Easter Sunday Re-Lived
Julie Stoneberg, Ministerial Intern
PRELUDE Handel:
Sonata in A Minor
Good
Morning and Happy Easter! My name is Julie
Stoneberg. I am the ministerial intern
here at
Today,
we will be visiting the source of our river…or at least traveling upstream a
bit…to experience the history of Easter in this church. Much has changed. Much has been added.
Much
has been abandoned on the shores or has evaporated from disuse. And much flows on, albeit transformed by the
influences of time and thought.
Using
old Orders of Service, I have attempted to create an Easter experience that
will give you a sense of the stream of our history. I invite you to relax into a spirit of
receiving and to trust the experience.
Let the words and the music wash over you. Try to imagine them in the context of their
times.
This
is a highly participatory service. You
will be asked to sing and read more than usual.
In this way, you can commune with the many who have occupied these same
pews, reciting the same words and singing the same songs. They gave birth to ideas and dreams that have
both lived and died here, and this spirit continues to sustain us.
Music
has played a large part in Easter services over the years, as it does
today. As with everything else, music at
First Universalist has changed over the years, and today, there will be no
soloists singing “Hosanna”, no choir processional, no male chorus featuring
Mark Magnuson as there was in 1946.
Still, what we sing tells our story; hymnbooks have functioned very much
like sacred scripture for Unitarian Universalists… they reflect our common
values and beliefs, and as those beliefs have changed, so has our music.
Another
way that we can trace our changing theologies is through our statements of
faith. Three statements from various
periods are sprinkled throughout today’s service. Again, we must attempt to see them in their
context… the earlier ones, in particular, seem so far from where we are today
that it may be difficult to see just how distinctive they were in their own
day.
As
much as possible, service elements are included word for word, which means that
it will contain non-inclusive language.
And, it is all unabashedly reflective of our deep Christian source.
1925-1941
REFLECTION
And
so we begin with 1925. This is an arbitrary
starting point, only because this is the oldest bulletin I could find. Our church’s history goes back to 1870, so
today’s service only covers about 61% of our history. No one living has been a member that long
(Lillian Hoppe claims the longest membership; she joined in this church in
1934).
William
J. Taylor was the minister from 1919 – 1927, arriving in
During
these years, a pamphlet called “The Wausau Universalist” was published at the
end of each week and mailed out, so people had the order of service and
announcements ahead of time. There was a
subscription price of 50 cents per year.
The Easter covers were in exquisite full color. Good Friday services were held and Communion
was celebrated at those services.
These
were proud years. The bulletin covers
claim Universalism to be the inevitable religion of tomorrow. The Universalist Church saw itself as the
world’s greatest adventure in organized religion; insisting that the real essence
of Christianity was the Christ Spirit with which to meet the issues of this
life. This was a spiritual fellowship
that promoted Truth, Righteousness, Reverence, Love and Helpfulness among men,
and in the quest of the Infinite. One
cover states that “the world must go forward to universalism or remain in
semi-barbarism!
To
them, the Universal Fatherhood of God meant that there is one God, into the
developing image of whom Jesus and all of us are divinely born. Jesus was seen as a Spiritual authority, and
not as the means of salvation, for God was infinite love.
Hear
these words of William Taylor, written at Easter in 1925.
No
time of year means as much to our souls.
In the tender recollection…we remember “the one loved long since and
lost awhile;” in the longing for the deeper things of life; in the deepening desire to perfect in some
way true and just, that which is noblest and best within us; and in the
gladsomeness born of the knowledge that immortality hath been brought to light
through Christ; in these, “we see through a glass darkly” the meaning of
Easter, and the cause of Easter joy.
Come,
let us worship together. Let us
pray.
