How are Unitarian Universalists called to respond to violence? Our Unitarian Universalist children learn that peace is the answer. But what about those unthinkable acts of destruction that happen in our world, our country, and sometimes even in our own community. What do we tell our children about them?

There have been at least two such acts that have touched the lives of the members of our congregation. The first act was the shooting death of Yoshi Hattori at Halloween in 1992. Yoshi was an exchange student from Japan hosted by the UCBR family of Holley and Richard Haymaker. The second act, taken by a group of al-Qaeda terrorists, took place on September 11, 2001. It was the coordinated air attacks on the Pentagon in the Washington, D.C. area and the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The twin towers were destroyed. A crashed airliner in Pennsylvania added to the thousands of lives lost on that day that we simply call 9/11.

What I find as significant as these events themselves is the way this congregation responded to them. With peace - and not only peace, but peace combined with understanding and positive action. With the destruction of September 11, 2001 came a renewed commitment to interfaith dialogue and understanding. Yoshi’s death prompted our members to lead the way on the issue of gun control. As a memorial and a gesture of peace, the World Peace Prayer Society of New York, an non-profit organization that places peace poles around the world, sent us a pole which reads ‘May peace prevail in the world.’ In addition, the people of Japan sent two large rocks from a quarry in Nogoya, Yoshi’s hometown. We call these rocks the Peace Stones and they have become the focal point of that sacred space we call the Peace Meadow.

The following is an excerpt from what the late Cindy Ross, our former Director of Religious Education, wrote in 1996 to explain to the children about the Peace Stones:

“Two big rocks now lie on our church grounds. Both of them came from Japan. One is a greenish color. It probably came from the bottom of the ocean where it was formed by volcanoes millions of years ago. The other rock is reddish. It was probably formed from the shells of countless sea creatures too small to be seen without a microscope. Both rocks helped to make up the rocky shores of the islands of Japan, and they are both millions of years old.”

            “They are called Peace Stones because the people of Japan sent them to us as a memorial, or something to remind us, of the thousands of people killed by guns in this country. They were sent as a message of hope that we might learn to live peacefully with each other. These rocks came from all the way around the world as a present to us, the people of Baton Rouge, and we are proud to give them a home here at our church. Whenever we see them, we will think about how we can all work to end gun violence in our country and our community.”

On September 11, 2011 our children and youth will attend a “mini” All Community Worship service. Children up to grade 5 will start in the Sanctuary with their families, stay for the beginning portion of the worship service, and will be sung out to attend a “teach-in” in the Fellowship Hall where they can learn more, and ask questions, about the events that we are remembering on this day, and how we are remembering them. If you would like to help develop, participate in, or be a chaperone for the ‘teach-in’, please contact Beth Williams at education@unitarianchurchbr.com.

Our youth, grades 6-12, will start that morning in their classrooms, go and attend worship in the Sanctuary with their classes, and stay for the entire worship service. Towards the end of the worship service, children, youth and adults will join together outside for the ceremonial walk to the Peace Stones. There Rev. Steve will lead us all in a rededication of the stones, and our congregation, to peace. Once again, this congregation responds to the violence in our world with peace. I wonder what positive action you will take in response to this gesture of peace. For some ideas about this, as well as other resources useful for commemorating 9/11, please visit http://911peacecircles.wordpress.com/resources/