Our Bigger Picture

A service titled ‘Our Bigger Picture', led by Rev. Sarah Tinker, with a reflection from Aisha Animashaun, a reading given by Brian Ellis and Julia Alden, and music from George Ireland.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 3:18

Consider this an invitation to you. Yes, you with all your happiness and your burdens, your hopes and regrets, an invitation if you feel good today, and an invitation if you do not, if you are aching, and there are so many ways to ache. Whoever you are, however you are, wherever you are in your journey, this is an invitation into peace. Peace in your heart. And peace in your heart. And with every breath, peace in your heart. So those words by the Reverend Angela Herrera to open this Sunday gathering with Kensington Unitarians here at Essex Church in central London. Words of invitation to those of you joining us here in Notting Hill, as well as all of those joining us online today. It's really good to see your faces up on the screen. Thanks for being here. And a further welcome to anybody who's watching or listening to this service at some point in the future via the YouTube channel or a podcast, perhaps. I hope life is treating you well, whoever you are, wherever you are, and whenever you're joining this service. If we've not met before, I'm Sarah Tinker. I'm now retired from Congregational Ministry, and I really enjoy coming back from time to time. And it's very good to be here today. Five of us from this congregation recently attended our General Assembly annual meetings, along with 300 or more other Unitarians. And this service is partly to bring back some of the buzz and the energy that we felt at those meetings for all of you. The service title is Our Bigger Picture, and that refers, firstly, to our wider Unitarian movement, both here in the UK and abroad, with congregations, of course, to be found in many parts of the world. And of course, it also refers to the wider world in which we live and the many geopolitical pressures and threats we are witnessing in these days. Complex times, aren't they? Times when we really do need, I think, a quite a quiet hour spent in gentle company with each other, helping each other to find that place of peace within for a while. Resting and finding that peace in our hearts with each and every breath. So let's take a moment to find that quiet within. And our chalice flame is now lit. Imagine it connecting us with people the world over who are committed to a faith of freedom and a faith of responsibility, encouraging each other to find meaning and purpose in ways that express who we truly are, and sharing that journey in good company with those we meet along the way. One light, one people, one planet Earth home. And we're all playing our part in the life of the wider world. So we're going to sing now, if you like singing. Otherwise, do feel free just to uh uh sit and uh just enjoy the music. It's in this grey hymn book and it's number 100, or the words will appear on our screens. It's called I've got peace like a river, and it speaks of the many shared experiences of being human. Our lives filled with joy and pain as they are, strength and tears. Look out for the two verses hidden at the end of the uh the bottom of the page. So it's six verses altogether. Let's sing, for we do have peace like a river in our souls. Uh if you're in church, it's on an orange sheet, or it'll appear on the screen. Um apologies if that's not visible to everybody, but the invitation, if you can uh read it, is to join in with the responses printed in bold. These words were written by your Minister Jane, who led the worship at our anniversary service at the annual meetings. They're really heartfelt words, and I wanted to share them with you today, as I think they express something of what it means to be part of a bigger picture, part of an organization where we each just can do the bit we can do. So let's pray together with the words we'll find on a handout or on our screens. Spirit of life, God of all love, in whom we live and move and have our being. We call on you to bless our endeavors as activists and stewards of this General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian churches and of all the many groups and congregations that we represent. We are living through troubled and troubling times. We each have a part to play in the world's healing. Spirit of preparation, equip us that we may gather our resources to fulfill what life is asking of us. We know struggle and suffering in our own lives, our communities, and in the life of the world, which can sometimes feel overwhelming. Spirit of consolation, comfort us as we face tough realities, wrestle with life's complexities, and mourn our losses. We ache for something better, something more. We are so ready to see a realm of love and justice made real. Spirit of liberation, embolden us that we may break free, get unstuck, and let go of that which holds us back. We pledge our gifts in service to the greatest good, striving to live well and faithfully in our places. Spirit of contemplation guide us as we discern the way forward, directed by our spiritual purpose. We face change and uncertainty with courage, acting boldly, in the midst of the mess and daring to travel something, try something new. Spirit of transformation, revitalize us that we may discover and embrace fresh possibilities as they emerge. We claim our place in the unfolding story of this movement, affirming our belonging to it and our responsibility for it. Spirit of perpetuation, strengthen us as we uphold our beloved tradition and shape it for future generations. We are called to join in imagining a world transfigured and commit ourselves to making that dream a reality. Spirit of co-creation, inspire us that we may bring diverse and many wonderful things to life together. May it be so for the greater good of all. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 16:03

