SERMONS 

What's Church Got To Do With It?
Youth Sunday

Caitlin Lee

I've been a Unitarian Universalist since before I could tie my own shoes. Almost since that point, I've been put on the spot when the subject of who-goes-to-what-church comes up, as it often does in this part of the country. My classmates and neighborhood friends would stare at me blankly as I tried my best to put our faith into words. In third grade, out on the school playground, after I'd spent a fair amount of time explaining Unitarian Universalism to her, a girl asked me if I was positive that I was going to a church on Sunday mornings, and not just some building to spend time with friends and talk about other people's religions. I wasn't sure how to answer. If I remember correctly, I think that was about the moment I fell off the monkey bars and scraped my knee.

In August of this past year, I walked down the hallway of my school and noticed that my left hip hurt badly as I stepped on it. Just a few days later, I was admitted into Vanderbilt Children's Hospital so that0 doctors could run tests on my hip. My parents and I were understandably worried. People in this church reached out to us. Cards and cookies showed up in my room, along with smiling faces and wishes for a speedy recovery. After six days in Vandy, I was diagnosed with bursitis and released. That day, someone from the church called my house to ask if we needed any help. Several other calls and letters arrived, offering hopes and prayers. When I felt up to returning to youth group, the moment I stepped out of the car, it felt like I was surrounded by this enormous love. I found myself in the middle of a large group hug, and I just knew that I was home.

In April, this church will be taking a huge step along our journey. A prospective new minister will come and we'll vote on whether to call this person to us. Right now, the congregation doesn't know if the candidate is male or female, atheist or polytheistic. Even so, this mystery person is incredibly influential to our congregation.

But the new minister isn't the only influential one in this sanctuary this morning. There's that social justice person, always here to remind us that we are part of a bigger picture. They keep us connected to upcoming events and the world outside our community. Greeters welcome members and newcomers alike with a smile and the order of service. Singers and musicians guide us all to a more relaxed, more spiritual place.

And when you're coming in a little late, there's always someone to scoot down the pew and tilt their hymn book just so you can see what morning song we're on. And you can't forget the person who sits in front of you who shakes your hand or gives you a hug, and maybe even moves over slightly so you can experience the service without a view of the back of their head. Even the person in back selling food can brighten up your day with a delicious brownie and a cup of coffee. Every one of these individuals comes together on Sunday morning to create this diverse community that is our church.

There's a poem by Robert Frost that ends with these words.

'Two roads diverged in a wood, and I ?
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.?

Here, we each have chosen the less traveled path of Unitarian Universalism. We walk our own spiritual paths, but we aren't alone. Other individuals walking their paths help guide us along our own as we figure out why and what we as individuals believe and how that affects our world. For now, our varying paths have led us here, to be with each other.

But does that make us a church?

Now, if I could go back with all the knowledge that I have, I would tell the little third grade girl on the playground that we are a church. It's not the buildings or the houses beside us, it's not the amount of religious symbols or the length of our tallest window, it's the individuals. It's the open-mindedness and respect that is given and received. The individuals who congregate here on Sunday mornings form a community of people who are searching for their own truth and meaning. Different paths cross and mingle, ideas are exchanged, and love is shared. The passion, spirituality, understanding, and talents of each and every person who is a part of this congregation are what makes this place a church.

Venus Forsythe

When I try to explain the youth group to people, I find it sort of difficult. What should I say? We're just a group of seventh through twelfth graders that meet every Sunday from 6-8 o'clock. But we're more than that. We're........open. We're a community. A community where we can see new faces and meet new people. A place where we can be ourselves. However, it's not just a social event. It's a group of young people who come to talk, discuss, play, and most importantly learn. We learn we are not alone. We learn about our religion, our history, each other, ourselves. There are people who are like me, who believe what I believe. There are people who are more than friends. Youth Group brings out a different person, a better person, in all of us. Youth Group is a place where we can be what we want to be. A place where we can be us.

John Cooper Elias

I think I speak for many of us, not only myself, when I say that this church community brings out something different in each individual. I myself feel as if I am a different person in this church setting. When I say that I am different in this community, I certainly don't mean to imply that I change the way I act, the beliefs I hold, or any other aspects of my character.

It's quite possible that the reason I feel differently is because of the people that make up this church and the opportunities that are open to me when I am here. I become immersed in the community and don't worry about what is happening outside of our group like I often do when I am with a group of school friends. It's been a battle for me to articulate how I change, but I know that I do.

However, this does not completely answer the burning question, "What's church got to do with it?" If only it were an easy answer like, "We are all united by the belief in one God." Instead, the typical UU answer sounds like,"Well we covenant to affirm and promote'... and then you say one of the UU principles. Well a common response to this is usually, "Oh so you are a social justice organization or a political organization." My response would usually be,"Well, we do a lot of social justice work, but we're a church." These conversations can be quite lengthy and often never go anywhere.

Ever since my mother and I began coming to this church, I've had to find my own ways to explain this church to others. For me, it's not as important to explain what this church stands for as a whole, but to explain to people what it means to me. To me, this is my church. I never question the use of the word church in reference to this community. I never think of us solely as an organization doing social justice work or a place for people to come to spend time with others. I think of this as a church in the same sense that all of my friends think of their church. This is where I belong on Sunday mornings, and I stress the word belong, because it is a time when I can get in touch with my spiritual side. This is where I come for church youth group, not a place where my friends and I can all hang out on a Sunday night, but a place where a closely knit community of companions, leaders and teachers congregate to "journey down the path" that leads us wherever our own beliefs want to take us. I cannot speak for this entire community when asked about who we are and how we coexist in a church setting, instead I can speak about what I believe and how I fit into this place.

My sophomore year at Hume-Fogg, we spent a few weeks studying world religions and it was no surprise to me that we never covered Unitarian Universalism. However, this made it even more interesting when it was time for us to do a project. We were to pick a religion other than our own, study it, gather information, and interview an adult of that faith. Much to my surprise, two out of thirty-five students chose Unitarian Universalism. As we went around the room and shared what we learned, we passed quickly through the religions that we had already studied in detail during class. We stopped momentarily to discuss the Baha'i faith, and then we came to Unitarian Universalism. Our teachers decided to spend some time letting the two students share what they had learned. They struggled to get anything across to the class and I just sat back waiting to see how they could articulate the information and whether either of our teachers would be able to give any additional information. They too struggled to find the right words and it seemed as if they were creating more questions than they were giving answers. Finally one of my friends said, "John Cooper is Unitarian Universalist." I knew at this point it was my turn. I remember trying to tackle two main topics. The first thing I made clear was that one person's setof beliefs did not stand for everyone. I explained this with references to my own beliefs and felt as if everyone understood. The harder thing to explain was how people of all different beliefs coexist in a church setting, especially when it comes down to a sermon. I gave an answer that was fine, but something much more memorable happened after that. One of the students had decided to come to a Sunday service to get information for his project. Despite having different beliefs, he felt included in the community as soon as he set foot inside here and placed his paper visitor nametag on. He said that it was very inclusive and he felt very comfortable. Finally, he said, "It felt like church."

Perhaps there is no easy answer to the question, "What's church got to do with it?" But there are some common threads that I think affect everyone and make this community what it is. We provide a haven for developing ideas and new or different ways of thinking. We create a loving embrace for everyone and everything that is a part of our community, and for the rest of the world as well. And isn't that what church should be, if not is, all about? A united community creating a sense of love that everyone can share. The change I experience in myself, and the changes in all individuals of this community are fueled by love, and that's what church has got to do with it.