Minister's Corner
The Minister's Corner is a column which is also featured in our newsletter Connection. It provides a place for Don to share his thoughts on our faith to the congregation in writing, no matter where he is!
The Positive Uses of Humor – in Church
One of the great joys I have discovered over the years as a Unitarian Universalist minister is that those attending our worship services can actually laugh out loud in church! That was hardly ever true in the church where I was raised. One had better sit with a stone-face or else!
In fact, I remember squirming in one of those hard, straight-up pews at the age of seven and having a delightful conversation with my contemporary Harriet - and laughing.
What we were laughing about was the minister. He was just so amusing as he portrayed the wrath of god – forehead sweating and spittle dripping! On and on he went about why we all needed Jesus to "get to God." In other words, he was talking about the importance of accepting Trinitarian theology. We'd better accept Jesus as our "personal savior" or we would be lost to eternal hellfire! Even then I never understood such reasoning and still don't.
Anyhow, our conversation and laughter aroused the ire of the "men of the church" (as they were called back then in the chauvinistic 1950's of America).
Consequently, a couple of those blokes were readily dispatched to escort us seven-year-old heathens out of the sanctuary. A symbolic "excommunication" if you will – Protestant style! And at seven-years-of-age!
Discipline-Freedom
It was that America quip writer, Cullen Hightower who penned:
Discipline without freedom is tyranny; freedom without discipline is chaos.
This quote has become one of a handful of sayings which has guided me during my 33-year career in the Unitarian Universalist ministry.
I believe that both "discipline" and "freedom" are necessary in a UU congregation.
"Discipline" can mean the very stated principles of our faith that create structure for not just our general UU populace, but for each individual UU. But these are such expansive beliefs, that they allow "freedom" of interpretation. They are not dogma but guidelines.
In other words, we are not a "do-your-own-thing" organization solely, but a "do-your-own-thing" within the context of everyone else also practicing his/her "do-your-own thing."
The Complicated Nature of UU Ministry: Preaching
Years ago when a colleague of mine announced that he was departing the congregation he was serving to take another ministerial position, he decided to devote a number of sermons to his life – of a highly personal nature.
Upon his departure, he also departed from his wife, adding a new wife for the journey.
I never heard those sermons, but I think that having given a six month notice of my retirement from the UU ministry and therefore departure from this congregation, I do not want to devote a number of sermons to my life – of a highly personal nature.
And when I move to Mexico, I am taking my partner with me (and dog).
In truth, being someone who holds up Emerson's belief that a minister should only preach about things that s/he has deeply felt, I do believe that every sermon I have ever preached has been about my life.
At least about my perspective on things.