When I signed up as a delegator for my first General Assembly, I was unsure what to expect. But excited to finally experience this annual event. I'd heard so many Unitarians this week of funny. The beautiful descriptions of the venue, along with a lineup of events and workshops, drew me into as a weekend dream closer. It wanted me that I'd also be meeting having two Unitarians in person for the first time. And it was lovely to see familiar faces from the engagement groups alongside many ones. I enjoyed talking, eating, laughing, singing, and praying with people from congregations across the country. Participating in the shared decision making and seeing the caretaking to honor different perspectives stood out for me. At the opening and closing sessions, I joined the banner parade, having the cousin communitarians banner and felt a sweet sense of the weekend. It was truly a weekend of many hours. And it crystallized what I'd been waiting to see all weekend. Watching Jane leave the anniversary survey with the same grace she brings here. And exclamation mark to those conversations. Thank you for the invitation to represent Kensington Unitarians at the General Assembly. It was an honour and an experience our treasure. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 19:59

Thank you so much, Aisha, for that. Aisha and Heidi were delegates for our congregation. And I realised I've done things in the wrong order today, which isn't surprising. But uh yeah, so we've now got a hymn to sing. Um it's such a beautifully meditative one that my suggestion is that we stay seated. I'm not sure it's number 391 in the Grey hymn book, and it's one of those ones I'm never sure if people know. So perhaps if we hear that all the way through, um George, and then uh we'll join in twice. But staying seated, thank you. Well, after that lovely chant, let's ready ourselves for a quiet time. We've just sung about that voice still and small, and our words for meditation continue the opening words we heard at the start of this service by Unitarian Universalist Minister and Writer Andrea Herrera. And this piece is called All That You Need Lies Within You. It's a fine piece of writing to meditate on. And after I've read it, we'll hold a few minutes of shared silence. That ends with a chime from our bell, and then we're going to hear some music for meditation, played by George, piano piece written by Andrea Vanso. So let's do what works best for us to get comfortable. Adjust your position if you want to. Feel yourself resting in your chair if that's where you are. You might like to soften your gaze or close your eyes. And as always, these words are simply an offering. Use this time to meditate in your own way. Angela writes, consider this an invitation to you. Yes, you. With all your happiness and your burdens, your hopes and regrets. An invitation if you feel good today, and an invitation if you do not. If you are aching. And there are so many ways to ache. Whoever you are, however you are, wherever you are in your journey, this is an invitation into peace. Peace in your heart. And peace in your heart. And with every breath, peace in your heart. Maybe your heart is heavy or hardened. Maybe it's troubled. And peace can take up residence in only a small corner. Only on the edge. With all that is going on in the world and in your life. It doesn't matter. All that you need for a deep and comforting peace to grow lies within you. Once it is in your heart, let it spread into your life. Let it pour from your life into the world. Let it shine upon all beings.

SPEAKER_02 33:00

And that's what is so wonderful about congregations. That continuum of worship, friendship, fellowship, support, and love. From the very first time you take that often difficult and brave step to enter into your church, your meeting house, your worship space, you are brought into the love and care of those present.

SPEAKER_03 33:31

You are many and you are one.

SPEAKER_02 33:36

But the members of this wide unitarian and free Christian community are not identical. We do not agree on everything. We probably often have disagreements between ourselves. Yes, really. We are humans, we are individuals. We are not therefore identical nor perfect. Yet we have all chosen to be part of these communities. Why? Well, there are of course as many reasons for joining a congregation as there are people in it. Indeed, as Unitarians, there are probably more reasons than there are people. But I wonder whether these words from Mark Morrison Reed, a Canadian Unitarian minister, might strike a chord with some of us. It is the Church that assures us we are not struggling for justice on our own, but as members of a larger community. The religious community is essential, for alone our vision is too narrow to see all that must be seen, and our strength too limited to do all that must be done.

SPEAKER_03 35:08

Together our vision widens and our strength is renewed.

