Dear Members and Friends,
Today, construction on the sanctuary commences! The sanctuary will be off-limits until at least the second week of September. This Sunday we will gather in the foyer and East Wing. The theme will be “Yes, And: Lessons from Improvisation.” This is truly a time for improvising, adapting, and learning to thrive in this time of transition. I hope you will join us!
Let me share with you a story I heard from Robert Fulghum: A traveler from Italy came to the French town of Chartres to visit the great church that was being built there. The visitor came late in the day and came across several workers.
She came across two people covered in dust. She asked, “What are you doing.” They explained that as a stonemason, they had been cutting and laying stone. She then came across another person standing amidst pieces of glass. She asked, “What are you doing?” The worker said, “I am making stain glass windows.” She continued walking through the building and saw a person cutting pieces of wood. She asked, “What are you doing?” This person responded, “I am a woodworker and I am cutting wood for the trim.”
At that moment, the visitor saw an older person with a broom, sweeping up stone chips, glass shards, and wood shavings. She asked the older person, “What are you doing?” The older person had heard the woodworker’s answer and looked at the visitor for a moment and then responded, “Are you asking ‘What am I doing?’ It’s better to ask ‘What are WE doing?’ WE are building a cathedral for the glory of God.”
Today, if I asked you, what are you are doing here at UU Westport, you may be inclined to respond to the question as an individual. Even if today didn’t mark the first day of the current renovations, it still would be appropriate to ask, “What are WE doing here?” My friends, here at UU Westport, are not WE building a cathedral for the glory of the human spirit?
You might ask, what do you mean “building”, isn’t the building already built and soon to be renovated? Yes, but we gather in a unique space. As an individual we can have a profound experience—have you noticed how the light comes in through the windows? It’s possible to have a transcendent experience all by oneself. But when gathered in worship, when sharing in song and spirit, there’s yet a much deeper experience, that of recognizing that we are participating in something larger than ourselves. And here’s what makes the design of your building revolutionary, this building is not complete without its living, breathing congregation.
Indeed, we build shared community. Even after the sanctuary renovation is completed, you can still declare, each and every year, “We are building a cathedral for the glory of the human spirit!”
This last Saturday, I officiated at the Celebration of Life for Marion Wertheim. Marion and her late husband Joe, founding members of the congregation, were among the members who mortgaged their homes to pay for the construction of the building. She helped create the Memorial Garden, the steps to which can be seen from the sanctuary. She has been deeply generous over the years. She died earlier this year at the age of 102. On Saturday, Marion’s ashes were buried alongside her late husband’s, and then we celebrated her life.
Here is what I realized on Saturday: Your building is not complete without your faith community. This building was designed for the cultivation of community—progressive religious community. The spirit of this congregation is not defined by the building but it is in part shaped by it. These next few months, the spirit of this congregation shall grow in finding ways to gather for worship outside of the sanctuary. It is an exciting time to gather in new ways.
I find it curious that the current capital improvements have been generously funded while the Annual Fund Drive has not had a collective response such that there are insufficient pledges to cover current staffing costs. The staffing costs, inclusive of a COLA raise and a competitive salary for your new transitional minister requires $580,000, while just over $527,000 has been pledged by 153 households. I understand there are 350 members in the congregation—and 180 households pledging when I arrived.
If you are among the 60-100 households that participate in the congregation or are touched by its ministries who haven’t pledged, I encourage you to do so this week and join the circle who can truly say for the coming year, “We are building a cathedral for the glory of the human spirit!”
I look forward to seeing you this weekend!
Alan
