4 hrs, 8 kms

Note: date has been changed to keep towns in geographic order .On down the road is another relic of the past--not so distant past this time: a drive in movie theatre. This was the place to be (with your date, of course!) 60 years ago. Nowadays there are just a couple left.

I'm struck with the realization that the American love affair with cars was actually stronger 60 years ago than it is today, if you can believe that. Back then drive in theatres, drive in restaurants were all the craze. The idea was that the best way to enjoy your weekend was to not leave your car! My dad tells me that only one person went to college by bicycle--and he was considered pretty weird. Nowadays you'll see a full rack of bicycles at college campuses and people are actually more eager to get out of their cars when they go out for the weekend...

This drive in theatre actually looks full--although a lot of kids are running about, and most people it seems are sitting on lawn chairs behind their cars. I rest my case . Americans in the 21st century DO like to get out of their cars a little more!

And then on down the road is one of the coolest discoveries of this entire superhike: A Unitarian Universalist church. I've wanted to visit one of these for quite some time, so I'm feeling pretty lucky to come across one on my Superhike!

So what's special about the UUs? (as they call themselves). Well, I'm fascinated by the concept that each person should be free to try to find answers to the "big questions of life" on their own, rather than have someone tell them what the "answers" are. This freedom is sorely lacking in Western monotheistic faiths. Go to just about any church, mosque or synagogue and you are pretty much informed what you're supposed to believe and not believe.

In the Middle East I was very inspired with my encounter with the Baha'i faith--which embraces people from all the monotheistic faiths--but it does still set some pretty clear limits to what you have to believe or not believe if you want to be a Baha'i ... Let's see what the real scoop is with the UUs--which might very well be the most open minded recognized religion in the world.

There are a couple people leaving the building, and an older gentlemen seeing my interest is more than happy to sit down with me and answer my questions.

"The Unitarian was a theological movement that didn't believe in the trinity (a central dogma of most Christian denominations) and the Universalists didn't believe that anyone was going to hell--then in the 1960s the two denominations merged" he explains.

But clearly this denomination has evolved far beyond just debating some vague, obscure dogma. "Are there athiests in your church?" I ask

"About 25 percent are athiests... another 25 percent are secular humanist who believe mainly in man's capabilities. Others are neo-pagans. Some identify themselves as Christians--they grew up in strict legalistic denominations and were burned out on that . We also embrace gays and lesbians into our church" (he points to the rainbow flag, flapping over the church's entrance--not what you typically expect to see entering a church!)

"So what draws all these people together?"

"The feeling of community... people like the church experience... We also have a history of social activism--supporting the women's suffrage movement... and now supporting gay marriage."

He continues, "some people criticize us, saying 'faith isn't a cafeteria that you can pick and choose what you want to believe... but we believe you CAN choose what you want to believe."

"This church does seem out of place in the middle of the Bible Belt, small town Virginia..." I remark

"This area is changing... a lot or retirees from DC are moving to this area. Winchester is becoming a cosmopolitan city ... but we're still relatively small--only about 0.1% of the American population."

"Maybe most people just feel more comfortable being told what their supposed to believe rather then being encouraged to figure things out on their own." I muse... and he heartily agrees.

We chat some more--about politics, immigration--about their relationship with other Christian denominations... I definitely need to come back and see what a church with no creed is like.

But now I need to continue on my way...

Another Encounter

On down the road, it's not long before I reach Middletown, another quiet little village with a police car that drives past 4 times in 30 minutes. That's got to be a really, really boring job.

Here I take my video clip next to an Amish buggy put on display in front of a bed and breakfast . I've wanted to do a buggy clip ever since I parkbenched in Amish country 6 years ago... I wouldn't dare do my video clip in front of real Amish...

A young fellow approaches me with, yep, you guessed it"What kind of ........?"

We chat a bit about music and life in a small town like Middletown. I figure he lives just your typical small town life.

"I'm going to New York City tomorrow." Oh. that caught my attention "My high school band is playing on Broadway--we won a competition." That really caught my attention.

