Relationship to Spirit, Self, and Society
Dear friends of all ages, it’s October, a month in which we will be Cultivating Relationship as our focus for worship and community.
When I first began to work in ministry, I was coming from an activist background. I wanted to get things done. I wondered why we couldn’t hurry up and just change things already? Why were we sitting around, studying, talking, moving so slowly on urgent matters? We could just push things through quickly and get on to the work, couldn’t we?
It took me awhile to realize the difference, but I mention it because it was a lesson in relationship. In activism that happens in the wider world, we are pushing against an opposing force and often truly at odds with those around us who want significantly different things than we do, sometimes people are even hoping for things that might really harm us or those we care about. The world beyond our walls is filled with people whose world views are very different, whose values and desires are sometimes at odds with our own.
The World versus UU?
By contrast, in a UU church, we have a pluralistic framework for theology, meaning a vast spread of nuanced beliefs about how the world was made. We have so many places where we find wonder and meaning. Yet, we do have a common set of values. We share a desire to build a better world. And each of us comes here with a commitment to open dialogue, compassion, justice, and so much more.
What that means is that we are cultivating our relationships all the time. We are in relationship with one another every time we come into this community. We come because we desire connection with the divine and what the universe is asking of us. Often, we are in conversation with our sense of place and history. And we share our commitment to the future that our children and future generations will share. We are building together, offering one another a place where we can start. So what happens when we begin from the idea that we each are hoping to welcome one another and make this a place of growth and nurturing for every single person here?
In that case, instead of pushing anyone over in a rush to the finish line, we move at the speed of trust. We try to stay in compassionate conversation through the hard moments. We ask and listen to answers for meaning, instead of trying to get to a yes or a no quickly. When we mess up, we try to reach out and to hear the hurt in order to find repair or change what we do in the future.
Who Will We Become?
We are moving into a new cycle of worship and classes. We’re trying to be in a community that offers options now in person and on Zoom as well. I am hoping that in this time, we will also take the opportunity to learn and be inspired by one another’s stories.
This month, we are starting new Religious Exploration classes to teach our younger members how we share in building community! This month, our Anti-Racism and GLBTQ Welcoming Task Forces are starting up again. These justice ministries help us to extend our welcome into the wider community. And in this month, I invite you to reconnect with the congregation, with yourself, with friends, and with your spirit.
Ask one another gently, “how is it with your soul?” and listen deeply to the answers you may receive. Let’s take this month to reconnect with one another, and find our meaningful moments in this space once again. Let us find our spirits in solidarity of purpose, with one another.
