By Rev. Bryant Brown
It has happened several times now – the sanctuary is full on Sunday morning. Late-arriving folks have to look for seats or bring some in. There are several introductions, including people trying Thomas Paine Unitarian Universalist Fellowship for the first or second time. There is much good sharing, pointing to the trust we have in one another and the value to each of us in sharing our stores, our joys and sorrows and concerns, within this faith community. Clusters of people gather at coffee hour or potluck for conversations. The minister gets cornered for “a word.” Questions get asked about our faith and our fellowship. There is an excitement.
Last month’s ordination and installation, in addition to being a wonderfully meaningful service and a great celebration, showed us and anyone watching what we, together, can accomplish, even in a very limited time.
These happenings also point us beyond our immediate situation. We have said we want to grow, and not just because it does feel so good to share this faith and Sunday mornings with Unitarian Universalists. Our faith is one of sharing and supporting and challenging. More people, more ideas, more reflections, more questions are good for our beliefs.
Our commitment to growth also comes from a belief that the world is a better place with more people living the UU Principles. The reasoning and responsibility that come to us from both our Unitarian and Universalist traditions point to a more excellent alternative to the greed and injustice the headlines and our experience show us.
The filled sanctuary on Sundays and the overflow of the ordination give us a taste of where we have said we want to go. The vision of this congregation calls for more than doubling our size in five years. That is an ambitious, very doable goal. It calls for planning now. In a Board retreat and committee meetings and many conversations that I hear, it is already beyond a vision; the planning is underway. We are talking about facilities and programs and making them all available to a world needing to hear a liberal religious voice, for people wanting to experience and be a part of a Unitarian Universalist congregation right here.
Charles Dickens latches onto the calendar-changing, light-changing, possibility-filled spirit of this time of year, bringing ghosts of past, present, and future to Ebenezer Scrooge. After accompanying the spirits on a
frightening trip through time, a changed Scrooge finds himself in his own bed and discovers “Best and happiest of all, the Time before him was his own.” We have a history and we have dreams and, best and happiest of all, it is our time and we are on this journey together.
Peace and love and joy this season and always,
Bryant
