• 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 – December 8, 2000

Rev. Frank Hall - Minister EmeritusApril 18, 2011 by Rev. Frank Hall - Minister Emeritus

Dear Friends,

Carlyn’s question lingers, as any good question does: “Frank, is Christmas a religious holiday?” she asked.

It was one of those moments when I knew I had to give a straight answer. I couldn’t turn it back to her and ask, “What do you think.” She’s nine. She wants an answer.

I wondered what she has been told in Hebrew school, or what she and her Jewish friends talked about, or what she and her Christian friends talked about. So I answered carefully, but directly. “No,” I said. Then I waited the appropriate three seconds, while she digested the unexpected answer. “It’s a cultural holiday.“

She responded, “But it’s called Christ-mass, right? Doesn’t that mean Christian, and isn’t it a holiday about the birthday of Jesus Christ? I think it’s religious.“

She had a good point. She pushed it. I wanted to tell her that the word Christ is simply the Greek way of saying the Hebrew word for Messiah. It’s not Jesus’ last name.

She knows that Santa is a mythological character representing the virtue of generosity. She loves Christmas. But now she’s confronted with the Jewish response to the Americanization of Christmas. Many Jews in our culture feel accosted by Christmas. It can be overwhelming, especially if you think of it as a religious holiday. I don’t. I want to support her Jewish education by providing a necessary balance. It’s easy to get carried away with one’s religious identity, to become separated from the ‘other,’ and defensive.

Christmas, for me, is a spiritual holiday. It’s about generosity; the root meaning, from the Latin genus, birth, through the French genereux, is noble birth. The birth of a high moral character, including generosity, courage and kindness requires the fertilization of those early seeds of love. Giving ennobles. The good receiver helps the giver.

Christmas, at its best, nourishes the heart of our spiritual life. It provides sustenance for the soul. Like the body, the human spirit must be nourished, trained and exercised to promote its development and to maintain fitness.

We know about the other side of this extravagant season. We know the dangers. Over-indulgence leads to an attitude of entitlement—what we used to call being spoiled. And we need to be sensitive to those who think of it as a religious holiday in a sectarian sense—Christians who want it kept holy, and Jews who are force fed.

But we must not be so cautious that we deny ourselves the benefits of the season. As Unitarians we want to take the best in this season, nourish our children’s sense of dignity and worth, and make this a better world.

That’s what religion is truly about. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas
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.