• 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 Universalist Congregation in Westport

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

Unitarian Universalist Association
  • Calendar
    • Calendar
    • SOUNDINGS
    • Communications Guidelines
    • ZOOM Instructions
    • Tips For Making Videos
    • Event & Space Reservations
    • TUUCWSocial 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
    • Healing and Resilience Task Force
    • Congregant Celebration
    • Pastoral Care Chaplains
    • Our Welcoming Congregation
    • Photo & Video Galleries
    • Links – Beyond Our Walls
    • SOUNDINGS
    • Communications Guidelines
    • Events & Space Reservations
    • Pledging
  • FAITH FORMATION
    • Faith Formation for Children and Youth 2022-23
    • Welcome to Family Faith Formation
    • This Week in Family Faith Formation
    • Faith Formation Age Groupings 2022-23
    • What to Expect on Sunday Mornings
    • OWL Information at a Glance
    • Youth Ministry
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Soul Matters
    • Keeping Safe
    • Faith Formation Registration
  • Social Justice
    • Welcome to Social Justice
    • Advocates for Prevention of Gun Violence
    • Beardsley School Committee
    • Immigration and Refugee Committee
    • KIVA Microfinance Committee
    • Racial Justice Committee
    • Westbridge Coalition
  • 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
    • Communications from Your Ministers
  • Live Stream

Dear Friends – September 10, 2007

April 23, 2011 by Rev. Frank Hall - Minister Emeritus

Dear Friends,

I have an increasing love and appreciation for our homecoming service.  Only one out of my 24 was rained on.  A week or so before each one I look carefully at the long-range forecast.

This year’s service was, in a word, great.  We gathered on the lawn, standing under sunny skies—too many for a single circle, now.  Big groups clustered in the shady spots under the trees, and a growing group of older folks sat on the balcony.

As I walked along Compo Beach this morning, watching the sunrise, I kept thinking about our homecoming service and for some reason I remembered my older brother Chet’s homing pigeons.  He built a pigeon hut with a system that allowed them to enter through a small, one-way door.  Once they came in they couldn’t get out.

I remember how he would bring one or more of the birds when we drove somewhere and he’d release them when we were ready to drive home to see if they would be waiting when we arrived, and they always would.  They didn’t have to stop for red lights or traffic.

He named each of them; he loved those birds and did his best to protect them from harm, though he lost a few to predators.  They came in a wide variety of colorful patterns with some unusual configurations of fluffy feathers.

There’s a lot of speculation about what enables pigeons to find their way home, from the earth’s magnetism to their sense of smell. The homing pigeon is a select breed of domesticated Rock Pigeon.  I smiled as I compared Chet’s homing pigeons to our flock.  We come in an increasingly wide variety of colorful patterns with some unusual configurations.

Some among us were born and raised in Unitarian Universalist homes.  About 5%.  Most of us, though, found our way here after flying the coop.  We come from every brand of Christianity; many of us grew up in Jewish households, practicing or non-practicing.  Some grew up in Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist homes.  Some were raised by families that stayed away from religion altogether.

Sometimes people refer to religious leaders as pastors who shepherd their flock—of sheep. That metaphor doesn’t work well for us!  Besides, it’s the sheepdog that guards and herds the sheep. We Unitarian clergy generally refer to ourselves as ministers, from the Latin verb ‘to serve.’

It’s an honorable thing, to serve, of course. The verb to serve is rooted in the Latin servus, a root shared with the word servile ‘to be abjectly submissive.’

I don’t think of you as one of the flock, needing a shepherd.  But I chose a life of service, and I’ve found deep meaning in serving.  It’s extremely rare when someone has made me feel servile.  On those few rare occasions I’ve done what I needed to do to take care of myself—to preserve a sense of humble self-respect, which is the first responsibility of those who serve.

You and I came here by choice.  Our homecoming service is a powerful reminder of the hopes and needs that brought us together, and the sacred quality of mutual respect on which we build this congregation.  Those were my thoughts this morning as I watched the sunrise on Compo.

Yours,

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
  • Communications from Your Ministers

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

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

Congregational 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 © 2023 · Visit us at The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport - 10 Lyons Plains Rd., Westport, CT 06880 - All rights reserved.