SPEAKER_02 35:18

In true Unitarian style, I suspect that some of you are now thinking, yes, that's exactly it. Others will be thinking, hmm, sort of, but I come for other reasons instead. And yet others are simply worried that there may be a test on that quote, because they are using the time here this morning to let the words wash over them rather than be examined. But I think and hope that Mark's final words find a home in most, if not all, of us, for our reasons for being here. The religious community is essential, for alone our vision is too narrow to see all that must be seen, and our strength too limited to do all that must be done.

SPEAKER_03 36:15

Together, our vision widens, and our strength is renewed.

SPEAKER_01 36:44

Reading from our friend Daniel Costley's recent sermon and the full script. It's just one advert after another today. The full script can be read in the Inquirer, and copies are available outside. So some of you, of course, will know that this congregation of Kensington Unitarians is part of a bigger organization called the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, formed back in 1928 to bring many different congregations together. I think there's somebody just wanting a bit of help to get in the room, they need the door opening. I'm the only person who can see what's going on back there. So you know the General Assembly of Unitarians is a charitable body and as such it has to hold an annual meeting and it's been doing that almost every year since 1928. So imagine the General Assembly is like the umbrella body. It has some staff, a few staff, hardworking. They help us as congregations, but they can only advise. Our congregations tend to be fiercely independent. Congregations send delegates to the annual meetings. And if you look at the front of today's order of service, you'll see Aisha on the front as one of our delegates. And it was lovely to hear your enthusiasm, Aisha, as a first-time attendee. The trouble with me is I've been to an awful lot of those annual meetings, and some of you involved with charitable bodies will know that a certain tedium can come upon you as the years roll by. But not this year. Oh no. This year had an energy about it. It was helped for me by the many faces of people I'd not met before, people who had interesting stories to tell of how they'd found their Unitarian community and what had attracted them to it. There was also a buzz for me in the unit in the resolutions that the meetings passed. I mean, generally the text of a resolution can send most people to in sleep, even those with serious insomnia. So I'm editing these. But the first resolution gives our chief officer, Liz Lade, who's marvellous, gives her the freedom to issue statements on our behalf rather than spending weeks consulting various committees, so that we Unitarians can be seen to respond speedily when some issue that we really care about is suddenly on the front page of the news. The second resolution speaks against legislation here in England and Wales that limits our freedom to protest. You will perhaps be aware of recent protests. Indeed, another such demonstration took place only yesterday here in London, where Unitarians and many others have been arrested simply for holding up placards in support of a bannisation, Palestine Action, and speaking out against genocide. 523 people, I think, have been arrested. So this resolution strongly affirms that protest is a fundamental unitarian spiritual activity. I think that's spot on. And then the third resolution that we passed at the meetings asks us, asks us to stand in solidarity with all people who are suffering from the effects of warfare, particularly in the Middle East, to advocate for peace and to help fund medical and other humanitarian aid. These last two resolutions, they strongly connect with our current movement with our history of non-conformity and dissent. Unitarians, remember, have long insisted on freedom to speak out, freedom to protest, and the importance of standing alongside those who are oppressed and marginalized. Now of course many people who find a religious community are happy to stay at a local level and there is really nothing wrong with that. But I'd also always encourage those who are interested to just get involved in a bigger picture of which we are part. Maybe one of you would like to be delegate at the next year's annual meetings, or get involved in other local and national Unitarian activities. There's um a festival of Unitarianism being run in November, which is being advertised as a spiritual spa, which I, you know, that appeals to me. So perhaps we'll meet there. Or maybe you'd like to join the London District's AGM online next Saturday, where the speaker is our friend Sheena Gabriel. I don't need to encourage any of us to be involved in the wider picture of the world in which we live. I know from so many conversations over the years how much people care about the world's injustices. I know the quiet but determined activities that many of you engage in, activities that demonstrate your solidarity. If you are free this afternoon, do join us at the quilt making session, which is part of the Each Child a Light Art project to commemorate the names of 20,000 children killed in Gaza in just the last few years. Beggars' belief, doesn't it, that such things are going on in our world. So I mentioned Aisha carrying our banner so proudly. She does a smashing job because I'd forgotten a vital bit of the poll, so she was she was often struggling to keep the whole thing upright, but she did a grand job. And it's back here now with us on