State of Our Union 2023 Sermon
Rev. John T. Crestwell, Jr.
March 5, 2023
Today is Celebration Sunday so let’s celebrate with clapping and laughter and shouts of joy, if you so choose. Let’s show gratitude for the work we are doing. This sermon is shaped around what we call, in our governance, our Ends Statements. These are our ‘ultimate goals’ we want to see manifest as a congregation.
There are 5 Ends Statements—but the first statement (our Global Ends—see below) is really a mission statement, so there are only 4 statements. The Global Ends Statement holds the other 4 statements accountable. The global ends ask us, ‘What do we hope to become as a UU congregation in Anne Arundel County, Maryland?’ I will say a bit more on this in a moment… The other 4 ends statements sort of chime-in with more questions… What is our goal as a congregation with our faith development program? What’s our goal with our social and environmental justice work? What does our relationship to our UU faith look like when we are at our best? What do we want to maintain or create in the end with our building, grounds and finances? How can we create a sustainable ministry that lasts through the years? This sermon does not directly answer those questions, but I do want to talk about what we have done under each and celebrate our work. First, let me say more about the Global Ends.
UUCA Global Ends Statement
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis exists to create the Beloved Community by inspiring and empowering all souls to live bold and compassionate lives.
What will it look and feel like when we achieve this Ends? To me, this means we become a growing and thriving spiritual community that is living its principles and values inside and outside this building. Our church becomes a living embodiment of love—a place where every person feels whole. That means we are a trauma-free, racially diverse, intergenerational community that is living into its abundance. We are not there. But we are on our way with many ideas and plans to be implemented.
Let me acknowledge our thanks for all those who have helped us to get back in-person, regularly, on Sunday mornings especially our Re-opening Committee! We’ve come to know, like never-before, how much we need each other; how much singing together and praying together and worshiping together matters. We cannot ever take this for granted. That is worth celebrating! And more than that, we have UV lights to protect us, and a reserved section for masks; and an online zoom option for worship. We have expanded our reach and made ourselves better. We made lemonade out of our pandemic lemons.
Becoming a beloved community also means being welcoming and invitational. I believe we are doing this well which is evidenced by the over 75 new members we’ve welcomed in the last 14 months! We are the right faith, at the right time in history; and we have a tenacious Membership Coordinator who loves her church and her job. Amen. We are happy to welcome so many new members, as well as all the returning members into our fold. And we are happy that Laura Schrank is our MC!
1. Faith Development
UUCA creates meaningful opportunities for deepening spirituality for all persons within a safe and challenging environment.
Under faith development, let’s celebrate that our children and youth are back in church! We lost almost all our children and youth during the pandemic when services were online, which made it difficult to maintain our faith formation program. It was a sad reality. Pre-pandemic we had a program with over 100 children and youth involved. But we persisted (offered what we could) and I am glad to say that we have over 100 children and youth registered in 2023. We have been restored to health.
Our Darwin summer camp, Camp Beagle, is still going and thriving despite setbacks with the pandemic. Registration is open! We can be proud of that.
The annual youth UU legacy trip to Boston is back in April. Joni and I are looking forward to joining our youth at the UU Mecca in Boston to see sites and learn some UU History. That’s good news.
Faith Formation is also fully staffed! The ministers are proud of the incredible work Sarah Devlin Tremble is doing. She brings a passion that is unmatched. Sarah has created so many opportunities for families to connect and build community. I’m excited about what the future holds! And let us not forget her assistant, Stacy, who brings vibrancy and energy to the program. She is such a positive force. Let’s give thanks for the rejuvenation of our faith formation program.
Where are the pilgrims? We can’t forget what happened in October when so many of you took a leap of faith and traveled with Rev. Anastassia on a pilgrimage in Spain on the Camino de Santiago. 70 miles you walked! Many of you reported this as life-changing. That’s what this faith is all about—providing life-changing ministry.
We are also very proud that our Adult Faith Formation classes during after hour are going so well. We are getting more than 60 participants each week who are staying around to nurture their spirits with programming that is eclectic, challenging and thoughtful.
2. Social & Environmental Justice
UUCA’s theological and spiritual culture calls us to put our principles into action by creating and supporting systems that address environmental and social injustices.
Under Social and Environmental Justice, we should be proud that our work with Anne Arundel Connecting Together has resulted in the launching of a program (THIS WEEK) called “Turn Around Thursday”. This movement will provide workplace training, motivational support, soft-skills, and mostly importantly jobs to many unemployed and under employed people in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. This is a multi-million-dollar project is paid for by our county. We can be proud of this accomplishment.
Also, our legislative ministry UULM-MD is active at the statehouse advocating for the things we care about like climate change, criminal justice reform, immigration, medical aid for the dying, healthcare for all, reproductive rights, gun violence, economic justice, LGBTQai rights, and more. We give thanks for Ashley Egan, the coordinator, Candy Clark (a tireless volunteer), and those of you who have provided testimonies including two of our youth Elijah and Treuth Hicks.
Did you know that we provide food for a food pantry for the Woodside Gardens community where so many do not have enough food; or healthy food choices? Yes, we do. And that ministry continues despite some recent setbacks. We give thanks for all the volunteers who keep this going including Don Patterson, Darrel Nash and Diane Ratcliff.
Did you know that this church has partnered with other organizations to help an Afghan family survive after migrating to the US? That’s right, we pay their rent, provide medical and other support for a family. We are a generous community.
