• Home
  • rainbow flagA Welcoming Congregation
  • Safe Congregation SealKeeping Safe
  • Capital Campaign
    • Contact: Capital Campaign
  • DONATE/REALM
  • TUCWomen
    • About TUCWomen
    • Join Us
    • Events
    • Contact
  • Contact
  • Instagram

The Unitarian Church in Westport

10 Lyons Plains Rd., Westport, CT 06880 - Ph: (203)227-7205 Sunday Services: 10:00 AM - ZOOM (check SOUNDINGS)

uua-logo-2
  • Calendar
    • Calendar
    • SOUNDINGS
    • Communications Guidelines
    • ZOOM Instructions
    • Tips For Making Videos
    • Event & Space Reservations
    • In person meetings at TUCW – Summer 2020
    • TUCWSocial Email List Ground Rules
  • Welcome Visitors
    • UU Orientation
    • Directions & Services
    • Special Ceremonies & Dedications
    • Our Congregational History
    • Our Faith
    • What is a Unitarian Universalist?
    • We are Unitarian Universalists
    • How did you become a Unitarian Universalist?
    • History of the Flaming Chalice
    • UU History in 8 Minutes
  • About Us
    • Our Mission Statement
    • Our Vision Statement
    • About Our Ministers
    • Our Staff
    • Getting Involved
    • Board of Trustees
    • Governance
    • Congregant Celebration
    • Pastoral Care Chaplains
    • Our Welcoming Congregation
    • Photo & Video Galleries
    • Links – Beyond Our Walls
    • SOUNDINGS
    • Events & Space Reservations
    • Pledging
  • FAMILY FAITH FORMATION
    • Faith Formation 2020-21
    • Welcome to Family Faith Formation
    • This Week in Family Faith Formation
    • What to Expect on Sundays
    • Faith Formation for Children Pre-K through 8th Grade
    • OWL Information at a Glance
    • Considering 7th-9th Grade OWL for Your Family?
    • Youth Ministry
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Keeping Safe
    • Faith Formation Registration
  • Social Justice
    • Welcome to Social Justice
    • Social Justice e-mail
    • Advocates for Prevention of Gun Violence
    • Beardsley School Committee
    • Environmental Action Group
    • Immigration and Refugee Committee
    • KIVA Microfinance Committee
    • Mercy Learning Center Committee
    • Racial Justice Committee
    • Rainbow Task Force
    • Westbridge Coalition
    • UU United Nations Office
    • Additional Programs
    • Racial Justice Resources
  • Music Program
    • Music Choir Schedules
    • Evensong
    • Our Minister of Music
    • The Music Committee
    • The Bell Choir
    • The Choir (Women and Men)
    • Special Projects Choir
    • Once & Again Singers
    • Children’s Choir
    • Teen Choir
    • The Chamber Choir
    • Sight-singing Classes
    • Cabaret
    • Voice Classes
    • Love Is the Spirit
    • Tune My Heart To Sing
    • Support Our Music Program
  • Sermons & Poetry
    • Minister’s Messages
    • Sermons – Audio
    • Sermons – Video
    • Rev. John T. Morehouse’s sermons
    • From Your Senior Minister: Facing Grace
    • Facing Grace – Rev. John’s blog
    • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – sermons
    • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – Dear Friends
    • Intern Minister’s sermons
    • Guest Minister’s sermons
    • Poetry & Readings
    • CURRENTS – our quarterly newsletter

Dear Friends – April 24, 2006

Rev. Frank Hall - Minister EmeritusApril 22, 2011 by Rev. Frank Hall - Minister Emeritus

Dear Friends,

We celebrated Earth Day by focusing on trees.

Pamela Weil donated a beautiful River Birch. Don Snook, recently retired Westport tree warden, Jamie Forbes and her friend Marcie, planted it along the walk leading to the under side entrance.

We planned to end the service by going to the tree to dedicate it, but the heavy rain kept us indoors. So I asked the congregation, ‘What would you like to say to our new tree?’ What wonderful responses: ‘Grow now in peace’ was my favorite, since it was a play on the words we sing to our children when they leave the sanctuary to return to their classes after the first part of the family services: “Go now in peace.”

Other things that were said to the tree included, “reach for the sky; welcome to our home; hold fast in the wind; share your beauty; enjoy the birds that sit in you; keep growing; endure.” Those are some that stand out as I reflect on Sunday’s service.

Did you know that this coming Sunday, April 30, is Arbor Day in Connecticut? The state tree is the White Oak, and we have a wonderful specimen on the top of our memorial garden area. Don tells me it’s about 200 years old.

When our wonderful White Oak was beginning its life, Thomas Jefferson was in the White House (1801 – 1809. During his years in the White House Jefferson extracted portions of the Gospels and pasted them into a collection he called ‘The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth.’ We call it the Jefferson Bible.

Jefferson and others of his era planted our Unitarian faith in soil of freedom in American. It’s nice to know that our White Oak began to grow at that time. Jefferson’s Bible emphasizes the need to assume responsibility for one’s actions. The bottom line is, ‘Your religion is the way you live your life.’

Our Green Sanctuary committee made a presentation, asking us to be ‘the greenest generation.’ “Green,” Elaine said, “is the new red, white and blue.” It’s patriotic to be energy conscious.

As I was preparing a sermon for our earth-day celebration I got a note from Barbara Fast reminding me that it was exactly sixteen years ago when she first got into the pulpit, on my invitation. She did a sermon emphasizing the need for us to assume responsibility for the care of our mother earth. Now she’s in the midst of her candidating week in E. Greenwich, RI, where she’ll be assuming responsibility for the pulpit and all the responsibilities that go with it.

Sacrifice is needed, and it must be voluntary. The word sacrifice shares the root of the word sacred. I’m reminded of the line in a William Wordsworth poem: “That best portion of a good man’s life, His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.”

Take care of yourself — and find ways to take care of the earth, too.

Endure!

To Life,
Frank

Filed Under: Dear Friends

  • Minister’s Messages
  • Sermons – Audio
  • Sermons – Video
  • Rev. John T. Morehouse’s sermons
  • From Your Senior Minister: Facing Grace
  • Facing Grace – Rev. John’s blog
  • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – sermons
  • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – Dear Friends
  • Intern Minister’s sermons
  • Guest Minister’s sermons
  • Readings & Poetry
  • CURRENTS – our quarterly newsletter

     The Unitarian Church in Westport
     is a member congregation of the
     Unitarian Universalist Association

      CLICK HERE if you have any questions      about The Unitarian Church in Westport

Church Hours: Tuesday - Friday
9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Summer Hours:
July & August until after Labor Day:
Tuesday - Friday 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

CLICK HERE to contact the web master

CLICK HERE to opt in to receive
the Weekly Congregational Email Blast

Copyright © 2021 · Visit us at The Unitarian Church in Westport - 10 Lyons Plains Rd., Westport, CT 06880 - All rights reserved.