"After that we're going to the World Trade Center Memorial--I'm probably going to be in tears... my uncle was on the 54th floor when they were hit. He survived. But he saw the firefighter running up the stairs who didn't survive. That's what I call courage..."

Later: going back to the Unitarian Universalist church

Next day I have to disrupt my hike to backtrack to to the UU church . I can't pass up this opportunity. I arrive at a parking lot full beyond capacity and auditorium filled with people dressed in their Sunday best. I'm handed a bulletin by a smiling usher. This not only feels like a church service--it feels like a very traditional church service (very different from the chillout feel at the Vineyard church). Except there are no crosses or faith specific symbolism anywhere--just a circle and a lamp. I find a seat next to a gay couple and soak in the experience.

It follows just about the exact pattern of a traditional liturgy. The minister recites a some phrases and the congregations responds in unision. There are a couple of hymns--with no reference any specific faith or deity (except for the word "hallelujah" which technically refers to the Hebrew deity). Everybody is participating with gusto.

It's a surreal experience. I have religious friends and I can understand them. I have non-religious friends (who are right now at home watching TV or enjoying some outdoor activity)--I can understand them . But non-religious people dressing up and following all the rituals of a church service? It feels really weird. From what I recall, many Christians go to church not because they really want to, but because they feel it's their duty. Obviously these people don't feel they're under that same "duty". So why? And they use much of the same terminology "faith" "congregation" "salvation" (although with a much broader meaning) "fellowship" "worship" (not clear who or what is being worshiped). Instead of "tithes and offerings" they call it "pledge drive".

There are a few rituals I haven't seen in typical Christianity. Lighting a lamp at the beginning and putting it out at the end. Also, if someone has a silent joy or sorrow they don't want to share openly, they take a stone to the front and put it in a container with sand. Also, several new members are welcomed into the community, they come to the front, are given a flower--and are reminded that they are free to believe anything they want--or nothing at all . All you need is to be respectful of the beliefs and ideas of others.

I'm curious as to what the sermon will be like. It's presented sort of as a debate--with various ideas coming from different angles--and not a clear conclusion. Basically, just something to help get you thinking. The minister does quote a few Bible verse and says "Jesus is echoing the words of Buddha, 400 years ealier" Never heard that before coming from a pulpit. He's also careful not to use the word "husband and wife" but rather "partner" in deference to the you-know-who...

Then he says something that pretty much sums it up. "We may not agree on whether there is life after death... but we do all agree that there is life BEFORE death... so let's start there."

Then the service is over, and the best part begins... getting to know some of these folks. I talk to one fellow--a new member--he tells me he was raised Catholic was engaged to a Methodists and they wanted to get married in a church, but not the kind of church they grew up in . They were married here, and loved it. It seems this is a common motive: couples from different denominations who want to attend a "neutral" church--or a Christian who marries an athiest and still wants the kids to have a church experience.

"It's all about the feeling of community" he says.

I talk to another lady, probably a lesbian Christian, who it seems got burned off by the typical church scene... then I hit it off with an older lady who was a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali... now she's into cycling, her husband into hang gliding, and is heading off to Slovenia to look for some of her long lost relatives...

Talking to these people is very refreshing. People who are intellectual and globally minded. People who have broken away from whatever ideological structure they were raised with and have chosen to try to figure things out for themselves. This is not the sort of communty I was expecting to encounter along my Appalachian Superhike--but I'm glad I have .

It does seem a bit unimaginative to copycat the traditional Christian church service--but then again, maybe that's what some people want. People who grew up going to church feel a nostalgia for that weekly experience--even though they no longer believe what was taught to them.

So I guess if you're one of those people, look up on Google to see where the nearest UU church is, and check it out!

Most non-religious people, however, would probably find this ritualistic church service pretty boring. It's true, there's a sense of community--but you could also find that sense of communty by joining a birdwatching club, a coffeehouse Open Mike or a non-religious volunteer organization.

And me? I've very refreshed by this experience and ready to continue on down the road.