Are you religious? How often have I asked or been asked that question. I grew up attending Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, sharing Seders with extended family, attending Hebrew school and becoming a Bar Mitzvah. Rabbi Harold Kushner framed description of an individual’s religiosity as being serious or not. I was not a serious … Continue reading Why My Heart is Here
Why is my heart here? Easy. Village. Since joining the UU I have repeated this word countless times: my mantra, my purpose, my prayer. It’s the people who keep me tethered. These caring relationships, the love shared between us, the welcoming of strangers are where I find the sacred. Before the UU, I felt out … Continue reading Why My Heart is Here: Village
It’s a rainy Saturday morning. Usually, it’s my day to sleep in after a long week of juggling my multiple roles as a parent and community home health nurse. At times it feels like an arduous task getting the kids to school on time, having enough energy at the end of the day to cook … Continue reading Why My Heart is Here: Children’s Programs and Community
Sincerity. Let me explain. When I got my first job out of grad school, it was through an agency. My work was spread out over several towns. I rarely went to the main office, but every paycheck had the boss’s signature and a sticky note saying “Thanks for your great work”. I had no doubt … Continue reading Why My Heart is Here: Sincerity
Spirit Week is an invitation to make intentional space for reflection on what matters most, on what brings us alive, on the energy that animates us and connects us to the universe in all its mystery. Spirit Week encourages us to “take a breath” as we go about our personal and congregational routines, adding a … Continue reading Spirit Week: The Why and What
Are you grieving the loss of a loved one, enduring an illness or injury, facing financial stress or isolation? Are you dealing with a disability, relationship struggles, the demands of care-giving or anything else thatis making life challenging? You are not alone. Our pastoral care team is here to offer support. In pastoral care, the … Continue reading Pastoral Care at Concord UU
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
Our ministry and pastoral care team tries to be as systematic and reliable as possible about acknowledging grief in our congregation. No one should feel they have to go through their grieving unsupported and on their own. It truly breaks my heart whenever I learn that I have dropped the ball and have failed to … Continue reading Grieving Together: A Wheel for ‘Holding Our Grief’
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
Our mission has never felt as relevant as today: Connecting in love and service, growing spiritually, transforming ourselves and the world. In record time, we’ve had to transform ourselves from a brick & mortar, relish-in-person-proximity, love-to-share-food-and-hold-hands kind of congregation into an online, phone-line, keep your physical distance kind of community. None of us know the … Continue reading Church in a Time of Pandemic
