the same sermon as the "CertifiedUU" ones (again, we didn't even count actual people). They, too, are a part of our movement...

Anyway, none of this is earth-shattering to our daily operations. However, it is one of the things I must consider when I go to meetings, express interest in District assistance, and other related things. Incidentally, if you are wondering about the size of some of these churches, look at the RE program. If it has more kids than the Congregation has members, you are probably seeing an entry for a United or Federated Church...

Advent Sermon II

2005-12-08T13:06:00.000-05:00

It really felt like Advent last Sunday. It was snowing as we started church. All our decorations were out. It was very nice all around. I hope that the rest of the season is a lovely as that.

Here is the sermon from Sunday. I try from time to time to preach about Jesus. This may sound strange considering my previous post. However, what I mean is that, while I preach regularly on his teachings and other Biblical themes. It is rarer to actually talk about Jesus, himself. This is a "Historical Jesus" sermon as I deal with the resurrection closer to Easter. I read two interesting books in preparation for the sermon. One was "Rabbi Jesus" by Bruce Chilton (actually a re-read) and "Meeting Jesus Again For the First Time" by Marcus Borg.

Incidentally, I found an interesting web page today entitled "A Portrait of Jesus" which is based on Borg's work...

MEETING JESUS AGAIN
December 4, 2005
The Eliot Church
Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot

Every once in a while
During the course of my ministry
I have met someone who,
(Much like many of us here today)
Has found him or her self in a rough spot in life
And while seeking out some comfort and guidance
From the pain and confusion they feel
Has found a need to meet Jesus again

It is the “again” that we are talking about today
For some of these seekers,
Their formerly secure beliefs about Jesus are shaken
Others rejected the traditional Jesus story previously
Or never really gave him much thought
And then were struck in their time of need
By the message of the gospels

It isn’t surprising that they would be
The theologian and philosopher J. Ernest Renan wrote in 1863
The whole of history is incomprehensible without [Jesus]
And while he may have overstated the case a bit
Certainly his life and teachings
Though often dimly understood today
And the subsequent ideals and actions
Of the Christian movement
Have affected the world for better and for worse
For over two thousand years

This is an important point
The Jesus that many people remember and wrestle with
And that many of us have in our heads
Comes not so much from history
But from many layers of tradition
And when many of us strive to meet Jesus again
We are also trying to peel back the curtain a bit
Look past the angels and the shepherds
To see that human being who live so long ago

Liberal Christians, both Trinitarians and Unitarians
Have made this a part of their tradition
Striving to practice the religion of Jesus
Not the religion about him
It is a catchy slogan, but hard to do
Because to do so, one must be willing
To look at this man in his context
To put aside the Easter story for a moment
And concentrate on
That individual who was born and lived and died
In the first Century in the area
We call Israel and Palestine
He was a human being
Who existed well before any doctrinal debates
Councils of priests and bishops
Before any institution called church or Christianity

It is hard to know a lot about this man
But we can try and certainly we can draw
Some few conclusions about him
Today, with the remainder of our time
I would like to briefly consider Jesus
In his roles as Teacher, prophet or politician, and as a healer

But the first thing we must realize in our quest
For the faith and life of Jesus
Is that he was and considered himself to be
100% Jewish
I remember in my senior year of high school
A classmate of mine who reacted in complete and utter shock
When she was told that Jesus was Jewish
She went to church, she celebrated Christmas
But she didn’t know
The one most basic and fundamental fact
Of his life

Yes, Jesus was Jewish, he was a rabbi
A teacher of wisdom
In a tradition well known then as now
For its philosophical and theological explorations
The 8th Chapter of Proverbs reads
I, Wisdom, live with prudence and I attain knowledge and discretion. I have good advice. By me rulers decree what is just. I love those who love me and those who seek me diligently find me.
Jesus was a diligent seeker of wisdom
This quest for wisdom/An understanding of divine order
Was what dominated his life

