Valuable Insights that Lift the Spirit

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Thank You for the Education

A larger white woman with short hair sits on the steps of a small stage with a cardboard box. She is surrounded by 9 children, who are all listening very intently to her. They are all bathed in beams of sunlight.

Dearest Beloveds,

Congratulations – we did it!  We made it to the unofficial end of this church year!  And, oh my goodness, we have so much to look forward to in the coming year!  However, before we get there, I want to offer you one last reflection – one last “Tools for the Journey” (at least, until Fall).

To begin, I want to take you back to last summer.  Do you recall what I said?  I said it was my hope that this series (which started as an email series sent to Lay Leaders in the Congregation) would “lift your spirits and/or provide valuable insight.”  And, from the feedback I received from many of you over the course of this year, it seems that hope has been realized.  I am grateful, really.  But, do you want to know what I am even more grateful for?  The ‘valuable insights’ and ‘lift in spirit’ you have given me over the course of this year.  Truthfully, I have learned so much from all of you during my time at First Church.  Would you like to know what I’ve learned this year?  I will tell you….

  • No one can do everything, but everyone can do something (okay, I knew this one before – but it’s always good to have a reminder).
  • Cultural change can be difficult.  It can take time.  But it can happen, as long as people are brave enough to center love.
  • Boundaries are a form of self-love.
  • The purpose of church may be it’s mission, but the magic of church lies within its people, and their connection to each other.
  • Gratitude is a form of that magic.  It can fuel us, heal our wounds, and even offer us protection.  Better yet, it is free and easy to access!  So, let’s express it often.

As a colleague of mine, Maria Harris, once said “Religious Education is all we do. Unitarian Universalism is all we teach. And the congregation is the curriculum.”  Thank you for the education in Unitarian Universalism.  Looking forward to future lessons. Until next time!

In faith and service,

–          Meredith