In Our Religion, We Gather Together

We gather together to make meaning of our experience
We gather together to talk and tell stories
We gather to sing, to dance freely, to make music and art
We gather to praise and embrace one another
We gather the strength to act for liberation
We gather to pool our intelligence
We gather to drink the elixir of our communal trust
We gather to encourage the depth and height of our spirits
We gather to debate the possibilities and seek the holy truth
We gather beauty
We gather strength
We gather flowing tears
We gather jubilation
We gather together

Great lovers of humanity
Worshipers in changing circles
Children of heretics
Inheritors of a living tradition
We come now to full adulthood
Let the world hear our voices and rejoice

--Sharon Hwang Colligan, UUYAN, 1998