December 1997
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." "Goddess, give quiet peace to all your
brood." "Wise Earth, teach us to hibernate with you this season."
"Life, let me rest my weary bones." "Whew! Ain't it great to get a break
from the grinding routine?"
Whatever imagery and language you use, I hope you relinquish yourself to the promise of
this season. You have worked hard this year: at work, in your family, within our church
community, and in the broader world.
Stay up late and sleep in. Avoid malls and the "giving season" madness. Laze
around on the couch with a fire, good music, family, and friends. Satiate yourself with
good wine and delicacies often. O.D. on movies if you please. Doze off with the passion of
a cat. Do nothing and give yourself extra credit. Take your pedal from the metal and place
your mind in neutral. Pay in cash. Thumb your nose at the banker and plastic monster.
You have pushed, goaled, tasked, achieved yourself into a dither. Let peace begin in
your own hearth. Goodwill will be the sweet smell from the embers.
November 1997
"Stand for something or you'll fall for anything." That was one of the weekly
signs my Dad featured on our church message sign, during my teenage years in Lexington,
Va. Our building was on Main Street, just before the turn off for Lexington High, so our
sayings generated a fair amount of commentary, and even a few editorial changes from local
pranksters.
During the recent flap concerning our "About Your Sexuality" curriculum which
aired on the CBS broadcast "Public Eye," my mind revisited the challenge issued
by our church sign quote. I was very pleased and proud to be involved in a community that
is willing to defend, promote and articulate our principles.
The retort I hear the most when I tell my Church of Christ friends I have joined the
Unitarian Universalist Church is; "Freeman, those people don't stand for anything,
it's not even a church, it's a social club!" Whether deserved or not, this perception
may be more widespread than we care to face. I am happy to say that members/friends of our
congregation like Roger Sessions, Jillian Bissar, John Iacoletti, and Aaron Clift shatter
that stereotype. Each of them put their names on the line in the form of quotes that were
used in a press release to local media.
Their efforts on behalf of Live Oak may find nothing but fallow ground. Or we may
attract a firestorm of shock and anger. None of that matters. The dignity gained in
standing on our convictions cannot be ripped from us. But the fall into silence, timidity,
and fear tumbles us into a bottomless oblivion.
October 1997
A common thread seemingly evident in my life and ministry is that of being a pioneer.
How many times have I struck out on a path that is scarcely trod? I used to detest this
circumstance, and rail at God for not granting me a silky way. These days I have not only
come to accept my plight but dare to revel in it a bit. An increasing piece of my identity
(half, give or take a few units) is: Chuck Freeman, Minister at Live Oak UU Church. To
state it descriptively, a non-minister minister in a non-churchy church.
A danger of seeing oneself as a trailblazer is that you may NOT do something,
"because that's the way we have always done it." In my year and a half at Live
Oak I have consciously avoided standing at the door of the church dutifully shaking
everyone's hand and kissing babies. I have seen enough fake smiles and heard too many
forced compliments for several incarnations.
I have missed out. I goofed up. There is a wisdom to this practice. I commented to Dama
Lehman a few weeks ago that I often feel isolated and disengaged from the congregation
after a sermon. As we probed the area of discomfort, Dana cackled one of her trademark
admonitions, "Why don't you walk to the back, where the people are?!" Her
question hit me square in the middle of my dull third eye. Straightway my sight was
restored. I can do a traditional ritual in an unconventional fashion.
Don't panic; you will not see me braced in the doorway like a politician furrowing for
soft money. What you will behold is Chuck hanging around in the coffee and conversation
area hoping to hear your volleys, counterpoints, judos, and the basic fodder of your
lives. I'm sure there is a good joke in there somewhere. "What does the non-church
church member say to the non-minister minister after the service?" I'll let you serve
up the punch line.
September 1997
Elated. Satisfied. Gratified. Spent. Easy. Proud. Relieved. These are a few of the
inadequate words to describe my condition in the wake of our building dedication. So many
of you deserve laurels that I will not dare hazard the greased slide of trying to name you
all. Suffice it to say that if you resonate with some or all of the emotions I noted
above, you can give yourself a healthy pat on the back... and smile.
The esprit de corps of Live Oak shone brightly once more. Although there were
weaknesses, gaps, and foibles, the true "dedication" was demonstrated in the
masses of contributions made to the completion of our space. My deep desire is that we
will use this important rite of passage in our maturing, as a jumping off point to develop
a equally creative ministry to our city.
