Religious Education Update: March 16, 2008
Ben, Lee and the Kids
Immediately before Ben Kocs-Meyer’s ministry with us, the children and I worked on a Welcome Rev. Ben sign. The sign was colorful and highly decorated and quite welcoming. However, the concept wasn’t entirely clear to them. One child asked, “Marlene, what’s a Rev.?”
Since then, the children have become much more comfortable with the title and name, “Rev. Ben”. Recently, six of our young girls dressed up as princesses and worked with Rev. Ben to dramatize the Parable of the Rice. (If you missed it, it was a beautifully acted and moving story.) Rev. Ben is great with kids, and I was happy to see them have the opportunity to work directly and creatively with him. The girls all learned something about creating worship with a minister.
Later this spring, the children and youth will learn about how a congregation ordains someone into the ministry. They will learn that the members of UUP have the power to ordain someone into the role- not some hierarchy back in Boston, and that we have decided to ordain Leland Bond-Upson. This investiture of power in the people is not standard practice for all faiths, of course. Historically, some religious leaders were the literate ones, who read the scriptures and then transmitted knowledge to their followers. In some traditions, the leaders have special powers to forgive or bless. In Unitarian Universalism, we choose leaders for inspiration and guidance, but we retain personal responsibility for finding our own truths. How challenging this individual freedom must be for our ministers! They are asked to preach to congregations of diverse views, and they can’t claim to have special knowledge. However, our belief in the freedom of the individual must also liberate our leaders. They aren’t (I hope) expected to be all knowing or all powerful, or even completely perfect.
I am looking forward to continuing our work with Rev. Ben to grow UUP, and in the blessed opportunity to help plan for the ordination of Rev. Lee!
Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education
Immediately before Ben Kocs-Meyer’s ministry with us, the children and I worked on a Welcome Rev. Ben sign. The sign was colorful and highly decorated and quite welcoming. However, the concept wasn’t entirely clear to them. One child asked, “Marlene, what’s a Rev.?”
Since then, the children have become much more comfortable with the title and name, “Rev. Ben”. Recently, six of our young girls dressed up as princesses and worked with Rev. Ben to dramatize the Parable of the Rice. (If you missed it, it was a beautifully acted and moving story.) Rev. Ben is great with kids, and I was happy to see them have the opportunity to work directly and creatively with him. The girls all learned something about creating worship with a minister.
Later this spring, the children and youth will learn about how a congregation ordains someone into the ministry. They will learn that the members of UUP have the power to ordain someone into the role- not some hierarchy back in Boston, and that we have decided to ordain Leland Bond-Upson. This investiture of power in the people is not standard practice for all faiths, of course. Historically, some religious leaders were the literate ones, who read the scriptures and then transmitted knowledge to their followers. In some traditions, the leaders have special powers to forgive or bless. In Unitarian Universalism, we choose leaders for inspiration and guidance, but we retain personal responsibility for finding our own truths. How challenging this individual freedom must be for our ministers! They are asked to preach to congregations of diverse views, and they can’t claim to have special knowledge. However, our belief in the freedom of the individual must also liberate our leaders. They aren’t (I hope) expected to be all knowing or all powerful, or even completely perfect.
I am looking forward to continuing our work with Rev. Ben to grow UUP, and in the blessed opportunity to help plan for the ordination of Rev. Lee!
Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education
posted by Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma @ 5:44 PM
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