The Rev. Jane Rzepka addresses the CLF congregation

2051 Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) Worship Service

Homilies by the Rev. Jane Rzepka and the Rev. Dr. Laurel E. Hallman

Prepared for UUA.org by: Jone Johnson Lewis, Reporter; Margy Levine Young, Editor

Read Rzepka's Homily
Read Hallman's Homily

The Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF), a congregation of Unitarian Universalists all over the world, meets annually at General Assembly for an in-person worship service and Annual Meeting. This year, as CLF's senior minister, the Rev. Dr. Jane Rzepka, noted in her homily, "Sunday came on Friday morning," and those members of CLF and visitors and guests assembled for this annual event in a meeting room at the far end of the Convention Center.

The program included music from the new UU hymnal supplement, Singing the Journey, as well as the UU hymnal, Singing the Living Tradition. Composers of several of the songs, Jason Shelton and Jim Scott, were present to lead the chorus and congregation in their compositions. The music had a decidedly upbeat feel, with a jazzy feel, sometimes gently haunting, and sometimes rousing and hopeful.

After opening music, Rzepka shared opening words, and Denny Davidoff, chair of the CLF Board of Directors, delivered a short welcome. Jim Scott led the congregation in "Gather the Spirit." The CLF ministerial interns for 04-05 and 05-06, Linda Berez and Paul Sprecher respectively, lit the chalice. The Rev. Patricia Franz, CLF's prison chaplain, led the meditation. As a choral response, the Rev. Maddie Sifantus, community minister in Boston, and the chorus sang Carolyn McDade's "Rising Green."

The Rev. Lynn Ungar, CLF minister for lifelong learning and editor of CLF's magazine, Quest, read selections from letters received from CLF members who live in Texas, describing their experience as UUs in a state noted for its conservatism in politics and religion. This was followed by a congregational song, "Siyahamba," a South Africa freedom song with verses in Zulu, English, and Spanish.

The Rev. Rzepka's homily began with her question, "Isn't this just like church?" She noted how good it is to be together, in one place – especially for those involved in the Church of the Larger Fellowship. In UU churches, we tend, she said, to want to welcome every single person. She described the early post office ministries in Texas – forerunners, in spirit, of today's internet and mail ministry of CLF – including work by Daniel Limbaugh (and she repeated that it was Daniel). She also noted that at that time, the Universalists had 14 parishes in Texas.

Reading over the local histories and correspondence, often in the dusty archives in Boston, Rzepka noted three basic themes: The first was that congregations have always wanted to invite everyone into Unitarian Universalism, to be welcoming to all. The second theme was the relationship with the Christian right. One text described early efforts as providing a "refuge and defense for minds incredulous at the orthodoxy that now visits Texas." The third theme was the relationship with Boston – and the need from Boston for both money and ministers. She closed with her thoughts about what it must be like to "keep liberal religion alive and thriving in Texas."

After an appropriate choral anthem, "Fire of Commitment," the Rev. Dr. Laurel Hallman, senior minister of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, delivered her homily. She reflected on how hard it often is to be a Unitarian Universalist in Texas. "I once had a member of my church say that it was easier to come out Gay than it was for him to come out as a Unitarian Universalist in Texas." She told of her own journey to Texas, and encountering people in the Dallas congregation who had taken risky stands on abortion, who had helped family law change in Texas, and who had stood up against loyalty oaths. And she talked of the people who are afraid to "come out" as Unitarian Universalists in Texas, because "it is hard." She described a project to contact 60,000 people to tell them about Unitarian Universalism and to invite them to the church – and the many calls they received that were hostile. Yet, she finally realized that even what had seemed like a failure, may have provided the occasion for many people to "come out" as UUs.

"It's a hard world out there. In any ways, hostile. I know it. I don't underestimate it." Yet, Hallman said, it is time to "come out as UUs" so that people "might have a chance of finding us, and having their lives transformed because of it." She closed with the hopeful words that "together with CLF, you can organize, as sophisticated and savvy an organization as any I have ever encountered. You can mentor each other into leadership. You can be as entrepreneurial and as powerful as you want to be. You can create the world you dream of right where you are."

The closing song, "This Little Light of Mine," was an energetic ending, as the congregation rose and sang the many verses led by the chorus and Maddie Sifantus.

Following the service, the CLF held its Annual Meeting.

Read Rzepka's Homily
Read Hallman's Homily

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