Gathering the Waters – 11/9/22

Musical Prelude: ‘Wild Mountain Thyme’ by Francis McPeake performed by Abby Lorimier, Georgia Dawson, and Toby Morgan

Opening Words: ‘Learning to Love This World’ by Molly Housh Gordon

We gather together this morning
tenderly—like drops of dew on a leaf of grass
hopefully—like gathered raindrops in a cloud
purposefully—like water rushing in a stream to the sea
deeply—like groundwater pulled up from a well

We gather from every direction,
for another year of growth and depth,
another year of companionship and hope,
another year of learning to love this world.

We gather like the water that joins us across all of creation,
the living water that connects us within and without:
merging and flowing across the entire world. (pause)

Words of Welcome and Introduction:

These opening words, written by Molly Housh Gordon, welcome all those who have gathered this morning for our Sunday service. Welcome to those of you who have gathered in-person here at Essex Church and also to all who are joining us via Zoom from far and wide. A special welcome to those who are with us for the first time today, and also to old friends returning, it’s marvellous to have you with us, please do make yourselves at home. If it’s your first time joining us this Sunday, you might like to hang around for a chat after the service, or if you’re online you might drop us an email to introduce yourself, or come to one of our small groups to get to know us better. And as always, thank you to the pillars of our community, those are here every week, and who do all that needs to be done to help keep the show on the road, and to an extend a welcome to all who come. We all have a part to play in co-creating this sacred space, this sense of community, this tradition. Whoever you are, however you are, wherever you are, know you are welcome with us, just as you are. I hope each and every one of you finds something of what you need in our gathering today.

For those who don’t know me, I’m Jane Blackall, and I’m ministry coordinator with Kensington Unitarians. And today’s service is our annual ‘Gathering of the Waters’. This is a simple ritual of ingathering at summer’s end – a way to reaffirm our reconnection in community – and a slightly more interactive service than we have most weeks – later in the service we’ll symbolically enact our coming together in community through bringing water to church and pouring it into a common bowl (I should say at this point that it’s an invitation not an obligation to join in). You might have collected some water from a significant place on your travels or you might have brought it from your tap at home. If you are here in person and didn’t know about bringing water to church that’s fine, we have contingency plans for this eventuality (despite the hosepipe ban), and a spare jug you can pour from. If you’re on Zoom, please do have some water to hand, and something to pour it into, you’ll be joining in too! Even if this is the first time you’re with us, even if you are passing through, you can take part. We’re gathering as one united community, wherever we are, and everyone’s included.

We are living through strange, unsettled, turbulent times. Times of great change and uncertainty. And, as we gather this morning, we most likely bring some of that energy with us – we can’t help it. So before we go any further take a moment now to settle ourselves – to consecrate this time and space with our presence and intention – and become fully present, here and now, wherever we may be. You might want to move your body in some way to help yourself get grounded and centred. You might want to tense and release your hands, your arms, your shoulders, and then let them go. Perhaps take a conscious breath or two. And, breathing out, let us release anything that we don’t need to be carrying for the next hour – anything is stopping us from being fully present – any burdensome preoccupations – let’s lay them to one side, as best we can, for an hour or so.

Chalice Lighting: ‘The Spirit of Water’ by Katie Gelfand

Let’s light our chalice flame now, as we do each week. This simple ritual connects us in solidarity with Unitarians and Unitarian Universalists the world over, and reminds us of the proud and historic progressive religious tradition of which we are a part.

(light chalice)

We light this chalice as a symbol of reunion.
We reunite in this space of sanctuary to share
the flow of our hearts with one another once again.

We gather together in ritual
to celebrate our fountains of joy
to hold each other through storms of grief
to guide one another through rapids of transformation
to rest together on ponds of stillness.

Together, we honour the spirit of water,
its many forms, and its life-giving essence.

