Dear friends,
I am in full-speed ahead mode as we approach the end of the official church program year on June 18th! I hope those of you with particularly full plates are finding moments for rest, rejuvenation, and joy. This past weekend I traveled Down East for the installation of a UCC minister friend, and all along the side of the highway as I drove, I was blessed with the gift of lupine! Even in the not so fun moments of cranky are-we-there-yet driving, there was reason to smile and feel connected to the beauty of Maine.
I’ll be back in the pulpit this Sunday to share a message “Beyond the Binary” exploring the ways in which Spirit calls us to, and Pride Month reminds us of, the never-ending process of becoming and letting go of boxes and categories that no longer work for us. We’ll reflect on how Unitarian Universalists can make sense of Process Theology as we reflect on our own becoming. And most excitingly, we’ll welcome new members to the A2U2 community in a new member ceremony! I hope you’ll stay after worship for our Annual Meeting where we’ll vote on updated bylaws, next year’s budget, and express our gratitude for outgoing and incoming leaders. Snacks, childcare, and a Zoom option will be provided.
Next Sunday, June 18th, is an exciting one, too! We’ll celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Unitarian Universalist Flower Communion started by Rev. Norbert Čapek in Czechoslovakia in 1923. The ceremony was brought to the US by his wife, Mája Čapek, after his death in the Dachau Nazi concentration camp in 1940. An extraordinary story. Please bring a few flowers with you to worship (or a whole bunch!) so we have enough for the ritual.
June 18th also includes a Bridging Ceremony for our Senior Youth! Youth Group members Lex Jones, Theo Dierks-Brown, and Zander VanBrugh will be crossing the threshold to young adulthood with our love and blessings. Join me in welcoming them to the other side of the bridge!
A lot going on indeed, and a lot to celebrate and be thankful for. After worship on the 18th, I depart for a week in Pittsburgh for UUMA Ministry Days and UUA General Assembly. I’m grateful to A2U2 for making it possible for me to attend in person. After that I’ll disappear for a time of renewal and rejuvination. Stay tuned for my summer office schedule and a schedule of who to contact should you need pastoral care while I’m away (coming next week).
Until then, see you in church!
With love,
Rev. Tara