Living with Soul 2000
December 2000
"He went to Paris looking for answers to questions that bothered him
so He was impressive, young and aggressive, saving the world on his own."
These lyrics from a cherished Jimmy Buffet tune passed through my immature
cranial computer in consideration of our days together at Live Oak this year.
Each of us has arrived in our church with a "search for truth and
meaning," which we had been conducting on our own to differing degrees.
Being involved in this spiritual community does not absolve us of our
individual responsibility in developing our own "answers;" but it
sure is helpful having a space in which we are stimulated and nurtured.
In the Live Oak circle we have heard sermons ranging from Islamic
fundamentalism to sexual pleasure as a sacred path. We have shared joys
spanning the spectrum from a new pet to this minister being fellowshipped. Our
growth has expressed itself in planning for a future spiritual home, and
beginning a second worship service. Just last month 25 men retreated together
for the first time, examining work life issues. Concerns have been shouldered
from job changes, to family health matters, to a young member's suicide.
This has been a year in which our congregation congealed from a confederacy
of individual searchers to a bonding family. The nature of our walk together
is borne out in this adapted closing line from Mr. Buffet's song, "He
Went To Paris."
"Some of its magic, some of its tragic, but its been a good life all
the way."
Soulfully, Chuck Freeman
November 2000
"The well earned support of those nearest and dearest to you is behind
you all the way." This was my horoscope for the day leading up to the
Fellowship Shindig we rejoiced in together last month. I peruse my horoscope
mostly as sport, but occasionally a fitting word proceeds from this source; as
illustrated here.
Gracious thanks to all of you who made this a turnkey occasion for me. Live
Oak; how I love ya!
The choicest advice which was imparted to me during our feast came from a
young sage, Mignon Bryant. She bounded up to me, gave me a nice squeeze around
the belly, and this exhortation; "Chuck, don't get too
professional!" Mignon then skipped away into the crowd.
I vividly recall sitting in my good buddy, Rev. Bill Miller's church when
he confessed to his flock during a sermon, "I had to forget everything I
learned in seminary to become a good priest." It is a damn sight easier
for those of us bearing degrees, certifications, and titles, to glory in them,
or shroud ourselves behind them, rather than allowing these symbols to
embolden us for greater service.
One day it struck me as I was studying my keister off, "Know
everything, know nothing." The day I veer from being the same ole
ignorant Chuck, please administer a firm, holy love tap upside my head. In
hopes of staving off that possibility, I recommit myself to the wisdom of
Mignon, Bill, the inner muse, and this echoing chorus from Ken Feit.
"The clown's craft is ancient and honorable...The fool performs a
sacred role in the community-- to mirror to the people of their ethic and
possibilities, a teller of truth standing naked in the marketplace and
confronting the powerful with playful disorder, a beggar, a storyteller, a
magician. Few things are more awesome than a clown let loose in the
streets."
Soulfully,
Chuck Freeman
October 2000
"Let us worship with our eyes and ears and fingertips; let us love the
world through heart and mind and body."
Churches are famous for platitudes such as this. I will be first in line to
admit that they seldom come close to matching the reality of what is truly
transpiring in the religious community. Most times these statements are a
collusion of wishful thinking, spiritual propaganda, or downright
deception.
Even though Live Oak is an imperfect human enterprise, there is good
evidence that this spirit enjoys a strong pulse among our number. We launched
our first ever early service at the church on September 10. Numerous folks
have contributed time, love, and sacrificed precious sleep to see this
through. Roger Sessions has spearheaded our effort, collaborating with the
Isaacs-Bryant family to develop a song book of simple, meaningful, family
friendly spiritual tunes. Twenty-nine of us attended this initial
offering.
Speaking of the Isaacs-Bryant family, they have generously volunteered to
donate two services a month to Live Oak during the formation of the two
service schedule. On September 24, Daniel Llanes, a gifted artist, dancer, and
healer, began meeting with our children during the adult portion of the 9:30
am. worship. He will facilitate the sacred dimensions of art, creation myths,
dance, and storytelling with our kids through January, significantly reducing
his fee to do so. Each of these people desire to be involved in Live Oak
because of our innovative and inviting character.
On September 6th and 9th, (a Wednesday evening, and a Saturday morning) 32
members participated in a "searching for the future" workshop which
will be the foundation for our 5 year strategic plan for Live Oak. These
meetings were arranged on short notice when we realized at the August 12
meeting with the UUA consultant Dave Rickard this was the primary piece
lacking in our new building venture.
