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Vision
Questing for the Future MeditationIn Native American tradition, a “vision quest” is a personal spiritual search undertaken by an adolescent boy in order to learn by means of a trance or vision the identity of his guardian spirit. While there are most certainly some differences in the details, I think the case could be made that other religious traditions feature stories of what we might call “vision quest” experiences, too …stories of important figures who embarked on personal journeys, leaving the secure confines of the familiar, facing challenges, experiencing visions, and overcoming adversity in pursuit of maturity and wisdom. For example, Jesus going into the wilderness and being tempted by the Devil, Moses’ journey up Mount Sinai to receive the commandments, even the mythology around Henry David Thoreau’s stay at Walden Pond…these might all be considered vision quests. To lead us into this morning’s meditation, I offer one such story, adapted from Joseph’s Campbell’s Oriental Mythology.
Having departed years before from his palace, wife, and child and a very privileged life to seek the knowledge that should release all beings from sorrow—Gotama, at the end of his quest, was deserted by his five companions and set off by himself to complete his journey. He sat down under a bodhi tree and took up the asana position, vowing that he would not leave this spot until he had attained Nibbana. Having centered himself, he was confronted by the lord of the life illusion; first as a prince, bearing a flowery bow, in his character as Eros, (Desire) and then as a frightening mahajara of demons, charging on a bellowing war-elephant (the king of death). But Gotama was not moved nor shaken. He experienced neither desire nor fear. And, finally a voice cried from the sky: “O Mara, take not upon thyself this vain fatigue! Put aside thy malice and go in peace! For though fire may one day give up its heat, water its fluidity, earth solidity; never will this Great Being, who acquired the merit that brought him to this tree through many lifetimes in unnumbered eons, abandon his resolution” And with that the tests ended and the earth quaked in its delight, like a woman thrilled. The gods descended from every side to worship the Blessed One that was now the Buddha.
Readings
Now the Lord said to Abraham, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves. So Abraham went.
The second reading is from Thomas Cahill’s The Gift of the Jews:
“… Abraham went! Two of the boldest words in all literature. They signal a complete departure from everything that has gone before in the long evolution of culture and sensibility. Out of Sumer, civilized repository of the predictable, comes a man who does not know where he is going but goes forth into the unknown wilderness under the prompting of his god…Out of the human race, which knows in its bones that all its striving must end in death, comes a leader who says he has been given an impossible promise. Out of mortal imagination comes a dream of something new, something better, something yet to happen, something—in the future.”
Reflection Harvey HarrisonWe are about the enter the final phase of the five year long-range plan that was adopted by the membership of this church in the spring of 2000. The committee doing the work on this part of the long-range plan has sent out requests for proposals to a number of architects. This will lead to the hiring of an architect to help us as we move forward to the renovation of this building. It was designed by Amos Emory – a member of this church – on land he donated – and built in 1957. Almost nothing has been done to it since. The committee that is doing this work has named itself “Vision Quest” I’m not sure how they arrived at the name, but my first reaction on learning that “Vision Quest” was the name was unmitigated excitement. The name seemed so perfect to me then - and still does that it led to this service. Let me explain.
In 1999we started a long range planning process under the leadership of Annie Holmes, the interim minister of our church at the time, and Nicole Keller, who was the chairperson of the Board of Trustees at that time. The Board appointed a long range planning committee and charged the committee with creating a five-year plan. We are now in the fourth year of that plan – which carries the wonderful title of “505 in 05”. A name intended to convey the essence of the vision contained in the plan: That this church is committed to a philosophy of growing by being truly open and inviting to all people who are kindred. When the original plan was submitted to the Board and the congregation in the winter of 2000, the following observation prefaced the presentation:
First Unitarian Church of Des Moines, Iowa lays no claim to having final answers or final truth. Our church proceeds on the assumption that all people are welcome, that it is the search for truth that matters most. This places us in a unique position to provide a religious home for those bold adventurers and quiet seekers who believe there are ultimate questions to ask and an exciting search along the way in the effort to find those answers to the major moral and ethical issues of our time. If we are to effectively stand as a beacon in our time for those people who are kindred with us in that desire for the search, we can use the additional resources that a larger membership will bring…
We are well on our way to fulfilling the goals that were identified by the plan, and adopted by the congregation at the annual meeting of the church in the Spring of 2000.
We have called a new minister – and committed ourselves to making the financial commitment to keeping him
The membership committee has made walking through the doors of this church and becoming a member a positive experience. And we have made integration into the life of the church easier for some by the creation and implementation of programs like the small group ministries, new member classes and the creation of Interweave.
