Katie Lee's Sermons

Come, Dream a Dream
Clock of the Long Now
The Second U
Are We Ready?
Freedom to Choose
Grace Happens?
UU Holiday
Christmas Eve
Between Darkness & Light
Thanksgiving
Refugio
Conscience
Children's Sabbath
Dog Wow God
Becoming Partners
Family Outings
One World

2002-2003 Archive

2001-2002 Archive

2000-2001 Archive

1999-2000 Archive

1998-1999 Archive

Katie Lee's Corner

Making Meanings

Our religious educator, Tracy Duncan, often says of herself: “I am an enabler of other people’s wonderfulness.” And indeed she is. If you’ve seen her in the Sanctuary, in Family Worship or Children’s Worship, or in any of a dozen other places – training RE guides, coaching committees, orchestrating “chocolate communion,” interacting with children or youth or adults… you know she is a pro.  But her little phrase – about being an enabler of others’ wonderfulness – got me to thinking about how that is such a good description of ministry – mine, yours, and ours together.

While it’s certainly true that not everything in our lives is wonderful, and certainly not wonderful all the time, it is also true that, here at First Parish, we strive to bring out and sustain and affirm the best in each other. And when, sometimes we aren’t feeling our best, we strive just to be there for each other until the going gets a little better.

I think of Chalice Circles. And Pastoral Associates who just listen when someone needs an attentive ear and an open heart. I am reminded how our ministry enables the wonderfulness of our gifted youth and provides just the right mix of light and nourishment for the littler ones to blossom and grow. I reflect on all the times Debra’s playing or the choir’s singing has enabled some kind of wonderfulness – sometimes deep and provocative reflection, sometimes celebrations together, and sometimes a means for communal expression.

Now more thoughts of wonderfulness are flying through my head. I think of year-round worship services of such depth and variety – the popular summer services, the challenges from the auction bidders, the guests we meet. I see all the energy we generate around our quilting projects, the Habitat for Humanity build, our lobbying and public witness on behalf of the things we care about: civil marriage for all, prison reform, civil liberties, poverty and homelessness (the list goes on).

And I think of us playing together. At in-home dinners. At English Country Dancing. At pot luck suppers and Maypole dances and film nights. Oh my, I’m just getting warmed up, but you get the idea. We’ve got some real wonderfulness going on here at First Parish and it wouldn’t be possible without the commitment and energy of every single one of us.

Sometimes I think we keep all this excitement to ourselves because we fear we’ll be perceived as evangelists if we spread the word. But we’re not trying to “convert” anybody; we merely want people to know what this community means to us. I encourage you to invite friends and neighbors to explore what you’ve found here. It might be wonderful for them, too.

To sustain and support all this wonderfulness, we need your commitment to two things: financial support and volunteering in whatever ways you can. We have six, fabulous staff members and only the minister is full time. Almost everything we do depends on volunteers. We have an impressive array of programs and we have a breathtaking facility – both historic and new. But to make it all work, we have to have volunteers. And, we have to pay the light bill and the heat. We need to be sure that our staff is paid a fair and competitive wage. And we want to ensure that our programs for children, youth and adults grow and deepen.

The simple reality is that all this wonderfulness costs time and money. I suspect that most of you, like me, are constantly struggling to allocate your finite resources in accordance with your needs and goals. How much can we afford? What do we postpone or cut if we can’t afford everything on the list? Are there some things we simply can’t afford NOT to do? What’s left over to give away to the people and causes we most care about?

This is where we are at First Parish. Enablers of wonderfulness. Dreaming of even more wonderfulness. But also fiscally attentive. Next year’s budget requires a 15% jump in income if we are to do what we want to do. How much can we afford now? How much can we pledge to invest in our future? What can we really do together to continue to be who we are and invest in who we want to become? It’s up to us to decide.

Add your voice to this congregational conversation; what we decide together is vital to our future.