Anchoring this already impressive litany of devotion is the way our
community has responded to the shocking accident in which Roger Sessions was
involved. In the blink of an eye, a 16 year old girl ran in front of his car
on highway 183 in the dark. There wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.
Her life was lost on this night, and many lives are forever changed as well.
Just this morning Roger expressed to me how the outpouring of support from
this church is at the core of his healing.
The deeply rendered thoughts of Kenneth Patton served as our opening words,
and will now serve as our benediction: "Life comes with singing and
laughter, with tears and confiding, with a rising wave too great to be held in
the mind and heart and body, to those who have fallen in love with
life."
Soulfully,
Chuck Freeman
September 2000
The times, they are a changin'. If you have sleep in your eyes or a build
up of earwax, you are fixin' to miss the ripening branches of Live Oak.
On September 10 we will be going to double services! We have done the cha
cha cha around this decision for a couple of years. Now, it feels like we are
emotionally and structurally ready to make this leap.
The 9:30 a.m. service will open with a family worship, and close out with
an adult portion, including a full sermon. Kids will spend time hearing and
creating stories upon their departure. The 11:15 a.m. service will employ the
same format in play now, with the full requisite of religious education
classes. In February of 2001 we will add R.E. classes for the first
service.
In a related story, we had a fundraising consultant associated with the UUA,
Dave Rickard, spend the lion's share of the weekend with us a few days ago. He
validated the financial goals and sound approach we are taking in our new
building project. Dave confirmed the overall health of our community to go
forward in this venture.
The one area we are lacking is to put in writing a five-year vision
statement for the development of our community. We have had many of these
conversations already in the growth and vision small group brainstorms a year
or so back.
What is left now, is to get on the good foot and fashion a tangible
document detailing our dreams, including the pragmatic how to's. A process
will be inaugurated the first of September to complete this foundational work.
Bouquets all around to the Finance gents for jump starting Dave's visit, and
the vital follow through.
Get on board and heed the call of the Godfather of Soul: "Goi'' down
to the crib and let it all hang out, where soulful people know what it's all
about. Got to get on the good foot. Do it with your good foot."
Soulfully,
Chuck Freeman
August 2000
I left my hotel room just before 8 a.m., sporting my faithful off-white
robe. This is a god-awful time to be shaved, showered and heading anywhere.
Ministers from all over the continent gathered in the robing room of the
Nashville Convention Center as we prepared to process in for the annual
General Assembly, "Service Of The Living Tradition." This worship
time recognizes the women and men in our denomination who are dedicating their
lives to professional ministry. Gingerly, nervously, I donned my vestment and
found my alphabetical place in line between Ferrante-Roseberry and Getty.
The 80 of us being granted preliminary fellowship were honored first.
Sitting solemnly among this throng, a surreal sensation of warmth stirred my
body as the long road Home played in my remembrance. When my name was called,
I walked upright, calm. My stride spoke integrity as I fixed my gaze into the
eyes of the five dignitaries present to extend the hand of fellowship. For
this leg of my pilgrimage I had "fought the good fight, finished the
race, kept the faith."
The Ministers receiving full fellowship were recognized next, followed by
the clergy who were retiring from a lifetime of service. It was gratifying to
see many of them affectionately embrace the luminaries conferring
congratulations. We neophytes led the standing ovation for these worthy of
such an honor. Finally, a roll call and prayer were tendered for those of our
vocation who had passed from this life during the last year. We stood silently
in gratitude. A soft tear moistened many of our eyes.
I moved most profoundly during the hymn offered by the Children's Honor
Choir after we had all secured our certificates. It was a Handel piece titled
"Thanks Be To Thee." Cleansing emotion was released from my breast
as those damn near angelic strains awakened me anew. The pastoral calling is
not about crossing t's and dotting I's while jumping through institutional
hoops. One can become a bit callused and hardened during this testing. An
authentic minister embodies this plea: "I tell you the truth, unless you
change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of
heaven."
Soulfully,
Chuck Freeman
July 2000
I can't name a minister who wouldn't like to preach to a packed house every
Sunday. I guess any of us who work diligently on a presentation, performance,
recital, or the like, can relate to this desire.
The first congregation I worked in, the Hamby Church of Christ, became
"the place to be" among students for a year or so. We were packing
600 people into a building designed to seat 350-400. It was exhilarating;
overflowing parking lots and standing room only crowds produce a bodily high.
