First Parish Church in Chelmsford sits next to the town common. It is as New England looking as a church can be. Its steeple and clock tower are under repair and are nearly completed. People have attended church there since 1635.

I have attended church there since 1997. Off and on I report about it here because in 2000, when I started doing so, Susan said it was ok. A few board participants have visited there as well. If you had visited there today, here is what you would have encountered:

The service began with piano music, “The Welcome Table.” Congregation member, John, lit the chalice with several readings from Horace Mann. The choir sang. Our intern minister Russ gave the official welcome. (Russ, interestingly, spent 30 years in Utah, a nevermo with Morton Thiokol. He determined late in his career that ministry would be more interesting than rocket science. He and his wife are with us for a year while he gets some experience “in the trenches.”)

The usual business of announcements and updates and more music was followed by a “for all ages” presentation. This involved learning the origins of the spiritual, “the welcome table,” and singing it as well. There was an open shout out of who we might find at our diverse welcome table. “All races!” “People with disabilities!” ‘Wealthy people!” “Poor people!” “Republicans!” “gay people” and so on. The song was sung and the children and their teachers left to attend their religious education classes.

A collection was taken. There were Bible readings and modern readings and then Rev. Ellen’s sermon (you can listen to it here, it is 17 minutes long – if you hear someone call out “could you say that again? – that was me!: http://www.uuchelmsford.org/about-us/our-minister/current-sermons/serie/6.html.)

The main message was that since UUs come from so many other religious backgrounds we sometimes get ourselves caught up in what we are not rather than what we can become as a religious movement.

After the sermon, the congregation shared joys and concerns. A final song, a final prayer by Russ (http://www.uuchelmsford.org/about-us/intern-minister.html) as we stood holding hands, sitting to listen to the last piece of music and we were all off to the downstairs vestry for coffee and conversation. I hadn’t been to church since before Christmas. It felt good to be back.

Interesting you have an intern. My brother's husband (yup, that's right) is an intern with a UU congregation in Tennesee; he seems to be doing well. Dunno if this is a great time to be entering the UU ministry, but I'm glad there are those willing to do so.

But-I'm-afraid-I'm-still-a-slacker-in-my-own-congregation-ly yrs,

S

to find you lurking around this evening!

Is your home now free of scary teenage girl sleepover parties?

Did anyone groan when the welcome came to all of those diverse attendees?

That's why I stopped attending one UU Church. It was very welcoming to gays, transgered, democrats, and many others which was very good. But there were always dirisive groans and comments about anyone with military connections, anyone who didn't want the church used for political phoning and campagning. I didn't like the wonderful still productive minister demeaned and discounted constantly simply for being old, white, straight, and male. I was especially unhappy to hear backbiting and notice snearing toward those didn't agree with selling space for a telephone cell tower to be built in a two story high veiwing window where many had worked hard on a butterfly garden.

Yes, I know people are human and these things happen in many churches. But the lovely service wasn't gratifying enough to make up for the harsh undertone. The good side is that we left without being stalked or harassed in any way. Those who missed us were sincere and we still make an effort to see them.

Chelmsford really does try and we have a rather solid stodgy old guard of Massachusetts liberals. I'm not saying atrocities don't happen, but, to answer your question, no jeers. Although it was telling that when we called out for diverse types republicans were mentioned by name - democrats were not.

One of the best skits I ever saw was from a group of teens going through the coming of age program. Two young ladies played the role of a gay couple with their baby attending a public concert held at the church. A young man and young woman play a couple who are new to the town and looking for a place to worship. They demonstrate some discomfort with the two moms, but they do their best. They respectfully outline their conservative views and their genuine love of Jesus Christ. They do it in a way that you know they are sincere, just want to be understood.

The two moms are equally respectful in return. Then the hetero couple says to the moms, "do you think we would be welcome in your church?" And the skit ended.

And THAT is why I love teenagers so much (although those teens are close to 30 now!)

"Then the hetero couple says to the moms, "do you think we would be welcome in your church?" And the skit ended."

Where's the vomit smiley when you need it?