The fifth of August was one of those days known at St. John's Unitarian
Church as "EarthSpirit Sunday." It is nice to be part of a congregation
that is "pleasantly surprised" when they arrive at church and discover
that EarthSpirit is in the pulpit. It's never a secret, in fact, but we
all get busy and forget to check to see what church at St. John's will "be
about" before we go; the Celebrant of a recent service said something
like, "I doubt you came because of the subject matter, but rather because
you are in the habit of coming!"
For whatever reason the crowd of between seventy and ninety came, we are
grateful, because the energy of the room was warm and, well,
spiritual.
After announcements, the service started with music from a didgerido and
drumming, accompanied by dancers carrying fruit-laden basket to the
chancel. (This Native American dance looks more like a carefully timed
walk.)
Drumming continued throughout the service and dances commemorating the
harvest blended music and movement from Africa, the Middle East and the
Americas. Gurdave Dhiman played Tabla, among other drums. Dave and Ben
Hergert also played drums, and Ben played the saxophone and Native
American Flute. Mira Rodwan choreographed all of the dancing. The
service couldn't possibly have been as successful as it was without the
contributions of so many dedicated people.
Drumming accompanied a beautiful chant called "Govinda
hare," played from the Pilgrim Heart CD by Krishna Das. Other music included
"Khaki Lambe" an African drumsong for a bountiful harvest, "The Beat of My
Drum" by Babatunji Olatunji and "Baladi," a Middle Eastern peasant dance.
Susan Hergert, in the Call to Worship, gave the Llama her due by
explaining how a modern spell-check mishap had, for the third year
running, caused the service to be advertised as a "Celebration of Llamas."
The Llama is a South American mammal, Susan said, gives a bountiful wool
harvest, and deserves a place on our altar, which is exactly where two
Llama figures stood.
Lucas Hergert delivered a sermon about the sacrifice others have made
(sometimes the "ultimate sacrifice") for their religion. He also spoke
about things we in EarthSpirit believe in that we share with other members
of St. John's as well as the Unitarian and Pagan communities all over the
world. Some fight and even die for these beliefs, and they aren't even
(entirely) "religious." People everywhere are making sacrifices for the
Earth in a way that hasn't been done for many years. Some simply decide
to make a sacrifice or two by cutting back on nonessential conveniences
that cause harm to the Earth's environment; others protest against harmful
energy plans and the trade policies that put too much power in the hands
of businesses that don't regard the environment as something to protect.
Every bit of it makes a difference, and it starts with being aware that a
problem exists.
Lucas' sermon was a foreshadowing of EarthSpirit's upcoming projects:
Holiday UUs Giving Simply (HUUGS), and a year-long
study of Deep Ecology. Also, see our upcoming
events for what's next.
