The Wider UU World – Heritage UU Church

Alice Diebel Ordination and Installation

Rev. Alice Diebel

Even in a time of social distancing, when participants cannot meet together, the ceremony of ordination and installation of a Unitarian Universalist minister can still be a moving experience.

On Saturday, August 15, 2020, the congregations of Miami Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (MVUUF) and St. John’s Unitarian Universalist Church (St. John’s) jointly ordained Alice Diebel into the Unitarian Universalist Ministry. Rev. Diebel was also installed as Affiliated Community Minister at MVUUF. Clergy, lay leaders, music providers, family and friends joined in via Zoom and Facebook Live.

Diebel’s home congregation is MVUUF in Dayton, Ohio. She recently received a Master of Divinity degree from Meadville Lombard Theological School, a UU seminary in Chicago, and did her ministerial internship at St. John’s in Cincinnati. Her focus has been and will continue to be on ministering to women who are returning home from serving time in prison.

As with any UU ordination or installation, many clergy participated or were included in the virtual processional. These included Rev. Kellie Kelly (MVUUF), Rev. Mitra Jafarzedeh (St. John’s), Rev. Connie Simon (First Unitarian Church, Cincinnati), Rev. Bill Gupton (Heritage UU Church, Cincinnati), Rev. Leslie Woodward (Heritage), Rev. Sharon Dittmar (MidAmerica Region), and Rev. Jessica James (Dayton area), along with ten other ministers.

Some typical components of a UU minister’s ordination and installation were included, such as the hymns “Wake Now My Senses” and “The Fire of Commitment.” These gave a continuity with the past. Other components could not be included. One speaker lamented the inability for clergy to gather around Diebel in a circle and lay on hands. Another speaker noted that one segment of the ceremony was typically titled “The Right Hand of Fellowship,” but the speaker changed this to an invitation to spirit. This was because not only could a handshake not be physically performed over distance, but the old ritual could be seen as ableist, and the word “fellowship” could be heard as not being gender-inclusive.

Rev. Bill Gupton was able to find a way to merge technology and ritual. Speaking near the end of the ceremony, he noted to Alice that she was now ordained. He invited her, at that time and while he spoke, to use her computer to change her Zoom name from “Alice Diebel” to “Rev. Alice Diebel.” When she next appeared on screen, she had done so.

We wish Rev. Alice Diebel all possible joy and success as she continues her service in the new role of minister.

Alice Diebel ordination and installation, August 15, 2020

8/15/2020.

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UUs Celebrate and Share in Cincinnati Pride

by MJ Pierson

Pride 2019, with a parade and festival on June 22, had fantastic UU participation from every Cincinnati congregation. Once again, our parade effort was headed by Juli Rose who drove her van and several UUs. A big thank you to Miranda Fash and Riley Taylor who helped decorate. This year we sported about a dozen different flags representing various sexual orientations and identities. The standing-on-the-side-of-love and the rainbow rally signs with various progressive ideas that UUs support filled out a very colorful group of about 40 marchers. The slight drizzle added umbrellas with even more color adding to the cacophony of spectacle.

Thanks to those who helped in parade and booth prep including Miranda Fash, Luke Germann, and Sean McBride. A huge thanks to Russ Araujo for organizing the online signup and taking pictures of the parade.

The Unitarian Universalist Council pride booth was set up by MJ Pierson and Sean McBride with the assistance of Liz Woedl and her daughter. Staffing the booth all day was a team effort with two-hour shifts. Thanks to Riley Taylor, Lila Ruth Cooper, the Lutz-Stewart family, Lee Meyer, Dot Christensen, Pat Smart, Greg Terhune and Bo Wachendorf, and Barbara Dickerson for helping to staff. The booth stayed busy all day with a particular rush from about noon to 3 when we handed out roughly 800 items to Pride attendees. The rainbow-braided bracelets were a huge hit and the sashes with either bisexual or transgender colors went fast. Business cards leading to the UU Council website accompanied all the geld. We were totally out of items by about 5 o’clock. Our location for the booth was excellent and afforded us a lovely view of the river and shade from trees and the 471 bridge.

