Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto

A Ritual for Family Chapel: Tu B’Shevat

Rev. Darcey Laine
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Palo Alto, CA

 

Today we are celebrating Tu B’Shevat.
This is the New Year for Trees in the Jewish Tradition.
It is a holiday of hope — for a green future.

 

The Madrone

I want to tell you the story of a special tree.

Who has seen that big branch in the main hall?

Anyone know what kind of tree that is from?

It’s a madrone tree.

That branch hasn’t always been there. Before that branch was another one, that got old, and started to drop little bits of tree on top of the choir. So they had to cut a new branch.

Fortunately one of the members of our church had a madrone tree on his property, so they cut a new one from that tree that we see each Sunday. And so Rev. Ken Collier, who was a minister here before Rev. Amy came, gave us this tree, our own madrone.

Now when Ken was in his last year here at the church, the tree was just this high. That was 10 years ago!

Ten years later it is just this high. A little taller than me. Do you think it has a branch as big as the one in the main hall?

Amy’s baby might have a baby before this tree is as big as the one that gave us that branch in the Main Hall.

Planting trees is something that we do, not just so that we can enjoy their beauty and shade ourselves but so that our children and their children can enjoy them long after we are gone.

 

Ritual

To honor TuB’Shevat we are planting two trees. These trees were given to us in memory of Jean Gillett, who was a generous member of our church, and who died in December. These trees are fruit trees, so they will give us fruit year after year. The trees are generous too.

It’s a lot of work to plant a tree. Jim and Ben have been out here working and thinking about this for WEEKS. Today we can finally put the last dirt on the top.

 

Blessing

Let’s take a moment now to bless them with a drink of water.

Trees, we bless you that you can have a long life.
We hope that you will like your new home.
We promise to love you and take care of you
And be grateful for the beautiful flowers and fruit you give.

Amen.