A New Community. October 5, 2014 Rev. Bruce Southworth, Senior Minister The Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist

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1 A New Community October 5, 2014 Rev. Bruce Southworth, Senior Minister The Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist Readings (1) In the Dedication Book for this building on October 17, 1948, W. E. B. DuBois wrote about our congregation s willingness in the nineteen teens, twenties, thirties and beyond to welcome blacks and to deal with issues of race. As DuBois notes, our members evidently did not believe that the white race was the only race on earth worth saving. That was a difficult creed to live up to in early twentieth century New York. He applauded the life of this congregation as a great step towards making a disillusioned world regard religion as honest, true, and capable of courage and daring. (2) Dr. Donald Harrington, The Community Pulpit, January 1, 1950: "Fifty Years To Go - My Dream For The Future"... So, my dear friends, I see emerging during these next fifty years from the shrouding mists of separation the Universal Church of All Mankind, championing the free mind, the dynamic quality of truth, the universal oneness of religion, the requirement of unbroken fellowship - a common faith for all which, as John Dewey said, it must be our task to make explicit and militant. I look forward to its work to make better people, giving them perspective, fellowship and opportunities for the significance of service. I am excited by its call to the great adventure of social reform in the fields of race relations, economic security, cultural balance, city planning and world government. I glory in its opportunity to lead the world towards the Church Universal with free minds, loving hearts and unbroken fellowship for all. (3) A colleague writes about his favorite children's book, by William Steig. It's about a dog, one of the most appealing dogs you could ever meet. He outgrows his neighborhood, packs all his belongings into a bandana on a stick, and ventures out to see the world. Soon he comes to a fork in the road, and 1

2 there a witch alligator stood, resting on a cane and looking as if she had been expecting him... "Would you like to know your fortune? the witch asked... I can see the future as clearly as I see the present and more clearly than I can recall the past... The road on the right goes nowhere. There's not a bit of magic up that road, no adventure, no surprise, nothing to discover or wonder at. Even the scenery is humdrum. Now this road, the one on the left... up this road, which looks the same at the beginning, but is really ever so different, things will happen that you never could have guessed at -- marvelous, unbelievable things. Up this way is where adventure is." A New Community Rev. Bruce Southworth, Senior Minister Downstairs in the safe in one of the offices, we keep the official records of the Church going back to The book of minutes of our congregational meetings includes this entry: January 13, 1919 The annual meeting of the Second Congregational Unitarian Church (The Church of The Messiah) was held on Monday evening, January 13, 1919 at 8 o'clock in the evening. There was a large attendance. Tellers that evening ascertained that there were 135 voters present, which was more than double the usual attendance. It was an historic evening, and what transpired that night changed the character, commitments, and course of this Church. Among the items recorded in the minutes is the following: Mr. Scott moved "That the Chair appoint a Committee... to consider changing the name of the church from its present title, and that this Committee be empowered to take such steps as may be necessary to secure opinion of members of the Society upon this point, and to report at an adjourned meeting of the Society on Tuesday, April 1. This motion was seconded by Mr. Nash and voted unanimously. 2

3 Then on April Fool's Day, April 1, 1919, ninety-five years ago, the minutes record, "Mr. Fraser, Chairman of the Committee on the Change of Name of the Church, read a report of what had been done, stating that 309 replies had been received and 140 different suggestions offered." (p. 56) What a momentous opportunity! To create a new Church! Naming has power! If starting afresh, what name might you offer for our church? Since 1839, our Church, which had legally incorporated as The Second Congregational Unitarian Society, had assumed the name The Church of the Messiah as its popular name. 140 other names were suggested. On that night in April ninety-five years ago, those assembled (it does not say how many attended) whittled the number down to five which would be presented to the members of the Church for referendum. Mail ballots were sent out listing the five options: The Community Church of New York The People's Church Church of the New Democracy The Free Fellowship The Church of the Messiah (the name that had been in use for 80 years). What name out of these five did they choose? agonizing. I know that the suspense is 21% voted for the then current name: The Church of the Messiah. 64% voted for The Community Church of New York, which is a resounding endorsement in a five-way contest (with the other three options receiving 7% or less of the votes). Of course, I should add that the minister of that day, John Haynes Holmes had preached eight consecutive sermons about the nature and function of the Community Church during March and April. It was upon his instigation and recommendation that the name change came. It was his program of change for the Church of the Messiah that the Congregation discussed and ultimately embraced ninety-five years ago, that decisive year of

