by Carlene Phillips ·
Friday, September 6, 2024
The Sunday, Sept. 8, homecoming service at the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church will be the first of the year and an opportunity for members and the general public to meet the new minister, the Rev. Megan Lynes. Immediately following the 10 a.m. service, all are invited to a barbecue with a bouncy house and lawn games at the Fellowship Building.
An ordained minister for 15 years, Lynes said she is very happy to be here. She likes the small-town feel, the old church and its connection to history, and a “sturdy community that wants to support one another and also wants to be challenged.”
The tradition for the homecoming service is, for those who wish, to bring a sample of water they have collected from somewhere they enjoyed over the summer—from the backyard kiddie pool to the Atlantic Ocean. Lynes said this part of the service captures the idea that though we travel as many streams, we merge into one body of water. This metaphor captures the vision of the church as an open, welcoming community, where all beliefs are respected.
Unitarian Universalist minister Megan Lynes. (Courtesy photo)
As we talked in her office, to the faint sounds of the choir practicing—“music is alive and well here,” she said—it was clear that this openness is a core tenet of Lynes. She sees the church as a place where, regardless of where they are on the humanist-theist line, people can come together and find love and fellowship. They can be companions in exploring the big questions—“If you can’t talk in church, where can you?” This “welcoming tent” idea is not only part of her ministry but of her personal life as well. One of her good friends is of another faith, but Lynes said she works hard to listen to ideas different from hers; “if I’m closed-minded, there’s a whole realm I won’t understand.”
After its last minister left two years ago, the church began looking for a new, three-quarter-time minister to work on a contract basis to be evaluated at the end of a year. The church search committee sent out a packet describing what they were looking for in a minister. Lynes had sent out her packet, and “our packets clicked,” she said. The church was looking for someone with whom to have a shared ministry, someone to share in the creation of joy and justice. “I was looking for a church where I could work collaboratively, explore important questions, be respected for my authentic self, and lead from the heart.” For Lynes the church is a place of hope and inspiration, a place to sort oneself out and reflect on hard truths, and a safe space that values tradition but is open to new ideas.
Lynes said she is thrilled to be here. “I’m afraid I might have come across as a bit like a Labrador, and some might think my wagging tail was knocking off teacups.” But she has no desire to be in the limelight or to be in an authoritative role. “I have a lot to learn from other people. I plan to listen well this year,” she said, “and find wisdom from many sources.”
She deeply appreciates that the church’s worship committee works in conjunction with the minister. They define the vision and details of worship services for the year, play a leadership role in the service, and coordinate with the music director. It has been her experience in past parishes that the committee kept itself separate; she much prefers they work as partners, asking questions and finding solutions together.
Lynes said she grew up in the Unitarian Universalist faith, and “the church shaped me.” She remembers herself as a lonely kid, and the church was a place where she mattered, where she was accepted for who she was. At the age of 12, she expressed interest in being on a church committee, and the group welcomed her and respected her ideas. She sees the Unitarian Church as a good place for families, where children are welcome to attend a portion of the Sunday service and then go to their own programs. She said there is a wonderful volunteer who coordinates fun and creative programming for children where they can develop expressions of themselves. Lynes said she is anxious for her son to be part of the church.
“I very much wanted to have a child,” said Lynes. She is the mother of 5-year-old Jesse, whom she is raising by herself but with support from a community of friends. She said he has worked hard all summer to be ready for kindergarten, and she has worked hard at being ready to let him go. It was a memorable moment to see him get on that kindergarten bus, she said. “We are both very excited for this new chapter in our lives.” She said it’s freeing for her to be at a place where she can “do the work I’m called to do and have the assurance that he’s OK.”
Beyond her ministry at the church, Lynes wants to be a useful presence in the town, a “connector” for the greater good. She can be a listening presence in an interfaith environment, be a comfort at a fire, be with someone on their journey in grief. She volunteered in a center for grieving children, and she spent several years as a chaplain at Brigham and Women’s Hospital visiting people of different religious beliefs in various stages of illness. She said she was met with a variety of responses. “Sometimes I would be asked to call in a priest, sometimes I could comfort a family member, and sometimes I was the target for a hunk of red jello and the shouted words, ‘Get out.’” But, she said, “It was humbling to be with people on their journey.”
Toward the end of our conversation, longtime church members Bill and Diane Cordner stopped by the office. Among other things they talked about how the membership, especially family membership, has declined, as it has across the country. Diane suggested that, in Harvard, some of that is because many families are involved with kids’ sports on Sunday mornings. “The real problem,” quipped Bill, “is they haven’t discovered the UU.”