Call to Community:

May we be reminded here of our highest aspirations,

And inspired to bring our gifts of love and service to the alter of humanity.

May we know once again that we are not isolated beings but connected, in mystery and miracle, to the universe, to this community and to each other.

Chalice Lighting

A thought from Albert Schweitzer-

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.

Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.

Last week we had one of our more inspiring annual services, Recognition Sunday, a time wherein we pause to recognize and thank some of those who do so much in the name of the rest of us. And we had an extra boost in thinking about such things as the Program Council sponsored a volunteer fair to get us all thinking more about the importance and pleasure of pitching in around here. In a sense, we are going to pick up today where we left off last week, thinking about volunteers and service, with a bit of a twist.

This morning we are going to speak of many things - as you might have guessed, this will include the who’s, where’s and why’s of volunteering at MVUC, but also about more mysterious things - such as Hollywood musicals, several body parts, and - unindicted co-conspirators. So stand by - we have much to share with each other.

The concept of a bucket brigade, of volunteering and of standing up and doing what needs to be done is, I think, a fitting theme for Fathers Day. Our best standards and memories of fathers involve commitment, doing what’s right, teaching others, sharing the burden with and for others, and leading by example. The best Dads I know embody the spirit of volunteerism, at home and in the community.

This is important to note, to highlight the importance of fathers in our lives and the examples they set for us. Sometimes I think the culture does a less than excellent job of doing this. Consider the commercial advertisements we see - for Mothers Day, its diamonds, flowers, dinners out. For Father’s Day, its Gillette disposable razors and lawn mowers!

Think of a quote that might come to mind for these two holidays. For Mother’s Day, it might be that 300 lb football player looking at the camera, and what does he say ---- Yes, he says “Hi Mom.” For Fathers, we might think of that famous line from an old Bill Cosby routine wherein as a youngster he gets into an argument with his Father and Dad says “I brought you into this world and I can take you back out.”

So today, lets celebrate the qualities of great dads everywhere, of stepping up to the plate and getting the job done for the good of others.

And now, a special musical interlude to introduce our theme for today (excerpt from the Music Man) - Hit it, Dale!

(Music) (Excerpt from The Music Man)

For some reason, that song came to mind when I began thinking about this service. But the version in my head goes like this:

“We got trouble, right here at MVUC. Trouble starts with “T” , that rhymes with “V” and that stands for Volunteers. Without Volunteers, we got big trouble, right here on Windmill Hill.”

It’s true - volunteers are in so many ways the best of this place, and the best thing about being here. Without ‘em, we got trouble.

The Meaning of “A Bucket Brigade”

I chose the image of a bucket brigade to talk about volunteerism at MVUC with two kinds of brigades in mind.

One is the classic fire bucket brigade that many of us know from old Western movies - the town forms a line between a burning building and a water source and by passing buckets of water up the line, save the day, beat the emergency, and go on to live and build another day.

The other is the kind of brigade one often sees in the Far East: a line of people passes along buckets of building materials, such as mud, to speed the building of something important to the community.

Two kinds of bucket brigades - One an emergency reaction resource, used to solve an immediate need, the other a long-standing, continuous operation that builds, repairs, sustain, grows. Around here, we use both, everyday.

This place runs on volunteer power. Our professional and support staff are perhaps best described as our brains and motor function controls of the MVUC body, but surely the muscles are the volunteers. Let’s illustrate our point with ourselves-

Let me ask you to raise your hand high and leave it up just a bit if you have ever done any of the following (Raise your other hand if your are in a second category, wave ‘em for multiple categories):

- Served on the Board or on the Program Council

- Taught a class in RE or supported teachers

- Served on a committee or task force

- Helped with or donated to the Holiday Shop, Book Sale, Auction, Silent Auction

- Helped set up or decorate for a special function or ceremony

- Attended a district, regional, or national event as part of MVUC

- Took part in the Workananny

- Participated in a Town Meeting, Sensing Session or Congregational Conversation

- Sang in the Choir

- Participated in a lay lead service

- Served as a greeter or receptionist

- Brought food for a shared meal

- Helped clean up or wash dishes after a function

- Been an usher or brought flowers or Sunday refreshments

- Staffed an event table or the book nook

- Helped publish, assemble, mail newsletters, bulletins, journals, etc.

