Flower Communion

Rev. Marisol Caballero
May 29, 2016
First UU Church of Austin
4700 Grover Ave., Austin, TX 78756
www.austinuu.org

We bring flowers to church for this UU tradition of resilience, renewal, and celebration of our individual gifts that create the bouquet of this church community. An all-ages intergenerational worship service.

Call to Worship
By Thomas Rhodes

We come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes.
Some of us grow in bunches.
Some of us grow alone.
Some of us are cupped inward,
And some of us spread ourselves out wide.
Some of us are old and dried and tougher than we appear.
Some of us are still in bud.
Some of us grow low to the ground,
And some of us stretch toward the sun.
Some of us feel like weeds, sometimes.
Some of us carry seeds, sometimes.
Some of us are prickly, sometimes.
Some of us smell.
And all of us are beautiful.
What a bouquet of people we are!

Reading:

Today we listened to the story of “Ferdinand, the Bull”, about a bull who loved flowers. It was written by Munro Leaf. Here’s some interesting history about the book. According to wikipedia, “The book was released nine months before the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, and was seen by many supporters of Francisco Franco as a pacifist book. It was banned in many countries, including in Spain. In Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler ordered the book burned, while Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, granted it privileged status as the only non-communist children’s book allowed in Poland. India’s leader Mahatma Gandhi called it his favorite book.”

It’s only fitting that this book is being read today, the day before Memorial Day, when we remember, honor, and mourn all those members of our human family that war has taken from us. We know that the best way to honor the fallen soldier is to help heal the spiritually and bodily wounded and to work for a peace. This is our 6th Principle and our duty as fellow humans whose hearts still beat. So, today, hug a veteran. But instead of saying the all-too-common, “Thank you for your service,” let’s try something different. Let’s say, “I won’t forget you or your friends. I’ll do everything I can to bring peace to our world,” and, “Here’s a flower for you.”

Introduction to Flower Communion

The Unitarian Universalist Flower Communion service which we are about to celebrate was originated in 1923 by Rev. Dr. Norbert Capek founder of the modern Unitarian movement in Czechoslovakia. On the last Sunday before the summer recess of the Unitarian church in Prague, all the children and adults participated in this colorful ritual, which gives concrete expression to the humanity-affirming principles of our liberal faith. When the Nazis took control of Prague in 1940, they found Capek’s gospel of the inherent worth and beauty of every human person to be -as Nazi court records show — “… too dangerous to the Reich (for him) to be allowed to live.” Capek was sent to Dachau, where he was killed the next year by Nazis. This gentle man suffered a cruel death, but his message of human hope and decency lives on through his Flower Communion, which is widely celebrated today. It is a noble and meaning-filled ritual we are about to recreate. This service includes the original prayers of Capek to help us remember the principles and dreams for which he died.

Consecration of Flowers
by Norbert Capek

Infinite Spirit of Life, we ask thy blessing on these, thy messengers of fellowship and love. May they remind us, amid diversities of knowledge and of gifts, to be one in desire and affection, and devotion to thy holy will. May they also remind us of the value of comradeship, of doing and sharing alike. May we cherish friendship as one of thy most precious gifts. May we not let awareness of another’s talents discourage us, or sully our relationship, but may we realize that, whatever we can do, great or small, the efforts of all of us are needed to do thy work in this world.

Flower Communion

Flowers were a very important part of the story of Ferdinand. Flowers, in the story were a symbol of love and peace. Unitarian Universalist also use flowers as a symbol of love and peace in this special ceremony called Flower Communion.

It is time now for us to share in the Flower Communion. I ask that as you each in turn approach the communion vase you do so quietly –reverently — with a sense of how important it is for each of us to address our world and one another with gentleness, justice, and love. I ask that you select a flower different from the one you brought that particularly appeals to you. As you take your chosen flower noting its particular shape and beauty please remember to handle it carefully. It is a gift that someone else has brought to you. It represents that person’s unique humanity, and therefore deserves your kindest touch. Let us share quietly in this Unitarian Universalist ritual of oneness and love.

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