Get your own Free Home PageWhat would you say if you were asked if you were a Unitarian Universalist? ... You could respond with the list of our principles. The problem with responding with these principles is that they are too long too remember. We need some sort of mnemonic device or memory aid to help us to remember our principles - to keep us from being tongue tied.
To find this needed mnemonic device let me ask the question: What sort of foundation do we wish to build the structure of our faith upon?
We do not want to build our principles on rock: the Rock of Ages: rigid Christianity. (Put triangular "house" on a rock and shake it) Buildings built on rock collapse in earthquakes. In times of earthquake and upheaval a rigid faith could be shaken and of little support. Universalists and Unitarians decided to never have a creed because they found they disagreed with the rigid conventional Christianity they saw around them. On the other hand we do not want to build our principles upon the shifting sands of public opinion. In times of storm and turmoil, principles built on sand can be blown away. In times of trouble we need something to fall back upon.
We need a faith that is modern, and flexible but firm. I recommend a Teflon pan as a foundation to build a Unitarian Universalist faith upon. I see some smiles. Don't you believe that a Teflon pan would make a good foundation? Some of you may recognize this skyline. (holding up a model) This is San Francisco. This pointed building in the center is the Trans America building. It is actually built on a giant sheet of Teflon. It is one of the "earthquake proof" buildings in California. The theory goes that if there is ever an earthquake, the building will slide back and forth on the sheet of Teflon and will not collapse. (slide model of Trans America Building back and forth on a Teflon pan.)
What does this all have to do with us today? I suggest that we use the letters of Teflon Pan T E F L O N P A N as a mnemonic device to help us remember Unitarian Universalist principles.
I have used this on several occasions. One time I was in a bible study group. A fundamentalist knew I would be there. He had done his homework and had come prepared. He said, pointing an accusing finger at me, "I looked in a dictionary and know what a Universalist is: You don't believe in hell. I have here bible quotes that prove that there is a hell." I replied, "Oh no, that is not what Universalists necessarily believe." He responded with those fateful words, "Well then, what does a Universalist believe." "Aha" I thought to myself, "Teflon Pan"
Unitarian Universalists believe in (T) the search for Truth and meaning. We believe in (E) the Equality of women and men and all people. We believe in (F) Freedom and using the democratic method in our congregations and in society at large. We believe in (L) Love which has been taught by all the great religions of history and all prophets. We believe in (O) One world of peace and justice. We believe in (N) Nature. We believe that we are part of the interdependent web of all existence and as such we must take care of Mother Earth. We believe in (P) persons: the inherent worth and dignity of every person. We believe in (A) Acceptance of one another and encouraging one another to grow spiritually. And (N) Now what do you think?
He said, "I think Universalism sounds like a pretty good religion."
I had another opportunity to use my "Teflon Pan" analogy. A woman had come to church in Derby Line for the first time. She invited me to dinner. After dinner she asked me those fateful words: "What is a Unitarian Universalist?"
I replied, " Unitarian Universalists believe in the search for Truth and meaning. We believe in the Equality of men and women. We believe in Freedom and Love. We believe in One world of peace and justice. We believe in Nature and taking care of the earth. We believe in the worth and dignity of every Person. We believe in Accepting one another and encouraging one another to grow spiritually and Now what do you think?" She said, "I think I am a Unitarian Universalist."
If we are clear and precise about what we are as Unitarian Universalists, more people will discover that they are Unitarian Universalists and our churches will grow.
I would like to spend the rest of this sermon trying to get a feeling for our principles and seeing if we act upon our beliefs.
First I would like to look at Truth. What have you done to search for truth recently?... You came to church today searching for truth, hoping perhaps to learn something new or perhaps find a new way of looking at or feeling about some subject. But are we are fire for the truth in the way that some fundamentalists are? Who of us would feel comfortable going on national television and debating Jerry Falwell about truth in the bible. I would feel somewhat uncomfortable doing this. Yet if we were on fire for seeking and promoting the truth: if all Unitarian Universalists studied the bible and were willing to debate fundamentalists on television and the radio what would be the result? Many people would find out that there is a religion with a modern and liberal approach and many would come into our churches.
Secondly are you still seekers of the truth or have you already made up your mind? Do you know what you believe and are sure that you will never change? I have changed my beliefs even since I have become a Unitarian Universalist minister. I believe that Unitarian Universalism means remaining open to the possibility of learning new truths. Unitarians and Universalists disagreed with the Christianity of their day and wisely realized that future Unitarian Universalists might disagree with them.
