musings from the road: The Gospel According to Buffy

Nashville, TN: This weekend, I felt like I was back on track in The Great Church Search. My interest level was high and I was refocused on the original mission of the project. I love exploring how others worship, I love reflecting on & writing about my findings and most importantly, I love spending time with friends who I would probably not have such conversations with, had I not begun this adventure.

I reached out to my friend, Katie D., who, in the beginning stages of my venture said she would join me for a Sunday gathering. I wanted to check out a denomination I know very little about: Unitarian Universalist. Thanks to Google, I chose the first UU (as they call themselves) church that popped up in my search, aptly called The First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville.

Aesthetics: The building is, by far, the most aesthetically pleasing one I've been to. Set atop a hill, the structure is made of stone with floor to ceiling windows, that let in the natural light and display the outside greenery, as if it were tucked away in a secret forest.

Greeting: Katie D. and I, having not seen each other in a few months, were deeply engrossed in catching up convo and didn't really give off the vibe that we needed to be greeted. I did, however, get many warm smiles as we made our way down the stairs towards the front of the altar.

Community: There were around 100-125 people in attendance, all Caucasian except for one African American. There was a blend of older men & women, young couples (both straight and gay) and just two families with children. A few beings caught my attention: a woman crocheting through the entire service and a Diabetic Alert Dog. It's true that they welcome everyone (and everything, turns out).

Music: The music was very typical-sounding old-school hymns, played on a grand piano and lead by a male singer. However, as I followed along in the hymnal, I noticed none of the songs used the word "God." (Except for one called "To God Be The Glory," but that was an instrumental.) The songs were melodic and reverant, talking about spirit and nature, but it was surprising not to have any mention of the big G.

Service: The service flowed like most Christian services I've been exposed to: songs, call to worship, prayers, offertory, readings, more songs, etc. But just as with the music, there was no mention of God. The word "spirit" was used a few times and it helped my personal connection with God as Holy Spirit, but it still felt like something was missing. I can imagine those who had not grown up with any religious affiliation or those who had negative associations with the idea of God might be able to easily step into this non-defining community and even feel a sense of belonging in such a place.

Message: Just as Jesus tells stories in the Bible to convey a message, the female Senior Minister told stories to drive home a meaning as well. However, instead of quoting from Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, Rev. Seavey read from a book by Rhonda Wilcox, titled "Why Buffy Matters: The Art of Buffy The Vampire Slayer." Yes, THAT Buffy. While I had to laugh (to myself at first, then with Katie D. over lunch) at the seemingly off-handed reading choice, the message was thought-provoking. We all have power and it is our job to find out what it is, try it out, learn from our mistakes, then choose whether or not we use it for good or evil. I'm pretty sure Jesus told a similar story, but he referenced the apostles instead of the scoobies.

Denomination: Unitarian Universalism draws on many different theological sources and has a wide range of beliefs and practices, mainly, to nurture spiritual growth. Historically, it has roots in Christianity, but now some members claim to be agnostic or atheist. A few principles that the UUs affirm and promote are:

Overall: There are some parts of this church (and denomination) that I am simply drawn to. I love the connection with nature - both in the readings and in the bright open space of the church. I love that they are open to every person and promote peace, liberty and justice for all. But I have to say that I miss the mention of God and the belief that the beauty of the nature and the promotion of justice comes from and through Him. The good news is that I'm pretty sure the God of my understanding loves the UUs just as much as U and me.

Reflections on the Journey Thus Far: It's almost halfway through the year and I've been to a dozen churches. For all the unexpected responses (both good and bad), early mornings and drives around town, delicious food and conversation, I find this journey to be a real gift. The more I search, the more God continues to show up. I feel so lucky to have these continued opportunities and experiences.

One More Thing: Katie D. and I made our way to the nearby Bread & Co. for the latter part of 'Church 'n Chat.' My fairly lame pre-made salad (FYI - no salad bar in the Green Hills location, people) was a small sacrifice to the continuous laughter and recap of the morning's activities. And, as you learn something new every day (so the saying goes), I discovered she is part creator of the children's music project, Miss Biskit, which is available for download on Amazon & iTunes. (Goddaughter #2 will be very happy to know she is about to receive a new musical gift!)