We have expanded our religious education program by creating a position for a full time life span director of religious education – and committed ourselves to making the financial commitment necessary to sustain this. Our youth program has grown from around 90 registrants to over 160.
We have hired a full time administrator
We have added a second service
We have hired a part-time music director
We have expanded the opportunities for our liberal religious voice to be heard in the community by our participation in programs such as AMOS
There is much more, including the formation Vision Quest.
While the specifics of this are gratifying to review, what is important to me is what this represents. We looked at ourselves in 1999 and recognized that a time for change had arrived. From about 1960 until 1998, the membership of our church had varied from about 217 at its low points to about 371 at its high points. I share with you, parenthetically, that the high point was around the time I came to this church in 1975. And almost immediately the numbers declined radically so that by 1984 the membership is listed as 217. Go figure.
During this same time, the population in the central Iowa area that we serve had grown from about 260,000 to almost 450,000. Our membership had remained static, gaining about as many people as we lost, but always staying within the same numeric range – while slowly declining in membership over time as the population around us grew steadily. When the long range planning committee looked at this we knew that there were many people in our larger community who were not a part of our community who would love to be here – but for some reason weren’t.
So we opened our doors and our hearts and started a process – a vision quest if you will. The result of this process has been the beginning of a renewal and transformation of this church. And when I look at what has happened in the past four years I am deeply moved.
Which brings me back to why Vision Quest seems such a perfect metaphor for what we have been doing – and what remains to be done in this phase of our church life.
A Vision Quest is a process, by which the individual or community leaves the safe mooring of its past and goes through a transformative process leading to a new and unknown future.
Mark did me the honor of reviewing my comments and making suggestions. He suggested, for example, at this point that I go deeper into the vision quest metaphor and discuss the struggle and the doubt and the temptations of easier choices that have been a part of the long range planning process up until this time. He pointed out that in the vision quest stories that we are sharing this morning the figures featured didn’t just get transformed…they had to struggle and doubt and be tempted by easier choices and let go of what was familiar…and safe.
He suggested that I use my experience - as one of the people involved in the long range planning process to tell the story of this process. And that, in particular, I discuss the challenges that we have faced, talk about the people who didn’t want to take this journey, who didn’t want to see the church change. And my personal favorite – that I share with you the lonely times when “505 in 05” seemed like a ridiculous idea.
And I really wanted to. I’d like to be able to tell you about the long and lonely nights spent worrying about how we are going to reach the goals that we set in the long-range plan. But - there haven’t been any. The longest and loneliest night was yesterday morning when I woke up at 3:00 a.m. – couldn’t get back to sleep - and panicked – wondering how I was going to make this talk fit with a vision quest theme that includes travail and hardship.
And I couldn’t.
The reality of the last four years is that, whatever fears and doubts and concerns that people have had and do have about a long range plan for growth, the members of this church – old and new – have stepped up and joined in the process. People like Bob Henderson have who has served two terms as president of the Board to make sure there is continuity in the process and who is leading the work of transforming the organizational structure of the church. Like Teva Dawson, our immediate past president who, in addition to her paid full time job – works full time at re-working the processes of how people are received into and integrated into the life of the church in her role as chairperson of membership. Like Sandy Grace – who has recently finished an evaluation of how we handle the flow on information through the offices and provided a road map on steps we need to take to update this process. Like Nikki Keller – who was one of the people who started this process and now is chair-person of Vision Quest and working to make sure that the building transformation part of the plan comes to fruition. Like those of us in the choir who are responding to the wonderful and intense direction Barb provides by practicing more and I believe singing better. (I couldn’t resist throwing this one in)
I could go on and on – and should - in order to honor all of the people who are actively involved in this endeavor.
The real measure of our success – and why this has not been a hard journey so far - is not so much in the specifics that I recited earlier, as exciting as they are, but in the palpable excitement and energy that I feel when I come to this church now. People report that they feel welcomed and cherished when they walk in the doors. Programs are available for a wide variety of interests – and more programming is being planned and implemented on a regular basis. Roughly 1/3 of the current membership of the church is new to the church since the spring of 2000. And whatever doubts people might have about growth – get swept away with experiences like I had yesterday. I was walking down the hall of the church when I spotted a little person coming toward me. I didn’t know then how old she is – and still don’t. But she was about this high. As I often do – I knelt down and said: “Hi I’m Harvey – who are you? She looked at me with that total disdain that only a young person of her age can and said: “You know me – we met at Dahl’s when I was there with my mother” and merrily went on her way, clearly confident that my lapse of memory was short term and is my problem not hers. Who is going to tell me we don’t want a church filled with such people.
