The Free Mind, The Free Church
A homily by Rev. Roberta Finkelstein
Sunday June 4, 2006

In 1819, William Ellery Channing ascended the pulpit of First Church in Baltimore. His sermon, entitled Unitarian Christianity, turned out to be a declaration of independence. For years dissension had been brewing between the liberal and orthodox branches of American Congregationalism. Ministers on both sides had tried to prevent a split in the denomination, but it had become inevitable. Channing, in that famous sermon, proceeded, with great eloquence, to lay out the basics of what became the American Unitarian movement. (one) The Bible, like every other book, was ‘written by men and for men’ and should be read as such. (two)The use of reason is the greatest gift to humanity and should be used as such. (and finally) The doctrine of the trinity is a confusing distraction from the true teachings of Christianity, which should be used to develop to the fullest every person’s mind and soul. Some have called this a doctrine of Christian humanism. This doctrine was further developed in an Election Day sermon in 1830 entitled “Spiritual Freedom.” Would you turn in your hymnals to responsive reading # 592 so we can read together the stirring words from that sermon?

As the inheritors of that legacy of spiritual freedom, you enjoy the rights and privileges of a free faith. And today we celebrate that legacy by gathering to determine together the course of this congregation for the next year. You may wonder why the annual business meeting is embedded in the worship service. Aren’t worship and business two different things? They should not be, not in Unitarian Universalism. The very act of discussing the business of the congregation in a civil and mutually respectful manner reflects our commitment to acceptance of one another and the right of conscience. Those are articles of faith for us. Do they not belong in worship according to our principles? Look at the particulars of the agenda for the meeting. The Welcoming Congregation proposal is a matter of justice, equity, and compassion. Do not those matters belong in our worship service? The election of officers, board members, and General Assembly delegates is the way we practice another article of our faith: the use of the democratic process. According to our principles, does that not belong at the heart of our worship? And fiscal matters – from the most mundane line items in the yearly budget to the proposals to practice careful stewardship by beginning to plan for and build towards the future stability of this organization – well, by considering those matters you are taking your place in the long line of people who have gratefully received the legacy of Unitarian Universalism from those who went before, treasured and nurtured it, and then passed it on to those who came after. That is the true meaning of stewardship.

Think of our movement as one long bucket brigade back through history. The people in the pews at First Church in Baltimore that day in 1819, connected directly to you and your children by their commitments and their participation and their stewardship. And speaking of connections through history, I want to invite you to turn now to another reading in the hymnal, #591. Two centuries after Channing preached his declaration of independence, James Luther Adams joined the bucket brigade, and building on Channing’s Election Day sermon, wrote these words. Let us speak them antiphonally.

So now it is your turn – free people with free minds, with the future of the free church in your hands. In the tradition of our democratic faith, I now turn the pulpit over to your duly elected President, Scott Norris. If you are not a voting member of this congregation, you are welcome to stay and observe our process, then conclude the worship service with us. If you are so inclined, there are Religious Education teachers who are voting members who would love to be relieved so they can vote. If you are willing, check in with Brandee Carrigan who will tell you how you can help with the children.