Unitarian Universalism is often described as a living tradition. Rev. Lindasusan, you are a scientist, so I can assume that to you, like me, this idea probably raises a great curiosity. A living tradition… I have always been fascinated by the idea that my spiritual home is somehow alive, and I have spent much of my time on Earth here in this place – the Unitarian Society of New Haven, seeking proof of that life. Being good UU’s, let’s turn to science to guide this inquiry, assisted by the other sources, of course. Science tells us that the first criteria for something to be considered alive is:
“ responsiveness to the environment”. Well, my clear understanding is that when this congregation was gathered 70 years ago this week, it was a clear response to the environment. Against a backdrop of the Korean War and the desire to move beyond the Malvinian “little boxes” of our founding members’ family traditions, they began to meet and talk and debate and drink coffee in the dark basements and noisy basketball courts of New Haven county. If anything can prove that zygotic USNH possessed the ability to respond to the environment, it’s that the first minister called to serve was an MIT trained physicist. I never met Rev. Lewis but the bits and pieces I’ve read about his time here definitely support the hypothesis.
The second criteria for life according to science is growth and change. Aside from the fact that these two words comprise a full 10% of the words in our hymnal, evidence of growth and change abound. Just over a decade into its existence, USNH was already experiencing great growth and change, building a sanctuary, followed quickly by an RE wing and choosing to enter into what would become a 30 year covenant with Rev. Wayne Shuttee. Growth and change brought Wayne to us and he responded by ardently proving the next criterion of life: maintaining homeostasis. It was during Wayne’s ministry that my family began its symbiosis with USNH. The memories I have of Wayne personally setting up the green plastic bucket chairs before services, measuring the distance between them with a ruler, or the way he lit the chalice with the same words each week, speaking of its flame bringing humanity out of the dark caves and fragrant groves of our past are evidence that this living tradition had found a kind of equilibrium between interdependent elements.
The image I have of Rev. Dan Hotchkiss from the three years he was our minister is of him dressed as a magi, trudging across the desert, following a star in the play Amahl and the Night Visitors. Dan’s ministry reminded us that as important as the principles that guide us are the sources that feed this living tradition. All living things pass traits onto their offspring and Rev. Hotchkiss brought the Deoxyribonucleic ancestry of Unitarian Universalism into sharp focus, calling on us to remember, honor and at the same time celebrate each new combination of chromosomes that become part of this living tradition, and when he left, Rev. Kathleen McTigue was right there to help us learn how to breathe. I can clearly remember 14 year old me, aware for the first time of this congregation’s metabolism and breathing, literally and figuratively as Rev. Kathleen’s buddhist inspired meditations filled us with oxygen, and let the carbon monoxide of hate float away into the outer atmosphere.
I returned to USNH in 2012, as Kathleen was herself floating off up the 95 corridor, joining the greater UU atmosphere. The Interim ministers who followed, like all the essential, healing interim ministers out there reminded us that we are made of cells and that each of us contributes to the whole, challenging us to engage in a time of rhibonucleic reflection on how we will contribute to the future coding of this living tradition. And then arrived Rev. Megan Lloyd Joiner. At first, when writing this piece, I was worried about how to prove the living tradition’s life criterion of reproduction. I briefly considered passing it over with a quick joke about the Our Whole Lives program. But I realize that an important part of the Rev. Megan’s legacy is quite a propos here. So many of our conversations in preparing worship and wider ministry were about the importance of balancing tradition with innovation, honoring “what’s always been done” with what can be done. I think Darwin would agree that balance between what works and what must adapt is the cornerstone of generational longevity and I will never forget those conversations with Rev. Megan and how I feel it now more than ever in the DNA of this place.
So now, Rev. Lindasusan Ulrich, welcome to USNH’s living tradition. All that has come before, will become part of who you are. All that you bring here to us will become part of us. My wish for you today and always is a wish for a vibrant congregational life. Together, may we together find:
- meaningful responsiveness to the environment·
- growth and change
- Times of homeostasis
- A healthy metabolism (in our budgets and otherwise) and deep, clear breaths of fresh air
- The collaborations of cells working together for a larger purpose
- And traits of peace, justice and equity which we will pass on to future generations
May this living tradition give us life in our shared ministries, and may it be so.