But alas, we couldn't live this way indefinitely. We soon found an equilibrium
that matched our facilities and staffing.
At Live Oak we face a similar happy dilemma. Even on holiday weekends, or
when church camping and fishing events occur, our sanctuary is plenty full.
Our Religious Education program has 80 kids registered, with a weekly
attendance of 60 plus.
Church growth gurus tell us that when a facility is 80% occupied, new
people conclude there is no room at the Inn for them. Our congregation has
been waltzing around this reality for the last year or two. We have had our
hands on the plow the past six months seeking to plant the organizational
infrastructure to cultivate a bigger church. This work is almost complete.
The next leap is to develop two services, while tilling the soil for our
new building on the 19 acres of donated land a mile away. The architect's
plans are on the drawing board as I write.
Our timetable is to proceed with two services, accompanied by full R.E.
classes in February of 2001. Until such time, we hope to devise a plan for
multiple worships that will not necessitate separate R.E. meetings. If you
want to be a principle in this discussion contact Roger Sessions, roger@objectwatch.com.
We want to make a proposal to the Steering Committee by August. As the saying
goes, "If you renovate it they will come." What will spring from the
Live Oak when we truly "Build it."?!
Soulfully
Chuck Freeman
June 2000
His church garb consists of shorts and a tee shirt. In lieu of an oval
office, he sports an oval, shiny spot on the crown of his head. Instead of
charismatic monologues, or boisterous antics, he quietly and consistently
serves. He doesn't need to employ spin doctors, or deliver
"Checker's" speeches to maintain his office. This is accomplished by
means of deep integrity and respect for his fellows. He is our President, John
Iacoletti. During his tenure as our "Chief" John has conducted
himself and the business of Live Oak laudably; in constant harmony with the
partnership spirit of this community. He is steady, even handed, dedicated,
and reliable. John never gets in the way of another's development or
leadership on account of petty ego needs. In his presence I feel
safe,comfortable; I am able to be open and vulnerable. These wise thoughts
from the Tao Te Ching ably express my sentiments concerning John, as the sun
fades on the Iacoletti administration . "In dwelling, live close to the
ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In
governing, don't try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life,
be completely present." Hail to the Chief!
Soulfully,
Chuck Freeman
May 2000
As I fashion this article, our nation is in the midst of memorializing
three violent atrocities in recent American history; Oklahoma City, Columbine,
and Waco. Two days ago I read a brief in the newspaper stating that the
Earth's surface is likely to warm from 2-9 degrees by the end of this century.
"The balance of the evidence suggests a discernible human influence on
global climate." No ___ Sherlock. Violence, and environmental defamation
are two reasons I am associated with Live Oak. We seek to work by consensus; a
process whose goal is creating win/win scenarios. The prevailing attitude in
planning for our new church building is that we want it so green as to make a
leprechaun blush! This month's "Take Part" was designed by our
building clan and architects to get input from the entire community on the
character of an edifice that will serve people and our planet. A separate
session was even arranged for our children and youth to offer their visions.
These events may seem trivial in the context of our planetary quagmire. Yet,
practicing a vision of cooperation and non-violence to ourselves, our fellow
beings, and the trees, in a community, no matter how small, plant seeds of
transformation. It may not be enough. It may be too little, too late. Only
time will reveal so. Changing the world always begins at home. Unitarian
Minister Edward Everett Hale has a freeing way of expressing what I am trying
to get at: "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything,
but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything I will not
refuse to do the something that I can do."
Soulfully,
Chuck Freeman
NEWS!
Chuck has just heard that he is officially a
fellowshipped UU minister now! We congratulate him on this milestone!
April 2000
"Behold, how good and pleasant it is when people live together in
unity...it is as if the dew were falling on the mountains. For there the Lord
bestows a blessing, even life evermore."
You and I have just marked four years together! The words of this weathered
Hebrew Psalm express with poetic flair the chemistry between us. You have
become for me an embodiment of the blessing of life evermore. A belly full of
richness is mine in the quality of our bond. I revel in being among a
community that knows everlasting life is in the now; not when you are pushing
up daisies in some land beyond.
A Unitarian Universalist rendering of this verse is; "How rare it is,
how lovely, this fellowship of those who meet together." All of us have
been around the religious neighborhood enough to know that the connection
between minister and church is too often like an acid rain gully washer,
rather than a sweet dew. Not so under the shade of the Live Oak. Let's keep
walking hand in hand, and scratching each other's back.