Almighty God, our Heavenly Father! by whose
power thine only begotten Son hath overcome death and opened unto us the gates
of everlasting life, perfect within us the work thou hast begun, and
while we are permitted to say, “Lord, I believe,” may our faith enable
us to rest in thy promises, and even now to enjoy thy salvation. Through power given to us in Jesus Christ,
our Redeemer, may we rise above the temptations and sinful lusts of this mortal
life, and in the hope of immortality, pass on toward the dark valley with
unfaltering steps, seeing before us the shining footprints of our risen
Lord. May this day be sanctified to our
growth in Christian life. More than ever
before may we think of Jesus, and in his glorious resurrection may we all have
part, according to his gracious promise that he will draw all men unto
him. Glory be to thy holy name
forevermore. Amen.
That
prayer for Easter was printed in The Gloria Patri, a book of prayers published
in 1882. Both Taylor and McLaughlin used
it in Easter services prior to 1930.
And here now is the first of the Faith Statements. It is based on the Boston Declaration of
Principles adopted by the General Conference of Universalists in 1899. I have altered the words a bit in order to
shorten it. Please read the indented and
bolded text.
1.
The Universal Fatherhood of God.
We
are here to give the world an interpretation of the character of God, which
makes Love the central element.
We
are here to bring Christ within the sphere of human sympathy and needs; to make
him our friend and our brother.
3.
The Bible, as containing a Revelation from God.
The
Bible is…the record of a religious growth from crude and cruel beginnings, up
through different ages and ideals…
4.
The certainty of Just retribution for Sin.
Love
is not at odds with Justice. They who
sin must suffer, - here or hereafter.
There is no arbitrary penalty – only consequences.
5.
The Final Harmony of all souls with God.
We
are here to preach the gospel of continuous and unfolding opportunity. We insist that this world does not tell the
whole story; that death is but an incident in an endless career; that the door of hope is open forever beyond
the grave.
Our first hymn was
used in nearly every Easter service from 1925 –1945.
It was generally
used as a choir processional with the congregation joining in the singing. We don’t have a choir processional today…so
just use your imagination. All arise and sing.
(All
arise and sing)
Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say: “
Raise your joy and triumphs high; “
Sing, ye heavens and earth reply. “
Love’s redeeming work is done, “
Jesus’ agony is o’er, “
Darkness veils the earth no more, “
Soar we now where Christ has led, “
Following our exalted head; “
Made like him, like him we rise; “
Ours the cross, the grave, the
skies. “
SCRIPTURE – John
20: 1-17
Today’s scripture
reading, John 20:1-17, is read from the Easter Order of Service in “Songs of
Work and Worship” published by the The Universalist Publishing House in
1923. This was meant to be read in
unison by the congregation, but I’ll read it for you today. It is entitled, “The Risen Christ”.
Now
on the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdelene early, while it was yet
dark, unto the tomb, and seeth the stone taken away from the tomb. She runneth therefore, and cometh to Simon
Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith to them, They have
taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid him.
Peter
therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they went toward the
tomb. And they ran both together: and
the other disciple outran Peter, and came first to the tomb; and stooping and
looking in, he seeth the linen cloths lying; yet entered he not in. Simon Peter therefore also cometh, following
him, and entered into the tomb; and he beheld the linen cloths lying, and the
napkin, which was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up
in a place by itself. Then entered in
therefore the other disciple also, who came first to the tomb, and he saw, and
believed. For as yet they knew not the
scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again unto their
own home.
But
Mary was standing without at the tomb weeping; so, as she wept, she stooped and
looked into the tomb; and she beholdeth two angels in white sitting, one at the
head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they said unto her, Woman, why weepest
thou? She saith unto them, Because they
have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. When she had thus said, she turned herself
back, and beholdeth Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
Jesus
saith to her, Woman, why weepest thou?
Whom seekest thou? She, supposing
him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell
me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
Jesus
saith unto her, Mary.
She
turneth herself, and saith unto him in Hebrew, Rabboni; which is to say,
Teacher.
Jesus
saith to her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended unto the Father; but go
unto my brethren, and say to them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and
my God and your God.
Easter
is a time that we talk about newness, and that’s why some people get new
clothes for Easter. When I was a little
girl, my mother kept a box on the top shelf of the hall closet that had our
Easter hats stored in it. Every year, my
sisters and I got all excited about Easter, we couldn’t wait for that box to
come down, and when it did, we negotiated for which hat we would each wear that
year.