4 The young Rev. John Holmes at the age of 27 accepted a call to the Church of the Messiah twelve years earlier in In his autobiography, he described the state of the Church in those early years this way: How may I summarize these opening years of my ministry in New York? A Unitarian church and therefore liberal in thought and spirit, the Church of the Messiah was yet a purely conventional institution. It fitted perfectly the prevailing pattern of Protestantism. Its membership was composed of a highly selective group of white Caucasians, of the upper middle class, united in the acceptance of a common theological inheritance which was heretical and not orthodox, but none the less Christian. This group was friendly but necessarily exclusive, since its members were automatically segregated by that consciousness of color, class, creed which made them one. The persons who belonged to the old Messiah all liked one another, understood one another, and thus associated naturally and happily with one another. Theirs was the same culture, the same grace, the same excellent enjoyment of the best that life may offer. They were representative not of the city but of a sect, or denomination which was itself a segment of the city. Their church was like most churches in the Protestant world - not a public institution in any real sense of the word, but a private chapel, or even club, which was hospitable in intention, but existed primarily for the edification and entertainment of the particular type of people who felt at home within its portals and appropriated its life to their own use. With this exclusiveness in religion, I had little sympathy. How could a church be true to its faith and not seek within itself, and in the larger community of souls, the universal brotherhood of man? There was work here to be done - another and greater reformation to be effected. Where should we begin, and how proceed? (I Speak For Myself, 107-8) Elsewhere Holmes notes that Henry Huddleston Rogers, a member of the Board of Trustees when he arrived and the President of Standard Oil of New York, was second only to John D. Rockefeller in exploiting oil and gas reserves. Holmes declares that Rogers was widely regarded as a pirate although I can only assume that was the opinion of Holmes' progressive friends and not the view of that genteel congregation. In any event, how was he to proceed? Holmes proceeded by preaching, writing, and practicing what he called the revolutionary purpose of the modern Church. He joined with others to help form the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP. He preached economic socialism, and some of the millionaires like Rogers drifted away from the Church. In 1917, just after 4

5 our nation joined the First World War, he declared himself to be a pacifist and denounced the war effort. He dedicated his work to a ministry of reconciliation, to the ideals of democracy, and to the spirit of international community. Knowing how popular the war was, Holmes was prepared for the Board to ask for his resignation when it met in special session. Among that Board of business luminaries, lawyers and leaders, only one member expressed any sympathy for Holmes' position. However, without formal motion or even lengthy discussion, the Board reported to their minister its near unanimous opposition to his views and unanimous support for his freedom in the pulpit. Our denominational history books celebrate both Holmes' courage and the Trustees protection of freedom of the pulpit on that occasion. Quite simply, he tried to speak the truth to power in the spirit of love, and he did his best to act upon his prophetic ideals. He followed Isaiah s advice who cautioned against preaching smooth things." Back in December 1918, Holmes had presented five concerns about which he wished the sentiments of the congregation. First, he had decided to leave the fellowship of Unitarian ministers. His vision was one of complete non-sectarianism, non-denominationalism, and would divorcing himself from Unitarianism be an impediment to his ministry in New York? The answer was that it would not be an impediment. Second, he asked if the ideal of the Community Church would be acceptable with whatever changes that might entail. It was accepted nearly unanimously with the exception that the Church maintained its affiliation with the American Unitarian Association. There were those who believed that Unitarianism was expansive enough to include this new direction. And many in starting down a new path felt no need to reject the heritage of Unitarianism that had already allowed them to progress to this new day. Third, would consideration be given to changing the popular name of the Church? And that indeed happened. Fourth, would the practice of renting pews be abolished in favor of open and free seating? This democratic step was quickly taken with great sensitivity to the existing pew owners. Finally, would the church now forgo a covenanted membership that is, avoid any creedal or dogmatic test of faith for membership? All of these were considered first on December 30 and fully acted upon affirmatively on January 13 and April 1 at congregational meetings, with the name change completed in May. 5

6 The last item about non-covenanted membership changed the statement of purpose of the Church. At that time, it stated: This Church accepts "the religion of Jesus, holding in accordance with his teaching, that practical religion is summed up in love to God and love to man." All are cordially invited to its fellowship that are in sympathy with its spirit of perfect freedom, its ideal of perfect truth, and its practical aims of the worship of God and the service of man. Ninety-five years ago in 1919, the statement of purpose was changed to a nontheological statement to read: This church is an institution of religion dedicated to the service of humanity. Seeking truth in freedom, it strives to apply it in love for the cultivation of character, the fostering of fellowship in work and worship, and the establishment of a righteous social order which shall bring abundant life to men. Knowing not sect, class, nation or race, it welcomes each to the service of all. Herein was the Community Church ideal. It included a religion that serves humanity, seeks the truth, espouses personal freedom, cultivates character, fosters fellowship - none of these all too different, but then goes on to say two new things. The Community Church ideal is inclusive, no longer only Christian, but interfaith and even more widely inclusive, not knowing sect, class, nation or race. In addition, the Community Church ideal seeks a righteous social order as it reflects the spirit of the Social Gospel. The Community Church has a radical prophetic dimension that cannot be overlooked, as so many Christian sects did (and continue to do) in trivializing Jesus' message. Having given eight consecutive hour-long sermons about it, Holmes had a sweeping vision: the Church Universal, democratic, spiritually inclusive, non-dogmatic and non-creedal, affirming individual freedom of belief, involved in the life of the community, dedicated to a better life in this world, with the idea of "the Beloved Community" at its core. If we review the 95 year history of the Community Church ideal as embodied here, we would discover that this Church and its changing ministers, changing 6