- Ask someone else to join you in volunteering

- Anything else I forgot?

-

Look at all those hands _ get ‘em up! Now put ‘em down and give yourselves a well deserved round of applause.

See what I mean? We ARE this place. If this were a business, we would have to say we are the customers, the suppliers, the financiers, and the staff, all in one.

What Do We Need?

When we think of volunteers, remember that the requirements are many and so too are the opportunities. In a sense, you volunteer when you write a check or put money in the offering plate - you volunteer your financial assets, and that provides an essential life blood to make MVUC possible. But we also have need of other gifts - your labor, your time, your special skills, and your energy. All are valuable, and sharing all or any of them with MVUC will not only build and sustain our community - it will also pay you back important dividends as well. But more on that later.

Unindicted Co-conspirators

So many choices, so many needs! How does one get on board this train? This is where we introduce the element of the Unindicted Co-conspirator - for they are key to this process. Let me give you some examples. I’ll bet they sound familiar to many of you:

About 3 years ago, Russ and June Stumpe approached Meg and I as new congregants and said we had this neat little community activity called the Semi Annual Book Sale and we were invited to join in for a couple of hours next month to help sort and move some books. Sure we thought, nice chance to meet people in MVUC in a way we certainly couldn’t just sitting here on Sundays. Boy, did we! We found a whole underground of fascinating, energetic, engaged people who made us want to be a part of this place for the long haul. I think it was that weekend that we began to think seriously about joining MVUC.

Shortly thereafter, Sally Joy Remington mentioned there was this little project underway called the Long Range Planning White Paper that I might find interesting to work with a bit. Sure, I thought - I enjoyed the book sale so much, why not try this? Well, a year later we finished that White Paper and I knew more about MVUC that I could have ever learned in 20 years of just being here on Sunday, and again, I found a whole other side, several of them actually, of MVUC that had been unknown to me.

We had no sooner finished the White Paper than Kay Sargent and Larry Jackley suggested I might be interested in seeing how the rest of the Long Range Planning effort was going. Well, sure I thought, seems like something really interesting for a couple of months. Well, we finish that effort at the end of this month - 2 years after I joined it, and longer still for those who started this particular effort.

And somewhere along this path, Linda Jemison convinced me my life would not be complete until I served on the Board of Trustees - an amazing experience now in its third year for me, one in which I marvel every month at how much time and energy people put into a labor of love.

Now why do I relate those stories? Not to scare you off with the thought that every volunteer effort will involve months of effort - in between these I have had lots of projects that involved only an hour or so - such as ushering - but to illustrate two points.

One, almost never have I volunteered for something because a staff member asked me to do so, but because a fellow member of the congregation asked me to do so. The need was identified by one of us, the offer was made by one of us, and we joined in to do the work and share the pleasures of working together. In fact, as I look back on the people who have gotten me involved in life at MVUC over these years, I sometimes think maybe there is a secret organization that meets in the basement secretly plotting who to invite into the circle next (if you have seen our basement you know that’s a fantasy - no room left down there to hold a meeting!).

Two, each of these experiences taught me something about MVUC that I would have never known, introduced me to people I would have never really known, and taught me things about people I thought I knew. Together, these have made a priceless mosaic that is enriching beyond measure. I am telling you this place is the Ben and Jerry’s of Life, the Baskin Robbins of the Universe - if you just show up for an hour on the occasional Sunday, you are only just barely tasting the vanilla. Friend, there are hot fudge and sprinkles out there with your name on them!

 

 

Yeah, But Why Should I Volunteer for Anything?

That is the question. I know what you are thinking - I don’t have enough time in my life now - why on earth would I take on more? Later this morning I will talk about limiting your commitments in a way that fits you, but for now, let’s talk a bit more about why you should want a piece of this action.

For one thing, there is no other activity that so makes you part of a community as does this. You could even say you become an integral part of the body politic of MVUC - remember we said earlier we would be talking about body parts? Well, how about joining all the others in putting your nose to the grindstone, your shoulder to the wheel, joining hands, putting your heart in it, being level headed about it, having the stomach for the hard tasks, opening your eyes and ears to the opportunities, rolling up your sleeves, taking challenges by the throat, stepping off the starting line and joining in, loaning a strong back, and most importantly - getting off your butt! Now with all those body parts joining in a common goal, you know you are part of a community.

