What can one heart do for another? More than we know.
Each of us is precious; each is worthy.
We all make a difference, and together we make a bigger difference.
Any goodness one heart gives ripples out and creates more goodness.
In this community we experience the full circle of life.
Babies arrive and are welcomed and blessed.
Members die and their lives are commemorated and celebrated.
Reminded so often of birth and death, we remember what is most important – love, justice, kindness, goodness.
We give and receive support.
We teach and mentor and learn from one another.
We come to recognize: We are shaped by all that goes on here. Whate we do shapes this community.
What we do ripples out to affect the larger community and the world.
We are the changer and the changed.
The Changer and the Changed is the name of a music album by Cris Williamson. In the 1970s lesbian women’s music had little access to the recording industry. During a radio interview in Washington, D.C. in 1973, Cris Williamson suggested that a record label aimed at lesbian women would be a good idea. The independent label Olivia Records was founded the next day. Olivia Records produced The Changer and the Changed.
Lesbian women musicians had few venues in which to sing. Unitarian Universalist congregations often provided performance spaces.
In 1980 I was the mother of two young children, Ben was one, and Sarah was three. I participated in a Unitarian Universalist Women and Religion Conference where I first heard the music of Kay Gardner, Meg Christian, Holly Near and Cris Williamson. I was used to religious songs like Faith of Our Fathers and This is My Father’s World. My heart delighted in hearing women’s stories sung in worship.
I returned home and a member of my congregation invited women to a potluck dinner to hear stories of the conference. Out of that gathering we formed a Women’s Circle. We read women theologians, crested rituals and told our stories.
At home, I played women’s music over and over, Sarah and Ben dancing to the songs.
This year is the 40th anniversary of Olivia Records. Olivia also founded a cruise line. Olivia celebrates their 40th anniversary with cruises with programs by women activists, comedians and musicians, featuring Cris Williamson.
Our daughter Sarah now works for Olivia cruises. As she left a week ago on a cruise, she sent me a message thanking me for introducing her to women’s music. Of course in the circle of life, Sarah now introduces me to women’s music.
And Sarah wrote, “ok in the complete-circle-awesomeness of this trip… who do I squeeze into a crowded elevator with but the first woman I ever came out to when I was 16 years old in Salt Lake City. I almost cried. So perfect.”
The woman is Brenda. When Sarah was 16, Brenda was the religious education director of our UU congregation in Salt Lake City. How fortunate that when Sarah came out as a lesbian it was to her. I’ve wondered what would have happened to Sarah at 16 if she had not been part of a Unitarian Universalist congregation.
Brenda offered Sarah a loving, listening presence. This is what one heart can do for another.
In 1987 when I was a new minister in Utah the first wedding in which I presided was for two women. Word leaked to the newspaper and then I was interviewed. I thought I would be in for a flood of hate mail. What I was in for was presiding at scores of gay and lesbian wedding ceremonies. What a joy!
At our UU congregation in Salt Lake City, gay, lesbian, and straight people shared their stories. People sharing openly gave others courage to speak. This is what one heart can do for another.
Words led to actions, ripples, out to the larger community. Members began the first Utah chapter of PFLAG, Parents Friends Family of Lesbian and Gays.
Members, a high school teacher, and a straight male high school student, formed the first Gay Lesbian Straight Alliance in a Utah school.
Gay and lesbian rights and women’s rights intertwine. Members led the local chapter of the National Organization for Women and the Rape Crises Center and showed up to speak and rally at Reproductive Choice rallies.
Yesterday I received an email from Brenda. She writes, “I had the great pleasure of seeing Sarah at work last week, when we went on Olivia’s 40th anniversary cruise, and who should be leading various activities but Sarah! What a joy to see how she creates a loving atmosphere for women to grow and dance. She taught us the “billion women rising” dance, and just engaged anyone and everyone to move their bodies and love themselves and their fellow travelers. I was moved to tears. Lots of memories – with the women’s movement and with our efforts, personal, congregational, and community-wide in Utah.”
Unitarian Universalism, one small congregation in Utah, you who have rallied for women’s rights, all of us play a part in the Valentine’s Day Billion Rising Dance. Around the planet in India, the Congo, South Africa, the Philippines, on capital steps and parks, at city halls, schools and jails a billion danced for women’s freedom.
At the San Francisco jail sheriff, guards, inmates, and visitors danced together to end violence against women.
