234 sharon amity road, charlotte, nc 28211 | tel 704.366.8623
If you aren't familiar with a Uniterian Church, you certainly should give it a visit. Because regardless of your religious faith, it's a gathering of people who share one main interest: Justice for All. Their "doctine" isn't about any organized faith, but rather about finding a spiritual purpose, seeking truth, respecting and accepting all people...and most importantly, peace. It's like the Peace Core of Churches.
I arrived at the church a few minutes late so I had to wait in a line in a stairwell until the usher let us in during a moment of applause. Once inside, the room looked more like a convention meeting hall than a church. There were no crosses, stained glass or bibles. But there was a stage, a podium and long wooden pews. And a piano/organ. The congregation consisted of about 125 people, mainly 30-50 yrs old and couples. [only 2 single guys my friend pointed out]. The dress code ranged from casual to a little more dressy. There white candles burning and everyone began to sing from a non-denomination hymnal. I've never understood the singing ritual. And at this point, I still don't. I don't find singing or listening to people sing around me particularly uplifting or spiritual. In fact, it's rather annoying. I'm hoping to understand it sometime this year.
The minister wore a suit and when he began to speak, I thought this was really going to be boring. He took long pauses and seemed rather dry. But once I got used to his mannerisms, I began to enjoy his speech. He made jokes and enunciated with the voice of an educated scholar. The first thing I noticed was he never mentioned God or Jesus. This was his first visit back from a 6 month sabbitical. And instead of talking about all the experiences that I'm sure he had, he spoke instead of general theories, especially the idea of change. He asked if people could really change? And he said he believed so, or he wouldn't be doing this work.
There is no doubt I will be hearing about Jesus and his wisdom for the next 48 weeks. Most churches rely strictly on the Holy Bible for reference. But what really impressed me was he quoted words from such great minds as Thomas Paine, T.S. Elliott, Henry David Thoreau, Steinbach and Maya Angelou. I began to respect such an open-minded individual. He said "a new beginning always begans with an ending". I find that to be so very, very true. He also said that "self culture is the true work of life". I felt that his message was simply, do the best you can and be aware of those around you. Toward the end, he thanked everyone that had contributed in his absence and he stated "the risk of gratitude is that the list is always incomplete". Amen to that.
My most uncomfortable moments in any religious service are the rituals. The standing up/sitting down, singing, lighting candles, etc. It brings to mind the cult-like behavior of people being controlled by one individual. My perfect "church" would have none of this. But at least the rituals in this church were not prayer or kneeling, just quiet meditation time.
A wonderful, unexpected surprise occurred when a visiting bluegrass band stood up and performed. They were incredible and the drummer played a "suitcase" instead of a bass drum. Personally, that was the best part for me.
But I did experience a very touching moment. I have never seen my parents touch or show any affection. My homelife was violent and full of turmoil and chaos. But as I scanned the crowd, I saw an elderly couple glance at one another and clasp hands. They held hands during the entire service and occasionally smiled at each other. It was a precious sight indeed.
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