Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing

I have reflected a great deal this summer on what it is that constitutes a healthy community — specifically, a religious or spiritual community — and in particular, our congregation. During our Board of Trustees retreat in August, we discussed the goals and priorities of the board in the exciting year that lies ahead for us.

Alice Blair Wesley, a retired Unitarian Universalist minister, wrote, “The center of the free church, the heart of the whole thing, is a promise of fidelity, a covenant, which each member freely makes upon joining. Actually also, each member begins again with, or renews or renegotiates, his or her promise many times in the course of the life of the church, in privacy of renewed conscience or spiritual growth.”

As part of our religious community, we make such promises on a variety of levels. We sign the Membership Book, and as members we
promise to be as active as we can in the areas of participation and in contributing our time, talent, and treasure. Some of us agree
(promise) to be on committees, serve as the chair or co-chair of a committee, or serve on the Board of Trustees or as an officer of the congregation. We may be asked, invited, or even challenged to serve as a leader, but our response needs to be a freely made promise.

Something we highly value within our Unitarian Universalist community of faith, hope, love, and action is being together in the spirit of a welcoming, growing, supportive community. Here is where together we find an intersection between that which we each find (and personally define as) sacred or holy and our desire for human community.

Recently, I have officiated at several memorial services and wedding ceremonies. At each of these, I have been deeply reminded of how much we need one another during both joyous occasions and sad occasions. And with all the suffering and injustice that is happening close to home and around the world, I am also reminded that we need one another when we strive to create a better world for ourselves and for others.

I look forward to our coming together this month with the promise that:

Love is the doctrine of this church
The quest of truth is its sacrament
And service is its prayer.
(arranged by L. Griswold Williams)