Hymn 43 (SYF): ‘Gather the Spirit’

We’re going to have three hymns today, for a change! Our first hymn is a heart-warming one: ‘Gather the Spirit’. For those of you present at the church in-person it’s number 43 in the purple hymn book (I can’t fit all three hymns on one hymn sheet so we’re breaking out the books for the first time in a while – and if you’re out of the habit – start looking for number 43 now so that you’re ready when Sandra starts to play). For those joining via Zoom they’ll be up on your screen to sing along at home. Please feel free to stand or sit, as you prefer, as we sing: ‘Gather the Spirit’.

Gather the spirit, harvest the power.
Our sep’rate fires will kindle one flame.
Witness the mystery of this hour.
Our trials in this light appear all the same.

Gather in peace, gather in thanks.
Gather in sympathy now and then.
Gather in hope, compassion and strength.
Gather to celebrate once again.

Gather the spirit of heart and mind.
Seeds for the sowing are laid in store.
Nurtured in love and conscience refined,
with body and spirit united once more.

Gather in peace, gather in thanks…

Gather the spirit growing in all,
drawn by the moon and fed by the sun.
Winter to spring, and summer to fall,
the chorus of life resounding as one.

Gather in peace, gather in thanks…

Candles of Joy and Concern:

Each week when we gather together, we share a simple ritual of candles of joy and concern, an opportunity to light a candle and share something that is in our heart with the community. So we’ve an opportunity now, for anyone who would like to do so, to light a candle and say a few words about what it represents. This time we’re going to go to the people in the building first, and take all of those in one go, and then I’ll call on the people on Zoom to come forward.

I’d like to light our first candle this week to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth the Second. I imagine that when we heard the news it will have landed with each of us in differing ways – quite a few of us were together at a congregational meeting at 7 o’clock on Thursday evening and were processing the news together almost as we heard it – as our head of state for 70 years, through times of enormous change, the Queen has been a constant in all our lives for so long. In the midst of turbulent times it’s no wonder the news of her death has affected many. So I’ll light a candle for Elizabeth Windsor – the human being behind the role – and all who mourn her loss.

So I invite some of you here in person to come and light a candle and then if you wish to tell us briefly who or what you light your candle for – do use the microphone so everyone can hear you and get nice and close in so it picks you up properly – I’ll switch that on in a moment. We’re asking people to keep their masks on for this candle lighting, but please do speak up, and GET REALLY REALLY CLOSE to the microphone, so that everyone can hear what you’re saying.

(in person candles – first candle to be lit in memory of Queen Elizabeth II)

And if that’s everyone in the room we’ll go over to the people on Zoom next – you might like to switch to gallery view at this stage – just unmute yourselves when you are ready and speak out – and we should be able to hear you and see you up on the big screen here in the church.

(zoom candles)

And I’m going to light one more candle, as we often do, to represent all those joys and concerns that we hold in our hearts this day, but which we don’t feel able to speak out loud. (light candle)

Time of Prayer & Reflection: based on words by Eila Forrester

And let’s take those joys and concerns into an extended time of prayer now (based on words by Eila Forrester). You might first want to adjust your position for comfort, close your eyes, or soften your gaze. There might be a posture that helps you feel more prayerful. Whatever works for you. Do whatever you need to do to get into the right state of body and mind for us to pray together – to be fully present here and now, in this sacred time and space – with ourselves, with each other, and with that which is both within us and beyond us. (pause)

Spirit of Life, God of All Love, in whom we live and move and have our being,
we turn our full attention to you, the light within and without,
as we tune in to the depths of this life, and the greater wisdom
to which – and through which – we are all intimately connected.
Be with us now as we allow ourselves to drop into the
silence and stillness at the very centre of our being. (pause)

We gather here to be quiet and to pray,
to find a time for our inner selves,
our souls and spirits which lie hidden
and often neglected within us.

Let us now sit quietly and wait for the voice within us.
Let us simply listen, and be still for a while. (long pause)

Some of us, this day, will feel empty and tired, grey and listless.
But emptiness and tiredness are also prayer, a cry for spiritual food
and an aching need for soothing refreshment and strength to go on.

