There Is No Fear in Love

On August 12, 2017, we witnessed a day of horror and death in the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, VA. On that day, religious leaders of many faiths, including UU clergy and laity, came together in Charlottesville to peacefully witness and protest against this white supremacist mob. Their steady resolve and courage in the face of violence and hate inspired me, as did these words of then-UUA President, Rev. Susan Frederick Gray: 

“Only love can truly confront this corruption that puts our democracy, our liberty, and personal safety at risk. Love is more powerful than any weapon, even when it doesn't feel that way.”

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Her words brought to mind the passage from 1 John 4:18: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.” And so I wrote a simple hymn, “There Is No Fear in Love.”

Nearly a decade later, these words resonate even more deeply in the resistance that has spread throughout our nation. As Unitarian Universalists, we now proclaim love to be at our center.  I’m not sure I know what “perfect love” is, but I believe we glimpsed it in the frozen streets of Minneapolis, at No Kings rallies across the nation and in smaller collective actions in our local communities. I believe that love is embodied in our gathering, in our singing and in our care for the most vulnerable and one another as we continue to strive for justice, truth and equity.

A life-long church musician, Elizabeth (Beth) Norton (she/her) has served First Parish in Concord, Massachusetts as Director of Music Ministry since 1994, leading a dynamic adult choir and guiding a vital and varied music ministry for singers and instrumentalists of all ages and stages. She has led UU singers on concert pilgrimages to Eastern Europe, building musical bridges with Unitarian churches in Transylvania (Romania), Hungary and the Czech Republic.  She has served in leadership of the Association for UU Music Ministries (formerly the UUMN) and serves on the Ministerial Fellowship Committee of the UUA.