"Welcoming our sculpture ?The Book
Sept. 22, 2015, March 20, 2017
It is with gratitude and sadness that we acknowledge the late Richard Ferguson’s gift of the
sculpture The Book? by artist J.D. Harris of Eureka Springs, to our Fellowship. Richard worked with
J.D. and Rev. Parrish to find a suitable “thank-you” for two things; UUFF being a welcoming
congregation to Richard, and J.D. and his wife Cathy being his talented friends - and this sculpture
fit the bill. We loved the symbolism of the reader of books, the quest for diverse knowledge that
gives us our small truths. The sculpture, and its shape of a
question mark, is a perfect symbol of how UUs cherish our
doubts, our love of questions: “for doubt is the attendant of
truth… truth stands boldly, it is not shaken by the testing” (R.
Weston).
The UUFF Sculpture Committee was in the planning stages of
bringing the sculpture to Fayetteville from Eureka Springs and
introducing it when Richard fell ill and subsequently died in
August of 2015, so he never saw it in our possession. It was
fitting that we obtained and placed The Book in our lobby in
time for his memorial service so that members, friends, and his
family could enjoy his gift and remember how generous he was.
We have a small urn of Richard’s ashes to appropriately inter in
our memorial garden.
The Sculpture Committee (Andrew Gaber, Caroline Lennox,
John King, Gretchen Wilkes, Ron Hanson, and Joyce
Mendenhall) decided to place the sculpture in the open space
just east of our front lobby, where it can be admired, protected, and provide a place to in
contemplation. It was dedicated into this placement on March 19th, 2017, one day before what
would have been Richard’s 74th birthday with a private ceremony.
Please enjoy The Book as it occupies a place of honor on our grounds, and take a moment to
remember that this is a gift from someone who was extremely grateful for his warm welcome into
this religious community. Richard was looking for friends and acceptance beyond joining a “gay
church,” he wanted a full welcome by a diversity of people; folks who transcend tolerance by turning
it into acceptance, welcome, and love as equals, as full human beings. He felt comfortable being a
Gay, Universalist Christian in our midst. This is a gift honoring your love… and his. Enjoy and
remember.
Peace,
Rev. Jim Parrish
Spring, 2017"
- above text from file:///home/chronos/u-b79341959d60569a9057fec86dd8a9d4cce22365/Downloads/WelcomingtheSculpture_a.pdf
While you're here visiting the sculpture, also take a look at another Waymark on the property, one of three Peace Poles in the central Fayetteville area. (
visit link)