Some of us feel alone, aware of our need for someone to love us.
This too is prayer without words, a longing and a sorrow which seeks
for the healing spirit of love, the embrace of God’s concern for us
in spirit and in soul, and in the practical hands of caring people.

Some of us are happy enough, some content,
some have hope and plans for tomorrow:
all these are prayers – prayers of giving, prayers of gratitude,
prayers of creating thought and dreams.

So let us gather with our wordless prayers –
prayers of our inner selves, our inner truth.
May God be with us in these prayers, sustaining them
and enabling us to grow more aware of our wordless selves.
May we be aware of the waters of our own spirit
which are always there for us to drink
if we will sit still, wait, and listen. (pause)

And, in a quiet time of reflection now, let us look back over the week just passed.
It has been a significant week in the life of our nation, and we find ourselves in a period
of official mourning, following the death of Queen Elizabeth the Second, Elizabeth Windsor.
Let us acknowledge her life, her long service, and the end of an era that comes with her passing.
And let us take a moment to think, with compassion, of all those who mourn her loss this day. (pause)

And let us reflect on our own lives now. Let us gently call to mind those moments that we found hard going. Times when we felt uneasy, agitated, or disheartened. When we made mistakes, perhaps. Let us pray inwardly for the comfort, compassion, or guidance we need to face those struggles. (pause)

And let us call to mind a few moments in this past week, however small they may seem, that brought some sense of uplift, consolation, or even joy. Let us give thanks for these everyday blessings. (pause)

And, expanding our circle of concern, let us focus our prayers on those situations that are concerning us in the wider world – close to home or far away – thinking of those who are in pain, whether physical or emotional – those who are caught up in conflict and cruelty, oppression and injustice – those who are struggling to make ends meet. Let us send loving-kindness wherever it is needed this day. (pause)

Spirit of Life – God of all Love – as this time of prayer comes to a close, we offer up
our joys and concerns, our hopes and fears, our beauty and brokenness,
and we call on you for insight, healing, and renewal.

As we look forward now to the coming week,
help us to live well each day and be our best selves;
using our unique gifts in the service of love, justice and peace. Amen

Hymn 111 (SYF): ‘O Brother Sun, Sister Moon’

Let’s sing together again. Our second hymn today is a gentle one: ‘O Brother Sun, Sister Moon’. This is number 111 in your hymn books and the words will also up on your screen to sing along at home. Please feel free to stand or sit, as you prefer, as we sing: ‘O Brother Sun, Sister Moon’

O Brother Sun, you bring us light,
all shining ‘round in fiery might.
O Sister Moon, you heal and bless,
your beauty shines in tenderness.

O Brother Wind, you sweep the hills,
your mighty breath both freshens and fills.
O Sister Water, you cleanse and flow
through rivers and streams, in ice and snow.

O Brother Fire, you warm our night
with all your dancing coloured light.
O Sister Earth, you feed all things,
all birds, all creatures, all scales and wings.

O Sister Death, you meet us here
and take us to our God so near.
O God of Life, we give you praise
for all your creatures, for all your ways.

The Story of the Stream – from ‘100 Wisdom Stories’ by Margaret Silf

I’ve got a little story for you now – we don’t have a story very often – I’m mixing it all up today! This story (4-5 min) is taken from ‘100 Wisdom Stories’ by Margaret Silf. As is so often the case a good wisdom story leaves a lot open to interpretation and is broadly applicable to many different situations in life. I thought this was a good one for our community on the occasion of our ‘Gathering the Waters’ service so see what you make of it: ‘The Story of the Stream’. So, once upon a time,…

High in the far-off mountains, a little stream sprang, rising from its hidden source. It flowed down the mountainside, through all kinds of little terrain, sometimes leaping and bubbling, sometimes drifting lazily or going underground, but it was never stopped by any obstacle that got in its way.

