Thanks Giving

(Note: This service was not in the traditional format and the homily, as such, was split between the "Intergenerational Moment" and the "Message".)

Intergenerational Moment: Inconvenient Truths

In five days the country will celebrate “Thanksgiving” – all one word. I thought perhaps the Marquette Unitarian Universalist Congregation would like to spend the day as the Pilgrims would have when they proclaimed a day of thanksgiving. What do you think?

First my bona fides, since I know many of you have an academic bent. I am a direct descendent of four of the Mayflower passengers, the most prominent of whom were William Bradford and William Brewster. So who better than I to lay waste to the myths we have generated of the great Pilgrims and their Thanksgiving dinner.

First some facts: Anybody can yell out answers:

>     What year did the Pilgrims sail to New England? 1620

>     Where did they first land? Cape Cod

>     Where did they intend to land – Northern Virginia, which was around what is today New York.

>     When was the first day of thanksgiving? Not sure but it was proclaimed by William Bradford shortly after they landed in 1620 and was a day of prayer, not eating and football games. Everyone prayed and meditated for the entire day – we’re talking eight hours or so. What do you think kids, should we do Thanksgiving like that and stay here the whole day and listen to me talk? I didn’t think so either.

>     Was there ever a big feast? Yes in October 1621, not November.

>     Did the Indians come? Yep about 100 hundred and they brought 5 Deer.

>     Did they have turkey? Yep wild ones. The Butterball turkey’s forefathers arrived in America bred from the wild turkeys that were spirited away and domesticated in Spain, eventually made their way to England and were often used there for Christmas!

>     Eat anything else? Ducks (supplied by the Pilgrims – it was during migration) Probably fish, the barley harvest was done so they had their first beer.

>     No pumpkin pies – did have cranberry sauce

>     No forks – used knives and fingers – spoons for pottages (soups)

>     They were probably seeing their first “Fall colors”

Okay, so it was a secular harvest feast, not a religious thanksgiving day. Our original Thanksgiving Day started when? 1863 during the Civil War the 4^th Thursday in November was declared by Abraham Lincoln.

So what are these inconvenient truths about the Pilgrims?

>     They were lost when they landed. They had refused to hire Captain John Smith for the voyage because he was too expensive and chose not to use his maps (which would have told them where they were, saved the month they took to explore and they would have settled at Boston where there was a good harbor and navigatable river.) 

>     Why did they settle at Plymouth? There were cleared fields and no sign of current habitation (3 years before their arrival 1-2,000 Indians had lived there and were wiped out by a plague introduced further north by contact with Europeans.) 

>     Remember last week when Kathy Wright talked about the animals and the flood. What did the turkey remember? (To gather and bring seeds.)

How did the Pilgrims get their seed corn? They stole it from its safekeeping, buried under the sand on what is still called “Corn Hill” by Indians who used the area during the Spring through Fall and weren’t around. If they hadn’t they would have all died since their barley and peas did not do well. They needed some smart turkeys, I guess.

>     Only about half of the Pilgrims were true pilgrims – the rest were “Outsiders” representing London financial interests. We’d call them dot -commers. 

>     Only men signed the Mayflower Compact

>     In 1623 they changed from communal fields to family plots and yield substantially increased – primarily because women started working in the fields as well as men

>     By the spring of 1621, 52 of the 102 who arrived at Plymouth had died – mostly of starvation and its allies.

>     They were religiously intolerant and dissenters were banned from the Colony

>     Capital punishment started in 1630

>     In King Philip’s war they offered amnesty to Indians and when they accepted sent them into slavery at Cadiz. The Pilgrims             instigated a “preemptive strike” against friendly Indians at Wessagussett.

>     Pilgrims ruled, even thought they were in the minority, but fear allowed the military (Miles Standish) to set the tone – the Pilgrims marched everywhere with firearms, even to and from church. They lived behind a stockade – another ineffective fence.

To end this litany on a more positive note,

>     The first wedding was held on May 12^th  1621 – in a secular, not religious, ceremony

In September Barb Michael led an Adult Forum in which she asked questions about what we wanted from the congregation and what we promised to give to the congregation – what is our joint covenant.

One item on the list was the promise to say “thank you.” It was my contribution. Like voting in Chicago, this should be done early and often, privately and in public.

So now, in the spirit of original thanksgiving days, which was all about being grateful, (but not the 8 hours in the meetinghouse – I promise) please take the next couple of minutes to record on the 3x5 cards the items of congregational thanks you would like to share.

“Thanks Giving” Message:

For those who were here for my service on “Social Styles,” you may remember I classified myself as a Driver. One of the characteristics of Drivers is their comfort with taking risks. Like now, for example. I have no idea what will appear on the white cards I will soon read – or even if there will be any cards, other than the two I turned in.

Giving thanks is not something that comes naturally to me. I grew up a child of the 50s. You did your chores; then you could play. You didn’t get thanked for doing your chores; you had agreed to that deal. Do chores; get an allowance; get chores done then play.

I’m sure that wasn’t how everyone or even the majority of people saw it. But I did. Thanks were required when people gave you birthday or Christmas gifts and that was a chore. The rule at my house was Christmas gift thank-yous had to be done by New Years – a week’s time. Made it seem like a chore – and I certainly made it one by dragging it out.

It probably took me twenty years of working before I figured out most people like to be appreciated, even if it is for work they “agreed” to do for pay.

It took me another five years to figure out I liked thanking people – regardless of whether they had agreed to do something ahead of time, were paid for it, or even overpaid. I actually benefited from saying “thank you.” Drivers don’t like to show their feelings, you know – might let someone under your armor and take advantage of you. Fortunately, I got to the point I didn’t care who might try to take advantage of me.

