As the end of my ministry in Concord draws near and I get ready to say goodbye, I am filled with both gratitude and grief. I knew, when I joined the staff, that in many ways it meant I would lose my home congregation. The relationship between a minister and congregants can be very friendly … Continue reading When a Minister Leaves
As Unitarian Universalists we affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. We believe in the healing power of involvement in a spiritual home. As a faith-based community, we can provide support, compassion, and vigilance to maximize safety when individuals who have sexually offended participate in the life of our church community. … Continue reading Including Sex Offenders in Church
When I was seven, I joined the Brownies and was thrilled to come home after my first meeting with the assignment of “doing something helpful” so I could turn my Brownie pin right-side up. And as I remember it, it was to be done quietly, maybe even secretly, with the intent of just making the … Continue reading The Gift of Generosity
Have you ever received a gift of welcome that made you feel beloved, like the person or people welcoming you are truly delighted to have you with them? I hope so. I hope each and every one of you can think of a time when someone else greeted you, or beckoned you over to their … Continue reading The Gift of Welcome
How connected do you feel to other people at church? If you wish you felt a bit more connected, there are many ways to get there – and I want to give a shout-out for the Tuesday’s Welcome Table weekly dinners as one delicious, delightful way to feed your body and your spirit while getting … Continue reading Tuesday’s Welcome Table
When I was growing up, Maundy Thursday was one of many unfamiliar observances on my mother’s Phillips Brooks calendar. I’m not sure exactly when I learned roughly what it was – a service remembering the final meal Jesus ate with his disciples before he died. I may have had a vague sense before joining our … Continue reading What is Maundy Thursday?
Our theme for exploration this month is “Opening to Joy.” December is the month where we are most likely to feel pressure to be cheerful, to smile for the camera, go to parties, decorate, give gifts… but we can go through those motions without experiencing any joy at all. If we are depressed, grieving, stressed … Continue reading Opening to Joy
As I sit to write these words, it is a perfect summer day. A cool front has cleared out the smoke from the western wildfires, and my windows are open to take in the pleasant breeze. Yesterday’s meeting of the Pandemic Policy Team (PPT), however, still casts a shadow on my mood. We are returning … Continue reading Faith Development for Children in Uncertain Times
Throughout our lives, we are changing, learning, growing – we may feel we are pretty much the same person we were yesterday, and we may expect that we will wake up tomorrow as pretty much the same person we are now, yet in truth we are always in a process of becoming. This is true … Continue reading Becoming
You can now watch and listen to Minister’s Musings on our YouTube Channel. Click here for January’s message. Our January theme asks us to explore the role of imagination in our lives – in our inner lives, in our relationships with others, in our institutions, and in our connection to all that is. I think … Continue reading What Does it Mean to be a People of Imagination?