To pack up the booth, Joel And Jeannie Araujo and their toddler Crosley came to help, and Sean and Joel walked the booth items to pack the car. We left around 6:30 p.m. just as the evening crowd were arriving; had we had more items to give out, I’m sure we could have spent the time until 9 o’clock. I want to take a moment of personal privilege to thank my son Sean for all the work he does regarding Pride. Hours of his time, and his support of me, are so appreciated.

I, MJ Pierson, have coordinated the UU council effort at Pride for roughly the past 10 years. It would be wonderful to have someone else step up to take on this task. Talk to those who participated in staffing the booth. They will tell you how important our participation as a faith community is in Pride. Each one of us heard the story from at least one attendee of how their faith community had not supported them in their coming out, or had even asked them to leave their faith home. We have traced visiting the booth to visiting our congregations but we cannot look at this as an immediate advantage for our churches. We need to look at this as long-term evangelism of the Unitarian Universalist message. So many of the Pride attendees that we talk to are youth and young adults who will eventually, hopefully find their way to us. At Pride they at least find out that UU exists. Many of these young people may not be in a position to choose their faith home yet — but as their lives continue — at some point in the future they will be looking.

Unfortunately, Cincinnati Pride is always the same weekend as the UUA General Assembly. If you find yourself home on the third weekend, usually solstice weekend, of June, please plan to be a part of next year’s Pride. We always have a fantastic time!

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Then He Put Away His Phone

Rev. Connie Simon, at her Installation at First Unitarian Church in Cincinnati

by Russ Araujo

On Sunday, October 28, 2018, Rae Jane and I attended the Installation of the new minister at First Church, Rev. Connie Simon. An Installation is a solemn and joyful event, not to be missed. Unitarian Universalist ministers come from miles around and process in wearing their robes and stoles. Our own minister was there.

Rev. Connie is an African American, and First Church is in a mostly black area of the city. Back in the second half of the 20th Century, First Church had stuck it out in the city while other churches, including our own, followed “white flight” to the suburbs. Fifty years ago, First Church had a congregation that was much more racially mixed, but over time had become majority white. The members of the church now wanted to get back to an anti-racist vision and mission, and had chosen Rev. Connie, the first black minister of their church (or of any UU church in Cincinnati, for that matter).

The Installation had wonderful music, from “Lean on Me,” to “With Love” (written just for this occasion), to a version of “Amazing Grace.”

And the Installation had wonderful examples of public speaking. There were Greetings and Prayers and the Sermon. The sermon was by the Rev. Dr. William G. Sinkford, the former president of the whole Unitarian Universalist Association. He had grown up in this very church. His return made this a historic moment. And boy, could he give a good sermon.

But this was a really historic moment for another reason, emphasized over and over by speaker after speaker. Rev. Connie was about to become the first African American minister of the church.

Throughout the service, there were two or three people who came halfway down the aisle and took pictures. One of these was the “he” of the title of this piece. He is a long-time member of another UU church in Cincinnati. He had been a Tuskegee Airman in World War II. And by my telling you that, you know that he is African American. The military services were not integrated in WWII, and the black men who wanted to serve their country were grouped into segregated companies. And also by my telling you that, you know that he is old. For privacy reasons, I am not using his name.

There is something else about the “he” of the title of this piece. He is the grandson of the Rev. W.H.G. Carter. In 1918, Rev. Carter had organized his own church in Cincinnati. He believed in Unitarianism, and had named his congregation “Church of the Unitarian Brotherhood.” He applied for his church to become a member of the American Unitarian Association, and the AUA had sent someone to investigate. That person reported back to Boston that the church was in a storefront and had a Negro minister. The AUA turned down Rev. Carter’s request.

The story of Rev. Carter came to light in the late 1990s. And at that time, the Tuskegee Airman let it be known that Rev. Carter was his grandfather.

And now here, at the Installation of the first African American UU minister in Cincinnati, the old Tuskegee Airman came down the aisle and took some pictures with his cell phone. Then he returned to his seat.