Sometimes
we don’t like the new things we get. One
year, I was to get new shoes for Easter, and we went into town to the
store. I picked out the perfect pair of
white patent leather shoes. My mother
made me buy another pair…because they were less expensive. But I hated them. And on Easter morning, I hid them in the
linen closet so that I wouldn’t have to wear them to church. I got in a lot of trouble for doing
that.
New
things happen when things change, and today I’m talking with the adults about
how things have changed in church. For one
thing, there didn’t use to be a children’s story during the church
service. Just like today, they had to
sit for a long time through a lot of words.
And Sunday School has changed a lot too.
Do you know Dolores DeVoe? Well,
she has been coming to this church since she was a little girl. At first, she came with her aunt, and they
rode to church on a street car. Can you
imagine that? Dolores says that all the
young children met for Sunday School in the rec room…They sat in a circle and
had a story and a song. Sometimes they
would stand and march along with the song.
Then they would go to their classes, but they didn’t leave the rec
room. Instead of going to rooms, they
went to separate tables that were set up in the basement. You see, there weren’t separate classrooms
then…the rooms that you have now are in the house where the minister used to
live, and your classrooms used to be bedrooms.
What
kids have learned in church has also changed a lot. There was one woman, Sophia Fahs, who really
changed Sunday School for Universalists.
She began to introduce the study of other religions and also wrote a
book about Jesus that portrayed him as a person. Just like today, many other churches then saw
Jesus as part of God, so the work of Sophia Fahs was really important, because
she expressed what Universalists believed about Jesus for kids! Here’s her book about Jesus…it was written
way back in 1945. Your parents could
check this out of the adult library and read it to you.
For
quite a few years, there was a program called “Fireside Hour” that was held in
Yawkey Hall before the church service at
You
see, Easter is about new things…things that change…and things that grow.
Now it’s time to go
off with Samantha and Jenny to have your own Eastertime together.
CHILDREN’S
BLESSING - DOXOLOGY – All
standing
“From
all that dwell below the skies,
Let the Creator’s praise arise!
Let
the Redeemer’s name be sung,
Through every land,
by every tongue.” Amen.
1942-1963
The
years 1942-1963 saw just two ministers… Brainard Gibbons and Carleton
Fisher…each of whom made a large impression on this congregation and on the
larger Universalist movement. Many
current members of our church joined during their ministries, and our church
had perhaps the largest membership it has ever had during these years.
Universalism
was moving away from identifying as Christian to thinking of themselves as
‘more than Christian’. This certainly
included a humanist perspective as well as an opening to the wisdom from all of
the world’s religions. A bulletin from
1955 puts it this way… “If Christianity is the acceptance of a certain system
of belief with regard to the personality of Jesus, his relationship to God, and
the supernatural effect of his death and resurrection, then obviously
Universalists are not Christians – for they do not teach these doctrines. But if Christianity means the effort to live
this life of ours in accordance with the major ethical teachings of Jesus about
human worth and human obligations…- then Universalists have as good a right as
anybody to call themselves Christians.”
Clarence Skinner was making his mark on Universalism during these
years…his leadership in the denomination moved Universalism from a theological
doctrine to a working philosophy aimed at securing the universal harmony of all
individuals on earth. He used the
concept of brotherhood as a guide to a transforming social vision, and this was
in fact one way that Universalism evolved from Christian sectarianism to a
universal religion.
“Hymns of the Spirit” was published in 1937,
and was a join venture of both the Unitarian and Universalist Commissions on
Hymns. The joint Commission was concerned
with including hymns that were in line with the ever-evolving ideology of
liberal churches.
Unfortunately,
I couldn’t find printed copies of any of Gibbons’ Easter sermons, but they were
titled such things as “Fact, Faith or Fiction” in 1942 and “Immortal Living”in
1950. Gibbons is well remembered for a
sermon he delivered for the national Universalist Church in 1949 called “New
Wine in Old Wineskins”… in which he expressed his belief that the expanding
theology of Universalism could no longer be contained in the Old Wineskin of
Christianity.
