Sharing Common Bonds Unitarians, Baptists Join For Service To Carry Out Commitment To Diversity

FOR THE RECORD: 7-15-97 Caption wrong: Paul Watkins was shown singing a hymn at the New Hope Baptist Church in a Monday photograph. A caption misidentified him.

New Hope Baptist Church was transformed Sunday morning.

The tiny black church in the East Central neighborhood averages 35 to 40 worshipers every Sunday - sometimes fewer in the summer.

Sunday morning, there were so many people that the pastor moved the service outside to the sun-soaked parking lot. The Unitarians had come calling, trading their typical one-hour service for two hours of gospel singing and preaching.

As denominations go, Unitarians and Baptists are a world apart.

Unitarian Universalists are the richest faith in America per capita and are predominantly white. They describe themselves as bonded by a common search for meaning in life and a connection to the Creator.

American Baptists place a heavy emphasis on the Gospel and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

On Sunday, the tiny Baptist church absorbed the large Unitarian congregation. The idea was to experience diversity on a different level.

“As Unitarians, we have a commitment to diversity and social justice,” said Steve Becker, the Unitarian who had arranged the joint Sunday morning service. “That requires that we step out of our daily lives and go to the people with whom we share these values.”

And so they did. In the process, they got a lesson on the dynamics of a small church - where almost everyone has a job just to pull off the service.

Becker had been worried that no one would show up. By the first hymn, however, it was hard to find the members of New Hope in the sea of Unitarians. The Baptists were busy seating latecomers, handing out bulletins and rounding up extra hymnals.

“We come - young, old, Republican, Democrat, liberal, conservative - with one hope,” said the Rev. Happy Watkins, pastor of New Hope. “To find God.”

His sentiments rang true with the self-described seekers who had overrun his church.

Watkins’ prayer resounded equally strongly with members of his own congregation - who have heard the words many times before.

The opportunity to be hospitable was as much of a chore as a blessing, congregation members said. There were a lot of cakes to bake, chairs to set up. But there was a palpable sense of pride in a job well-done.

“I hope it wasn’t just a one-time thing,” said New Hope choir director Jamie Jennings. “At first, there was some hesitancy - people didn’t know what to do. But then you could just see everybody relax and get into it.”

While most churches are dedicated to diversity and social justice, only a few are truly integrated. Sociologists often describe Sunday morning as the most segregated time in the United States.

It’s a dilemma for which there is no apparent answer.

“We have newcomers stop by, Asians or Hispanics, and we try to make them feel welcome,” said Unitarian Pete Piper. “But usually they just disappear and never come back. They just don’t feel comfortable.”

Watkins has been a guest preacher at the Unitarian church several times over the last couple of years.

“But I wanted something more,” Becker said. “Although the two churches are different, there is a common bond we share of a spiritual life.

“This is an opportunity to discover that there may be other things that we share.”

The Baptists stuck with their traditional service format, which included music from a children’s choir and several inspiring solos.

The glaring sun sent children from both churches into the building in search of juice and cookies midway through the service.

The Unitarians, who are accustomed to getting their service over in an hour, stayed locked in their seats until Watkins’ sermon was over, almost two hours after the opening hymn.

“I loved the pace,” said Jean Larson, a Unitarian for 23 years. “Sometimes I feel like we try too hard to keep everything moving. Here, they sang every verse. It was enjoyable.”

After the service had ended, the two congregations mingled, vowing not to let the connection die.

“If we want to make this diversity thing work, we are just going to have to get together more often,” Watkins said. “We are recognizing that on the East Side, we may be taking a different route than they are, but we’re trying to get to the same spot.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Color Photos