Sharing Resources.  

Making the extra effort to connect with other congregations.  

Reminding ourselves that we are a part of the Interdependent Web of All Existence in as many ways as we can.

 

At the end of September, we hosted a workshop on Generational Theory as it relates to congregational life. This was organized by the Leadership Development Committee (LDC), nearly a year in the planning, and co-sponsored by the Committee on Shared Ministries (COM).  The LDC made the bold move to live into our understanding of the interdependent web by inviting three local Unitarian Universalist congregations who are closest to us in size and story. And they took part!

 

And this month we are doing it again.  On October 27, we are hosting another Saturday morning workshop, this time on Sunday Morning Safety – the focus is how to prepare ourselves better against the possibility of harm.  And again, the folks who are sponsoring this – the Safety Task Force – made the bold move to open this opportunity up. The workshop is open to anyone in our congregation, as well other UU congregations and we will be reaching out to some of our local interfaith partners to see if they would like to send representatives as well.

 

I can’t tell you how pleased and proud of the congregation I am because of these choices.

 

I believe that the Interdependent Web of All Existence exists whether we pay attention to it or not, whether we groom it or not.  We are just one of a multitude of moving, animated parts of this Web, as essential as every other part.

 

And yet we benefit from its existence more when we pay attention to it, when we put our efforts into strengthening it.  Building and sustaining connections between UU congregations is part of our polity (method of governance) all the way back to 1648 – even though in the past half of the 20th century there was far more attention to congregational autonomy than was or is healthy.  And what history tells us, and what stories from my own life tell me, is that building connections with others – other individuals, other civic organizations, congregations of other faith traditions – this is what will not only enrich us and widen our horizons, but will support us as we meet challenges of all ilk.

 

I am so proud and so pleased that The Unitarian Society, a Unitarian Universalist Congregation is choosing connection and cooperation with its neighbors.  And I think you should be, too.

 

I am blessed to be on this journey with you,

 

Rev. Karen