“FINDING OURSELVES” A Homily for Ingathering/Water Ceremony

by the Rev. Melanie Morel-Ensminger
First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans
Sunday, September 12, 2010

In November of 1980, a group of 350 Unitarian Universalist women and some supportive men gathered in East Lansing, Michigan, for the first ever Women & Religion Convocation on Feminist Thealogy. It was an historic event in several ways, for not only was it the first time that UU women came together for such a conference, but it was also at the opening ceremony that a beloved UU tradition was born. Troubadour Carolyn McDade, composer of “Spirit of Life,” worked with UU Lucille Longview to create a special ritual, during which all the participants brought water from their homes to pour in a common bowl, symbolizing their coming together for the convocation.

Many of the participants were so deeply moved by this first UU Water Ceremony that they returned home and introduced the ritual to their congregations. Now, 30 years later, this ritual has become a tangible symbol of unity in diversity, held in Unitarian Universalist congregations all over the world, and all over the United States. To my knowledge, Rev. Mike McGee brought the Water Ceremony to First Church back in the 1980s, so we’ve been doing it about as long any UU church in the country. Many congregations hold the ceremony on the Sunday that marks the official start of the new church worship year, as we do.

As e. e. cummings said, we find ourselves in the sea, and in all kinds of water. We are made of water, and water resonates with us, it renews us. My spouse Eric periodically needs views of what he calls “Big Water” to renew his spirits – and that can mean the Mississippi at the Fly at Riverview, or Lake Pontchartrain from the twin span, or a short drive to the Gulf in Hancock County. Even a quick dip in backyard swimming pool can be incredibly refreshing. Water means a lot to us, even to us New Orleanians, who understand in a deep, experiential way how water can both nurture and destroy.

We find ourselves this year at a kind of crossroads. We have come such a long way from the destruction of the floodwaters of Katrina. Our Sanctuary has been transformed into a gorgeous and elegant worship space, lacking only lighting and chairs to feel truly finished. This space shows the love and care of the people of this church, working with their own hands to reclaim this space and resanctify it.

But we know much remains to be done. We need to raise a minimum of $150,000.00 to finish the electrical and fire systems in order to receive our permanent Certificate of Occupancy and get our kitchen completed, so that our shared ministry with NO/AIDS can begin and start serving the community. UUs around the country have been alerted to our situation through the article in the online version of the UU World magazine; many are reaching out to us with offers of help. Board President Max Oeschger called me yesterday to tell me he had a frutiful conversation with former UUA President Rev. John Buehrens, assuring us of his support and his certainty that the money will be raised (and his promise of a personal donation toward our goal). When Max told me that, I said I always knew we would.

And so we begin a new worship year with this familiar and beloved ceremony of mingled waters, waters that symbolize all we’ve been through, all we’ve felt, all we’ve done, and all we've faced since the beginning of the summer. One way or another, it’s water that’s helped us face ourselves over these months. We’ve come through the BP oil spill and another Katrina anniversary, and the Saints have won their first game. We’re geared up for another year, and we know, deep down in our hearts, that however we find ourselves in this year, that we can rely on each other, on the bonds in this community of liberal faith, to lift us up, hold us together, give hugs and pats on the back and kicks in the seats, as and when needed.

This is the start of our worship year and this is our church. Water communion has come again, to remind us that we are one. In a spirit of gratitude, let us hear the words for benediciton over the mingled waters; let us bless the waters that have so abundantly blessed us.