1964 ------------Still Grieving the assignation of President Kennedy, we witnessed the beginning of a war that was not called a war – not in 1964.
President
Johnson sig
ned the Gulf of Tonkin Act giving him all necessary actions
including military force for this Vietnamese non-war in 64.
And there’s much more – including The Civil Rights Act of 1964 – changing political loyalties in the South – forevermore; or so it seemed.
King won the Peace Prize, China tested an Atomic Bomb, the Beatles invaded and brought some new songs. Freedom Riding students from the North were slaughtered in the South, more rumblings in the streets, times were changin’, there’s no doubt. Meanwhile, my heart was broken by my first boyfriend, I cried myself to sleep and thought the sorrow would never end. And there was much more – in 1964 – I had a bad fall from my skateboard, and I still feel sore. All that and much more – in 1964.
One of the happenings of 1964 was the release of an album by Bob Dylan including the title song = “The Times they are a Changin.” He never released that song as a single in the US – but it was covered by many, many others including Peter, Paul, and Mary – and the one we heard by Burl Ives.
I thought this song would be a good sacred text for this message on MLK Sunday – our Justice Sunday. It’s a prophetic text – for it still has much meaning for us today – maybe even more meaning today than in 1964, as we enter a time, like we’ve never faced before with so many in powerful positions who hold sway over future possibilities for us and others. Does this prophet Dylan (previously known as Robert Zimmerman) have a message for us today.
And why should we listen to someone like him anyway? We couldn’t get tickets on Christmas Day – but on Boxing Day, Greg secured seats – separate but equal – in the Mall Theater in the suburbs of Chicago, so that he, his mom and me could see the movie – “A Complete Unknown.” Of course, Dylan wasn’t unknown for long – especially after he sang this song. Is Bob Dylan a prophet. Well, that’s what I contend – or pretend – or portend, and I’ll extend that declaration and defend this proclamation with an exegesis of this text. No, I did not say “EXIT Jesus!” Jesus is always welcome here. Exegesis is simply an examination and interpretation of text – often scripture, but not necessarily, for who is to define what is scripture?
I’ve selected three themes – a trinity if you will accept that construct in this Unitarian gathering – and will attempt to provide some explanation or expectation or revelation for those who hope to thrive or survive in 2025 --- and beyond, when hopefully MAGA (mawga)will be just a sad SAGA we share.
The first theme of this song is the Inevitability of Change – reflected right there in the title. As Unitarian Universalists, we lift up and revere change. What does the T stand for in JETPIG – Transformation. But we are thinking about positive change. And even we don’t want everything to change. Unitarian Theodore Parker wrote a famous sermon that was somewhat controversial in his day called,“A Discourse on the Transient and Permanent in Christianity,” arguing that while the outward forms and traditions of Christianity may change over time, the core principles of love, justice and morality remain eternally true and unchanging --- and it’s these permanent aspects of our faith that matter. A more recent UU ancestor Forest Church wrote about the American Creed outlined by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence about those truths that should be self-evident and unchanging. This is the creed that Martin Luther King, Jr. lifted up with his dream that this country might someday "rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed."
We encourage changes that will more fully help us live up to these core values. But the changes we fear this year may wash those values away if we are not ready to resist in a way. to persist in a way that will work. Those of us living in southeast Georgia have a recent realistic model to guide us. We have recently had horrible hurricanes and storms come through. And the sides of our roads still have mounds of trees that have fallen in its path. But the storm didn’t get them all. The trees that could bend and swerve and have flexibility made it through. And that’s what we are going to have to do folks in the coming years. We need to hold on as best we can to our values yet – find ways to bend and swerve, give and take, go over and under the waves of misinformation and misguided maneuvers till this storm has passed. And we will do this with help from each other.
The second theme of Dylan’s song is Inclusivity – with Justice and Equity for all. “Come gather round people wherever you roam and admit that the waters around you have grown.”We are not in a small pond of similar tadpoles anymore. This is a teaming ocean with all kinds of creatures great and small. “And you’d better start swimming or sink like a stone – for the times, they are a changin.” This ain’t no private pool we are in folks. We have to swim with others and help one another and love one another. Dylan calls out to “Writers and Prophets who prophesize with their pens” as well as to politicians – great and small, all are called to hear his message. It’s for everyone.
I’ve heard lots of folks talk about moving and trying to find somewhere that folks were more like us. It can be hard to live here. But there are enough of us, and of course, we have neighbors who have a very different view of this world. Yet - We still have commonalities we can work on together. We just have to find each other and encourage one another.
AND, and, and - we have to find ways to be more interactive and work together with family members and neighbors who may not share all our values. We need to seek them out and be willing to focus on the values we share as we move forward. You know, we already reach across theological and political divides to feed the hungry. And more recently, we are reaching out and working closely with our Catholic friends (Hail Mary)– who differ with us on many things but who are as concerned as we are about our immigrant families.
The third theme – and maybe one that’s especially evident for me at this time in my life is that there is a generational shift that we have to accept and appreciate.
Come mothers and fathers -
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'
Wow. That’s hard for some of us who have been doing this work for so long. But we need to listen to that prophetic voice. I’m trying to do just that. I’m doing a “step down” retirement – first after 19 years as your minister – retiring from the Statesboro church in June of this year and plan to retire from the Brunswick church in June of 2027 (giving them a couple more years since I’m in my 11th year with them).
We’ve got a lot of wise elders in our UU congregations – but some of us have realized that other folks may find different ways of doing things - and that’s okay. All of us need to learn to listen, and to know when to step forward and when it’s time to step back a little. Now don’t get me wrong, we still greatly need all of our senior volunteers. You are the ones with great knowledge and some time. But we sure do need to encourage and listen to younger folks and different folks as well. We will have to do that to overcome the difficulties that are ahead.
Because – The Times they are a Changin’! You see, me and Joe B. – we heard that melody – And are stepping back. But that old DJ – scratched on through – shame on you.
You may have noticed that the title of this message has two parts – the first was the title of this song, “The Times they are a changin’”and the second part was a question –Shall We Overcome? –an obvious reference to “We shall overcome” that became a theme song for the Civil Rights Movement in the 60’s and 70’s. And my response – of course – must be, Yes we shall. We MUST Overcome.
The civil rights anthem, "We Shall Overcome", was adapted from a gospel song, by Highlander music director Zilphia Horton and Highlander musician Pete Seeger from the singing of striking tobacco factory workers from the 1945–1946 Charleston Cigar Factory strike. Shortly afterward, it was published by folk singer Pete Seeger in the People's Songs bulletin. And Pete himself taught it to many in both the labor movement and the Civil Rights Movement in the 50’s. Highlander Guy Carawan taught the song to the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee – SNCC at their first convening at Shaw University – and the rest is history. I thought since Pete Seeger had a primary role – not only in teaching and publishing this song – but also in promoting Bob Dylan and his music since he and Woody Guthrie heard his first songs – I thought we should bring in his voice to lead us in the call and response method that he used when he sang it at many of his concerts. Now Pete was one of us – a Unitarian Universalist – and I actually heard him lead this song at a General Assembly many years ago. You don’t need any words. You just listen to Pete, and he’ll guide you along while we sing. I suggest that we stand to sing this song as we close this message – and since some of us have been sick, we won’t hold hands – but maybe we can lock arms and sway together. Will you stand, lock arms with your neighbors, and join Pete and me and sing this sacred melody.
(Congregation sings)
May it be so.
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