Blessings to you on this Thursday, dear church –

And happy November! This week has been quieter than last, for which I am grateful. It was so powerful to be together on Sunday. Thank you for showing up with open hearts and arms to receive one another. There have been a number of vigils and gatherings for grief processing this week. I hope you’ve found your way to those if you need them. I’ve been sharing information in the A2U2 Families Facebook group.

• Sunday Nov. 5 – Worship w/ Rev. Tara, “One Drop in a New Wave”.
• Thursday Nov. 9 – Rev. Tara begins medical leave.
• Sunday Nov. 12 – Worship led by a variety of lay-leaders with reflections by Jane Prairie and Dave Juers (in-person), and Rev. Tara (virtual, pre-recorded), “Monk’s Work”.
• Sunday, Nov. 19 – Worship with guest Rev. Erika Hewitt, Director of Worship Arts at the UUA, “Bread Sunday: Leavened with Love”.
• Thursday, Nov. 23 – Thanksgiving Day Community Care Call on Zoom with Rev. Tara!
• Tuesday, November 28 – Rev. Tara returns to the office.

And don’t forget to set your clocks back this weekend… It’s Daylight Savings!

I know… I can hear some of you sighing through the interwebs. The last few years I’ve actually looked forward to the darkness… cozy evenings at home, a slower pace, looking toward the solstice and season of Advent. This year, I’m finding myself a little more afraid of the dark.

I shared my anxiety about this year’s winter darkness with a wise pastor friend earlier this week and she looked at me, took a breath, and said – “how’s your candle supply?!” We both laughed. It was a sweet reminder to surround myself with what I need to make the most of this time of rest and reflection, even if it will have its own challenging moments. The light will return. And then the darkness. And the light, again. For everything there is a season.

So as we enter November, in a bit of chaos as you can see, I wonder… how is YOUR candle supply?

May it be plentiful.

With much love,

Rev. Tara