Monday, June 22, 2009

prayer before the congregational meeting at First Unitarian Church, Los Angeles

Spirit of Life and Love, Mother and Father of all things, parent of all children, partner of creation, holy dreamer and rememberer of all that ever was or will be.

Today we celebrate the great opportunity to gather together again in this worshipping community. To be a church again this morning, gifted with the friends who support us, gifted with this fine old building that embraces us, gifted with this vibrant city neighborhood that surrounds us.

When we feel fearful at the great responsibility to be the stewards of this church, help us to remember that we are not alone. Help us to recognize the talents and skills brought to our use by the people in this room: the wisdom, the sense of humor, the calm voice, the passionate heart, the strong arms, those with money to give, those with time to give, those with vision, those with love.

When we feel despair, or terrible anxiety. When we feel overwhelmed. Allow us to take a breath, to step back, ad to let others lead for a time. And when we feel hope, when we see possibility. When our power returns. Call on us to take a breath, to step forward, and to take our turn in leadership.

Today we bring together all the resources of this community and we lay them on the altar of this church. From what we have today, supported by the rich legacy of hundreds of other Unitarians Universalists in Los Angeles who founded this church, and built this building, and who loved this church, and bequeathed it to us in pride, we will move this church one more step into the future. And it will be good.

Amen.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Individual and Community

Spirit of Life and Love that dwells within each of us and flows through all things.

Help us to meet you in that true core of our being. Help us to find that true self of the self where we participate in the Divine. Help us to claim identity with that Atman that is also the Brahman. Help us to be what we know we are but resist:

that person of love, that person of grace, that person without fear, that compassionate one, that wise one, that courageous one, that teacher, giver, lover and friend. Help us to release the prisoner of our true self from the cage of misery and fear where we keep it hidden.

And then, releasing ourselves, help us to meet you again in the world around us. Help us to see your holy face in the faces of everyone we meet. Help us to claim identity with the Brahman, the god of all existence, that manifests itself in all things including ourselves.

Help us to be what we know we are but resist: the god of love, the god of grace, the compassionate, wise and courageous spirit that surrounds and fills us. Let us be channels of your spirit moving through us to others, from yourself, back to yourself. Ever with you, ever a part of you. Holinees to holiness. One divine spirit blessing itself.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

An Atheist Prayer

Oh best spirit of myself, and highest spirit of this gathered community, vision of all that we can and hope to be, inspiration to self-growth and cultural evolution, I feel you now urging myself and all in this room to develop and use all of the skills and talents naturally present within us.

When we feel afraid, we will find courage within our own heart to face our fears, and we will help others face the dangers of life with bravery.

When we feel lonely, we will remember this community and seek out our companions, and we will be faithful friends to others.

When we feel righteous anger, we will seek justice in the human systems of ethics and laws that regulate fair and equal treatment for all, and we will help others find justice through purposeful action to change the human systems that oppress us.

Through our own actions, and through the actions of all people generally, we can create the world we seek. Today we feel rising in our bodies a new strength and resolve to do what must be done, a new lightness and joy fueling our hopes and optimism, and a new peace that comes with faith in and respect for the inherent worth and power of all human beings.

Amen