Welcome Home!
The Rev. Benjamin Maucere
From Jelaludin Rumi, thirteenth-century Sufi poet and mystic:
Turn me like a waterwheel turning a millstone.
Plenty of water, a Living River.
Keep me in one place and scatter the love.
Leaf-moves in wind, straw drawn toward amber,
all parts of the world are in love,
but they do not tell their secrets: Cows grazing
on a sacramental table, ants whispering in Solomon’s ear.
Mountains mumbling an echo. Sky, calm.
If the sun were not in love, he would have no brightness,
the side of the hill no grass on it.
The ocean would come to rest somewhere.
Be a lover as they are, that you come to know
your Beloved. Be faithful that you may know
Faith. The other parts of the universe did not accept
the next responsibility of love as you can.
They were afraid they might make a mistake
with it, the inspired knowing
that springs from being in love.
Welcome home! Travelers, pilgrims, welcome home! Wanderers, worshipers, welcome home! To those of you who took some time off from the disciplines of congregational life, welcome back! And to you who have kept the church going, paying the bills, teaching our children, attending services and participating in them, thank you thank you thank you!
It is good to see you all! And it’s exciting for me to begin working with you, in this transitional period in the life of Community Unitarian Church!
This is a time of discernment. A time when you face the questions, Who are we, where do we want to go? And who might walk that path with us? For I can only help you glimpse the promised land. I cannot go there with you.
What is the promised land? While you must answer that question to fit your unique needs and opportunities, you will not be surprised that I have some opinions.
What is the purpose of the church? What are we doing here together? For, as theologian Emil Brunner puts it, “The church exists by mission as fire exists by burning.” Or, we might say, following Rumi, as a river exists by flowing. “Plenty of water, a Living River.”
What is the purpose of the church? Perhaps we could say that its purpose is “to keep us in one place and scatter the love.”

Stephen Carver, in his book, Boards that Make a Difference, speaks simply of mission. “How would the world be different,” he asks, “if your mission were being fulfilled?” How will the world be different as you are more successful in working together as a church?
One purpose of the church is to promote values, sometimes over-and-against the popular culture. The dominant culture values pleasure and power, and teaches that the meaning of life is gaining more of both.
Now I don’t think there’s anything wrong with either. I like pleasure; I like power. They are just not the highest good. And popular culture just isn’t suited for serious exploration or pursuit of the highest good.
What is the highest good? What makes life meaningful? It is the religious impulse within us which strives to answer these questions. And many of us may come up with different answers. For myself, from my studies, from my conversations, from my meditations and my prayers I answer the questions in two words. Beauty and love.
Is there anything else as worthwhile? Anything of greater value and meaning than love - an active verb which includes striving for justice and healing, and beauty - which includes reverence, awe and wonder?
Leaf-moves in wind, straw drawn toward amber,
all parts of the world are in love,
but they do not tell their secrets: Cows grazing
on a sacramental table, ants whispering in Solomon’s ear.
Mountains mumbling an echo. Sky, calm.
If the sun were not in love, he would have no brightness,
the side of the hill no grass on it.
The ocean would come to rest somewhere.
One time, in a counseling session, someone shared with me her spiritual discipline of asking herself two questions at the end of the day. “Did I see something today that made me glad to be alive?” And, “did I do something for someone else today?”
The questions cultivate an appreciation of beauty, and service to others. The purpose of the church is to empower us to serve, the beautiful the good, the true. To love all creation, and to act on that love.
I believe that we who gather here have chosen to offer something back to the world, not to live for ourselves alone. We are here, among other reasons, for support in living the engaged life. A life engaged with people, with questions that matter, with satisfying conversations and significant action. Helping us to do so is also the purpose of the church.

Be a lover as they are, that you come to know
your Beloved. Be faithful that you may know
Faith. The other parts of the universe did not accept
the next responsibility of love as you can.
They were afraid they might make a mistake
with it, the inspired knowing
that springs from being in love.
What are our goals for our time together? This time of transition?
I hope that we will come together to deepen and clarify our faith. Why are we Unitarian Universalists? What does our faith mean to us individually? This is a multifaith congregation – with pagans and atheists, non-theists and theists. Some draw spiritual sustenance from Christianity, some from Judaism, some from nature. And none of our many sources are mutually exclusive. We are the certain, the confused and the questing. These responses are many and varied, and they all can fit comfortably under the umbrella of Unitarian Universalism.
After love, the next responsibility? To remake our world, beginning with ourselves. “To see ourselves as a place of religion and of spiritual journey and social conscience and doing that is just and right.”
Think about the weddings performed here, the children to whom this congregation has dedicated itself over the years. The memorial services, the lives celebrated with stories and with tears. The outreach to the world beyond these walls.
The church is about is setting free the forces of love and justice, of peace and transformation. It’s what churches do. It’s who they are. It is CUC’s mission to work for these values. To exist by this work, as a river exists by flowing.
We are here to strive to develop our faith, to deepen our spirituality. To form more meaningful connections with others. And as we transform ourselves, we transform the world.
Where else in your life do you have assets like this at your disposal, at the service of your highest and best intentions? Look around you, at this talented and committed community. What do you want to do with it? Where do you want to go?
It’s great to be sharing this with you, this river that is our life and the river that is this church, flowing on. Carrying us with it, on a great and challenging journey. I am very glad to see you all, and I think we’re going to have a great time together. May it be so. AMEN