Linda Lorenzo speaking.

Love is the doctrine of this church…The quest for truth is its sacrament…and service is its prayer…. Most of us recognize this as the first part of our Affirmation of Faith, here at First Universalist. I believe we take these words very seriously…and we demonstrate our commitment to them in so many beautiful ways…It is about the third piece…”and service is its prayer”…that I would like to touch on today.

One philosophy that has been the cornerstone of my life has been, “Always be a giver!” A giver of knowledge, time, wealth and love. This mantra has served me well…and not just for the blessings of the receiver but in the boomerang or “butterfly” effect that occurs, when we reach out in service to others and the world.

In late December 2004 a natural disaster precipitated the largest humanitarian aid operation in human history. The South Asian tsunami killed hundreds of thousands of people and left more than a million others homeless. The disaster ripped families apart. Children lost their parents…and…parents lost their children. The shocking power of nature and the devastation of the tsunami caused another incredible reaction…a worldwide desire to help the survivors. Hundreds of thousands of people living in the affected countries fed their neighbors, gave them shelter, and comforted them in their grief. Foreign visitors ended their beach holidays as volunteers, picking up bodies and trying to help identify the dead.

Across the world, tens of millions of individuals responded to the tragedy by sending immediate donations to aid agencies. Governments responded to their citizens and contributed massive aid for reconstruction. The world pledged $8.5 billion. Some of you may have made donations yourselves. More than half the citizens of the world’s countries did something in the way of help.This generous global response made a positive, life changing difference for many people. The generosity in response to the tsunami and other disasters like our own Hurricane Katrina, shows how easy and natural it is to give from the heart.

In our world today there are many such “opportunities” to be of service…they aren’t as graphic or immediate or as easy to present through the media. But they are, sometimes, right in our own backyard.

In an article, by Erin Anderssen in the Globe and Mail, she states, “That Doing good deeds can improve health, and make you happier, scientists suggests”. The article goes on to describe a series of studies supporting the ways, in which, the act of giving, benefits not only the recipient but the giver as well.

One of the studies cited revealed that people who exhibit higher levels of altruism get a “helpers high”, a physical release of endorphins. This high was shown to “give the immune system a boost, speed recovery from surgery and cut down on restless nights.”

And here is an even more exciting finding…Thanks to new brain-scan technology, scientists have also discovered undisputable evidence that humans are “hard wired” to take care of and help each other.

To take this even further, a British poll of volunteers, in that country, found that half of those surveyed claimed that their health had improved while they were volunteering. And here’s the part I love…20% of them claimed they lost weight, as well, which is a higher success rate of any diet known to date.

Being generous in Spirit and deed is a great comfort to the soul. Whatever, we feel we may “lose” in the moment of giving, whether it be time, money, or opportunities, will be more than matched by all we gain. As Piero Ferrucci says so eloquently, “Being kind is the simplest way to become who we really are.”

We live in a world of violence, human suffering, and environmental destruction. What can we, as caring human beings, do to help heal the wounds of others and reduce their pain? What can we do to heal our own personal wounds and diminish our own suffering? We can give. Everyone has something to give, be it time, money, wisdom, love or a variety of other things. We can literally accomplish miracles, through our service.

Giving ideas, skills, and resources can dramatically improve and uplift the world we live in. Whatever our circumstances, we can have a positive influence on the lives of others.

There is a saying, you may have heard, “We may be only one person in the world. But we may be the world to one person” Each of us, at any given moment, have countless opportunities every day…to give hope, love and healing.

If you ever thought, that seemingly small acts of kindness and giving won’t make a difference, please remember this story of a little girl, named Carlie.

When she was 3, Carlie was a perfectly healthy child. Then one day she came down with a high fever. Her parents, took her to the hospital only to discover every parent’s nightmare…Carlie had cancer. When the treatments started, all her family could do was pray. Then near the end of 10 months of chemotherapy, Carlie’s grandmother gave her a surprise. She had asked the Make-a-Wish Foundation to grant Carlie’s dream wish.

Now, as I am sure that most of you know, this Foundation, exists for one purpose…to fulfill the special wishes of children who have been diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. Three weeks before Carlie was to receive her wish…a trip to Sea World…she came down with pneumonia and influenza. Six days later Carlie was in a coma. She was given a 20% chance of surviving. After 17 days in the coma, she had lost 98% of her lung capacity. She was paralyzed, and had 13 tubes in her tiny body.

