While many would say vulnerability is a state, I would say that it’s a practice and even a value. Vulnerability is about tenderness and letting one’s truest self be witnessed, even held, by another. This month’s theme touches on the concept of vulnerability.

February’s theme is what I have been thinking to myself is the very uninspired Love. But, as happens every month, as we get closer, I begin to play with ideas in my mind to make it more interesting. What if…? What about…?

The spiritual theme for January is “Finding Our Center,” which we will be exploring in more depth together in worship on January 8, and which I’ve been reflecting on. That idea of balance is one part of our center that, as with a seesaw, isn’t necessarily perfectly sustainable, but to be discovered again and again in the striving. I look forward to exploring this theme with you this month, and to connecting with you again soon!

The word of the month is “Wonder”. Changes in leadership for our Social Justice Council have led us to have a congregation- wide conversation about what social justice means to this congregation, and what it wants to do. The well-attended conversation on Nov 20 surfaced some main themes where there was an energy: supporting local initiatives, reducing the number of causes we engage with in order to form deeper relationships with the organizations, and being more involved with actions than previously (congregants don’t want to give monetary support). We’ll have another similar conversation in January to explore what there is the capacity for among volunteers and other questions.

Our spiritual theme for this month is Change. Change is an important idea to reflect on, but I am at least as interested in the deeper idea of transformation as part of change. Change is a constant in our lives: what I want to know is what meaning do we make of it, and how do we change in light of it? How are we transformed?

The spiritual theme for September is Belonging. In worship, we’ll be exploring what it means to belong to Unitarian Universalism and to each other. We’re starting off the month with a Question Box service — as a seeking people, we might say we also belong to questions and curiosity, humility and exploration.

It is good to be back to work after having some time off. While it was a handful of weeks away from the congregation and I was able to have some vacation time, it was also work time elsewhere for our faith — for our national General Assembly gathering as one of the Chaplain Co-Leads, … Continued