As the Installation progressed, he again made his way down the aisle, took some pictures, and returned.

At the end of the Installation, Rev. Connie’s niece, singing with the Installation Choir, sang “Love’s in Need of Love Today.” Up until now, the music and the words of installation reflected the European-American origin of Unitarian’s roots. The ministers had processed in while singing “Rank by Rank Again We Stand,” a song of long (white) tradition, originally written in England in the 1800s. But now in this Installation, Connie’s niece moved and swooped across the chancel, the choir swayed, and the singing brought forth the joy and energy usually found in the black church. And as the niece sang her joyful song, she clapped her hands above her head, and got all of us to clap our hands too. And as she sang, she motioned for all of us to stand, and we stood too. It had a rhythm and an energy that seemed like it could go on forever.

And then the Tuskegee Airman, the grandson of the rejected Rev. Carter, made his way down the aisle one last time for this Installation of the church’s first black minister. He was the only one in the aisle at that moment. He held up his cell phone and took more pictures. Then he put away his phone. He had waited his entire life for this. His body started swaying, his fingers started snapping, and, though his old feet did not move, he danced.

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Heritage Members Participate in the UUA’s General Assembly

Brittany Packnett, Ware Lecturer at General Assembly 2018

Five members of Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church—Rae Jane Araujo, Russ Araujo, Tracey DuEst, Bob Lamb, and Ellie Lamb—traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, to participate in the Unitarian Universalist Association’s annual General Assembly (GA). Bob, Ellie, Tracey and Russ were Heritage Church’s delegates to GA. Rae Jane and Russ were Heritage’s delegates to the MidAmerica Region’s annual Assembly, which was held at the same location just prior to GA. Bob and Ellie also joined their voices with UUs from dozens of other churches in the GA Choir. The assembly took place from June 20 to 24, 2018.

GA consists of worship services, workshops, lectures, public witness, and other activities, as well as the governing business meeting of the UUA.

You can find many on-demand videos, transcripts, and workshop materials from GA at the UUA GA Online webpage.

Below are some scenes from GA.

A Heritage Church member helps the EqUUal Access banner carrier.

Choir at UUA General Assembly 2018

Choir and Chalice at UUA General Assembly 2018. Two members of Heritage Church can be seen in the choir.

UUA President Susan Frederick-Gray on the monitor at General Assembly 2018

Singers at the UUA General Assembly 2018

Rev. Charles Gaines (left) receives the Distinguished Service Award at General Assembly 2018. (It also happens that Rev. Gaines was the last person to be ordained as a Universalist minister, weeks prior to the 1961 consolidation of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America.)

Delegates voting at General Assembly 2018

Word Cloud developed by delegates at General Assembly 2018. Small groups of delegates, responding to questions, developed answers that were summarized in this word cloud.

Sunday Morning Worship at General Assembly 2018

Illustration on Monitor Used for Story at General Assembly 2018

Closeup of Choir Including HUUC Members, General Assembly 2018.

At the Unitarian Universalist Association’s General Assembly for 2018, a few members of the Westboro Baptist Church showed up to protest (on the left side of the street), and a much larger group of Unitarian Universalists quickly assembled to sing (right side of street).

Marquee at General Assembly 2018

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The Wider UU World – Online

One way to connect with the wider UU world is on the Internet, through websites and social media. Here is a list of links that you might want to check out.

International Council of Unitarians and Universalists

Learn about the activities of UUs on six continents. Website: icuu.info/.

Unitarian Universalist Association

Heritage UU Church is a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). There is an abundance of information on this website; use the Search box to help find what you want. Website: uua.org/. Facebook: facebook.com/TheUUA/.

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

The UU Service Committee is a relief and justice organization powered by UU values. Website: uusc.org/.

UU World

The UU World is our denominational magazine. The website often has additional information and articles that are not in the print magazine. Website: uuworld.org/. Facebook: www.facebook.com/uuworld/. (There are also some great photographs on the UU World’s Flickr page, here: flickr.com/photos/uuworld/.)