In the dance of life, each of us plays our part. We learn the steps from one another. We change one another and we are changed.
Unitarian Universalists play our part. We advocate for women’s rights, ordaining women, straight and lesbian, and gay men. We explore our sexism and homophobia, make welcoming congregations and stand on the side of love.
UU’s Standing on the Side of Love Campaign promotes marriage equality and challenges exclusion based on sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, abilities, class, race, and immigration status. Ripples ~ women’s rights to gay rights to immigrant rights.
We continue learning. Some of us have participated in BorderLinks trips to the Arizona and Mexico border and joined with other Unitarian Universalists in Phoenix for a Justice General Assembly.
When you walk the harsh desert and hear first-hand about some of the 6,000 deaths confirmed through found remains, your heart aches.
When you serve and share a meal with people recently deported to Mexico, see their bandaged feet and hear their stories of wanting to unite with their families, your heart breaks.
When you visit a U.S. courtroom and see groups of people, each person with a chain around their waist, their hands cuffed, their ankles shackled, hobble, chains clanking, to stand before the judge, you heart changes.
When you hear these stories, you want to change the system. You want changes to ripple out, unite families, create a better world.
What one heart can do for another is not shut down. You can stay open, be moved and changed and make change.
In religious community, we are reminded often of birth and death so we know what is important ~ love, justice, kindness and goodness.
Talk about the mystery of birth and death. Last Sunday a baby was almost born here! Megan and Chris O’Brien were formally welcomed as new members. Then Megan went into labor. Just a few hours after leaving church, Millicent Jane was born at Alta Bates hospital. The O’Brien family includes Millicent’s big brother Aiden. Our love to them. All are doing well.
Today we welcome Amaia Grace.
We remember to bless all children and to support all families.
Members die and their lives are commemorated and celebrated.
We remember to hold each life as precious.
Last weekend 95 year old Karl Ruppenthal’s life was commemorated and celebrated.
Karl’s heart was big. He smiled easily, gave generously and loved life.
At the memorial service his dear wife Jo Maxon, his children and grandchildren told stories of Karl’s love and delight in family and the time he gave to enjoying and nurturing those relationships.
Karl was a pilot.
His son said that as a young boy he wanted to be like Karl.
Brian wanted to be a Daddy Pilot.
Brian said as Karl was nearing death, he called Brian by his childhood name.
Karl said he wanted to go home. Brian recognized the deep truth of this symbolic language. He encouraged his dad to find his way.
Brian sang at his father’s bedside for hours.
Difficulties rose and dissolved.
Brian said maybe a door opened and Karl found his way out the door. Karl was finding his way home. Daddy Pilot was flying off.
What one heart can do for another is reassure, calm fears, companion, and encourage.
In the complete-circle-awesomeness of this trip, father mentored and guided son. Son mentored and guided father.
And all of us celebrating Karl’s life were mentored in how to be present as a loved one is dying
We are learning how, when the time comes, to let go and die ourselves.
We learn from one another. Even in death, Karl is teaching us.
We remember giving time to nurturing and delighting in our relationships matters.
We remember that loved ones are dear.
Each one of us is the changer and the changed.
No one is too small, too insignificant to make a difference.
As the XIV Dalai Lama says, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”
You are precious. You are worthy. You make a difference.
What is one thing your heart can do for another today?
Rebecca Parker, President of Starr King School for the Ministry, writes “Paradise is not a place free from suffering or conflict, but it is a place in which Spirit is present and love is possible.”
This is a place in which the spirit is present and love is possible.
Welcome to paradise.
Together let us grow to be more grateful, more generous, and more loving!
(Then leaders from the Board of Trustees, Coordinating Team and the Co-Ministers offer the following Hafiz poem adapted from a rendering by Daniel Ladinsky.)
When the sun within speaks,
when love reaches out its hand and places it upon another,
any power the stars and planets might have upon us,
any fears you can muster can become so rightfully insignificant.
When the sun within speaks, fears become so insignificant.
Reach out in love. Love one another.
What one heart can do for another heart,
is there any beauty in the world that can match this?
What can match the beauty of what one heart can do for another?
Brotherhood, sisterhood,
humanity becomes the joy and the emancipation.
What can hearts do for one another?
Community.
Community becomes joy!
Congregation: May community become joy!
Amen.
Copyright © 2013, Rev. Bill Hamilton-Holway. All Rights Reserved.