Second, if you are in search of a way to spend some quality time with your Significant Other or your family, this is one great way to do it. Together, you can make a contribution, maybe get a little exercise, and talk about something else besides each other. Hey, if nothing else, you might meet some people that make your Significant Other look even better by comparison!

Third, if you are a parent, what an outstanding opportunity to provide practical lessons and examples for your children about what is important in life. By giving your precious gift of time and by affirming the value you receive in return, you communicate with more power and clarity than a thousand lectures about values and priorities.

Fourth, you become part of a timeless link with our ancestors, forebears, and predecessors. You join a long, unbroken line of doers, of activists, of people who accepted responsibility for their own denomination. Arguably, no denomination places a higher value on this mix of individual responsibility and community service. Being a UU is synonymous with volunteerism in so many important ways.

Fifth, there is what is referred to in Eastern philosophy as finding beauty in banality. The joy of a job well done is genuine. Sorting books or raking leaves may not be rocket science, but it needs to be done, it contributes directly to the well being of all, and it offers measurable standards of accomplishment - you can see what you have done and know how it contributes to the greater good. Can you say that about many of your daily activities?

Last, you get to help define our community in a tangible, important way. Our shared labors and communications are as much a part of our definition of ourselves as a community as our Sunday services or special occasions. You become part of a number of small groups that in turn come together to make the larger whole of MVUC. In short, you connect not just in one way, but in dozens. The flow of knowledge, energy, mutual commitment, and pleasure that flows over those multiple lines is little short of amazing.

There Are Limits to Volunteers

I hope you are seeing volunteering as a good and powerful thing, something you want to be a part of. But I would not deceive you - there are limits on what we can and should expect of each other as volunteers. Good intentions do not usually replace professional education, technical training, or experience in a given field. We may think we would be good electricians, or counselors, or policy makers, but these and other areas are often outside our ability to contribute as volunteers or laypersons. There is much to be done that is within our competence and abilities and that is where we focus as volunteers.

Because this place is important to us, sometimes we can get a little intense, trying to do what is best. At times like this, it’s always helpful when someone reminds us that this is largely a collection of unpaid volunteers and sometimes, we get what we pay for. We should expect a good faith effort from each other, but we need also to be gentle with each other.

And sometimes, there just are not enough volunteers to go around. In the Long Range Planning process, we noted the impact of two career families and our heavy reliance on a few key stalwarts, people who are so important that as Kay pointed out, they should not be allowed to ride in one car together - a single accident could cripple MVUC. It is, therefore, important that we look for not just big opportunities but small, short ones as well, to volunteer. They all count around here.

We are all busy it seems these days, more so than ever. But what else in our lives is more voluntary than our association with MVUC? We are here because we choose to be, because we share common values, because we enjoy being with each other. All that tells me, we can all find some way, however small, to put some time and energy in the pot. We’ll not regret it.

Let me share one other analogy with you - that of the long tent pole. Those of you with a military background (or maybe with a circus background) will already know what this means. A tent represents shelter, protection from the elements and a gathering place. It also represents a communal effort. To successfully raise a tent, one needs two kinds of poles. One is the long pole, typically those at the ends and perhaps a cross beam. These carry the bulk of the weight and provide the essential structure of the tent.

But we also need the short poles, those that hold down the tent in the wind, that provide the framework for entryways, and that connect the smaller portions of the tent to the larger, higher portions. We need both kinds of poles to raise our tent. Similarly, we need long pole and short pole volunteers to run this place.

Making the Deal

So how about it? How do we proceed with this volunteer business? I would like to suggest a few things to start the ball rolling. First, it is wonderful if someone asks you to volunteer, but don’t wait for an invitation - invite yourself. There are many ways to do this:

Notice the different colored nametags many of us wear. Each connotes an affiliation with one group or another, and the affiliation is written right on the nametags. Find your color and ask away.

You can always seek out a member of the Board, the Program Council (pictures are on the wall at the kitchen entryway in the Commons), or the church staff and ask that someone contact you about your particular interest. We may not know who to connect with immediately, but we will be glad to run it down with you.

