We have been having some rich conversations on heritage this month, from food and family to our cultural heritage as Unitarian Universalists and as Americans. But I am most excited to discuss our local UU heritage with you as I uncover it in the archival material both here in our Lakeland Public Library and from the records that are stored in Chicago at the Meadville Lombard Theological School (which is where I spent my past week).

I appreciate this simple definition of heritage, which can help us investigate what our heritage is as a church: “Our heritage is what we have inherited from the past, to value and enjoy in the present, and to preserve and pass on to future generations.” (heritagecouncil.ie) Heritage has three components: tangible (buildings, monuments, objects, artifacts, archives); intangible (customs, music, folklore, arts, skills, traditions); and natural (landscapes, grounds, wildlife, plants).

We are fortunate to have buildings in which to worship, socialize, and learn. Our real estate was purchased in 1960. In the 1980s, the sanctuary was built. It is all paid for– what a gift that is for us! The people who came before us gave their time, talent, and treasures so that Unitarian Universalism could have a permanent home in Lakeland, FL. How will we care for and preserve our buildings and pass them on to the next generation?

In our buildings, we carry forward the traditions of worship, of singing our hymns together, lighting our chalice, and sharing our joys and sorrows. We honor our ancestors by remembering their names and good works, while contributing our own skills and talents that continue to shape our local UU culture. We have a potluck every second Sunday of the month (this has been going on for as long as I can remember!). We meet on Wednesday nights to socialize, watch movies, learn, share memories and deep conversations.

Think about how you contribute to UUCL. Can you connect yourself to a part of our heritage and see how you carry on tradition, help us enjoy and value the present, and sustain our community for future generations? If you don’t know much about UUCL’s past, please ask me and I can help you find yourself in the “big picture”. This will help us to shape our identity and become more intentional about living our values and expressing who we are to the outside world.

Love + Connection (to the people of the past and the future, too) = Transformation