This is the second in the series of ‘Why My Heart is Here’. This series showcases how individual congregants’ roles and activities at Concord UU help them find connection to and meaning in their lives at church. By spotlighting these individual stories, we hope to show how you might also find your heart’s home here. We hope you enjoy getting a deeper insight into how the varying ways congregants offer service at church brings us meaning and joy, enmeshing us into the web of our church community and our community at large.

My husband and I moved to Concord in the Fall of 2020, smack dab in the middle of the pandemic. We were both retired now, so finding a way to connect with our new community seemed like a daunting task. In spring of 2021, while chatting with a neighbor, she suggested I check out Concord UU. She said that currently, in-person attendance might be limited but the Sunday Service was available via livestream through the Church’s website. I explored the website and was delighted to see that a wide variety of Contemplative Practices were offered including YOGA! I had recently completed YTT (Yoga Teacher Training) before we moved, but was unsure where or when I would have an opportunity to teach. I approach Yoga as a practice for Wellness that incorporates Body, Mind
and Spirit. I believe that EVERYONE should have the opportunity to experience the Joys of Yoga. “If you are breathing, you are doing Yoga”!

I soon started attending services in person and participated in a variety of the Contemplative Practices offered including Yoga. Knowing that I’d
found “my peeps”, I joined Concord UU in December 2022. Since becoming a member, I have been offered opportunities to serve the Church in a variety of capacities, but the Contemplative Practices hold a special place in my heart.

While some may consider me an extrovert, I self-describe as an introverted extrovert, meaning I gain energy from social interaction but require opportunities for reflection and contemplation to recharge my internal battery. I now have the privilege of team-teaching UUYoga. We take turns leading either a chair-assisted or mat-based practice at 6:30pm on the first and third Mondays each month, offered both in-person in the Sanctuary or on-line via Zoom. We’d love to have you join us!

Namaste,

Susan Casey