Broad Selves in Place: A Unitarian Universalist Ministry Formation Journey with the First Religious Society of Carlisle

Abstract

This ministry project aimed to nurture a willingness in one particular Unitarian Universalist congregation to show up for a broader sense of interdependence: a sense rooted in its geographic, ecological place, and stretching across perceived differences of race, class, species, and time. It aimed to connect congregants’ already-high ecological consciousness with racial justice motivation, in a pastorally attentive way. My own sermons and invitations to reflect indoors and outdoors, interwoven with musical and poetry selections (by others) are tailored to this specific congregation, which is predominantly white and above-average in wealth and education. Housing density is lower than surrounding towns, and its strong conservation efforts reflect one-time neighbors Emerson and Thoreau’s legacy of environmentalism—as well as its problematic disconnection from social justice. I begin by introducing my own ministry values. I then describe the congregation and land; provide six sermons with accompanying readings and hymns; provide outlines for three outdoor participatory “activations,” and conclude with reflections on the ministry I seek to offer going forward. Sermon content includes ancestor work for Americans of European descent; relationship to self across time; generosity and wealth redistribution; reparations; climate change; Traditional Land Acknowledgements and Indigenous sovereignty.