This last month,
our children and youth spent some time talking about community and what it
means to be together. What does it mean to you to be a part of this Unitarian
Universalist community?
I imagine that
if I were to take an official poll asking adult members why they come to
church, your answers might be very similar to that of our kids: my friends are
here, to learn, to share, to share about God, to have fun, to meet new people,
and possibly even because someone else made you come.
What is
interesting about most of the answers shared by our children is that they
understand that there is some give and take involved. They understand that to
be a part of a community is, at its core, about “sharing.” This means that
while we may expect to be filled in some way by coming to church, that we also
understand that something is expected of us in return. This may mean that be
bring our enthusiasm, a new idea, an ability to listen, or even that we walk
through the doors with an open heart, ready to find wisdom in whatever the day
holds for us. Our children also know that everyone, and I mean everyone, has
something to share.
While this seems
like a simple lesson, it is not always easy to remember. For many of us, by the
time Sunday morning rolls around, we are exhausted. The week has been long and
stressful, and perhaps we need a reason, any reason, to just stay home. So as
we hit the snooze button for the fifth time, we ask ourselves, “why church?”
The answer is,
in short, because you bring something. When your batteries are completely
drained and you feel like you have nothing else to give, you bring something.
When you have volunteered on 5 committees and helped organize what seems like a
million events and you are pretty sure you are “churched” out; you bring
something. When you are having a crisis or faith, you bring something. When
your luck has been down and you are at a complete loss, you bring something.
It is so easy to
forget that each and every one of us is valued, loved, and needed. This
community is not the same without you.
Together In Faith,
Amy Peterson
Derrick
Director of
Lifespan Learning
