“We stopped coming and no one ever said a word.” “The only call I ever got from the church was about my pledge.” “I went through a rough time but the church didn’t seem to notice.” In other words: You didn’t care about me as a person. Hearing the disappointment and hurt expressed in … Continue reading Staying in Touch
I am planning to go on strike. And I hope you will join me. Greta Thunberg, the 16 year old climate activist is right. If not me, then who? If not now, then when? September 20th is Climate Strike Day. Millions of people around the globe, led by the youth, will express their readiness to … Continue reading Minister is Going on Strike
Our Second Hour and Sunday School classes have entered “Vacation Mode,” but faith development is so much bigger than what happens on Sunday mornings, and I want to encourage all of us – me included! – not to give our spiritual lives short shrift during the summer. Days are long – where will you make … Continue reading Summertime Faith
What a year of growth and learning this has been! As we prepare to wrap up our first year of Second Hour adult faith development programming and Sunday School classes after morning worship rather than before or during, it’s a time of taking stock. What went well? What were the challenges? What did we learn … Continue reading What’s next for Lifespan Faith Development?
Our mission statement says our congregation exists for three reasons: Connecting in love, growing spiritually, transforming ourselves and the world. As Spring begins to peek out from under the gritty, grimy remnants of snow, our worship theme for April will be Sacred Earth. I have heard from so many of you, and have experienced myself, … Continue reading Growing Spiritually
As we say each Sunday: “Let this be our covenant: … and to help one another.” These words have been at the core of so much of our ministry this winter. I don’t recall another time since my arrival in Concord with so many of us in need of care or involved in providing care. … Continue reading Circles of Care: Comfort in, Dump out
I am excited, and a bit nervous, about March in our congregation. Our worship theme is Christianity, which over the past half century seems to have become the most challenging world religion for us to discuss and experience as Unitarian Universalists. It’s definitely the most challenging world religion for me. Some of what Jesus taught, … Continue reading Teaching about Christianity
All our lives, we need physical spaces where we are warm, sheltered, and safe. Spaces where our bodies can rest, relax, and prepare for our forays into the activities of living. During the month of February as we explore the idea of sanctuary, we will consider many aspects of the concept and ask ourselves, where … Continue reading Finding Sanctuary
(Part 3 of 3 – continuing the December and January Musings): If I had to point to one practice that’s most fundamental to my own spiritual well being, I would have to say: Sleep. For decades I treated sleep as the uninvited guest crashing my party of life, readily ignored, rarely appreciated. Embracing sleep as … Continue reading How is your daily practice?
One of the great joys of my work is that I get to witness, or sometimes just overhear, the spiritual wonderings and discoveries of people from the nursery to the nursing home. I am eager for this new year, eager to continue the journey with you, eager to think and act together, to reflect on our experiences, and perhaps … Continue reading Learning About Inclusiveness from our Kids