I
did find a couple of Easter sermons given by Carleton Fisher. In 1960 he spoke about the creative power of
the universe that was present in each and every atom, stating that immortality
means spending our lives fruitfully, and that hope can be found in the very
nature of reality.
In
1963 Fisher stressed the need for a resurrection that meant being ‘restored’ to
life…life defined as finding a meaningful place in the world.
Both
of these men were instrumental in taking Universalism in a new direction.
This affirmation of
faith appears virtually unchanged from 1944-1962. Let’s read it together.
AVOWAL OF FAITH – (all uniting)
We avow our faith in:
God as eternal and all-conquering
love.
The spiritual leadership of Jesus.
The supreme worth of every human
personality.
The authority of truth known or to
be known.
The power of men of good will and
sacrificial spirit
to overcome all evil and progressively establish
the
PRAYER
AND CHORAL RESPONSE
“Hymns of the
Spirit” contained prescribed orders of service.
The Easter Service includes this prayer.
Let us pray.
O
Thou who makest the stars, and turnest the shadow of death into the morning: on
this day of days we meet to render thee the tribute of our thanksgiving. We praise thee for the resurrection of the
spring-time, for the everlasting hopes that rise within the human heart, and
for the gospel which hath brought life and immortality to light. Receive our thanksgiving, reveal thy
presence, and send into our hearts the spirit of the risen Christ. Amen.
Please
join in the choral response.
“Blest
be the tie that binds,
our
hearts in Christain love.
The
fellowship of kindred minds,
Is
like to that above.”
RESPONSIVE
READING –Easter (1944-1952)
The following
Easter responsive reading was used in as many services as “Christ the Lord is
Risen Today”. It was printed in our red
hymnal as well as in a booklet of responsive readings that was used prior to
that hymnal. The language is
difficult…Listen closely for the influences of humanism…there is a clear
emphasis on what we do in this life being the ‘shining light’; our works are
our immortality.
The
souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, And there shall no torment touch
them.
In
the sight of the unwise they seem to die, And their departure from us is taken
for misery, And their going from us to be utter destruction:
But
they are in peace: and their hope is full of immortality.
And
having borne a little chastening, they shall receive great good,
For
God proved them, and found them worthy of himself.
And
in the time of their visitation they shall shine forth,
And
the Lord shall reign over them for ever.
The
faithful shall abide with him in love: Because his grace and mercy are to his
chosen.
For
in the memory of virtue is immortality: Because it is recognized both before
God and before me.
When
it is present men take example of it: And when it is gone they desire it:
And
throughout all time it marcheth crowned in triumph,
Victorious
in the strife for the prizes that are undefiled.
A
righteous man, though he die before his time, shall be at rest.
For
honorable old age is not that which standeth in length of time,
Nor
is its measure given by length of years:
But
understanding is gray hairs unto men,
And
an unspotted life is ripe old age.
Being
made perfect in a little while, he fulfilled long years: For his soul was
pleasing unto the Lord.
And
they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament,
And
they that turn many to righteousness As the stars for ever and ever.
For the path of the just is as a shining light
That
shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
HYMN – O Day
of Light and Gladness - #270 – all stand
O Day of Light
and Gladness gets 2nd
place in Easter popularity over the years, although it was sung more after 1940
than earlier. It has appeared without
change in all three of our hymnals.
“EASTER” -
Scott has been read
at several Easter services, including 1955, which was one of the first years
that a reading came from a source other than scripture. Perhaps this is the reading that congregation
heard.
Jesus
is Risen from the dead.
The
centuries have not been able to bury him.
Forsaken
by his friends,
sentenced
to die with thieves,
his
mangled body buried in a borrowed tomb,
he
has risen to command
the
hearts of millions, and
to
haunt our hate-filled world
with
the restlessness of undying hopes.
The
years bring him increasingly to life.
The
imperial forces that tried to destroy him
have
long ago destroyed themselves.
Those
who passed judgment upon him
are
remembered only because of him.
