Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Annie Dillard is one of my favorite authors. I took this quote from her book Teaching a Stone to Talk, and I used it as a reading at my ordination.

“God does not demand that we give up our personal dignity, that we throw in our lot with random people, that we loose ourselves and turn from all that is not God. God needs nothing, asks nothing, and demands nothing, like the stars. It is life with God which demands these things.

Experience has taught the race that if knowledge of God is the end, then these habits of life are not the means but the conditions in which the means operates. You do not have to do these things – unless you want to know God. They work on you not God.

You do not have to sit outside in the dark. If, however, you want to look at the stars, you will find that darkness is necessary. But the stars neither require nor demand it.”

I feel the same way about gratitude. One of my core theological beliefs is that life is a gift and I seek an ever growing sense of appreciation and gratitude because I so love life in the darkness with the stars.

My heart is moved by all I cannot save; 
so much has been destroyed

I have to cast my lot with those
who, age after age,  perversely,

with no extraordinary 
power, reconstitute the world.

These are the words of poet Adrienne Rich. They are part of a much larger poem, but this powerful excerpt is in our hymnal, #463. I find that I often turn to these words because they sketch the arc of hope that I believe in. These words portray the despair that my heart feels at times in response to the tragedies and violence in our world and yet the life force calls to me over and over again and I respond; endeavoring to bring beauty and blessing to our broken world.

How did I know that I would accept an offer to candidate at RVUUF if such an offer was extended? It could very well be the dessert that Ruth Wire made on that first night. Health and vitality seems to flow through the food. Or perhaps it was Diane Werich singing joyously and swaying as we sang our closing hymn in Klamath Falls. It’s hard to say. But it seems that every interaction that I have had with someone from RVUUF has had tenderness and depth to it. I am looking forward to meeting you.

The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. But so many people seem to think that it is. I remember a few weeks ago when I was in Ashland as a pre-candidate. I was in a car with members of the search committee. It was a Sunday morning. We were on our way to Klamath Falls for me to preach at a neutral pulpit.

Dave Johnson was sitting in the back seat. I don’t remember exactly how it came up, but he uttered those words about the Tao. I turned around and beamed at him. I had used that quote, the first words of the Tao Te Ching in my ministerial packet. I told him that I had studied Mandarin Chinese when I was an undergraduate in the hopes that as I learned the language, my Western mind would enlarge to understand more deeply Eastern thought.

The Tao that can be named is not the eternal unchanging name. The myths in Genesis 2 and even in Rumple Stiltskin imply that to name something means to have power over it. And it is often true with regards to our fears that when we are able to name them, something shifts and they seem more manageable. The first chapter of the Tao offers an additional perspective. Naming things might give us a sense of control over life and events, but the absolute mysteries of the Universe can not be named in this way nor can they be controlled.

Yesterday, I stood before the Cedars congregation and introduced myself. I do this every week. It is one of the things I do to make new people feel welcome. Checking out a new church for the first time can be stressful, and I find that introducing myself helps our guests. After that, I sketched out how the next few months would play out as my interim ministry comes to an end and their newly called ministers begin their ministry. Then I mentioned that I would be coming to Ashland from Sunday May 11th through the 18th. I asked them to keep me and RVUUF in their prayers as we begin to get to know each other over candidating week. So, I want you to know that while we are going about this sacred task, of listening for call, we are being held in the hearts and minds of the congregation on Bainbridge Island.