Why do you come to church?
People have a variety of reasons: Singing in a group, living their values in
the community, hearing thought-provoking sermons, providing a safe environment
for their children to grow, enjoying coffee and conversation…
All of these reasons have one thing in common: CONNECTIONS.
Connecting is why we
come to church. Whether we are connecting to others in community,
connecting to our larger world, or connecting to our deeper selves, the whole
point is to connect. Hopefully, after we connect, we transform… We grow, we
learn, we improve ourselves, or improve the world. But first, we have to
connect.
The etymology of the word "religion" is "to
connect." (Re-ligare, like the word
"ligament.")
I've said it before,
and I'll say it again: We need to reclaim this vision of religion.
Do your beliefs and practices connect you, or separate you? If they connect you, to your own values, to others, and to the world… then that's a real religion! If they separate you, through fear, guilt, shame, or hate… then that's a false religion. I'm not afraid to call a spade a spade. I believe, as Unitarian Universalists, we need to celebrate real religion--those beliefs and practices that connect, support, and encourage people. And we need to denounce false religion-- those beliefs and practices that demean, belittle, or frighten. We are NOT a religion that says "We can believe whatever we want." Connection is what we believe in.
Our Seven Principles
are accompanied by Six Sources of Inspiration.
These 6 Sources include:
- Direct
personal experiences of wonder and transcendence.
- Words
and deeds of prophetic, challenging men and women throughout history.
- Wisdom from the world's religions which inspire our ethical life.
- Wisdom from the world's religions which inspire our ethical life.
-
Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to love our neighbors as
ourselves.
- Humanist traditions which encourage us to
heed the guidance of reason.
-
Earth-centered traditions which honor the cycles of the seasons and of life.
All of these sources are available to us as Unitarian
Universalists. We are not limited by one source of scripture, or one particular
prophet. We are open to a variety of ways of being inspired… Of course, any of these sources could be
abusive or hateful, if taken to an extreme or used in particular ways. But by
remembering the root of real religion, we remember how to use these sources in
a way that supports our lives and our community.
If you are looking for ways to connect at UUCA, you can
visit our CONNECTIONS table starting on September 30. Our catalog will detail
the classes you can take, the groups you can join, and the other opportunities
for connection in our Unitarian Universalist community. In the meantime, you
can contact me, Rev. Christina, at 410-266-8044 or FaithDev@uuca-md.org to
discuss where you can get connected.
If you need one-on-one support or pastoral
care, remember, ALL of the ministers are available to talk or to listen. Just
contact us directly and we'll find a time to meet.
In the spirit of love and connection… - Rev. Christina Leone
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