Opening Words and Chalice Lighting:
Each of us brings a separate truth here,
We bring the truth of our own life, our own story.
We do not come as empty vessels
But rather we come as full people—
people who have our own story and our own truth.
We seek to add to our truths and add to our stories.
This room is rich with truth, rich with experience.
All manner of people are here: needy . . . joyful . . . frightened . . . anxious . . . bored.
We all bring our truth with us.
May we all recognize the truth and the story in everyone’s life.
And may we hear and honor the truths that we all bring as we gather together.
Together we have truths.
Together we have a story.
Together we are a community.
-Penny Hackett-Evans
Check-in:
Topic Introduction:
Unitarian Universalism draws from a living tradition with many sources:
-Direct experience of transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces that create and uphold life;
-Words and deeds of prophetic women and menwhich challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
-Wisdom from the world’s religionswhich inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
-Jewish and Christian teachingswhich call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
-Humanist teachingswhich counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
-Spiritual teachings of Earth-centered traditionswhich celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.
From Singingthe Living Tradition (introductory pages); also Welcome, A Unitarian Universalist Primer (pp. 5-6), boldface added.
At South Church celebrating such a wide spiritual heritage is a both a source of pride and a challenge. We value reason and individual spiritual exploration while we simultaneously draw knowledge, inspiration and guidance from truths based in multiple religious and spiritual traditions. Our spiritual diversity was named as a “life giving force” of South Church at meetings this summer preparatory to our new minister search. “South Church embraces differences with respect and appreciation” was also identified as a powerful vision to carry forward into our future at our SAIL retreat in August. Celebrating our spiritual diversity is more than tolerating it, or even respecting differences. What does this vision mean to you and to South Church?
Deep Sharing & Listening (Round #1):
1. Have there been occasions at South Church when you have found yourself uncomfortable with rituals or language from religious traditions or perspectives that are not your own?
2. What in your own path makes it sometimes difficult or separates you from others in embracing spiritual diversity?
3. What do you see as roadblocks to celebrating spiritual diversity?
4. Can you think of a time whenyou have truly “celebrated” spiritual diversity either at South Church or somewhere else?
Further Discussion(Round #2):
Housekeeping:
Likes & Wishes:
Closing Words:
Be not afraid to choose, to risk it all.
In this short spark of a life there is much to gain,
And always much to lose. There is birth and death
And much life to be lived in between.
So make a temple to your choices.
Dance and sing of celebration
Whether it be a gain or loss that comes to you.
And in this, be truly and fully alive. –Sarah Broughton
NOTE: For the week of November 15th or November 29th. This session topic coincides with the Adult Spiritual Education Committee’s promotion of fall-winter courses and publicity for South Church’s ongoing spiritual enrichment groups. The
Session written by Rita Weathersby, September 2010