A Church that Love Builds

During the Sunday 2/17/19 service about being Unitarian Universalist and crafting our elevator speeches to tell people our loves stories of being part of our UU faith community, we offered these lines for our collective elevator speech (granted, it needs to be a TALL building for this elevator ride). You asked for a copy - here it is - the story of a church that Love builds. -Rev. Carmen Emerson

FEBRUARY 17, 2019 - “OUR COLLECTIVE ELEVATOR SPEECH”

We are a church that Love builds...
We are doers, not just talkers,
Who march, and spread mulch,
Where the hungry are fed
And the houseless of Nashville
Find a warm bed.
For we are the church that Love builds.

We are the church that Love builds…
Where people accustomed to controlling with might
Have now been told, “No - we know that’s not right…”
And we’re working and ready
For healthy ways to unite
For we are the church that Love builds.

We are the church that Love builds…
Where laughing is a prayer
And diversity is loved.
Where solace is offered to the weary,
And our differences treasured.
For we are the church that Love builds.

We are the church that Love builds…
Where help of all kinds is offered freely, steadily,
In extraordinary and ordinary times,
Where support comes in especially trying times,
Where we learn to care well for ourselves and for others,
For we are the church that Love builds.

We are the church that Love builds…
Where we listen and hear
And take chances
Where we make mistakes and move forward
Without judgment or shame
For we are the church that Love builds.

We are the church that Love builds…
Where one can age, but not grow old
Where we accept you for who you are,
Rather than who we think you should be,
Where our questions unite us
And creativity is valued and shared,
For we are the church that Love builds.

We are the church that Love builds,
Where we remember with eternal love
Those who have passed,
And anticipate with loving hope
Those yet to come,
For we are the church that Love builds.

We are the church that Love builds…
Where we welcome our kids
To share their joys
And fidget and talk
And to share their sorrows
And run through its halls
And play near our garden
And learn about healthy sex
And how to be kind
And how to ask good questions
And teach us to dance
And ask us to be true
And can be safe with us all,
Here in the church that Love builds.