Wishing You a Unitarian Universalist Christmas

I learned to read at my grandmother’s knee, she resting her large family King James Bible on her lap.

As written words came to be mine other things happened, as well.

She believed the big and well worn book told the sacred story of the world.

She believed and so, so did I.

Many, many years have passed.

My world has become bigger, my vision of faith is informed by many perspectives. Among other things I draw upon the wisdoms of Vedanta, Scientific perspectives, Humanism, Buddhism and most of all of Zen.

Today my faith is in a world where every single thing emerges precious and unique and passing, passing; and at the exact same time united as a boundless openness, by a reality where all those words I’ve learned fall away.

Just this.

Sadness and joy.

Just this.

The expressions of the twin knowings are many, flavored by disciplines and culture.

And loving my home and my family and the people among whom I move and live and have my being I’ve found the best expression for that for me to be within the family of Unitarian Universalism.

Day in and day out it is found in the zendo, on the pillow, and how the world presents as a floor spreading out before my gaze. Hints of sandlewood hanging in the air. Muffled noises rising and falling.

And it presents as many other things through the day and the week and the month and the year.

Which brings us here to this magical moment in the Western calendar.

One need not believe the historicity of the moment to know the moment.

Just this.

Just this.

Inspired by all this, an invitation…

For those in the Providence area, looking for a place to honor the day and keep its spirit, but at the same time wish an openness to the fullness of our existence, might consider joining us for our Christmas Eve worship services.

At five o’clock we’ll observe our family service. While there will be a current of quiet, the exuberance of children will mostly inform the hour. Of course there will be much amazing music. Also, while people are invited to sing the hymns out of their hearts with whatever words they wish, the printed texts have been adapted to our contemporary liberal faith. It should be a lovely, lovely time.

At nine o’clock we’ll observe our contemplative service. Here ancient hymns and carols are sung without feeling a need to adapt them, trusting we can see through the old masculine by preference language and other usages that normally give affront to the liberal ear. We blend the story as told in Luke (of course using the King James version) with contemporary reflections. All blended together with some of the best music to be heard in Rhode Island.

Cathy Seggel our Director of Religious Education and I will officiate. Readers will come from our High School, young adults home from college, together with a few adult ringers. Our children’s choir is led by Marcia Taylor and our adult choirs by Fred Jodry.

Lovely, lovely.

Just this.