It is rare.
It is lovely.
Soulfully,
Chuck Freeman
March 2000
A truckload of miles separates the preachers I like to hear. Quickly, I tire of the
faulty logic, emotional appeals, cheap manipulations, that stained glass voice - simply
put, a vacuum of genuineness. Take bigwigs like Bishops and multiply the appeal by a large
negative number.
This past week I gave undivided attention to a Bishop for over and hour, and was
thirsting for more as he wound up his utterances. I was expecting two important phone
calls. When they phoned, I asked if I could return their calls until after he finished
speaking!
Newly retired Episcopal Bishop John Spong was appearing on the KUT morning program
"Eklektikos." He pulled no spiritual hi jinx; not a hint of religious shenanigan
fouled the air. The Bishop spoke forthrightly, calmly, honestly, candidly.
Bishop Spong admitted the anti-semitism inherent in his faith's standard line. He
decried the killing, subjugation, and labeling of minority religious beliefs, races,
women, and homosexuals in the name of Christ. He quoted from his books, "Rescuing The
Bible From Fundamentalism," and "Why Christianity Must Change Or Die."
The Bishop freely acknowledged the vast logic gap for modern humanity of a Father God
who sacrifices his son on a cross to "save us." "Today if a Father acted
like this we would send him to jail." He stated that Jesus the rescuer is no longer
serving us, and has to go. Spong portrays a human Jesus, who was devoted to becoming fully
alive, and committed to embracing the hated people of his day.
This may be yesteryear's news to you, but to the majority in our nation who see Jesus
as their primary religious image, this can be a breeze of transformation. A more human
Jesus will lead to a more humane nation.
As was spoken of Jesus, so I say of you Bishop Spong. "When Jesus finished these
sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had
authority, and not as their teachers of the law."
Soulfully,
Chuck Freeman
February 2000
Who is my family?
One afternoon Jesus was doing a bit of street preaching and some of his family members
came looking for him. A great crowd had gathered, and someone hollered, "your mother
and brothers are asking for you." Looking around at those who sat about him, he
gestured and proclaimed; "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will
of God is my brother, and sister, and mother."
In our lingo, he was saying; " As far as I'm concerned, family are the people who
share universal bedrock values, and then practice what they preach." In the past
several weeks we have participated in the forming of a family. The untimely, heart
breaking suicide of Caitlin McIntosh has clarified our relationship one to another.
What I have witnessed is unparalleled in my church experience: hugs, tears,
meals,waiting, watching,donating, rallying, supporting,poems, prayers...love. Mary, Glenn,
and Cassie's lives will never be the same. Because of you, this truth has the potential of
redemption ingrained in it.
Tina Cordes Thomas spoke it clearly and simply. Beholding the youth she pulled me aside
and asserted; "they were close before, but now they're family."
Amen, Sister!
Soulfully, Chuck Freeman
January 2000
This year I hope to avoid organizations with 3 letter acronyms. In 1999
two such groups set the tone for where much of my psychic energy was spent- the UUA
(Unitarian Universalist Association) and the IRS (does this need explication?). The UUA
commanded my attention as I was jumping the hoops to become fellowshipped, and the IRS
decided for me that Caesar hadn't been rendered to enough.
When we were younger a 6 week report card period or a semester seemed like
forever. Now, we are amazed where a year went. For many of you '99 was a breeze, and for
some of you it was just shy of the proverbial pit of Hades. Expositors of pop spirituality
feel they are being deeply profound when they drone on about the "illusion of
control." I will not quibble with this conclusion, but often their solutions like
"giving it up to God" grind on the nerves of my thinking self, and belief in
personal responsibility.
In my adult life, I have been a seeker of the distinction between control
and initiative. I can't stand it when circumstances control where my life force is
invested. I have gained enough wisdom however, to be instructed by this, and pull back my
bulldozer named will. Conversely, there are occasions when a timely proactive move is
precisely the "spiritual" way to commence.
I have found two expressions which provide me with longed for discernment
when in the midst of a muck. Reinhold Niebuhr offers this prayer; "God, give us grace
to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things
that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other."
The Tao Te Ching is crisp in it's imagery; "Fill your bowl to the
brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt. Do your work, then
step back. The only path to serenity."
Soulfully,
Chuck Freeman
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