Just four years ago our story – the story of Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Fellowship – began right here in Alameda. A small gathering of UUs decided the time had come to create a small church of their own.
Many people labored long and hard to build this community. A team of worship leaders began to create meaningful worship services for all of us to attend. Talented singers and musicians came together to form a music committee and a choir to enrich those services. Some of us created lessons and activities to share withour children and youth. A teamfound a beautiful space where we could meet. Others wrote bylaws – rules – for the new community. And many, many people contributed money to make all the work of the fellowship possible.
Sometimes when a community like ours begins, the people design and build a structure – a church – where the people can meet. Stonemasons mightbuild stout and sturdy walls. Artistsmight cut tiny colored glass panes and fit them neatly into windows with leaded lines – like those in this building. Foresters might saw tall trees into enormous beams and trusses for the ceiling. And carpenters might use that wood to build pews to sit in and wide doors to welcome all the people in.
That’s just what happened many years ago when a community of Unitarians built a new church on a hillside in a small village in Transylvania. Here’s their story:
The new building is ready. The congregation is going to worship in it this evening. But a little girl is worried that the new church will be dark for its very first service to be held that night. “Father,” she said, “Our church is not finished!”
"What do you mean?"
"There are tall iron lamp stands all along the walls, but there are no lamps! The church will be dark when the people come."
"Ah no, little one," said her father. "The light of the church comes from its people. Each family is entrusted with a lamp,” her father explained. "Each family lights its own way here."
As they watched from the stone steps of the church, small lights appeared in the distance as people walked to church for that first service -- each carrying an oil lamp. The many lights moved closer together, gathering into one moving stream, all heading the same way, growing larger and brighter all the time. Soon the church was ablaze with light in every corner, for the people of the village had gathered to worship and sing.
That night, after the service, as the little girl went to bed she told her mother, "Father said the light of the church comes from its people."
"Yes" agreed her mother. "People also take their light from the church. We have that light with us every day. Even when we are not in church, even when the lamp is not lit, we carry the light of truth in our minds and the flame of love in our hearts to show us the right way to be. That light -- the light of truth and the flame of love -- will never go out."
When you are grown and have children of your own you will share this light with them. As we pass on this light, it grows and multiplies.