Copyright 2005 Rev. Amy B. Freedman

Thoughts on Ministry
Rev. Amy B. Freedman
Channing Memorial Church
April 17, 2005

Some of you may have come here today expecting a guest speaker on Islam as described in our monthly newsletter. However, he was unable to be here. So, I have decided to speak to you today about ministry. This sermon has three parts. First, I will offer my reflections on the ministry of Pope John Paul. Second, will be an examination of Unitarian Universalist ministry and an exciting prospect for our congregation to take part in. And finally, I will consider "ministry" as it applies to each and every one of us.

Pope John Paul II was one of the most recognized religious figures of our time. For many young people, he is the only pope they have ever known given that he served as head of the Catholic Church since 1978, the third longest papacy in history. Since his death last month, there has been an outpouring of feeling and commentary on his life and legacy.

The images of the faithful gathered in Rome to pay their last respects and the dignitaries assembled for the Memorial Mass have been deeply moving. The world waits to hear who will be chosen to serve in this auspicious position as leader of the Catholic Church. Whoever sits on the papal throne will have a real influence on the direction of the church. More than that, such a powerful and recognized religious leader will have a real influence in politics and culture worldwide.

I have been reading a variety of reflections on the legacy of Pope John Paul II. All commentators agree that as the first pope of the Information Age, John Paul used jet travel, television, and the media for international evangelism. A map appeared in several publications pinpointing all the places where he traveled. With the exception of Russia and China where the pope was not welcome, every continent had multiple dots marking his visits. His charisma and ability to speak eight languages fluently touched people around the world, Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

What interests me most is his background before stepping into the holy office once held by Saint Peter. How was it that the cardinals elected Karol Wojtyla (as he was known) to become the first non-Italian pope in over 450 years and the first Pole? I am not going to offer a full biographical account however it is fascinating to consider the odds that Karol Wojtyla rose above in order to become Pope John Paul II.

Karol Wojtyla was born near Krakow, Poland in 1920. He lost both his mother and older brother at a young age. He was gifted as an athlete, scholar and actor. In fact he considered a career in the theatre before a bishop and his father encouraged him to use his gifts of language and scholarship in service to the church. After the Nazi invasion of Poland when theatre was abolished, Karol became part of the cultural resistance movement that performed plays in private homes. He had both Catholic and Jewish friends and watched in horror as people were rounded-up by the Nazis. During the war, he went into hiding to attend a seminary offered by the Archbishop in secret. He was ordained a priest at the age of twenty-six. During Communist rule, he was fortunate to be granted permission to study in Rome.

Given his life experiences, it is no wonder that Pope John Paul II became "a key force in the collapse of European communism". He was outspoken about the evils of tyranny, a critic of war, and brought world leaders together to pray for peace. Through his travel and media spotlight, he did much to promote the idea of world unity. More than any other pope, he also advanced interfaith relationships most significantly seeking reconciliation with Jews but also meeting with Orthodox, Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist leaders.

I have a passage to share with you from a homily he delivered in 2002 at a World Youth Day Mass. These words beautifully express both John Paul's ministry and his personal faith:
"Although I have lived in much darkness, under harsh totalitarian regimes, I have seen enough evidence to be unshakably convinced that no difficulty, no fear, is so great that it can completely suffocate the hope that springs eternal in the heart of the young. Do not let hope die. Stake your lives on it. We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures, we are the sum of the Father's love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his Son."

John Paul's ministry made a lasting contribution. In particular, his work in the areas of peace, world unity and religious reconciliation are to be commended highly. However, (you knew there was going to be a however at some point, didn't you?) he has also left a legacy as one of the most conservative popes on social issues. He was unbending in his defense against reform and silenced many liberal theologians within the Catholic church. Personally, I object to his edicts against contraception, abortion, homosexuality, and the ordination of women. Of course, I would, wouldn't I as a female ordained minister? Even though the Catholic Church currently has a shortage of priests, Pope John Paul II wrote several Apostolic letters reaffirming the position that women cannot be ordained as priests. His argument was that women have specific roles in family and church organizations that are complimentary, in that women should foremost fulfill their role as mothers and men should fulfill their position of authority.

Despite the position of the Catholic Church, today about half of all American denominations ordain women. Unitarians and Universalists have been ordaining women as far back as the late 1800's. Currently there are equal numbers of male and female Unitarian Universalist ministers and we certainly enjoy equal authority. However, like some other professions, female clergy often have lower salaries or do not receive as prestigious positions as our male counterparts although we are making strides in that area as well.