Equality: I think that our church does pretty well with equality. We were the first to ordain women. The Universalists ordained the first woman minister in the U. S. in 1863, Olympia Brown. Today we have an equal number of women and men in our theological schools. We have also written a new hymnal to degenderize our hymns.
Freedom: We do run our churches using the democratic method. With freedom, however, goes responsibility. Again I wonder how much Unitarian Universalists are on fire for freedom and responsibility. Who is responsible for the growth of this church, you or the minister? Studies show that about 80% of people who come into a Unitarian Universalist church are brought by a friend. No matter which minister you have, the minister is responsible for only 5% to 15% of new members. I encourage you to take your responsibilities seriously. If this church is to grow it is up to you.
Love: Is this a loving church? The first time I attended a Unitarian Universalist service I found the service fascinating. During the service the children came through in a Chinese Dragon with Christmas card scales. Having come from a Roman Catholic background this was amazing. I went to the coffee hour. (Roman Catholics don't normally have a coffee hour) An elderly couple approached me. (I had taken a red mug signifying that I was a newcomer) The couple explained that everyone had brought a bag lunch because there were movies after the coffee hour. They knew that I had no way of knowing that I should have brought my lunch so they offered to share their peanut butter sandwich with me. I was touched. Here were total strangers offering to share their lunch with me. On the whole I do find that Unitarian Universalist churches are loving. By the way, today we are having a coffee hour. If at all possible please stay. We do want to show love for one another. It is very hard to love someone you don1t know. That is why in all Unitarian Universalist churches I have seen coffee hours. This gives us time to talk and get to know one another and show care and love for one another.
One World: Molly Scott has a song: "We are all one planet, all one people of earth." (sung) We are all one planet. That is why Unitarian Universalist churches have always been so involved in social action. After WW II the Unitarian Service Committee was formed to help relieve the misery and suffering of the victims of the war. In its statement of purposes it declared: 3It is a means whereby Unitarians may witness to their belief in the sacred worth of every personality...Basic in our thinking is the realization that we are called upon to bring food, clothing and shelter to those in distress. Yet more, we sense the tremendous opportunity to share the burden of suffering with others, to aid them in recovering their sense of personal dignity, to help restore a faith in love and good will by means of a practical demonstration of human brotherhood.2 We take seriously the ideal of striving for one world of peace and justice. If this church is to grow we must think of how we can help others in the community and the world.
Nature: Molly Scott's song continues: "And we won't stand by watching earth die, hearing her cry and deny that we live as she lives. We die as she dies." (sung) We are part of the interdependent web of all existence. In Vermont, several years ago there was a possibility of a nuclear waste dump being placed in our area. Unitarian Universalists and other activists protested and the proposal of a dump site in the east was shelved. There are many opportunities to help the environment and Unitarian Universalists must take on that responsibility.
Person: Unitarian Universalists accept the worth and dignity of every person. We have always been in the forefront of civil rights. Universalist Elhanan Winchester wrote strongly against slavery in 1774. As I mentioned we were the first to ordain women. We fought for black's and women's rights when these were not popular issues and we continue to do this today. We are the first mainline denomination (and remain the only one) to perform same gender weddings.
Acceptance: Acceptance is the area in which Unitarian Universalists shine. In every congregation in which I have been, there has always been someone whom you could say "marches to a different drummer." We accept people who are different. I think that these people who are a bit different are sent to Unitarian Universalist churches to find out if we are truly accepting.
We also are accepting of what happens in our pulpits. Some of you may disagree with some of the things that I have said today but you still accept me as a person. We have freedom of the pulpit in our churches. You are free to disagree with what I say and the person in the pulpit is free to say what he or she truly believes. Next week, there may be someone in this pulpit who will say something that I disagree with. In the search for truth, what is necessary is an open mind.
Now: What do you think? If you are in general agreement with these principles you are invited to become a member of this church. You may remain a member of any church to which you are affiliated. If we are to be truly universal we accept people of good will from all faiths.
In closing, Unitarian Universalists have some very good principles. I would sum up our principles in one word "Love". If love to be the doctrine of this church we also need spirit. We need not only to be able to express our principles but we also need to really mean them. "May you be filled with the spirit of love."
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