June 3, 2020
Beloveds,
Once again I say ‘so much has changed since last week’. This week, in addition to the physical and psychic stress of the on-going pandemic, the world witnessed the killing of a Black man, George Floyd, at the knee of a police officer, who would not loosen his hold even after Mr. Floyd cried “I can’t breathe” and on-lookers noticed Mr. Floydeach becoming unconscious. It is horrific. Add to this the overrepresentation of people of color among COVID hospitalization and deaths, and our President’s remarks inciting government sanctioned and vigilante violence against protesters, and I find myself again heartbroken, enraged and not surprised that we have rioting again in our nation’s cities. The callous indifference to Black Lives that is rooted so deeply in systemic racism remains a festering wound in this nation. I rededicate myself to being a part of the healing and systemic change that needs to happen for reconciliation.
And in the midst of all of this, we continue to live our own lives, each with their personal stresses and joyful moments, each day with the same number of hours and minutes, no matter how much the world calls to us. I see your tired faces on zoom, and hear how the stress of these times is impacting many of you. No matter what you are feeling — be it outrage, or weariness, or even joy at the change of pace, know that it is ok. There is no right way to feel in times of upheaval, just as there are no ‘right ways’ to grieve.
This morning, I sat out on my front porch for a few moments with my cup of tea. The word that came to me in the sweet morning air was ‘gorgeous’. And I made it my intention for the day to notice and name the gorgeous things in my day. As I ended my day, looking at the faces of our leaders during our tech rehearsal for the Annual meeting, I said again, ‘gorgeous’.
In the midst of the confusion, challenge and even horror of these times, may you, too, notice and name what remains gorgeous.
Office Hours
Since I don’t get to check in with you when you pop over to the Fellowship, or chat with you in the hall on Sunday mornings, I’m holding weekly Zoom Office hours — they are a time to just chat, or stop in and share whatever is going on with you. If more than one person stops in, I’ll manage the flow of people and conversations. Feel free to hop onto my Zoom room on:
- Thursday, June 4, 9-10:30 a.m.
- Wednesday, June 10, 7-8:30 pm
- Thursday, June 18, 12-1:30
I will be attending virtual UU Ministers Association and General Assembly the week of June 22-28. Then back again in the beginning of July, before taking a break in late July and early August.
Our Community
Some Offerings to consider
Summer Outside Activities start THIS week. Thank you to our School of the Spirit Staff, Jessica Laikeman, Ari Flauta, Celeste Johnson and Kitty Kaler for creating these socially distanced opportunities for us to gather outside!
THIS SATURDAY June 6th from 10am – 12pm is our Annual Meeting. Don’t miss this opportunity to gather, thank our leaders and use an on-line voting app to vote on new elected leaders and our 2020-21 budget.
Poetry Night: Join me on Thursday, June 11th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for a contemplative evening of sharing using poetry. Rev. Lydia will provide a poem for us to dive into, based on the SoulMatters theme of Thresholds. There will be time for personal journaling or drawing, followed by small group sharing. (These events used to be called “Deepening the Conversation,” and are based on the work of Parker Palmer).
Impacts on the Building