Check the church reference guides, usually found in the Commons (when not undergoing revision), printed on blue paper for a list of organizations and points of contact.

And as a special bonus today, you can circle those you are interested in and write your name and how to contact you (phone, email) on the lists you found on your seats today and leave the sheets in the special buckets at the back of the chapel. We will pick them up and forward them to someone who can tell you more - no obligation, just information!

In any case, follow up yourself. Hey, we’re all volunteers here, and sometimes we drop the ball. I guarantee you your interest is appreciated and welcome. If you don’t get feedback, sound off again and give us a second chance. You don’t even have to volunteer for anything specific, just tell us what time and talents you may have to offer and we will proceed together.

By the way, we are looking for a Volunteer Coordinator, sort of a Volunteer’s Volunteer, someone to help target all that talent and energy towards all those programs and all those ideas. If you’re interested in being a real hero, a long tent pole, let us know you’re interested - we REALLY need you today!

So what happens if no one volunteers, or if not enough of us volunteer? In truth, a lot just does not get done - period. Some few things may be done by paid labor, but that means those funds would not be available for programs. And you and I would loose invaluable opportunities to know each other, to serve a larger cause, and to have a lot of fun in the process.

Given all this, is volunteering really voluntary or is it mandatory? Why, yes it is - its both. We should do it, we want to do it, we must do it. Come on down and sign on up!

No doubt, some of you are still worried about over committing to something new. Well, lets talk about the volunteer’s contract. One of the things you should know is that when you talk about volunteering, you are likely to be talking to someone just like you - another volunteer. They have the same concerns and limits you do. So it’s perfectly OK to start slow, to say you might be interested but would like to know more, or that you would like to volunteer for a set task, or a set amount of time.

If you are the volunteer doing the recruiting, keep that same formulation in mind; give people a fixed, finite opportunity to deal with and any potential growth can flow from there as is desired by all concerned.

It’s also OK to acknowledge the risk of burnout and the risk of excessive ownership. As for burnout, no matter how much we may love this place, we all, in the words of Kenn Hurto, sometimes need to be a congregant, nothing more, nothing less. Volunteer often and hard, but grant yourself and others the occasional sabbatical when it is time.

Similarly, those of us who volunteer so selflessly, so often, for so long must be wary of the natural tendency to think we “own” those programs we support. Fresh volunteers among our ranks go a long way towards helping avoid these two risks.

People also have reservations about signing up to run something, to be responsible for an enterprise. But we need someone to start the meeting - what to do? One solution is co-chairs. Team up with a buddy and share the burden. You will get a bonus of ideas and energy and your program will benefit from more stability and depth. Consider leading something and seek out a co-chair - you’ll have more fun than you might expect.

So, there we are. You can volunteer for a little bit, or for a lot. You can volunteer to lead, be in the middle, or just be part of the team. You can volunteer once, or a hundred times. You can volunteer skill, brute labor, or both. But what you really don’t want to is take a pass. This is the lifeblood of MVUC and its your ticket to the Secret Life of MVUC. Don’t miss it. In the words of a famous American television show, “Come on Down.” See you at the next book sale. So be it.

Now, in honor of fathers, father figures, and volunteers who serve as role models for the rest of us, we would like to take a few moments to think about those people, and to be grateful for them. During this time, you are invited, as you wish, to light a candle in their honor, and if you wish, you may approach the microphone and simply state the name of that person. Please feel free to come forward if you like.

We know there are many ways to volunteer. One of the easiest forms is check writing! I mentioned at the outset that we need each other’s time, energy, commitment, talents - and resources. It was here in this place I learned that the old phrase “give until it hurts” had it wrong. The right phrase is “give until it feels good.” We will now gratefully accept your contributions and invite you to feel really good.

We have shared a lot of thoughts and emotions today. I would now like to ask Michael Hentges to provide us a reading to close out this portion of the service.

Today, you essentially saw one person on this stage, but know that an impressive group of people came together to make this day, like countless other services happen for the rest of us. As you leave today, take a moment to thank the sound technician, the musician, the ushers, the custodian, the providers of flowers and refreshments. All served us well today, as always.

Would you rise now as you are able, join in singing our closing hymn, number 129, and remain standing for the benediction.

Hymn

Close