One day, it reached the edge of a desert. It thought to itself. ‘Just one more obstacle to overcome. Nothing has stopped me flowing yet, and surely I will overcome this obstacle, just like all the others.’ And so the stream flung itself at the desert sand. But as it did, its waters simply disappeared, trickling away into nothingness, swallowed up by the dry, hot, sand.

But the stream was not to be deterred. Surely it would find a way. It thought to itself, ‘the wind can cross the desert… and if the wind can cross, then so can the stream.’ And, strangely, the desert sands seemed to echo back the words: ‘the winds can cross the desert and so can the stream’.

And so began a conversation between the water and the sand. The stream said ‘I know I must cross this desert, but every time I try, I’m swallowed up. No matter how hard I fling myself at the desert, I don’t get any further’. The desert replied, ‘You won’t be able to cross the desert using the old ways that worked for you further up the mountain. It is no use hurling yourself at the sand like that. You will simply disappear, or turn into marshland. No, you must trust the wind to carry you across.’

The stream didn’t understand, but asked, ‘how can the wind carry me across the desert?’

The desert replied: ‘You must let yourself be carried, be taken up into the wind, and then the wind will carry you,’ the desert replied. But the stream didn’t much like this idea. After all, it was a stream, with a nature and identity of its own. It didn’t at all want to lose itself by being evaporated and absorbed into the wind. The desert sensed the stream’s fears and tried to offer reassurance. It told the stream, ‘That’s what the wind does. Trust the wind. If you let yourself be absorbed by the wind it will carry you across the sand, and let you fall again on the other side, to live as a stream once again.’

The stream wasn’t convinced. ‘But… I won’t be the same stream that I am now.’ The desert understood the dilemma, but also understood the mystery, and offered encouragement: ‘You certainly won’t be the same stream you are now if you fling yourself into the sand and turn into a marsh. But let the wind carry you across the desert, and the real heart of you, the essence of everything you truly are, will be born again on the other side, to flow a new course, to be a river that you can’t even imagine from the place where you are standing now.’

The stream thought for a while, and something deep in its heart recalled a memory of a wind that could be trusted, and a horizon that was always out of reach, but was always a new beginning. So the stream took a deep breath, and surrendered to the transforming power of the breeze.

The wind raised up the vapour of the little stream and carried it faithfully, far beyond the horizon, high above the hot desert sand, and let it fall again softly at the top of a new mountain, far away.

And the stream began to understand who it really was, and what it meant to be a stream.

Words for Meditation: ‘The Strength of Water’ by Jamila Batchelder and Molly Housh Gordon

We’ve come now to a time of meditation. I’m going to offer some words for reflection, a piece by Jamila Batchelder and Molly Housh Gordon, on ‘The Strength of Water’. You’ll hear some prompts to ponder, which we’ll return to when we do our ‘Gathering of the Waters’ ritual later in the service, when I’ll invite you to play with this metaphor of water and speak of the particular strength that you bring. These words will take us into silence which will end with the sound of a bell. And then we’ll hear some meditative music from our trio – Abby, Georgia and Toby. So let’s each do what we need to do to get comfortable – adjust your position if you need to – perhaps put your feet flat on the floor to ground and steady yourself – maybe close your eyes. As we always say, the words and music are just an offering, feel free to use this time to meditate in your own way.

The strength of water takes on many, many forms—just as each of you has a unique and necessary strength that you bring to our community and to the work of love.

Take a moment now to drop down into the deep wellspring of your own spirit and bathe yourself in the strength that is the groundwater of your person.

Are you a roaring waterfall wearing rock away with sheer force of will?

Are you a tiny drop of water in a crevice, breaking it open slowly, steadily?

Are you buoyant, like a great salt lake, practiced at holding others aloft?

Are you tenacious like the mountain stream,
finding your way down and around every obstacle you face?

Are you still and calm like the pond at daybreak, offering radiant peace by your shores?