When we set out four years ago to transform our church, those of us leading the way couldn’t possibly have predicted where we would be at this stage. But we set in motion a process that attracts kindred people to come and join us. To be a part of a liberal religious community that is inspired by positive virtues – such as those contained in our seven principals.
The last step in the long-range plan that we adopted four years ago was the renovation of our building.
Which brings me back to the importance of the name “Vision Quest”. It says to me that we have once again left the safe mooring of our past (a good and comfortable and honorable past for many of us) – and are once again engaged in a process of transformation. A product of this part of the journey will be positive and exciting changes in this building. But that’s not the real transformation.
The real transformation has been and will continue to be that our building will become a reflection of the same excitement and energy that I have been describing –
An excitement and energy that flows the inner vision that inspires us to come to this place and be a part of a liberal religious community that is willing to be a part of a Vision Quest with all that implies. And in doing so to transform ourselves, our church and the larger community in which we live.
And that is truly exciting!!
Reflection Yesterday morning, about two dozen members of the church who have volunteered to be part of our canvassing team gathered in Channing Hall to prepare themselves for the initial stages of this year’s pledge drive. The event began with everyone taking a turn and sharing something about the church these days that they find exciting or inspiring. Many things were mentioned, including the increase in the number of children and youth present in our community, the quality programming we have been offering, the strength of our growing music program, and small group ministry, to name just a few. But perhaps the most common theme echoed during this sharing was the buzz of excitement that has been created by the large numbers of new people and the ever-growing sense of community that is emerging. There is something going on here that is beyond the norm and people are starting to notice. Clearly the churches participating in AMOS know who we are. With members Sally Boeckholt and Jan Svec playing leadership roles, several other members participating on a regular basis, and our ongoing commitment to pay our full dues when many other area churches are struggling to do the same, our presence is hard to ignore. Recent guests to our church, when asked on the information forms how they heard about us, are now writing “word of mouth” more than anything else. At a recent Interfaith Alliance Event I attended, a woman who lives near our church pulled me aside to ask me, “What has been going on over there?” She said every Sunday morning these days cars are lined up all around the neighborhood. At first she thought someone was having a party. And then she realized it was us. I told her that we are having a party…and that she should come visit some time and celebrate with us. Might as well keep ‘em guessing, you know.
So when it came time for me to share yesterday, I had to say the thing I am most excited about is my pride that I get to be your minister. I am proud because I know how much you have invested in the growth you are now seeing. I am proud because I know that you made the decision to grow and you didn’t back down from it. I am proud because you are welcoming people like never before, reaching out to our visitors and making them feel like guests. By the time of the next new member recognition service in March, we will surpass 300 members for the first time in a long time…and the best news to me is that I believe this is only the beginning. In the days ahead I see us opening our doors even wider to those in the Des Moines area who are searching for a religious home, a place where they can search, and feel challenged and respected and honored, a place where there is intergenerational interaction and opportunities to grow our souls.
When Harvey first approached me about collaborating on this service and considering the metaphor of the vision quest as it relates to what has been happening in the church over the past few years, and perhaps, more importantly, to where we may be headed as we look to the prospect of a capital campaign, improvements to our facility, and beyond, I quickly accepted. I accepted because I am grateful to share the pulpit with such a dedicated member of our community, a member who feels strongly about not only what this church has meant in his life, but also what he knows it can mean in the lives of others. I appreciate Harvey’s willingness to share his time and talents with us because I believe important for members to be willing to tell the stories of our institution, to speak freely about where we have been as a community and where we are going…to be honest about the past and hopeful for the future…to think back to decisive moments and consider how the commitments of members in those moments have had a great deal to do with who we are as a church today…just as future possibilities will develop according to the decisions made by the current membership.
Even more importantly, I accepted Harvey’s suggestion that we collaborate on this service because I agree that this community did engage in a kind of “vision quest” which brought us to where we are today, to a church that is energized and growing and on the threshold of an exciting and much needed capital campaign…a campaign that will most certainly kindle the fires of our imaginations, encourage us to consider new possibilities for programming and outreach, and, I confidently predict, culminate in the kind of transformation to our building and our community that will not only meet our needs in the short term, but will also inspire future generations of UUs over the next fifty years.