We continue giving nearly $20,000 annually to other non-profits in the area. We know that justice work requires time and money and we are attempting to put our money where our mouths are. I am proud to say that UUCA sees about $100,000 flowing through its ledgers annually—money given to organizations and people who really need it. Some examples are the minister’s emergency response, ACT, Lighthouse, Share the Plate, UULM, Arundel House of Hope, Endowment grants, environmental justice, racial justice support, refugee resettlement, and our prison ministry. This is effectively a tithe of over 10% by our congregation. I think that is impressive.
I am also glad to say that we are being more intentional as a congregation to become a more racially diverse congregation. At the last board meeting your 8th Principle Implementation Committee put forth a proposal that the board accepted. This work will need your support (by showing up) in the days ahead. This plan will provide healing and support for our People of Color and will give you tools so we can move beyond white supremacy culture, so we can truly build a thriving beloved community. I am also excited to announce our first POC Brunch that will happen on March 19th. Over 50 people have RSVP’d. This will be a pivotal moment in our history—a new chapter in our racialized history.
And I am happy to say that we will continue having more classes on race including one on the same date, March 19th, that will be about Critical Race Theory; a hot topic in education today.
I mentioned our prison ministry. Well, that is starting back up with many new volunteers. In the past, we have helped hundreds of inmates at Jessup Correctional learn conflict management skills that help them while incarcerated and beyond. We have transformed so many lives there and I’m so glad we are getting it started again. A new energy has come to the program and we are excited about the possibilities.
3. Larger UU Movement
UUCA creates meaningful opportunities that encourage participation and leadership in the larger UU community to promote the growth of Unitarian Universalism.
Under the Larger UU Movement, you should be proud that your ministers continue service in the greater Unitarian Universalist World. Rev. Anastassia is the chair of the UU Ministry for the Earth, and I continue my service on the UUA president’s Council. I also continue as a chaplain for the national POC support organization (DRUUMM); and mentor a lay minister in Florida who is a POC.
UUCA also continues to be a 25-year honor congregation with the UUA, which means our Annual Program gift to our Association has been made for 25 years straight. We are viewed as leaders in the Unitarian Universalist Association. Our contribution from our operating budget this year will be approximately $45,876.
We also are a featured congregation this year in the UUA’s national book read, “Mistakes and Miracles” which features our congregation in chapter 3—the longest chapter in the book.
And a big UU World magazine article is forthcoming about our adoption of the 8th principle. We are a congregation that is on the move friends!
4. Church Operations, Infrastructure, Financial Stability, & Support
UUCA supports its enduring mission and the longevity of our community by providing effective and efficient resource and operational management.
Finally, under church operations, infrastructure and financial stability and support, we have done so much. Thankfully, we can expect the completion of our expansion soon! Hallelujah! I am so proud that we hired a contractor of color to do this work. I am also happy that we are using a black bank, Harbor Bank, to finance this project.
Our land dispute with our neighbor on Lawrence avenue is finally resolved; and I’m happy to report that a committee of our members is seeking a realtor of color who will give us options if we choose to sell that land and use the proceeds to help pay off our bank loan; among other things, including finally demolishing the Fahs House. AMEN!
I am also thankful that we have a new Administrator, Mary Ann Stein, who brings so much energy and knowledge to the job; as well as a very skilled bookkeeper, Margarite Guare. Your ministers expect that we will be running a well-oiled machine that will allow us to effectively and efficiently manage our growth and ambitions as a congregation.
And I am pleased to say that last year your generosity allowed us to nearly fulfill our $600,000 pledge goal. You donated $596,885. That is almost 100% pledge fulfillment. This is something we have not done in many, many years. And this generosity along with smart controls over our expenses led to a surplus of nearly $50,000. Thank you, thank you, thank you. We are fiscally sound.
Diane Moreau, shared with me recently, a copy of the original mortgage document from 1969 when we purchased this property. There were 5 couples—10 individuals who co-signed for our original mortgage. They put their names down to cover a $100,000 mortgage at 7% interest. In today’s dollars, that is almost $1-million. I tacked a copy of the deed, so you could see it in the back of the room. These pioneers exemplify what it means to build beloved community. They knew in their time, as in our time, that what we have is rare—a precious gift. There are no other congregations in Anne Arundel County that offer what offer—a religious community where skeptics, free-thinkers, spiritually eclectic people—can share and live their progressive values. We are rare and must cherish and take care of what we have.
On this special Celebration Sunday, let us remember all the good we have done and will do in the future. We are back from pandemic and are thriving when so many congregations are dying and struggling. But like our pioneers, your sacrifice of time, talent and treasure will be needed even more. Think about all that I have shared this morning as you consider your financial commitment this year. Think about what this congregation means to you and provides you and your family. We are back to a better future. The sun is shining. The rain came, but we endured. This is your time; this is our moment in time to make real the promises of this faith.
Lastly, as I close, let me give a special thanks to the Stewardship Committee who have a wonderful program set up for us after church so please stick around. Let’s thank them with a round of applause…
And finally, I close with the words of the great UU, Olympia Brown, whose words we’ve already heard this morning. Hear her words again in the context of all that has been shared… She said this:
“Dear Friends, stand by this faith. Work for it and sacrifice for it. There is nothing in all the world so important to you, as to be loyal to this faith, which has placed before you the loftiest ideals, which has comforted you in sorrow, strengthened you for noble duty, and made the world beautiful for you. Do not demand immediate results—but rejoice that you are worthy to be entrusted with this great message and that you are strong enough to work for a great true principle without counting the cost. Go on finding ever new applications of these truths and new enjoyments in their contemplation.”
May it be so. Amen.