But, of course, there is more to Jesus that that
There are many sages
Many teachers and clergy people
Who we do not remember today
No, Jesus was a teacher of a wisdom that subverted
What was then perceived as the natural order
He based his relationship with God
Not on ritual sacrifice and the obeying of laws
A view common not just in Judaism at the time
But all faiths in that part of the world
But, instead he based his relationship with God
Onlove and compassion
He taught the untouchables, after all
And was often criticized for healing people
When it was against the rules to do so

God, he believed, wasn’t an arbitrary ruler
Demanding tribute
But a loving parent, friend or relative
To Jesus God is someone who cares
Our reading from Luke today started out with Jesus saying
Be compassionate just as God is compassionate

Some Bibles say Be Merciful instead
But compassionate
Gets closer to the heart of the matter
In our modern usage Mercy implies a distance and a power imbalance
That is not what Jesus was talking about
The God that he described is a companion
A fellow sufferer, a friend when in need
Not a ruler to be feared
Those kinds of rulers exist in the human world
Not in The Commonwealth of Heaven
Do not judge and you will not be judged forgive and you will be forgiven
The God of compassion was a revolutionary idea
It went against the conventional wisdom of the day
To some extent, it still does

When we think of passages such as this one
Forgive and you will be forgiven
It is easy for us to see the revolution he wished to cause
In the hearts and minds of individuals
But Jesus was also a prophet
This was an idea that he wanted for society as a whole

Marcus Borg writes
Studies of our culture disclose that it is characterized by a pervasive individualism. Within this framework, compassion has become an individual rather than a political virtue. It is to be enacted by “a thousand points of light” rather than being a paradigm for public policy

The culture that Borg describes is where we live
Not what life was like for Jesus
Ties between people
Were much stronger for him
And the idea of salvation for the individual
Wouldn’t really make sense in the same way that we think of it
It was, in many respects all about the community

In this sense
Jesus was also a politician
Most prophets were and are
He had to be persuasive, a good speaker and story teller
Someone who could get his point across again and again
In fact it may be
That what we have in the synoptic gospels
(Matthew, Mark, and Luke)
Is, in many ways, the greatest hits if his “stump speeches”
Catch phrases and illustrations from his sermons
The things that stuck in people’s minds

Politicians will often say the same things
Make the same points,
Tell the same stories over and over again
In different ways to different people
So that they will not be forgotten
And instead become part of the communal identity and will
It is quite likely, for example
That the Sermon on the Mount was not so much a sermon
As the main points of a sermon series

So the Jesus we see, the human Jesus
Wasn’t a disconnected figure
A world-renouncer
But someone who came out of the wilderness
To sit in the public square
In fact, what he did in the square
Often generated more than a little controversy

Now, last communion Sunday
I made much of the open table that we celebrate here
The scriptural basis for open communion
Comes from Jesus’ parable of the great dinner
Where God is depicted as a wealthy man having a party
Go out into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame…Go out and compel people to come in so my house shall be filled.
This is a radical hospitality
Unusual then in a way that
Is hard for us to understand now
It was a time where sinfulness was understood
As a kind of disease, an impurity that one could catch
To share food, to touch, even to speak to certain kinds of people
Was to infect yourself, to make yourself unholy

When Jesus invites people in to eat with him
Tax collectors,… people off the street, women
He isn’t just committing a social Faux Pas
Or demonstrating kindness by offering free food
If that was what it was,
It wouldn’t have been remembered and written down
He was attacking the purity laws of his faith and society
He was violating a literal caste system at the root of his culture

So Jesus was a prophet, a politician, a rabbi and teacher
But none of this would have been possible
If he wasn’t also a truly unique individual
A person connected to the divine
Someone with a special relationship with God
One thing that all the sources about Jesus agree on
Is that he was a healer

Whether what he did was miraculous
Is something open for debate
But there was something about him
That made people feel better
One could say that there is still something about him
That heals us, that helps to make us whole
This power to heal came from his own deep spirituality
He was a spirit person and holy man

Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science wrote
Jesus of Nazareth was the most scientific man that ever trod the globe. He plunged beneath the material surface of things, and found the spiritual cause.