7 congregations, and changing times have for the most part been faithful to this guiding vision with its twin concern for its dual mission of personal religious, spiritual growth and the establishment of a righteous social order. There have been internal distractions: the great fire of September 11, 1919 that destroyed the sanctuary and organ, and then the failure of the building plan in the 1930s that left the Church homeless for 17 years until this Hall of Worship was completed in It is only mildly comforting to read minutes from past Board meetings forty, fifty, sixty, ninety-five years ago and see that the pressing concerns are all too familiar: the heating system, or the leaking roof, or the level of congregational giving, or the price of sixty tons of coal, or later steam, or sixty-five years ago the ventilating system downstairs in the Assembly Hall, or ninety-five years ago the problem of getting rid of furniture stored in the cellar of the church by differing members. (9/10/1919) Honors indeed go to all who have served on Church boards and on committees who have to confront such mundane details, as they also help shape the programs and ministries that are the true church. Another failed plan for improving our facilities in the late 1980s was disheartening as community opposition led to rezoning that precluded replacing this building. Institutional maintenance and building issues are perennial, yet the Community Church has always surmounted them and continually sought to offer a prophetic voice a prophetic voice and faithful deeds for 95 years: Whether it be in the arena of o Pacifism and peace-making in times of war, or with anti-nuclear witness, o Civil rights in the days of segregation, and today still, o Feminism in our times of on-going patriarchal sexism, o Racial understanding and inclusiveness in times of bigotry, strife, and discrimination and always; o Being interfaith and spiritually curious, o Racial and economic inclusion, with work to do o Protest and personal freedom in times of homophobia, o Equal opportunity and equity in our stratified economic system, o Environmental protection and witness, o Protest and witness against those policies of our government that were self-defeating be it support of apartheid South Africa or despots in Central America, or whatever and the list goes on. On these, we have not always all agreed on strategic details, for our freedom of thought is precious. Just a word about a deeply painful struggle twenty-five plus years ago with issues of homophobia. As inclusive as we had been, in the mid-1980s, there was not a 7

8 single openly gay person in the congregation. Yet, a congregationally-elected Search Committee unanimously recommended two women Ministers in a committed relationship as our new Co-Associate Ministers. Although they received more than 60% of the Congregational vote, there was powerful homophobia that precluded a two-thirds majority needed. It was a painful struggle for some to accept change and for others to suffer the profound disappointment that we had failed to live up to our ideals of honoring the worth and dignity of every person. What happened? We recovered with vigor, anger, reconciliation and soon led the way among UU congregations in becoming proudly welcoming congregations. Since 1919 (and even earlier) through organizations, coalitions, and homegrown initiatives, the Congregation, individual members, Ministers, and numerous groups within the Church have been involved in making our city and world more humane, more habitable and more just. Through education, through direct and indirect social service, through organizing, social witness and through social protest, year after year this congregation has built a record of concern and action. Recent engagement has included matters of climate change, the New Sanctuary Coalition with issues around immigration, and matters of police misconduct and training and policies such as stop and frisk the latter being one that ministers and members have returned to for nearly a century with occasional success and now new hope with our new Mayor. Are we doing enough? Have we been as successful as we want? Of course not. But the core vision remains. To pray and do battle. To grow our souls and to get our hands dirty. To make a difference. So much more to point to over the years. Friends of Community like Mohandas Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, W. E. B. Dubois, Indira Gandhi, Ella Baker, and Nelson Mandela, and member Pete Seeger. Memorial services here for John Dewey, Roy Wilkins, Bayard Rustin, Sophia Fahs & so many more. Office and program space, e.g. for the African National Congress, the American Committee on Africa, the American Indian Community House, the UU United Nations Office, African Services Committee, the Metropolitan Synagogue and other religious communities and so many others. One of the things I look forward to is our ongoing dreaming and working together about how we shall continue to be an ever more caring, justice-making, anti-racist, diverse spiritual community. Ever changing, ever faithful, ever new! We seem to be getting better at each of these, after some recent distractions. Like so many congregations in our denomination, we are turning away from some of the 8

9 extreme individualism that seemed to have been not so long ago a pandemic across the denomination. To be a caring, diverse spiritual community, rather than a clubhouse for the uncommitted. We encourage each other to see more clearly, to act more compassionately. We build a community of caring and friendship and dare to build the Beloved Community and live for matters larger than ourselves. This Church is no longer a chapel of and for the rich, nor a club for entertainment or narrow interest groups. For ninety-five years, we have been committed heart and soul to the Church Universal and the Beloved Community with its radical hospitality. It is a precious heritage, and may this day be one not only of recognition for so many who have served us, but also of rededication. Always free to take up new incarnations of our vision, to create an ever new and renewing community, may the year ahead be filled with adventure, even surprise, wonder and a bit of magic. There is scarcely another place like this, and where else can we turn to embrace more fully the Spirit of Life and Love and Justice that sustains, guides and anchors our lives? 9