MidAmerica Region of the UUA

Heritage UU Church is part of the MidAmerica Region of the UUA, which is one of five regions (see map here: www.uua.org/regions ). You can learn about training sessions and support available in our region. Website: www.midamericauua.org/. Facebook: facebook.com/MidAmericaUUA/.

UU Justice Ohio

Heritage Church is a member of Unitarian Universalist Justice Ohio (UUJO), which was formed to bring a unified view and energy to social justice work in Ohio. Website: www.uujo.org/. Facebook: facebook.com/UUJusticeOhio/. There is also a Facebook group for UUJO in southwest Ohio / Cincinnati, and it is here: facebook.com/groups/1323622811048071/.

UU Council of Greater Cincinnati

Our area is fortunate to have six UU congregations. They are all part of the UU Council of Greater Cincinnati. The Council facilitates sharing information among area churches, provides a representative to the Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati (MARCC), and has occasionally initiated joint events with multiple churches. This would be a place to go to get links to other area UU churches. Website: cinciuu.org/.

Special Interest Groups

There are a number of UU groups that have a special focus, and here are some of them:

Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism: blacklivesuu.com/

Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS): cuups.org/

Diverse Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM): druumm.onefireplace.org/

Unitarian Universalist Buddhist Fellowship: uubf.org/wp/

Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship: uuchristian.org/

Unitarian Universalist Humanist Association: huumanists.org/

Unitarian Universalists for Jewish Awareness: https://uuja.org/

Unitarian Universalist Mystics in Community: https://uumystics.org/

November, 2017.

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Videos from General Assembly

Here is a video of the Opening Ceremony of General Assembly, starting at the point where the Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church Banner is brought in during the banner parade.

General Assembly (GA) is the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). Attendees worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through the democratic process. The 2016 General Assembly took place in Columbus, Ohio, from June 22 through June 26.

The UUA website has a wonderful collection of videos of key parts of GA: These include the Ware Lecture, the Worship Services, the Business Meetings, and some key Workshops. To view these videos, go to the GA video page.

August, 2016.

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Universalist Roots Were Nurtured at Convocation

First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta, Ohio

by Russ Araujo

Each year the Universalist Convocation meets to renew friendships and promote the Universalist message in our denomination and in the world at large. This year’s meeting was on May 19 – 22 in Marietta, Ohio. Rae Jane and I attended, representing our own congregation and its Universalist roots.

The convocation took place at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta, which was formed by the merging of the local Universalist and local Unitarian churches in 1869, nearly 100 years before the Universalist and Unitarian denominations consolidated at the national level (in 1961). (By the way, the Marietta church’s minister is Rev. Kat Hawbaker, who used to be the minister of Hopedale UU church in Oxford Ohio.) The Marietta church building has the look and feel of churches built 150 years ago. For parts of the program we sat in pew “boxes.” The convocation included worship services, talks, a local historical tour, and a workshop. The Marietta church also fed us several scrumptious meals which were based upon their decade-long study of ethical eating.

I am pleased to report that, when we talked during social times and mentioned that we were from Heritage Church in Cincinnati, people always remembered that Heritage had hosted the convocation two years ago and commented on what a great job our church did with that gathering.

The convocation wrapped up with the worship service of the Marietta church on Sunday morning. The Rev. Justin Lapoint, a former minister at Marietta, gave the sermon. The day before, he had led a workshop in which he asked participants to write down their answers to several questions. One question was, “Putting aside the historical definition of Universalism, what is your definition of Universalism today?” In the Sunday service Rev. Lapoint gave his own answer to that question, saying that Universalism meant “Everyone included—no one left out or behind.” Thinking of the many conflicts and inequalities in our world today, this seems like an excellent definition – and an ideal to strive for.

2016.

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Greetings from the Kensington Unitarians

Bill Lyon attended services with the Kensington Unitarians in London on Sunday, October 25, 2015. Shown below are pages from the programme. The minister there asked Bill to share their well-wishes to our congregation.