UUA News & Events: General Assembly 2004: 2108 Service of the Living Tradition

Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt

Rev. Cynthia Kane, UU U.S. Navy chaplain, at the Service of the Living Tradition

2108 Service of the Living Tradition

The Service of the Living Tradition is our annual celebration to mark the progress of Unitarian Universalist ministers and credentialed religious educators. Almost three thousand celebrants were summoned by a stirring organ prelude to the main hall of the Long Beach Convention Center to enthusiastically welcome 110 new ministers, to offer heartfelt appreciation to 16 retiring ministers, and to remember 18 recently deceased ministers. We also began a new tradition of extending the hand of fellowship to 12 religious educators who are credentialed at the masters level.

The congregation rose to honor the procession of participants singing the traditional opening hymn "Rank by Rank"

.When the hymn was complete but the procession was not, the continuing ranks of new ministers proudly began the hymn again and the congregation joined then in singing until the procession was complete, two verses later.

Among the families and friends of ministers who passed on this year were children of the Rev. Norma G. Veridan: Mira and Nada Velimirovic. As they lit the chalice, they invoked a flame of memory and hope to inspire and sustain us.

In the Call to Worship the Rev. David Hubner welcomed those at the earliest stages of their careers and expressed deep gratitude to those who have ministered to us and whose ways and love have shaped us.

The Rev. David Pettee welcomed the Sabbath (which traditionally begins at sunset Friday evening) with two flaming candles, counseling us to remember and observe the Sabbath in our minds and our lives. The candles were lit and a cup of wine was joyfully blessed with the words "Our noisy day has descended with the sun beyond our sight." Thus, he invited us to be instead of do. The 70-member Living Tradition choir, led by Toni Tellerud and accompanied by Don Beaudreault, responded with the traditional Hebrew song "Hava Nashirah."

The Rev. Beth Williams led the congregation in the Litany of Remembrance and Recognition

. On behalf of the Religious Education Credentialing Committee, Rev. Williams called the religious educators with masters-level credentials to the podium. The hand of fellowship was extended by the Rev. Dr. William Sinkford, Elizabeth M. Jones, the Rev. Makanah Morriss, and Rev. Hubner.

New ministers were welcomed by Phyllis Daniel, chair of the Ministerial Fellowship Committee and called to the podium by Rev. Pettee and the Rev. Dr. Michelle Bentley. Rev. Sinkford, the Rev. Dr. Kendyl Gibbons, Phyllis Daniel, and Rev. Hubner extended the hand (or hug) of fellowship.

In recognizing the ministers who have completed their service, the Rev. Dr. John Weston noted that the 16 retiring ministers could be grouped into those ordained in the years from 1960 to 1967 – all men – and those ordained in the years from 1984 to 1991 – three men and eight women. Underlying these statistics is a transition of the Unitarian and Universalist ministry from a profession dominated by men to one with a majority of women. The congregation rose to a standing ovation to thank these retiring ministers for their tireless service.

"We drink from wells we did not dig." In calling for us to replenish the well of the Living Tradition Fund, the Rev. Dr. Ralph Mero reminded us how important the fund is for retired ministers and their families and urged us to double or triple the contribution we originally had in mind. The offering was accompanied by the choir singing "By the Waters of Babylon."

The moving and thought-provoking sermon entitled "Count It All Joy" was delivered by the Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt and was followed by a choral response based on an Emily Dickinson poem: "I shall not live in vain."

The congregation rose as Rev. Sinkford read the roll call of those ministers who have died since we last gathered: "Spirit of Life and of Love, we stand with those whose hearts are heavy with grief and fear." There followed a piano response arranged and played by Don Beaudreault.

In his benediction, Rev. Hubner encouraged us to "Go now with joy. Go now with dedication. Go now with hope. Go now in peace." The congregation stood to the traditional recessional hymn "For All the Saints

" followed by the organ postlude.

Reported for the Web by Kok Heong and Mike MacNaughton; edited by Jone Johnson Lewis