Religious Education Update: August 10, 2008

Heroes at the Tennessee Valley UU Church

This past Sunday, the members of the TVUUC in Knoxville, Tennessee rededicated their sanctuary following an attack the prior week, in which a gunman killed two and wounded eight. The sanctuary last Sunday was filled to overflowing and spilled over to the outside and to the teen center next door.

A past minister of the church, who is also past President of the Unitarian Universalist Association spoke of the history of the TVUUC church. As reported in the blog, Street Prophets, the Rev. John Buehrens noted that,

“TVUUC's congregation was the first in the area to set up racially integrated summer camps, long before Knoxville's schools were forced to do so. The camps had to be moved many times over the years because of harassment by the KKK. The Klan also blew up mailboxes at many of the congregant’s homes, especially those who sat at lunch counters in solidarity with blacks. In the 1970's, the church was one of the first to be a welcoming congregation. Shortly after the first service, all of the church's sanctuary's windows were shot out, while children and teens were downstairs. “

The members of this church are heroes in my eyes, for their continued willingness to speak their truth. Last Sunday, the current minister of the church stood in the very spot where the gunman had stood a week before, and spoke these words, “"A man came in to invoke violence and hate; he unleashed unspeakable amounts of love. A man tried to strike a blow and to divide the community; instead he brought people together."

The Tennessee Valley UU’s are heroes in my eyes, as they reclaim their sacred space and their commitment to their faith. Instead of responding with justifiable anger, Sunday’s service was full of love and hope. I am inspired by their courage.

Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education