Military
might and political tyranny
still
stalks the earth;
They
too shall perish,
while
the majesty of the carpenter-prophet
bearing
his cross to the hill
will
remain to rebuke the ways of violence.
RESPONSIVE
While this
particular responsive reading was not used repetitively (not much of anything
was used repetitively after 1960), it’s
included today as an example of a marked shift in language that began in the
late 50’s and early 60’s.
Before
the mountains were formed, or the mists became seas, I dreamed my dream.
Out
of the night came light, and the void blossomed with wonder and beauty.
In
the waters fishes were bred, and from the slime came forth reptiles.
Forests
grew and spread themselves, and rivers threaded the land. Summer came, and
And
within all was I, brooding and dreaming.
Man
lifted himself from the soil and walked.
Men
built for themselves huts to dwell in and temples for worship.
There
was I, in all and sharing all.
Clans
became nations and kings were born and walls began to divide the land. And the
sword was lord.
But
I am the foe of night and hate and war and death.
For
old foundations and old walls are an abomination to me.
My
breath is the breath of spring. Better a
living tree than heaped stones.
Therefore
do I destroy. But fear not, I proclaim
not death but dawn.
Before
the stars were, I am. And after the
stars have passed, then I shall be. I am
life.
OFFERTORY Handel:
For many, many
years, going way back, an offering was not taken here during weekly
services. Easter was one exception. A special offering was taken on Easter
Sunday… ‘attractive’ envelopes were mailed out ahead of time, with encouragement
to approve the practice of limited offerings by being especially generous with
the Easter offering. (There was, in
1934, a printed admonishment referring to people not taking the offering very
seriously at the last collection!) The
1937 bulletin went so far as to state that “our people do not want an appeal
for money made during a service of worship.”
Beginning in 1942, the Easter offering was earmarked for a “Growing
Endowment Fund”. By 1960, there was no
offertory during the Easter service; just a note that offering envelopes and
contributions could be placed in the plates at the back of the sanctuary as
people left. For today, will the ushers
please come forward to collect the offering and after the music, return to the
front for the dedication of our gifts.
Let
us upbuild the church in strength and purpose
to
minister evermore abundant life and peace. (1985)
1964-1989
REFLECTION
The
Universalists and Unitarians formally merged in 1961. The period after the merger was a time of
unrest for the newly formed movement as well as for society in general. Membership fell off in many UU churches
across the country, as we searched for solid spiritual and theological
footing.
Another
new hymnal appeared in 1964, “Hymns for the Celebration of Life”, this one
showing evidence of the expanding pool of musical and cultural resources from
which Unitarian Universalists might draw for common worship. However, soon thereafter, the women’s
movement brought issues of gender and language to the forefront, and this
hymnal was quickly outdated. Several
small booklets of hymns with revised language were printed in the years that
followed.
Between
1964-1989, our church saw a quick succession of four ministers. I’ve had the pleasure of having a conversation
with John Robinson (minister here from 1969-1973 who is currently the interim
minister at the UU Society of
Rev.
Robinson had colorful memories of Easter in
Rev.
Drinon expressed his ongoing struggle with the Easter holiday. While he felt it was important to give some
recognition to the Christian Easter, he personally was moving more toward
humanism during his tenure here, and strove to associate Easter with the
hopeful impulses found in nature…building on our natural human response to the
coming of spring.
AFFIRMATION OF
FAITH: (1979-1986) And
so things continued to change. While the
faith statement used during this time had many similarities to the one from the
1920’s, it also resonates with our current principles. Any reference to Jesus has been dropped
altogether. Please read with me.
Minister: What
gives a special character to your religious faith?
People: Its
Universality! We believe in the unity and sanctity of life –
-
the supreme worth of every human personality
-
the authority of truth known or to be known
-
the power of men and women of good will and sacrificial spirit to overcome evil
and progressively establish
the reign of love and justice;
-
the final harmony of all Souls with the Divine
-
And God will be All in All.