Are you in touch with hidden depths, pulling from a vast well?

Do you soothe like the steam rising from a cup of tea?

Do you dissolve away stubborn muck, like water left in a pot to soak?

Do you soften and smooth the edges like a creeping fog?

Do you clear away distraction like a cleansing rain?

Do you roll with the ebb and flow like the ocean waves?

Settle your mind upon the strength, the power that is yours. Draw that strength into your heart. Draw it up into your soul. As we gather together the many waters of this community, we need each of your power, each of your resilience, each of your love to make us whole.

Period of Silence and Stillness (~3 minutes) – end with a bell

Musical Interlude: ‘Andante Larghetto’ by Paganini performed by Abby Lorimier, Georgia Dawson, and Toby Morgan

Gathering the Waters Ritual:

So we’ve got about ten minutes now for our ‘Gathering of the Waters’. We’ll do it in a similar way to the Candles of Joy and Concern – I’ll invite the people in the room first – then the people on Zoom. By default we will leave this bit in the recording so if you join in but don’t want to be included in the video that goes on YouTube please have a word with me straight after the service and I’ll edit you out.

The words for meditation began: ‘The strength of water takes on many, many forms—just as each of you has a unique and necessary strength that you bring to our community and to the work of love.’

In this ritual, I invite you to ponder, and to affirm that unique and necessary strength that you bring. Whether you bring it to this particular community, or the wider Unitarian community, or to some other community that is precious to you, or indeed the world community, because in the end we are all connected and interdependent. What do you bring to the work of love? If a watery metaphor came up for you during the meditation please do share that but if not just tell us of the strength you bring. During these times of great uncertainty and change it can be easy to forget the strength we do have. When you come up, please pour your water into the common bowl, and if you haven’t got water please pour a splash out of the jug, then come to the microphone to speak (get close and speak up). Like I said we’re aiming for about ten minutes so bear that in mind when you come up to speak (but we might run over time a little as I don’t want to stop anyone who’d like to join in from doing so).

(in person water)

And if that’s everyone in the room we’ll go over to the people on Zoom next – you might like to switch to gallery view at this stage – just unmute yourselves when you are ready and speak out – we’re not able to see you on the big screen until you’ve unmuted and started speaking. And as you pour your water (or imaginary water) at home I’ll pour some for you in the church.

(zoom water)

If that’s everyone… thank you for joining in with our ritual. I’d like to invite you to join in with a responsive reading, a ‘Blessing of the Waters’, with words by Ranwa Hammamy. They’re on your hymnsheet if you’re in the building, and will be up on screen if you’re at home, but the response is a very simple refrain if you’d like to join in and say it out loud: ‘This Water is Sacred’.

‘Blessing of the Water’ by Ranwa Hammamy

This water is sacred. It is made sacred by the many hands that have poured it with intention and love, the many stories that each drop contains, the many lives surrounding it in this unique moment, connected by commitment and faith. This water is sacred.

May it continue to flow through this community, with shining reflections of the unique gifts that flow through each of its members. This water is sacred.

May it continue to nurture this community, with sustaining hope that we journey together through ripples of growth and change. This water is sacred.

May it continue to bless this community with loving reminders of our collective responsibility to one another and the world. This water is sacred.

May its ripples be a reminder that the changes and growth within this community bring movement and transformation to the world beyond our doors. This water is sacred.

May its purity offer grace to our community, and the willingness to forgive ourselves and one another when we make mistakes. This water is sacred.

In moments when we are confused or uncertain, may it bring us clarity of purpose and commitment. This water is sacred.

In moments when the reservoirs of hearts and spirits are drained by sorrow or pain, may it nourish them with the knowledge that we are surrounded by a deep and abundant love. This water is sacred. Amen.

Hymn: ‘Goodnight Hymn’

Time for our last hymn, one of my most favourites, the ‘Goodnight Hymn’. It always feels a bit daft to sing it in broad daylight but the sentiment is so lovely I hope you’ll overlook that. The words of this one are on a hymn sheet and will also be up on screen. Feel free to stand or sit as you prefer.