the wall here in the church. One side of our banner shows symbols from many of the world's religions and philosophies. It has our Unitarian chalice symbol at its centre with the cross of Christianity, which is the religious root from which Unitarianism sprang and lives on in our free Christian tradition, lives on strongly. But other religions are also represented. And this banner makes a vital point that we Unitarians support religious pluralism. Respect for all faiths is vital to us. There cannot be for us just one true faith. Uh-uh. Alongside the photo of the banner on our front of the Order of Service is a quote from Daniel Costley's service, which when he reminded us that journeying together is what we must do. Divided in a complex world. Journeying together is what we really do. It is a journey together. On the common ground of congregations for the last ninety-eight years. And of course, we through much further back. It's not just a journey with our congregation. Lovely, though you all are to have those companions on the road of life. But we know, don't we? We're journeying with the whole of humanity. And indeed the whole of creation. All living beings sharing one planet Earth home. So whether we're new to our Unitarian movement or we've been going to those annual meetings for many decades, let's keep our bigger picture alive. Our heart in local communities, our part in the wider Unitarian movement, and the small part that we might play in the life of our world. We can help us to create a world that is more peaceful. Okay, it's time now for our closing hymn. It's a jazz classic. It expresses our yearning for transformation, for liberation. It's one we enjoyed singing at the annual meeting. It's a really stirring tune, famously composed by jazz pianist Billy Taylor in the 60s, and sung by Nina Simone and many others. It became an anthem of the 1960s civil rights movement. And um I can't remember what else I was going to say, but it's fabulous. Feel free to join in singing or just enjoy the music. I wish I knew how. It's a number 151 in the Grey Hymn book. So uh some announcements now. Uh thank you, Ramona, uh, for hosting, and Aisha for co-hosting, and for bringing those impressions from the annual meetings. Thanks to Brian for that reading. Thanks to George, as always, for marvellous music. Full off soul today, I thought. Thanks to our greeters and coffee makers, Pat and Anna, and uh for John for greeting people this morning and everybody who does things behind the scenes. If you're online, do stay for a chat with Aisha if you can. And if you're in person, please do stay as there are things happening. There's community yoga with Anna and the Memorial Quilt for Gaza project uh with Patricia. Uh tonight and Friday at 7 p.m., there's the online heart and soul uh contemplative spiritual gatherings. The theme this week is on looking back. Um so you just need to sign up with Jane for that. And there is um an in-person heart and soul this Wednesday evening, the 15th at 7 pm down in the library. There will be a cake. And Jane says, Do come along if you can, because I think there's somebody who's coming to see how heart and soul works, and they'd really like to have a nice number of people there. Just email Jane and let her know you're coming. Sonia, you're going to be doing uh Nia at 12:30 every Friday, just about here in the church. Everybody welcome, uh have a word with Sonia about that. I've mentioned the AB AGM for the London District. There's a walk on the 21st of April exploring Greenwich Park. Uh, the Better World Book Club talking about finding the mother tree. Um, and uh there's a copy here for you if you are able to read it in time and get to that meeting online on the 26th. That's an on Zoom meeting. Jane's service next week is going to be marking birthday, and its title is the R. I've noticed since I've left here as a minister that things have really improved in terms of uh people signing up for things. I'm astonished to be able to say that every single person has signed up as a member, except maybe the one or two who are wondering, shall I, shan't I join this year? I say yes, join. And we can help you do that as a simple online form. Uh it's not about the money, we're not bothered about your money, there's no subscription fee. It's about uh you know supporting the congregation and engaging with the uh community. And uh once you join, you'll be so excited to know there's another AGM on the 26th of April where we get to celebrate membership and hear how great the last year has been. I think I've uh covered everything. I hope I have. Um in which case, um oh yes, just to say that actually all of that is on the back of the order of service and in the Friday email. Um I do um, I know some people will need to leave soon, so do go if you need to. But remember that the congregation really has a life beyond Sunday, so uh keep in touch with people. It's lovely the way that those uh supportive connections are being nurtured. So time now for closing words and music. Mark Morrison Reed writes that alone our vision is too narrow to see all that must be seen, and our strength too limited to do all that must be done. Together our vision widens and our strength is renewed. So let's keep working together to do what needs to be done, all that vital work of protest, of care for others, of envisioning a future for each and every person, that gives them some freedom to hope, and freedom to speak, and freedom to be who they truly are. And do that as a reiteration let us say together. So may it be and go well for each and every one of you in the week ahead.