The Newsletter of the Murray Grove Association
Volume 10 Issue 3, Fall 2000

HOMECOMING 2000: Energy Rises, Bursts Free, Flies High!

It couldn't have been a finer day! Nature celebrated along with us: clear skies, warm sun, cool breezes, high spirits. The white tent looked splendid, nestled in the trees across from the Lodge. And the tent revival did just that, reviving us to our heritage and to our future!

Old Thomas Potter and his friend Rev. John Murray themselves were here, the one walking his grounds much the way he must have 230 years before, the other once again as always inspiring us with his words and his example. They were joined as well by their fellow Universalist pioneer Dr. George de Benneville, in from Oley, Pennsylvania. Together they welcomed, and their presence blessed the 230 or so Unitarian Universalists and friends from all over the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond who gathered to enjoy the day, the energy, the spirit and one another.

Beginning with UU revival-style gathering music in the Tent directed by Scott Ward of Wilmington, DE, John Hook of BuxMont and Rev. Richard Speck, Acting JPD District Executive, then leading into the Opening Ceremony, events built up in ever-increasing creative tension throughout the day. Everyone broke up into smaller group activities both morning and afternoon. Through Rev. John Murray/Rev. John Morgan and Thomas Potter/Tom Binder, we re-witnessed their famous meeting in the present day, then held a Quaker-style meeting for worship in the Chapel. Rev. Charles Howe followed in the Chapel with his rousing sermon "At the Unique Core of Our Faith," punctuated by frequent and heart-felt cries of "Hallelujah!," "Tell it, brother!." and "Amen!"

In the Lodge, Dr. de Benneville/Rev. Paul Hull spoke eloquently on "The Mystic and the Message". In the Tent, John Hook led a workshop in "Congregational Singing Without a Keyboard: Using the Hymnal", while in the Cone craft house children both in age and at heart created Seven-Principle magnets and banners for the Banner Parade,and had their faces painted. During the lunch hour, besides time to enjoy the food supplied by local restaurants, with refreshing drinks offered by the UU Ocean County Congregation and luscious desserts by the UU Congregation of the South Jersey Shore, there was bulb-planting, choir rehearsal, a childrens story by John Murray and a lively concert by world music group Nada Brahma. That was followed by smaller groups, with John Hook continuing "Beyond the Hymnal", dancer/choreographer Robin Becker leading an exploration of the body's ways of moving and knowing called "Moving the Spirit", Rev. Paul Johnson's uplifting sermon in the Chapel entitled "Claim Your Inheritance" and more of the same children's activities. And by the end of all of this, the crowd was primed and ready to come together for the tent revival meeting itself.

The revival itself started off with the Banner Parade, in a special Love Train led by Nada Brahma, and more John Hook and Richard Speck gathering music. The chalice was lit by Homecoming Committee Chair and Murray Grove Association Board Member Rev. Kathie Davis Thomas, who segued into a spirited extended rendition of This Little Light of Mine. Revival leader Rev. Beth Graham, minister at Huntington, NY, and UUA Trustee from the Metro New York District, kicked us off on our theme of Coming Home, beginning an afternoon moving between down-home hymn-singing, poignant dance solos by Robin Becker, music to stir us performed by Scott Ward and the combined choirs, and highlighted by a series of profound and uplifting Reflections which touched the souls of all present.

Building one upon the other in complement and contrast, the Reflectors were Hope Johnson of Community Church in New York, Rev. Kathleen Hepler of Monmouth County, NJ, JPD UUA Trustee Rev. Linda Olson Peebles of Mt. Vernon, VA, MGA Board Member Rev. Lisa Ward of Harford County, DE (in a duet for evangelical preacher and free dancer with Robin Becker,) and finally Rev.Tom Chulak of Englewood, NJ. They explored and fathomed and improvised on what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist, where we've come from particularly in the context of the unique role Murray Grove has played in our history, and where we go from here. The path they followed, and we with them, wended from the finding of our faith, both personally and collectively, and then the losing of it to some degree, as each of us can easily do in the course of our days and our lives; to finding it again through meetings such as this Homecoming, in our churches, in our families and within ourselves; and ended with our taking that new-found faith home with us, literally and figuratively, and spreading it to the world in our words, our deeds and our lives. By the end of the day, every heart in the place was warm with the joy of it, the belonging of it, the connectedness of it, not only ready but eager to move on together and individually to where our faith calls us. To Come Home by being even more what we already are, and becoming what we aspire to be. Which is also what Murray Grove, and now The Valley on George de Benneville's homestead in Oley, PA, are all about, as well.

History on Display And a Gift Shop for Your Enjoyment

Visitors to Murray Grove now have a little more substance to add to their experience here: the new Heritage Room and Welcome Center, in the west end of the Lodge, had their Grand Openingat Homecoming 2000 on September 30. Through the newly created doorway, the Welcome Center offers information on Murray Grove and on the local area and its attractions. It is also a place for staff members to be more immediately available to greet and serve guests. The Gift Shop offers a variety of souvenirs, as well as books on Unitarian Universalism, its history and other topics (including nature guides), original music and song books, and one-of-a-kind greeting cards with reproductions of the watercolors from Murray Grove pioneer George A. Friedrich's Book of Remembrance.

In the adjoining museum space, original paintings and photographs as well as historic artifacts and the Murray Grove archives await. Many of the most important of them are used to good effect in illustrating the story of Thomas Potter and John Murray, their meeting and the sermon that was the result of it and the reason for our being here. The text is taken, as far as possible, in his own words from The Life of Rev. John Murray. There is also an outline of Universalism as he understood it, and its evolution over the years. From these, it is hoped that anyone coming to Murray Grove will be able to understand where we are coming from and why.

In addition, the walls of the Dining Room now hold a treasure of their own. Hand-made wooden display cases, beautifully crafted by our own Ken Weippert, enclose a timeline historyof Murray Grove itself from its founding in 1885 and before. Illustrating it are copies of many of the wonderful old photographs and documents in our collection. The overall effect is meant to be engaging, warm and inviting. It is hoped that, besides adding to the attractiveness of the room, they may contribute further understanding of this place and what has happened here.

Homecoming and the Heritage Exhibits would not have been possible without the generous support of:

The Unitarian Universalist Funding Program, Rev. Marjorie Corletti, Cynthia Foster, Carl and Carol Haag, Eugene Montgomery, the New York State Convention of Universalists, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Princeton, and Nelson and Caroline Simonson

and the time, creativity and energy of:

Homecoming Chair Rev. Kathie Davis Thomas, Lori Baribeault, Robin Becker, Howard Bennett, Tom Binder, Janet Boosz, Pam Burns, Joe and Jean Chulak, Rev. Tom Chulak, Debbie Duncan, Ted Fetter, Shirley Giles, Rev. Beth Graham, Frank Helman, Rev. Kathleen Hepler, John Hook, Rev. Charles Howe, Rev. Paul Hull, Arleen and Larry Jeffers, Hope Johnson, Rev. Paul Johnson, Lucy Klaus-Li, Rev. John Morgan, John Morris, Nada Brahma, Rev. Richard Speck, Sally Tweedie, Nathan Uber, Rev. Lisa Ward, Scott Ward, Jean Wiant, Norma Winther, Ashley Woodard, all the choir members and all of our other loyal members and friends.

Thank you all again!