However, when I tried to apply the vision quest metaphor to what this church has experienced, I had some difficulty. One important part of a vision quest is that an individual goes off into the wilderness… experiencing a very personal struggle and search for meaning. Certainly Unitarian Universalists know something about this personal search for meaning…after all, not only do we tend to hold in high regard famous individualists like Emerson and Thoreau, we can go out of our way to remind newcomers that we embrace each individual’s personal journey…often leaving the impression that encouraging expressions of individual preferences are all that matter to us.
But a vision quest is not just about wandering in the wilderness, searching for one’s guardian spirit or individual theology. An essential aspect of a vision quest is what happens after the search…the return home, the rediscovery of the community one may have left behind. Similarly, this church is not just about the individual search for truth and meaning. It is about something greater than that. For example, as this church went through a period of wandering and a series of decisive moments that led us to where we are today, what kept the members going was not that individualism we hear so much about. It was the commitment to the community; it was the covenant to walk together. This idea of covenant is more than just a passing notion in Unitarian Universalism. It is a foundational element of our free church.
While it is true that Unitarian Universalism is a creedless faith, meaning there is no specific statement of belief upon which we are all expected to agree, we do historically, from our earliest days as a movement, have a strong center around which we gather. This center has been the glue holding our free churches together even when they have been under siege from dogmatic individualists…people obsessed, we might say, with their own personal vision quest at the expense of the rest of the congregation…those who believe that they should be allowed to do as they please, no matter what they say or do, even when they are insulting, abusive, and/or destructive to the health of the community. Despite the fact that every church may have some of these folks, they have been, in theory at least, unwelcome from the get-go because they consistently violate the most foundational characteristic of the free church…the center that has held its members together from the days of our Pilgrim ancestors up to the present…the center that is our members’ covenant to walk together…to promise to remain loyal to the community even when we must agree to disagree …to sometimes, as I mention each time we welcome new members to our church, be disappointed and stay anyway…to do our best to search for what is true and to support one another according to what UU minister Alice Blair Wesley has described as the true spirit of the free church—not the spirit of individualism, but “The spirit of persuasion.” This spirit of persuasion, or what I might call the commitment to creative interchange, encourages…even demands…that each member question, explore, describe and defend reality as she sees it, because to keep from sharing one’s idea of truth would be to withhold that which might lead to greater understanding…or what theologian Henry Nelson Wieman would have called “the source of human good.” Indeed, a healthy UU church depends upon the honest expressions of opinions and, of course, the occasional and oftentimes essential voice of dissent. And yet, equally important in the midst of that dissent is that each member is expected to leave room for other perspectives, to listen with courtesy and humility, to be open to, and do one’s best to imagine how others see the world…because by so doing we discover meaning together that can transcend what any of us might discover on our own.
I guess that’s why in our UU context, I believe the vision quest doesn’t occur when we go off by ourselves, but when we engage with each other…when we take the risk to be active participants in this community…when we enter the real wilderness…the real wilderness that is other people…and find there the wisdom for living that can only come through committed connection with others.
Over the past 6 years or so, as the church grappled with mission statements and long-range plans, the decision to grow, the adjustment to an interim minister and a ministerial search that culminated in what for some, initially at least, was the disappointing arrival of a candidate fresh out of seminary, there was plenty of room for dissent and fractures in this community…and there may have been some members who walked away. Yet, what enabled the success we enjoy today was the commitment shown by the majority of members to walk together, even when times got tough…even when there were disagreements…even when to walk together might have felt like the last thing some members of this community wanted to do. This promise to walk together is what has held this church together for the 126 years it has existed and what will keep us around for the next 126 years and beyond.
So, as we continue toward a capital campaign and all the passion, commitment, energy and vision that will be required to carry it off…(not to mention the countless decisions that will eventually have to be made—from placement of walls to color of carpet and everything in between)…we should keep in mind, as Harvey suggests, the vision quest attitude the members of this church took when they embarked on a bold new path toward growth…a vision quest that took the church into unknown territory while not abandoning the covenant that is at the heart of our approach to religion, a covenant not all that different today than it was for our Pilgrim ancestors, a covenant that says: “We
pledge to walk together For it is this covenant and our commitment to it that will enable us to do more than just transform this building or transform our church community or even transform ourselves. Dare I say, we might just begin to transform this world we share.
Bibliography Alice Blair Wesley, “The Pilgrims and the Spirit of the Covenant of the Free Church,” Myths of Time and History: A Unitarian Universalist Theology (1987)
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