I’m preaching to a houseful of Amiables who are wondering how I got so screwed up. Thank you for not shaking your heads in disbelief.

Yet I’ve noticed even Amiables take things for granted from time-to-time or are too busy or have a screaming child tugging at their shirtsleeves and forget to say “thank you.” Like an ex-smoker who can sniff out three-month old cigarette fumes, I can hear a missed thank you from a mile away. Okay, a little hyperbole never hurt anyone.

The funny thing is I have also gotten to the point where receiving thanks isn’t very important to me. I pretty much do something because I want to. But I do notice when I receive thanks and when I don’t. And how we treat each other becomes readily apparent to visitors to our congregation. Frankly, I hope they will find us a Thankful congregation.

So, the envelope please and let us see what we collectively find important enough to spend a moment or two offering thanks.

Congregational Thanks as written during the service:

>     The generosity of the congregation – not so much $ (though that is generous & appreciated) but hard work picking up the challenges/opportunities presented to us

>     Support, tolerance, open-mindedness

>     Belonging to a group that embraces change rather than fighting it

>     A place I feel is more filled with spirit, holy, so when I tell people about MUUC/ask them to join me, I am proud to see them here

>     For all who were willing to step up and take leadership positions – to make the new building happen – to help us thrive as a lay-lead congregation

>     For all those who have prepared such meaningful services for us

>     For the many great friends I have met in our congregation

>     That our congregation is growing

>     For the many who are taking the place of the minister who has left, and who are doing a great job

>     For the congregation moving to this building because it is easy to find and in my neighborhood so it is in my face & I have no excuses like “I am too tired to find that place on Sunday morning”

>     I get to see my friends

>     Spirit of the congregation

>     For the people – so kind – so helpful

>     For the feeling of Unity I am experiencing since the change in our new home

>     Smiles & laughter; warmth, joy, and hope

>     Commitment of RE teachers to kids

>     Choir of beautiful voices & good acoustics

>     New faces regularly in the congregation

>     Wide variety of services for everyone

>     New additions to the building every week (sign, photos, etc.)

>     For being accepting of everyone, no matter who they are

>     All the hard work and effort, for no reason other than you care

>     The sense of a place we can speak freely

>     Grateful for the opening of hearts and doors; unconditional acceptance

>     The educational and awareness discussions

>     The delightful children

>     The building

>     Not a stuffy bunch

>     A decent restroom

>     Open hearts and open minds

>     MUUC’s witness in the community

>     In services for successfully finding a way to bring the message out, not focusing on the words of texts

>     Love and support I’ve received, even from people I’ve never before met

>     Family and friends who love me

>     Giving me a place to feel comfortable

>     Everyone who has spent time with visitors after the service

>      No mold, wet, YUCK!

>    Services – seamless, thought-provoking, and inspiring

>     Our decorators, who transformed this blank space to a home in such a short time

>     The creative well of this community, for crafting such thoughtful, meaningful Sunday services

>     For the many “non-coincidences” that continue to cross my challenging path

>     The additional effort people have been willing to put in

>     The work to keep our building in top shape (plumbing, heating, etc.)

>     The people in this church and the way they treat newcomers

>     The people in this community, my family, my friends & F.O.P. (Fellowship of the Phoenix, the youth group)

>     Generosity & generosity of spirit

>     Music, pianos, hymnals, song practice, singing – harmony

>     The warmth to strangers by the congregation

>     People who are dedicated to teaching our children UU values

>     For professional, high-quality service

>     A new home & legos

>     Snacks

>     The variety and education provided by the forums/services

>     Everybody who made getting this building possible

>     The opportunity to serve

>     Like-minded people to work with (green)

>     Beautiful children

>     Wonderful warm people

>     Sense of community

>     Strengthening faith

>     Help getting here

>     The many parents who are exposing their children to UU values

>     The congregation!

>     The leadership and foresight that has brought us this wonderful meeting space

>     The capable and creative services provided by volunteers

>     The warm, welcoming new home we’ve moved into

>     The music, both played and sung

>     A new meetinghouse and everyone who enters our door

>     Warm hearts that welcomed me here

>     UUs practicing the principles and being examples of your faith

>     Telling the truth

>     Red leaves of the blueberry bushes

>     The transformation of the Religious Education space (freshly painted, religious symbols, spirit stories)

>     A clean, mold-free place for our kids to play

>     Good acoustics & music to take advantage of them

>     The many people who have made our move to this building possible

>     This growing liberal religious community

>     For the church and all the people and the food and water and for not being in the basement anymore

>     Our new classrooms

>     The group that got us organized so that all he paperwork, meetings, etc. could be accomplished so we could make this our new home

>     Heightened spirit among us that causes more people to linger longer over coffee

>     The simplicity and beauty that has been achieved in our new meetinghouse

>     The church is handicap accessible and all on one floor

>     The effort and hours spent by many people to move this new meetinghouse from concept to bright, inspiring reality

>     The personal warmth and outreach exhibited by numerous members towards newcomers

>     Amazing, incredible, perhaps even inspiring warm=spirited cooperation involving the details of accomplishing an unforeseen purchase & move and ongoing ownership of this new building

>     The gracious and mutually-supportive departure of our wonderful minister

>     A very special TEA gathering

>     All the members and friends who did the moving to this location to finally make us a wonderful center for our activities

>     A Unitarian presence in this community

>     The presence & energy of the children in this congregation

>     This community’s courage to expand to an open, bright & hopeful space to gather

>     The encouraging personal support of this community

Let us share a few moments of silence to reflect on the meaning of our community to our lives and our shared Thanks Giving.

James Montgomery Jackson
November 19, 2006