Striving for the Greatest Richness
of Personal & Community Life

A pulpit editorial delivered at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation (Blacksburg, VA), 21 September 2003, by by Bob and Ethel-Marie Underhill, members of the UUC.

Good morning, friends.

The purpose of this pulpit editorial is to call each of us to a heightened awareness of our warm and loving desires to be good parents and citizens. We need to be active in this world where there is so much injustice. We hear of it everyday, and many of us can say with sincerity that we clearly are not part of the problem. The real question, the real challenge is NOT "Are we part of the problem?", but, rather, : "Are we part of the solution?"

There are outspoken individuals and groups, both in our local community and the broader world, whose positions are in direct conflict with our UU ideals. They are getting media attention, pulpits, magazine coverage and the other forms of public attention characteristic of our culture. The only way we will really see change in the direction which is consistent with our ideals is to take a more visible and vocal position on these critical issues. How can we make our congregation a place where gays and lesbians feel comfortable? How can we make our congregation a place where ALL minorities feel more welcome? In our own family, we have a lesbian daughter. She and her partner want to have children. They long for the rights, privileges and protections afforded to all married heterosexual couples. Just as we do, they want to live in a community where they are accepted as a warm and loving couple and as warm and loving parents. As they've helped us see this world through their eyes, we worry about where they can live or work, and how their neighbors will treat them. How will they be respected and treated by our legal system? How can they live peaceful, fulfilling lives when they encounter schools and other common institutions in our town, our state and our nation. We love them deeply and wish for them the same freedoms and protections which we get automatically by NOT being members of their minority group!

We are dedicated to this task because we have a daughter involved, but it is so much broader than our own family's needs. It's just that our family experience has opened our eyes to injustice in our culture. We hope you, our members and friends in this congregation, will join in this struggle and will see ways to broaden our congregation sights. There is so much to be done to have better families, schools, and communities.

In our judgement, the Welcoming Congregation process offers us a wonderful opportunity on one of these questions as it relates to gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons. Our task force, advisors and consultants number more than a dozen people who are committed to providing leadership in helping our congregation explore critical issues behind prejudices and solutions for reducing those prejudices. The outcome is not certain, but our hope is that the issues involved are sufficiently critical to our families, our congregation and our broader community that we will have overwhelmingly support from ALL of our members and friends as together we examine the problems, needs and solutions to these prejudices in our local community.

The Task Force has met already for seven long sessions. We are looking at many aspects of our congregational life--our religious education literature, welcoming documents, sermons, and our inclusive language used in publications and services. We have planned three special Sunday morning services, including this morning, and have adapted a series of special meetings designed by the Unitarian-Universalist Association, condensing these from 14 to 9. We want each of you to be involved in the conversation, exploration and decisions as we consider becoming a UUA Welcoming Congregation for gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender people in our community.

We, the members of this Task Force, hope we can encourage and assist you in identifying this issue as one which needs our attention. It will serve as a door-opener for our desire and energy to look beyond our church doors to build a stronger community, a place where every person is recognized for their inherient worth and dignity. It will help us become even more a congregation where everyone is welcome, respected, accepted and honored. In this spirit, we are asking you to make a pledge of participation.

In your hands this morning is written information about the Welcoming Congregation program along with pledge cards. You will receive these materials by mail also, with an envelope for returning your pledge. Today this basket and one in the lobby await your gift of commitment. We are asking each of you to pledge to attend four session this year, two of which can be the Sunday morning services. Let us walk this path together to fulfill our heartfelt dreams and ideals.

PLEASE give these matters the fullest time and attention you possibly can in the coming months. Our hearts, our minds and our ideals call each of us. Please find the time, the love and compassion in your hearts to speak your truths, acknowledge your fears and explore whatever issues you possibly can to be part of a rich, diverse, wholesome and welcoming spiritual community.

Copyright 2003, Bob and Ethel-Marie Underhill; Commercial Duplication Prohibited

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