Are We There Yet?

Rev. Peter A. Friedrichs

June 17, 2007

When our girls were little, Irene and I would load up the car with snacks and games and other distractions in the hope that they would keep occupied until we reached whatever destination we set for ourselves. This was before the day of video games and DVD's built into car seats. Like many of you, we had a minivan, and with just two children we could give each of them their separate seats so that we kept conflict to a minimum. No matter where we went, or how excited the girls were about where we were going, it wouldn't be long before we would hear the inevitable questions: "Are we there yet?" and "How much longer?" Before they could tell time, we would give them estimates based on their favorite TV shows: "It's still another Sesame Street," we'd tell them. Or, if we were closer, "It's only about a Bill Cosby," At least in our own minds this gave them a frame of reference for the passage of time.

As parents we dreaded that inevitable question, "Are we there yet?" because it signaled either a boredom or a restlessness that might possibly grow into an outright revolt if we still had too many Sesame Streets left to travel. That question translates to "I've had enough of this. I want to be where we're going and I'm tired of the journey." Even as grownups, we sometimes ask ourselves this same question: "Are we there yet?" Have we found the rewarding career we'd hoped to discover? Have we achieved the financial security that we need for our retirement? Are we in a mutually fulfilling relationship? At times like today, when we face the end of the church year, times of transition, times of endings and beginnings, we're inclined to ask ourselves "Are we there yet?"

We are a goal-oriented people. We want to get to our destination, to complete the mission, to achieve the satisfaction of a job completed and a job well-done. When we set our sights on something, we want to achieve it, to hold the prize in our hands. It can be frustrating to always have our goal just out of reach, just a little bit farther down the road, only a few Bill Cosbys away.

We have achieved so much this past year here at UUCDC. We have a great deal to be proud of. Today we've welcomed several new members to our church, and throughout the year we've done the same with others. Just look around the room today, at friends and neighbors whom you may not have known last September. And look at those people you knew before, and with whom you've deepened your relationship this year. As a community we have rallied to support our lesbian and gay friends and members in the face of an attack by some unknown agent of hate, and we've reaffirmed our commitment to being a Welcoming Congregation for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders. Today you've also seen how deeply and widely our lifespan religious education program stretches. Our commitment to enriching the spiritual growth of children, youth and adults is substantial, and it's been reflected in the programs that we've offered this past year. We continue to be a congregation committed to personal and spiritual growth through music and the performing arts, with Thespis productions, Rose Tree Concerts, and monthly cabarets. I'll put in a plug here for our chorus, which offers such beautiful music on Sunday mornings, whose members would love to have you join them!

And we're not just a congregation committed to taking care of our own. We have done much to support those beyond our walls, whether they're living here in Delaware County or on the streets of New Orleans. We have fed the homeless and hungry, we have offered our support to veterans returning from Iraq, we have learned about the stigma of mental illness and the plight of refugees in the Darfur region of Sudan. We have engaged ourselves in questions of racism, classism and oppression. And, most recently, we have made a commitment to expand our faith in action program to provide housing and meals to homeless families through the Interfaith Hospitality Network, a program you'll be hearing much more about in the fall. In short, the people and the work of this church are as varied and as beautiful as the bouquets of flowers you see before you here.

Earlier this morning you heard Jean Campbell tell a story about a woman who pursued her dream, who left home in search of treasure and who discovered that treasure in an unexpected place. Think about the woman, living her simple life in the forest. She's happy where she is. She's not looking to disrupt her life and to undertake a long journey with an uncertain outcome. It would be so easy to ignore the dream, wouldn't it? After all, it's just a dream. But what does she do? She listens to what the dream is telling her. It tells her "Go. Seek your treasure. No matter how happy you are here, there's more to be found." And with that, she ventures out for the city, the city of her dreams. Now, along the way she meets lots of people who try to discourage her. They tell her she's crazy, that she should turn around and go back, that there's no treasure in the city. But she keeps going, despite all the discouragement. Can you imagine how she felt when she first sees the city, and it looks just like the city in her dreams? How thrilled she must have been to see that city, and the bridge where her dreams told her the treasure was? How her heart beat faster as she approached the bridge, anticipating what the treasure would feel like in her hands, after only dreaming of it for so long?

And imagine her disappointment when the guard told her that there was no treasure under that bridge. It must have broken the old woman's heart, to be so close to achieving her dream, only to have it taken away at the last moment. And then the guard tells her about his dream, and at the moment when all hope appears lost, the woman discovers what she had come all that way to find out. And returning home she finds that the treasure she sought was right there under her nose all the time!

This story has so much to teach us, about finding the value in what we have, seeing old things in new ways, about the importance of home. But what I'd like to focus on is the importance of the woman's journey itself. Our hero had the courage to leave what she knew and where she was comfortable. She took a risk and ventured into the unknown. She stayed focused on her dream, no matter how many people tried to discourage her, always moving forward in pursuit of her goal. And even when her dream didn't turn out exactly as she had planned, her journey led her to a treasure. Think about what would have happened if the woman hadn't taken that trip to the city, hadn't followed her dream, hadn't risked everything she had and everything she knew. Sure, she would have gone on with her life the way it was, but think what she would have missed. Without the journey the dream would never have come true.

We here at UUCDC are on a great journey in search of valuable treasures: treasures found in the bonds of community, the gifts we receive when we are generous toward others, the riches we all share when we treat everyone with dignity and respect, the rewards of living in a world of peace, love and justice. Where will we find these treasures? It's impossible to tell, but it's likely not where we expect them to be. What is important is our commitment to the journey, our dedication to leaving our safe places, our willingness to stretch ourselves beyond our comfort zones, and our readiness to support one another along the way.

Are we there yet? No, we've got countless Bill Cosbys and Sesame Streets to go. But as we bring this church year to a close, I'm happy to say that we're on our way.

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