There is a great deal of confusion about professional ministry. People often ask me questions about what it means to be a minister. "Are you celibate?" was a question that recently took me off-guard. The path to Unitarian Universalist ministry is similar in its expectation of educated, trained, and dedicated ordained clergy. However, we do not take the vows of chastity, celibacy, and poverty required of our Catholic colleagues. As most of you know, clergy lead very normal domestic lives with partners, families, bills to pay, and hedges to trim. The only real difference is that we have chosen the path of religious leadership, which is more of a vocation and a way of life than simply a job.

I wanted to speak to you this morning about Unitarian Universalist ministry because this congregation has been presented with an exciting opportunity. Many of you may know Wendy Jones. Over the past two years, she has been involved here at Channing in a variety of capacities. Wendy Jones has preached from this pulpit a few times, taught Religious Education, and participated in some committee meetings. This year Wendy has been co-facilitating our Coming of Age program with Donna O'Neill. In fact, after a year of spiritual exploration today our youth and their mentors are sharing their credos or belief statements with one another. I hope that you will be here on Sunday, May 1st for the Coming of Age Service, an important rite of passage for our youth.

Wendy moved to this area with her husband for his law studies. When I first met her she was well on her way to becoming a Unitarian Universalist minister. To become a UU minister requires a Master's of Divinity degree- Wendy had graduated from seminary. To become a UU minister requires pastoral training as a chaplain- Wendy had completed her Pastoral Education. To become a UU minister requires having an internship with a UU congregation- Wendy was an intern minister in Long Island, New York.

There was just one thing left in order for Wendy Jones to move forward as a Unitarian Universalist minister, she needed to be approved by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee. I served as a mentor as Wendy prepared to see the Fellowship Committee. There is a big packet of material to prepare including your grades, resume, evaluations, life experiences, and books read. I set up a mock-interview so that Wendy could practice her short sermon and respond to questions about history, theology, administration, and personal experiences. As many of you know, Wendy went before the Ministerial Fellowship Committee and received the highest affirmation possible.

In some ways, Wendy is already a minister. She still preaches on Long Island and teaches here at Channing. Wendy is also a religious professional serving as the chaplain at John Clarke Retirement Center. She offers Chapel, Bible study, World Religion classes as well as being a caring counselor to the elderly residents there.

However, she is not yet ordained. In order to have the title of Reverend, a Unitarian Universalist minister must be ordained by a Unitarian Universalist congregation. This is where we come in! The Governing Board of our church has approved Wendy's request for ordination. So, at our Annual Meeting in May, members of the church will vote on whether to ordain Wendy as a Unitarian Universalist minister. If the congregation approves, the ordination ceremony would be held here in the Fall on a Sunday afternoon. Wendy understands that although we can provide volunteer support, we cannot provide financial support, any expenses related to the event will be born by her internship church, the John Clarke Center, or herself.

Even in the long history of our church, our congregation may never have had the honor of ordaining a minister. Installations happen every time a church calls a new minister, an ordination happens only once in a person's lifetime when he or she officially takes on the mantle of religious leadership. Ordination is one of the privileges of a free church. I believe that we would be proud to take this important role in Wendy's ministry wherever it takes her. As a congregation we will be lending our support to a ministry that extends beyond the walls of this church.

This leads me to my final point that we are all called to ministry. Whether or not we choose to become ordained, each and every person in this sanctuary is called to ministry. This is a primary teaching not only of Christianity but also of the world's religions. Listen again to the passage by Saadi that Eleanor read earlier:

To worship God is nothing other than to serve the people.
It does not need rosaries, prayer carpets, or robes.
All peoples are members of the same body, created from one essence.
If fate brings suffering to one member
The others cannot stay at rest.

Religion is beyond what we do on Sunday mornings. We do not simply "pray, pay and obey". We live our values every day in the world. We minister to one another in times of need. We respond to conditions of society and work together for change. We hold the hand of a loved one who is in pain. We reach out to people who may be lost or struggling. Above all, we work toward a more loving gentle world by offering our personal gifts whatever they may be in service to others.

May Sarton reminds us in her poem "An Observation" that healing the world is not easy. Like a gardener who cannot bear to wear a glove, we must be willing to roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty to bring forth beauty in the world. We must be willing to be open and vulnerable to the pain of others in order to offer hope and love. In the words of another well-respected Catholic, Mother Theresa, "In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love."