UUA GA, on SunDAY

So, take a full length mirror, a liberty hat, an American Flag and a big chain and what do you get? The most riveting religious service I've yet to experience, ever.

Anywhere.

Really.

Go watch it.

http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2008/112314.shtml

The Sunday morning worship at GA is always a moment of profound joy for me. Being in that hall with thousands of fellow UUs joined in one congregation every year, the "First Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater GA" brings hot stinging tears to my eyes. Tears of joy, yes, but also tears of loss in what we miss every week when we trudge along in our small congregations, sometimes pulling out the sling shot to take aim at each other.

And then, this year, when Rev. Marlin Lavanhar opened the sermon by telling us that two years ago his three year old daughter died unexpectedly in his arms well, my whole contingent was instantly in tears. It was me and my good friend Melinda from Seattle and my dear family/friend Suz and Cory who I know from St. Louis and Oregon and our work in this RE world--we were all kind of a patched together community this sacred and wonderful morning.

And we were all thrown right down to the ground with that statement about a small one being lost. And the story marched on about how the next day Rev. Dr. Bill Sinkford was on his knees, with Rev. Lavanhar, drawing with chalk on the sidewalk with the big brother of the small one.

So really, no matter who we are, what we do; if we need each other, no worry, we'll be there for each other. I'm not even sure how this came up, but at one point he asked us to turn to each other and say something about how someday, you, seated next to me, might save my life.

Well, I had to tell Suz that of course, she already had saved my life with her powerful and endless love and care. Even when she didn't always agree with my choices, she would and DID fly across the country to be there when I really, completely down to my toes needed her.

And you know what? So would my RE colleagues, and my church family. And hey, even maybe Rev. Dr. Bill. That's what this is. It's a huge movement to fix the world and change the way we live, but it's also you and me and us just taking care of each other one day and then the next and then after that, the next. And really, hey, what could possibly be more important?

Nothing. Not a thing at all.

Blessings to you all. Everyone.