To you each, my friends, tonight
I give thanks for company;
We have shared the inner light:
May that light go forth with thee.
May we give each other power –
Live with courage every hour.

As we face the coming week,
With its worries and its strife,
Strength and wisdom let us seek
In this hour’s remembered life.
May we give each other power –
Live with courage every hour.

In our homes and in the street,
In a world with sadness rife,
May we show to all we meet
Glory that we find in life.
May we give each other power –
Live with courage every hour.

To you each, my friends, tonight
I give thanks for company;
We have shared the inner light:
May that light go forth with thee.
May we give each other power –
Live with courage every hour.

Sharing of News, Announcements, Introductions:

Lots of announcements today: Thanks to Ramona for tech-hosting. Thanks to Charlotte for co-hosting on Zoom. Thanks to Sandra, Abby, Georgia and Toby for playing for us. For those of you who are in-person, Juliet will be serving coffee, tea and biscuits in the hall after the service, if you want to stay for refreshments – thanks Juliet – and thanks Marianne for greeting. We are actually looking for more people to help out with coffee and greeting so please get in touch with Liz or Marianne if you can volunteer. For those of you who are on Zoom today there will be virtual coffee hosted by Charlotte afterwards so please do hang around for a chat. We’ve not got properly organised for a ‘hybrid coffee table’ yet but I’m hoping some of those in the building will at least pop over and say hello to the Zoomers using the laptop here at the front.

We have various small group activities during the week for you to meet up. Coffee morning is online at 10.30am Wednesday. There are still spaces left for our Heart and Soul gatherings (online Sunday/Friday at 7pm) and this week’s theme is ‘Helping Hands’. Email me to sign up for that.

Next week Margaret’s singing classes will resume (that’ll be in-person, after the service, at noon on the third Sunday of each month for 45 minutes). You’re welcome whatever your level of singing, Margaret is very encouraging, and she’ll offer exercises to help you feel more confident, and a bit of individual guidance, and at the end of the class you will all sing a song together.

The West London GreenSpirit group will be having a gathering and lunch for the Autumn Equinox here at the church on Friday 23rd September. That’s 1.30pm until 3.30pm. The afternoon will be a reflective time, with music, readings and silence, a chance to share thoughts and experiences.

Today our own Veronica, along with True Heart Theatre, is holding a Harvest Moon Storytelling event here at the church from 2pm until 4.30pm. She says: come along to this Harvest Moon Festival event where you will hear of adventures with monsters; a hero who becomes filled
with lust for money and power; and insights connecting this ancient Chinese tale with our contemporary concerns over climate change and the survival of our precious planet Earth.

Next Sunday will be another hybrid service and it’s also the harvest festival so if you might have some home-grown fruit and veg to bring along for our table (or a marrow from the market!) please let me know. Or if you’ve got an artistic eye to help arrange it all. I will bring tomatoes!

The congregation very much has a life beyond Sunday mornings; we encourage you to keep in touch, look out for each other, and do what you can to nurture supportive connections. All this information is also on the back of the order of service and the details were in the Friday email too.

I think that’s everything. Just time for our closing words and closing music now.

Benediction: ‘All Water Is One Water’ by Mel Hoover and Rose Edington

Water unites us.
All water is one water,
shape-shifting as it goes
on and on in its unending cycle.

The stream we gather by unites us
with all the waters of the world,
for all of life depends on water.

And so this common, everyday element
on which our very lives depend is sacred.
In our thankfulness for water, let us remember
to honour, cherish, and care for it—for our own lives,
for all life touched by water, and for those who come after us.

Amen. Go well, everyone, and blessed be.

Closing Music: ‘Agua de Beber’ by Antonio Carlos Jobim performed by Abby Lorimier, Georgia Dawson, and Toby Morgan

Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall

11th September 2022