On Friendship - Up With People, Changing the World, and Changing Me

My Up With People Cast
Cast A
Taken at the end of staging; July 1994

Yesterday I preached a sermon on friendship and about what it means that Jesus calls us friends. In John's gospel Jesus says, "I do not call you servants any longer...I have called you friends." (John 15:15).

To begin the sermon, I shared a bit about some of the friendships that I have made that have made a difference in my life. And I ended up talking about my year in Up With People. I'm pretty sure that I uttered the phrase - "my year in Up With People, although nearly 20 years ago, has greatly shaped me into who I am today."

And that got me to thinking - what kind of difference did Up With People make in my life?

Although Up With People has been parodied by the television show "The Simpson's" as the half-time-performing group so affectionately called 'Hooray For Everything' http://simpsonswiki.net/wiki/Hooray_for_Everything, for me it really was a wonderful experience. I might have been a naive and optimistic 20-year-old when I traveled but I learned some valuable experiences.

"It's a world that's changin' faster every day."

These were the opening lyrics to the opening number of the show,  "World in Motion." (A show, incidentally, that I performed around 80 times in countries all over the world). The travelling was great (the living out of a suitcase and, essentially, on a bus for a year, not so much). But the impact UWP had on me had nothing to do with the performance.

I learned that relationships are the key to legitimate and lasting change. My UWP show had a message about a common humanity that focused on the greater good people could accomplish when they worked together. And I believe that the way to work toward a common good is to be in relationship with folks who are different than you.

I also learned that there is something powerful in serving others. Part of what made my year unique is that for every hour we were on stage performing live music, we spent two hours doing community service work. I experienced service projects that ranged from hanging out with underserved populations (day care in poor neighborhoods) to talking about ways to confront violence responsible with troubled high school youth. This experience taught me that I can make a difference in the world around me by focusing on others instead of myself.

Perspective. I learned a great deal about perspective during my year in UWP. I learned that people have so much more in common than they do different (at least in terms of the things that matter the most) and I learned that the key to making a difference is to get to know folks. The relationships that I made have continued to shape who I am and how I think about the world.

I think it is because of UWP that I resonate with the song "Passing Through" by Mark Erelli. I might not be able to change the world. But I still believe that I can change myself - and that, in doing so, I might make a difference in the lives of those around me.

It's been a long time since I've reached out to my cast mates...but I think since we are approaching our 20 year anniversary, it might be time for me to see how my UWP family is doing around the world. It's true what they say about Up With People...you meet them wherever you go.

Be blessed-
Pastor John

Here are the lyrics to the Mark Erelli song "Passing Through"

We are passing this world on to our kids,
From the moment that they climb out of their cribs.
We try to teach them well, and show them they are loved, but in the end all we can do is hope our best is good enough.
For they'll witness how this life can be so beautiful and cruel.
We can't shelter them forever, but if we show them all the tools,
They might leave this place in a little better shape than me and you,
We are only passing through.

We've been watching this world from our living room,
It's been near 40 years since we walked on the moon.
And this big  blue ball keeps shrinking and I don't know if that's good
But for better or for worse now, this whole world's our neighborhood.
And there's no place left to run to where you can stay above the fray,
We all need to learn to get along and not just get our way.
Not only for each other, but for our children's children too,
We are only passing through.

And I wonder sometimes what will I pass on?
And how much can one voice do with just a song?
Sometimes injustice and indifference are the only things I see
But I refuse to let my hope become the latest casualty.
So I'll sing of love and truth and try to practice what I preach,
And if I can't change the world, I'll change the world within my reach.
And what better place to start than here and now with me and you,
We are only passing through.
       Passing through -- passing through
       We are only passing through.