I am writing from Chicago where I am attending the 175 Anniversary celebration for Meadville/Lombard Theological School, one of only two Unitarian Universalist seminaries preparing ministers to serve our faith.

This is the first formal introduction of a new President for Meadville, Dr. Elias Ortega-Aponte. During this past year, I have served on the Search Team that recommended Elias’s appointment. He comes to Meadville from Drew Theological School in New Jersey and brings a commitment to Unitarian Universalism grounded in his work in religious education, theologies of liberation and faith formation.

This celebration also includes the opportunity to warmly thank Dr. Lee Barker who has served as Meadville’s President for 17 years. Lee helped the school transition from a primarily residential program into a vibrant “contextual learning” approach using distance learning with periodic intensive periods in Chicago. That approach has become a much emulated model in the seminary world. I was privileged to serve on the school’s Board and then as Chair of the Board during that transition.

These days, I play a small part on the team of instructors for the student’s final, “Leadership Studies” year before they graduate and go before the Ministerial Fellowship Committee.

You may not be aware that these commitments respond to the mission of First Unitarian Church, one element of which is to provide leadership to our larger family of faith. The Board and staff are well aware of my work in these areas, but I haven’t spoken or written more broadly about them. This seemed a good opportunity to do that.

When I travel during the church year, I always take you with me. Not only do I represent First Unitarian, but your presence and our work together informs what I am able to do in the wider world.

This week I am particularly remembering the child dedications we did last Sunday in worship and the amazing privilege of being able to lead worship for you in our sanctuary.

I remembered this short piece on the experience of worship that I thought you might appreciate:

In Heaven by Rev. Mark Belletini

Ah, its true.
When our ancestors spoke of heaven,
They were speaking of this moment.
When they went on about nirvana
They imagined a time like this.
When they sang of paradise,
It was this morning they imagined.
A time when all the mysteries of life and death
Are blended in a community of praise,
When the bones of ancient lovers
Are given flesh again in our bodies,
Teachers of long ago speaking of love and truth
Once more in lives so ordinary they are
Extraordinary.
Blest is our breath, in and out, quiet,
Blest is our sitting, our fidgeting, our movement,
Blest is our heartbeat echoing
The pounding alleluias of the distant stars,
Blest is the silence that is presence,
Not absence.

Blessings,

Bill