I cannot restrain my chuckle (no pun intended) as I reflect on this matter in relation
to District Executive James Brown's admonition to "cross the bridge." One of
soul singer James Brown's famous lyrical licks was "take me to the bridge!" The
rejuvenating humor of life underscores the next leg in the destination of our faith. Will
we commit ourselves to communal justice with the same intensity in which we have
established our home? Our response in the face of the John Sharp decision is a good
appetizer. What is our appetite for the full course meal?
P.S. I will be on vacation August 30-September 7. Please keep me in your thoughts as I
suffer through the mild days and cool nights in Canada.
August 1997
The heat is on. We are into it now. Forecast for the next six weeks- hot, hotter, and
more hot. The A/C in my car is broke. The air in my apartment went south the same day. The
church air conditioner is so weak the devil would feel right at home. I haven't sweat this
much in services since I heard sermons from the King James Bible!
A few years ago the heat was on when Live Oak lost its minister. You could have fainted
from the heat then; yet you cooled yourselves in the shade a moment, chose up sides and
kept on working. One year ago the heat was on once more. A fire cost us our meeting place.
We took a few sips of cool water, found a school house, then a temporary space, and kept
on meeting. The heat is on again as we realize that the cooling unit in our new sanctuary
is not sufficient. We fanned a little, moaned a bit, layered on a little extra deodorant,
opening our pocketbooks as wide as our pores; and kept on growing.
August is the hottest month of the year. On the 17th of this month we will dedicate our
new building, announcing to the community that we are not afraid of the heat, or to step
into the fire. This day will confirm to the public what we already know. Heat destroys
some material, for others, it is the very making of it.
May 1997
We have manifested another surreal stanza in the living legend of Live Oak this month.
No sooner than the aroma of the Flower Communion dissipated, you closed in quicker than a
repo man to move everything out of the old sanctuary, and into our very own new space. I
was still involved in that time-honored practice of ministerial glad-handing when I looked
up to see a naked room. I figured that was my signal to roll up my sleeves and join the
whirlwind before I was swept away like a piece of furniture. We then banded with another
branch of our tree that had descended on the new worship area like a herd of locusts (with
much loftier intentions). Here we painted till the dark of night, getting high from the
fumes and the camaraderie. I've always said that the church that gets high together stays
together! On April 6 we inaugurated our sacred space with a well-received service and many
attendees from the district conference grinning right along with us. Kudos galore to Paul
Brandner for marshalling this willing work force.
Speaking of the district conference, Niki Nichols and Barb Kemper-Nolan did an
admirable class on consensus during the meeting. Of the 25 or so that attended, most were
from small groups who want to intentionally develop the use of consensus leadership in
their congregations. Several times during the weekend I had folks stop me and say
"Oh, you're the minister at Live Oak! I've been wanting to meet you." Almost
without fail they were intrigued by our shared leadership model and our growing innovative
reputation. It feels good to know we can offer leadership on the cutting edge of our
denominational evolution.
Welcome to our new members Sarah and David Conley, Jack and Jennifer Swan, and their
families. Jack may have started a new tradition when he responded during the brief
initiation ceremony with a gleeful, "Sure!" The congregation then affirmed in
kind with verve and hilarity, "Sure!" Do we have a compassionate, warm,
cooperative, playful community? Sure!!
March 1997
As I gad about our fair city doing my sundry ministerial tasks I'm often asked;
"Are you with a certain denomination?" This always leads to an engaging
conversation about Unitarian Universalists. More times than not, the retort comes back,
" that's what I believe." Often this is followed by talk connected to Live Oak
in particular, with the request for a business card or the church's location. Maybe I run
in odd crowds, but this tells me we have a sterling opportunity in Austin to increase our
numbers, seasoning this corner of the world with life- affirming religion. If there is a
salve more needed in our time I am not privy to it. I hope you will keep our future in
mind as you are canvassed for your next year's pledge. Try to inch a bit out of your
comfort level if you dare.
This awareness was the theme of our District Conference in Carrolton a few weeks ago.
Coming from my Church of Christ background I found it hilarious to hear all this talk
about "lifestyle evangelism" and "spreading the good news." Many of
you would have paid serious dinero to witness the "UURevivial" on Saturday night
complete with booming "Amens" and testimonials. UU lifers were treating this as
cutting edge new stuff. To state the absolute obvious, this is the kind of fare I cut my
teeth on. Perhaps we can catch the baby as it is hurled out with the bath. I find joy in
naturally telling people about a good thing, be it a movie, restaurant, or my church.
A year ago this month I was a "Guest Minister" at Live Oak. Now I'm on my way
to being a serious line item in the budget! My wish for you individually, in your
families, and in our spiritual community, is the richness of wisdom, and the perpetual
light of hope, in this season and the birth of a new year.
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