The doctors told her parents, that Carlie would not make it through the weekend. But the nurses, who had been told to say goodbye to Carlie on Friday at the end of their shift, were shocked and delighted to see her parents still there when reported to work on Monday. A miracle, had occurred…Carlie had regained consciousness. She had lost half her body weight , but she was alive! And 12 days later, Carlie was carried onto a plane to fly to Sea World. She got her wish to swim with the dolphins. When she returned after two weeks, she had the strength to run into her grandmothers arms.

And Today, 5 years later, Carlie is a healthy energetic child. Carlie’s wish and the idea of that wish fulfilled was the miracle that has kept this beautiful child alive and thriving. And Carlie’s wish was granted because approximately 170 generous donors sent money to the Make a Wish Foundation, maybe, even some of you had a hand in this miracle. They had never met Carlie. They gave without knowing her story, hoping only to help bring some joy to a sick child…and they what their kindness gave… was the gift of life. Carlie’s parents are giving back by spending their free time volunteering for Make a Wish. Carlie’s story shows that you have the power to give happiness and even life.

There are many more…millions more…stories of the life changing gifts that people have generously given to others …most times, never knowing the impact their kindness had. Some involved money, others time…all involved compassion and love.

In a speech in 1908, Eugene V. Debs said, “Now my friends, I am opposed to the system of society in which we live today, not because I lack the natural equipment to do for myself but because I am not satisfied to make myself comfortable knowing that there are thousands of my fellow men who suffer for the barest necessities of life. We were taught under the old ethic that man’s business on this earth was to look out for himself. That was the ethic of the jungle; the ethic of the wild beast. Take care of yourself, no matter what may become of your fellow man. Thousands of years ago the question was asked; ”Am I my brother’s keeper?” That question has never yet been answered in a way that is satisfactory to civilized society.

Debs, continues…Yes, I am my brother’s keeper. I am under a moral obligation to him that is inspired, not by any maudlin sentimentality but by the higher duty I owe myself. What would you think of me if I were capable of seating myself at a table and gorging myself with food and saw about me the children of my fellow beings starving to death. ”

In September, we will be resuming our Monthly Friday Night Movie. We will be featuring a story, about a shero of mine, entitled, “Entertaining Angels, The Dorothy Day Story” Now Dorothy Day was no saint. She lived hard, made mistakes, and endured the consequences. But the unquenchable fire that burned within her could not be contained. Dorothy wanted to make a difference. During the Depression, she vowed to house the homeless, feed the hungry, tend the sick. Easily said. Not easily done when her total finances amounted to 97 cents in a battered canister. Yet Dorothy persisted, walking , frequently, on stormy waters of faith. She has been called “The American Mother Theresa” She was the founder of the Catholic Workers Movement and Press, and was an unstoppable activist for uninumerable causes right up to her death in 1980, (including being jailed when she was 72 protesting for the rights of farm workers)

This upcoming week First Universalist officially moves forward…to a “New Day” with our new settled minister, Rev. Sally Hamlin, who brings with her a rich and varied history of commitment to service and social action.

When asked in one of her candidating meetings how she felt about our going out into the community, to draw more people who would be traditionally more representative of the urban population…She responded with the idea…that we should be going out into the community not for any other reason, than it is the right thing to do…she quoted Rev. Sinkford when he stated in a recent article…”Justice for Justice sake”.

In her second candidating speech, she spoke of this commitment of how she see’s our place in this community…she stated..”what I see before me today, and what I witnessed all week, is a strong community, where love is respected. I see a place where you take time with one another. I see a place where hope resides, despite challenges and loss. You keep the flame of our Unitarian Universalist faith alive here, even as it has come dangerously close to flickering out. It stays bright by your devotion to one another and by your deep care for one another. This love is a testament to your ability to rise again and again to face what is before you, as you continue to speak for justice and for what is right in the world…This tells me you know what is important in the world, and when you speak of your dreams and vision for your downtown church, I see in your faces such hope for the world.

Your work with RAIHN, SEM, Empire State Pride, and weekday concerts are only be the beginning of what is possible for this congregation. When you know that Love is the answer to the question ‘how can we serve the world?’ there are no limits to what is possible.”

And, so as we move forward into our future…let us begin that journey with the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “Everybody can be great… because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”