HYMN - Lo, the Earth Awakes Again #61
Let’s stand
together and sing just one verse of Lo, the Earth Awakes Again…#61…new words to
the old tune…another clear indication of a shift in theology. This is the only version of the tune that
appeared in the blue hymnal.
As I stated
earlier, there are few repetitions or dependable traditions in Easter services
during the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. One
common element, however, was the use of multiple readings from modern sources. Hal Borland was a nature writer for the New
York Times from 1941-1978. This was read
at the Easter service here in 1973.
There
is a temptation to say, as May spreads the leaves and opens the blossoms, that
spring has come again just as it has come for untold aeons. But the fact is that no two springs are
exactly alike. Man contrives machines
that turn out countless duplicates; but nature is not a machine. Change is the one constant in this living world…
We
go to the meadow to pick violets, but there are only a few where they were
profuse a year ago; this year they are at their best a hundred yards away. We look for wild columbine on the rocky
ledge, but the ledge itself has been split and diminished by winter frost. We walk beside the brook and see that the
spate has filled one cove with silt, widened another. We cut across an abandoned hillside pasture,
all grass five years ago, now dotted with seedling pines, a new woodland in the
making.
Bloodroot
still blooms beside the old stone wall, and anemones. But the wall is tumbling…Field mouse and
chipmunk that sheltered there have had to find new homes. The ever-shifting balance has been changing
again. The wind plants thistles and
milkweed, the birds plant briars and wild grapes, the squirrel plants oaks.
Change,
constant, unending change within the framework of the familiar, the
enduring. Another May, another spring,
eternal but unlike any other that was or shall be.
1990-Present
REFLECTION
The
beauty of this faith lies in its ability to continue to live through many springs…the
ongoing death and rebirth inevitable in the continuance of life. Our congregational theology evolves in
response to the personal challenges, the needs, and the events in each new era. Each generation has the responsibility to
adapt our worship services to reflect these changes. We encourage you to be a part of that…note
the Preparing and Leading Worship Workshop being held next Saturday.
And
so our river is forever changing, constantly being reborn. Even today, some things are dying and being
reborn in new manifestations of our faith and love. Over the years, pain and grief over what has
been lost have co-mingled with the press forward and the excitement of new
growth and discovery. We have lost
beloved ministers, favorite musicians, familiar rituals, and well-loved
hymns. But interesting aspect of Easter
services over the years is that they have often been the occasion for
christening babies and for welcoming new members (e.g. Hilary Ware and Amy Pradt
in 1985) …both acts of welcoming and celebrating what’s new among us.
What
remains unchanged is the Easter message of hope – hope for times of despair and
disillusionment – hope that the Shaivo family will fine comfort - hope that
tragedies like
We
continue to drink of the waters that founded this church, and in that way, we
drink from wells we did not dig. Yet the
promise is that we continue to pour our unique selves and understandings into
this common stream. What was, is what
was, and, like it or not, it has left its mark on us. We can be grateful for this past; the
incredible journey taken by our ancestors who have passed on to us their quest
for truth and freedom.
Bach/Gounod: Ave Maria
(Organ/Violin played this our 1938 Easter
Service)
It wasn’t until the
mid-1980’s that we began to light a chalice at the beginning of our
services. Today, we light this chalice
near the end of our service, to express our assurance in the continuing flame…a
flame that ignites in the alchemy of our shared pursuit of justice, meaning,
and universal love. You’re welcome to
use this musical time to light a candle or record a personal joy or concern
that you would like to be held in the ever-renewing breath of this
congregation.
HYMN – All
Creatures of the Earth and Skies # 203
While our final
hymn appears in all three hymnals, it has been through several revisions. It appeared in the blue hymnal under the
title “The Canticle of the Sun”. The
verses in our current hymnal are much changed, but not so much in meaning as in
linguistics. And so it spans the history
of this church.
A sentiment from
1946: May every Easter joy be
yours. May the resurgent religious
interest that accompanies this season not die after Easter has passed. Rather, may this spirit take on the
immortality of Easter and remain a vital spark of your lives through all the
days and years to come. Amen.
POSTLUDE Handel: Allegro