Welcome back, for those returning!
Welcome in, for those seeking!
Welcome to all!

April and May are especially weird months in the church year calendar. It's nearing the end of the year, and in some ways, it feels like a slog to get through them, but at the same time, it's the end of the year and suddenly brains switch from slogging to wanting to somehow fit in all these various things we realize unexpectedly we wanted to do before the year ended.

Although I am making the preparations and doing the things, I know that my leave-taking of this congregation hasn't fully hit me yet. I'm glad for it. That I have been able to keep busy and focused on the work I need to do every day for a bit longer. I've been preoccupied, too, with the loss of my second cat since I moved to Florida.

And as I am getting ready for my leaving, I notice the things that I haven't been able to do yet. There was so much, and we did so much together, and I am proud of where you are now. There's always more, and sometimes part of the ministry is recognizing what is ours to do and what must be done by someone else.

If you're looking for a way to get more involved in congregational life, but are not sure how, let me know or attend one of the monthly Congregational Roundtables. We'd like to do some reimagining of worship, our caring committee, and membership. The hope is that no one will be doing any of these alone, but that there will be a group of people managing the various tasks and coordinating to make sure they all get done.

As we try to pull a few more things together before my departure, I am noticing the way it fits with this month's theme of pluralism. We come together to make our communities better, our organizations better, our lives better. We are enriched when we engage with people who are different than we are. Unitarianism, Universalism, and Unitarian Universalism all have rich histories of pluralism, which we'll be exploring in worship. I'm already looking forward to sharing a few slivers of this richness with you!

In faith and service, Rev. Kristina Spaude (She/her)

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