The Ministry of all... (ritual, churches, spiritual, faith, religions)

[Davidium]

In another thread, Maize asked this question...

Do you think UU encourages it's members to be "Lay-Chaplains" more than other religions might?

As I felt it might derail the thread we were on to discuss it there, I thought I would answer it here....

And the answer is both Yes and No. That seems to be the answer to many questions about UU.

There are several aspects to this question. I do beleive the UUA is the most "equipping" of denominations. In other words, we do equip our members for their own ministries, no matter what that ministry may be. Most denominations cannot even imagine a Church that has existed for 50+ years without a minister, but we have many examples of such churches. As we are congregational in polity (in other words, the members run the church, not the minister or the denomination) we also tend to have a high level of leadership among our members.

If someone wants to take on a form of Ministry, you will find that most UU churches will support them in that, reguardless of if they are Fellowshipped as professional ministers. From Soup kitchens to hospitals, to protest demonstrations you will find UU's conducting their own kind of ministry.

Chaplaincy is a bit different though. A chaplain is someone who makes his career out of such a kind of ministry. As such, most chaplains are fully ordained and fellowshipped. But that does not mean that UU members cannot fill some of the same kinds of roles with their own ministry.

Our denomination has for many years focused too much, I believe, on the Parish Minister role. As such, we have more parish ministers than we need. We do an excellent job taking care of those who are members of our congregations.

I have talked about "right relations" here before... and how the first step in establishing right relations is within our own congregations. But our second step is to begin exampeling right relations within the world. Now, we individual UU's can do that in our own lives, in our relations with our families, co-workers, and neighbors... but I think we also need to do so professionally and institutionally with a well supported core of UU Professional Chaplains. In the military, in hospitals, in NGO's, in soup kitchens, in drug rehab centers.... not to "spread the faith" but rather to serve the world. To put our seven principles into practice in the world.

I think this is our next step as far as the professional UU ministry. And if we have this core of caring, dedicated people, committed to serving the spiritual needs of those in need without overt prostelytizing, while meeting people on their spiritual path, not ours, and ministering to them.... I think that is just about the best face we could put forward for our "uncommon denomination".

YoUUrs in Faith,

David

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by Davidium

I think this is our next step as far as the professional UU ministry. And if we have this core of caring, dedicated people, committed to serving the spiritual needs of those in need without overt prostelytizing, while meeting people on their spiritual path, not ours, and ministering to them.... I think that is just about the best face we could put forward for our "uncommon denomination".

Amen and Hallelujah!