The Christian Scientists, of course,
Have taken this idea of spiritual healing
And opened a broad debate with much of modern medicine
While we may have differing views on this point
It does seem quite clear
That Jesus from his personal relationship with God
Found the strength
To provide a healing spirit to others
This relationship is something he invited others
To share and participate in

It is this invitation that causes people to wish to meet Jesus again
When we are weary, when we are sad,
When winter comes and we seek some light in the darkness
When we wish to work for justice and peace
Many of us turn to Jesus, the prophet of compassion and love
We remember his teachings and his works

And we do so when we just want to celebrate, too
To connect to the holy in each other
Like now, during the holiday season

Hugh Litchfield, the author of Preaching the Christmas Story
Points out that this time of year
We are warned “Don’t take Christ out of Christmas” But, [he goes on to say], that is not our danger …Our danger is that we can get so busy with preparations for it that unconsciously we might nudge him to the edges of our Christmas celebration and miss the true significance of what Christmas is about. It is about a love that’s for all seasons, a love that meets our needs forever.

Christmas is about a love for all seasons
This love is the message that Jesus taught and embodied
Regardless of whatever else he may or may not have been
So, let us remember to keep this Christmas season holy
By holding on to the love we have
And letting it grow by sharing it with others

Accidental Clericalism on Scott's Blog

2005-12-08T08:50:00.000-05:00

Scott Wells, over at Boy in the Bands, has an interesting discussion going on about the use of non-scriptural readings in church. I think this is an interesting quandry and one worth exploring not just for "regular" UUs but also for those of us who attend liberal Christian churches (be they UUA, UCC, UUA/UCC, or "other").

I posted a response on Scott's page. In essence, I wrote that when I use a non-scriptural reading, I do not expect it to carry the same wieght as the scriptural reading. The first in our four readings is always from the Hebrew Bible and the last is always from Christian Scripture. In the middle I put readings that I hope will serve as a counterpoint or a complement to them. As I said on Scott's page, I hope that they exist in conversation with the scriptural texts.

I have talked about this from the pulpit in the past, but it may be time to do so again. Scott points out that using these readings often misrepresents them as scripture and, while I do believe that in a Christian context (Eliot Church is, most UU churches are not) the primacy of the Bible should be obvious (and not only because of the big Bible on the lecturn), the issue may require the occasional examination and reflection.

Finally, there is a question I have been meaning to ask: How many preachers in the UUA use the lectionary from time to time? I do occasionally and, during Advent and Lent, often find that I am using it accidentally...

Advent Sermon Flashback

2005-12-02T09:03:00.000-05:00

I did not preach this year on the first Sunday in Advent. Thank you Dave Miller for stepping in and doing a fine job!

Here, however, is last year's sermon from the fourth Sunday. I posted it well after the big day, so maybe it deserves another run. I tried to import the whole thing forward to today but it wouldn't format properly. Therefore, one must click the link...

Middlesex DA

2005-12-01T08:43:00.000-05:00

I had a conversation with my dad--who fights the good fight over at Tierney's WebLag--about the Middlesex County DA's race. Sadly, I didn't know nearly as much as he. Quite possibly this is because I am not a former Attorney General. I'm not a lawyer, either, for that matter. Anyway, it does seem to be of interest to some folks because the DA of Middlesex often goes on to bigger and presumably better things at the state level. In particular, they become AG's of the Commonwealth. Therefore, it does make sense that we who live here might want to pay attention...

So, for all of you legal types who accidentally got here from my father's page (I know you're out there), I have included a list of Middlesex County's Villages and Farms (OK, the poem is here). Actually, I encourage everyone to come visit the county some time. This is quite the historic place, even if you aren't a prosecutor!

Also: Big happenings in Canada continue...

Advent Thoughts

2005-11-30T10:05:00.000-05:00

On Sunday we went and bought our tree. We put it up with the help of the Scott-Peirces of Medford (Hank, Rebecca and Ruth). Decorating had to wait until Monday, however...

I really love the early weeks of Advent. Things are getting busy but not so busy as to make us incapable of the occasional moment of rest and reflection. People actually take the time to check in with their friends and family. Church people and others even give some thought to the birth of Jesus before the great buying and celebrating rush begins.

