I Guess Rock and Roll is Here to Stay, Even in a UU Fellowship

The third Sunday of every month is Open Reading Sunday at my small UU Fellowship. By small, I mean our fellowship boasts 22 members, and a regular attendance rate of about 15-18 congregates per Sunday.

I love Open reading Sunday because it provides us with an opportunity to share things on a smaller, more personal level. Those in attendance are asked to bring short readings, artwork, music, or brief thoughts to share. One after another we take our turns at the podium, and share little bits and pieces of ourselves, creating a collective service among each other.

On more than one occasion, in fact, on most occasions, what people bring to share tends to mesh together in quite a fantastic way. Today was no exception. I was leading the service, and started out with the song Here Comes Sunshine by the Grateful Dead, and followed later with the song Eyes of the World. In bringing these songs to share, I was actually breaking from a personal policy I had against playing the Grateful Dead at church, but it felt right on this day.

It quickly became an unofficial Rock and Roll Sunday, as someone else shared the Jimi Hendrix song Beginnings, along with a story about a mystical life changing experience involving that particular song, and a little Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. Later, Led Zeppelin was playing from the sound system. The Zeppelin piece was actually brought my son, who was told to choose a song about love or inspiration. He chose A Whole Lotta Love, which while made me proud, also made me blush. Listening to Robert Plant wailing out an instrumental orgasm at church is a little much even for me. Fortunately, I go to church with a really great group of people who can see the humor and joy in such things, so everything was okay.

Can you imagine? Church on Sunday with the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, David Grisman, and Led Zeppelin? It seems so surreal, so weird, and so awesome.

Even though this morning's service was pretty rockin, it wasn't just music we heard today.

We heard a reading on combining faith and tolerance; we heard Maya Angelo's inaugural poem On the Pulse of Morning. We celebrated the art of ancient people who lived a civilized life along the Mississippi River long before Europeans were sailing boats across the Atlantic Ocean. We discussed plans for our upcoming Winterfaith Celebration, a second year of celebrating the many religious, cultural and secular holidays that take place during the winter months.

I am so proud of the fellowship we have created in this small town, a little liberal enclave that means so much to the people who walk through its doors on Sunday mornings.

So, that is one of my joys on this Sunday afternoon.

What about you? What is your Joy today?