Jul 21, 2022 | Weekly Message
When I began this blog as part of our yearly conversation around welcoming, we had not yet heard the news of Rev. Mark Ward’s passing. In the days that followed, I have witnessed your love and compassion for each other. I have watched you create spaces for grief and comfort. Together, you have embodied what it means to be a community, especially when life unfolds in unexpected ways. Together, you have practiced radical hospitality for each other and those who loved Mark. May we continue to care for each other as we travel these days together.
“Hospitality is the way we come out of ourselves. It is the first step toward dismantling the barriers of the world.” –St. Benedict
To be hospitable is a radical act, according to Benedict, whose rule of radical hospitality has been adapted by communities for centuries. Even for Unitarian Universalists, the concept of radical hospitality as welcome lies at the heart of our congregational life.
When new people arrive at our doors on Sunday, we have greeters who welcome them into our sanctuary, offer them coffee after the service, and introduce them to people who can connect them with our many community offerings. We wear name tags so they can identify us. We engage in a conversation so we may know and be known.
But welcoming doesn’t stop after your first visit.
Radical hospitality as welcome is also how we choose to live into our covenantal faith. As Unitarian Universalists, we are not bound by creeds–beliefs you must hold to join us–but by covenant. Covenant, as Rev. Alicia Forde says, is how “we attend deeply to the question, ‘How are we together?’ Our willingness to extend welcome–seeing the humanity and divinity in another, honoring their culture, identities, stories, and deeply held truths–is part of what it means to embody this faith.”
Welcoming is the first act and the ongoing work for belonging. It is impossible to belong in a place where you don’t feel welcomed. Yes, we welcome first-time visitors, we learn their names, and we invite them for coffee and conversation. And we keep inviting the fellow member we’ve known for five months, five years, five decades into the conversation, into deeper engagement, and to share a cup of coffee. To welcome over and over again is to extend the invitation of belonging.
Welcoming takes many forms, and it takes all of us. It is saying “hello,” and it is volunteering. It is seeing a stranger on Sunday morning and introducing yourself. It is weeding our grounds on Saturday morning with fellow members. It is listening to the story of a long-time member and meeting something new in them and possibly yourself. Radical welcome is the first and constant step we take to become a place of belonging.
Brittany Crawford, Director of Administration
Jul 17, 2022 | Sermons
Sunday, July 17, 2022 11am In-person and YouTube
Lea Morris, Guest
Jul 14, 2022 | Weekly Message
Like you, I sat in disbelief at the title of the email in my inbox yesterday. Rev. Mark Ward, our previous minister of 17 years, who taught so many of us to breathe was no longer alive. I couldn’t wrap my head around the loss for his family; his daughters; his grandchildren. I called my dad and told him how much I loved him. I couldn’t sleep last night. My experience was not unique, but Mark certainly was.
His teachings on humanism stuck with me along with his broad and infectious smile, his perpetual energy to do the next right thing, and his comforting words during challenging political times after the 2016 election. Like many parents in the congregation, he dedicated our children and held our baby in his arms, touching her head with a rose and water. He called us to action, to stand up for what was right, and not to get too comfortable in our habits and ways of thinking. Collectively, we have much of his knowledge, wisdom, and spirit and my belief system tells me he is with us when we gather through these shared experiences. Another aspect of Mark I deeply appreciated was his understanding that our beliefs change over time. Our personal faith journeys are not static.
I recently spent a beautiful day on the river rafting with a YRUU friend from high school and two of her three children. My friend lost her father to cancer when she was 18 and her husband to cancer when she was 41. We grew up together in the UU church. We went to cons. We were the face of young, liberal, religious individuals. But her experiences shaped and molded her belief system and now she is drawn to Christianity (and I must tell you, it is a very attractive proposal right now, with the promise of heaven). At previous points in my life, I was very judgmental about Christianity, but Mark’s wisdom and the UU principles have taught me to embrace those differences and those people as my own family.
I can understand and appreciate people of different faith traditions as expressions of their life experiences. Mark taught us so much and I do wish he were here, but I am grateful for the time we had with him. In the meantime, as we try to make sense of the world, we simply need to breathe.
Just breathe. Isn’t that what Mark would tell us to do at such a time?
Adam Griffith, Vice President, UU Asheville Board of Directors
Jul 10, 2022 | Sermons
Sunday, July 10, 2022, 11am In-person and YouTube
Rev. Roger Jones, Guest Minister
In our society, family and other personal relationships can be blessed or troubled by our attitudes about money and resources. Yet the ways that we handle money can be a source of insight about our spiritual approach to life. With stories about family life, our guest invites us to think about our personal relationships, our sense of self, our money, and those funny places where they overlap.
Rev. Dr. Roger Jones is one of the Co-Ministers of Equal Standing at the UU Society of Sacramento, where he has served since 2008. He serves on the boards of his UU district, area YMCA, and a medical center’s chaplaincy training program. He has degrees from Indiana University, Meadville Lombard Theological School, and Pacific School of Religion.
Jul 7, 2022 | Weekly Message
Dear Ones,
Rev. Claudia and I are on vacation, but I hope you won’t miss July worship at UU Asheville–the upcoming services will be inspiring, fun, and educational!
On July 10, Roger Jones will share insights about money and relationships. Lea Morris will be joining you straight from SUUSI on July 17, and on July 24, Tobias Van Buren, also straight from SUUSI, will share his insights about learning to practice self-love. On July 31, Sequoyah Rich will focus on Buddhism and will be joined by other members of the UU Asheville Buddhist group.
During our absence, emergency pastoral care will be provided by Rev. Michael Carter from the UU Congregation of the Swannanoa Valley. Please call our pastoral emergency line at 828-771-6279.
I am grateful that I took the time to attend the UUA General Assembly virtually this year–with the state of our nation and the Supreme Court, I found much-needed inspiration. There were two important events not requiring registration that I hope you will watch: The service of the Living Tradition (https://www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2022/slt). I hope we have some in-depth conversations when I return about the future direction of our Unitarian Universalist movement. Susan Frederick Gray’s statement about reproductive justice (https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/committed-reproductive-justice) is also a must-read and https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/raffirm-justice-ga.
Also, I hope you will mark your calendars for these upcoming events:
August 20, 9am-12n for the Beyond Categorical Thinking workshop led by UUA Transitions Director Keith Kron. More information to come…
August 28 Water Ceremony
September 7 for an in-person Candlelight Peace Vespers at 7pm that will be preceded by a simple meal of vegetarian soup and bread at 6 pm in Sandburg Hall.
Also, Rev. Claudia and I will be leading book study groups in the coming year, beginning with our selection by Native American author Tommy Orange called There There. The second book is by African American author Jesmyn Ward, Sing, Unburied, Sing. Novels for Feb and April will be announced in early January.
Finally, I am leaving tomorrow for a combination two-week vacation/spiritual retreat in England, beginning with cycling in the Cotswolds’ countryside, followed by a week-long canal boat retreat with a UU colleague. It is a bit of a daring adventure since we will be navigating the canal boat and the locks on our own, but it will likely generate some sermon fodder.
I hope you have a safe and enjoyable summer!
In Faith,
Rev. Cathy Harrington, Interim Lead Minister