While we have these early moments of waiting I, at least, am giving some thought to the call to serve. Many of us give during the holidays to the food pantries, the special collections, "Turkey Boxes" at Thanksgiving, et cetera. The trick is to take the habits we develop now and moved them into the rest of our lives while also deepening the call to address some of the questions that arise from our helping others. Why are there poor people? Why is there discrimination (both individual and institutional? What can we do about the systems that enforce this inequality? How can we create long-term, sustainable solutions to the problems of our towns and communities? Jesus was concerned with many of these issues and we should be, too.

I have been doing some work lately in the realm of Faith-Based Community Organizing. I have been particularly involved in the development of an organization here in the western suburbs of Boston called MICAH. This group and others like it are doing their best to ask the hard questions and to find answers that fit the needs of their communities and regions. There are other organizations as well. In fact, MICAH is affiliated with a consortium of these groups.

If you have any interest in MICAH (whether you are a member of Eliot Church or not) feel free to drop me a line! The call to serve isn't just about giving things (although that is important, too). It is also about advocating for positive change for the entire community. That requires sustained discussion and constructive debate, and, finally, action.

Ministry Training

2005-11-17T08:40:00.000-05:00

Boy in the Bands has a post about the concept of the Personal M.Div. It has gotten be thinking about how those of us who are in the clergy learn our profession. There are days in which I am pretty sure that I haven't learned anything! But seriously, it seems worthwhile for people, both clergy and laity, to sit down and give some thought to how we go about doing this training thing.

Here are some questions I have had for a long time:

1) Do we all need Master's Degrees? My first settlement was in two churches in northwestern Maine (you can see them here and here). Both are quite small and neither is being well served by the UUA's current structure. It is one that makes it hard for them to find long-term ministers. These are congregations that would work well with a bi-vocational minister or even a lay pastor. Both of these are hard to find and support in the current system. I know that when I was up there very few of the Methodist clergy had been ordained. Mostly they were folks who were living in the area anyway and felt the call to ministry. This didn't mean that they didn't do good work! It was quite the opposite. The UMC had set up a system to support and train them that was continuous and ongoing. They were (and are) an extremely dedicated and creative bunch.

I know that we sometimes worry about uninformed people running roughshod over the tradition, but it seems to me that we could do a better job of helping our small, rural churches deal with the costs and challenges of maintaining a good pastoral presence. They are many. Ministers (though, yes, the salaries are low when compared to many other professions) can be expensive! Also, I think that with the proper supervision, these lay pastors could end up doing a better job than the rest of us...

2) Could there be an alternative way to train? I, frankly, do not see this "Personal M.Div." as anything other than a mildly interesting and pleasant diversion by itself. I know few people who would really be self-starters enough to read all those books! There needs to be some kind of accountability in our education. Scott mentions the old way of doing things, namely an apprenticeship to a senior pastor. Now, I don't think I could wedge anthother person in the parsonage. However, maybe there is a way to train those lay-pastors by combining some course work with quite a bit more practical experience and independent reading. Done right, it could keep the ol' debt load down...

3) Why don't we do that anyway? I read the books and wrote the papers and Meadville/Lombard. It was a blast, really! I wouldn't have missed it for the world. However, there are whole trimesters of that experience that have been completely useless in my professional practice. Certainly it was good for me. One of the gifts I recieved from seminary was the ability to articulate and sustain my own faith, after all. However, my internship at the Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church and my first ministerial settlement were more helpful. Similarly, the books I read on my own I remember much better (and use more) than those that were assigned.

4) I thought I should briefly piggyback on something Daniel Harper wrote recently about how we trian ministers (I linked in in a recent post). How do we train our ministers to deal creatively with churches that aren't standard to our denomination? That is, UU churches that are economically, regionally, ethnically, theologically, or culturally different as well as those that are growing or (gasp) shrinking may need something different from what we are trained to do. How do we address the continuing education needs of our clergy and how do we pay for it?

Anyway, these are just some thoughts from someone who doesn't really spend as much time as one might think on issues such as this. Also, I shouldnote that I have my "UU" hat on when I write this. I am not all that familiar with the UCC system.