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Yes, giving serves most often to meet some kind of physical need–food, shelter, safety, or health. But when we give money, we are also sending a powerful message to folks who are vulnerable. We’re telling them not only that we see them, and not only that we care, but that we’re willing to give some amount of our labor, some amount of our own comfort in order to meet their needs. That some part of us is in the struggle with them.
It is in this spirit that we at JUC, on one Sunday of every month, give our offering to a local community organization as part of our commitment to upholding the inherent dignity of every person, and to extending the love in our community outside the walls of our church. So I encourage you to get to know the organizations that justice council has chosen as next year’s recipients, and to consider how you might give as you are able. Our special plate schedule for this new church year is as follows (click on each organization name to learn more):
| | If you feel called to set up a regular donation to our special plate, benefitting each of these organizations, you can do that here. | | |
If you could give our congregation a gift of the spirit, what would it be? What gift of the spirit would aid us in growing into our best becoming as a congregation? Those questions were posed by Rev. Wendy to our whole congregation, and this summer we'll be fortunate to hear from several congregants who answered Wendy’s call as part of our summer speaker series.
I also considered these questions. There are many gifts of the spirit I would give our congregation, but one important one would be unquestionable belonging. If I could, I would wave a magic wand over the whole congregation so that each and every person just automatically knew that they belonged. There would never be a moment when someone wondered if they could join a conversation or event, sign up for a group or to volunteer. They would not wonder whether or not they were truly part of the “we” that is our church.
The gift of unquestionable belonging would help people feel their inherent dignity and worth at a deep level. I think the magic would spread, and when people no longer were worrying about whether or not they belonged, they could spend their energy showing up as their most authentic selves. This would lead to more and more deep and spiritual conversations with congregants, and we would learn so much more about each other.
Imagine what it would feel like if every person felt truly free to show up in an authentic manner, enabling them to truly live into the idea that they are welcome to “be who you are!” What would we need in order to achieve that? What skills would help us navigate that gracefully? How can we send the message that belonging does not have to be earned?
So here I go–I have my wand out–I hope you feel the magic sprinkle down on you while I tell you that “You Belong!”
On another note–we are looking for Faith Exploration teachers and Coming of Age Mentors for the fall. We have 15+ available spots in multiple grade levels. Teachers generally teach two Sundays/month, using lessons prepared by the FE team. COA mentors meet once or twice per month, with increased involvement in the spring. If you have been thinking about teaching or mentoring perhaps now is the time to take the plunge! Please contact myself or Laura Lizut for more information.
Enjoy your summer! Love,
Sarah
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by Steve DeCaluwe
Community. It’s one of the things that has always pulled me to our church. I know I’m not alone in this: throughout the “Power of Our Name” project this past year, when we ask what the church represents to people, this idea of “community” is typically one of the first, and most frequently cited forces drawing us together. But what do we mean by “community?” What is it for, and what of ourselves do we bring to this beloved community?
When I think about the ways that I exist in community at JUC, and where I can deepen that connection, this past month’s theme of Integrity weighs on me. Not in the sense of being true to one’s own values, but more in terms of being whole. Undivided. Integrated. (No, I could not resist making a mathematics reference). It is honestly not always easy to show up at JUC as my whole self. To not want to shelve the parts of myself that may be overwhelmed by despair or self-doubt, some days, and instead slip on a mask of pleasantry that will get me in and out of the commons, for example, without bumming anybody out.
Certainly, the urge is understandable. And in a church with a healthy share of self-identified introverts (my people!), I imagine I am not the only one who sometimes feels like they are holding back a part of themselves, at JUC and elsewhere. But I keep circling back to the idea of integrity, and wonder: what are we losing, by holding ourselves back? How can we truly celebrate our joys and successes, with one another, if we are not also intimately familiar with one another’s sorrows and struggles? It is a question frequently on my mind and feels essential to almost evert aspect of our quest to nurture religious community in which we deepen spiritually, connect authentically, serve respectfully, and love radically.
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Dear Friends,
One of the great joys of serving this beloved community is sharing the spiritual gift of music–how it uplifts us, gathers us, and gives voice to our deepest values. Today, I’m excited to share that a new gift has been placed in our hands and hearts: the UUA’s New Virtual Hymnal, Sing Out Love.
For the past six months, I have served on the team collecting and reviewing the music to be placed in this revolutionary tool. Not only is this the first codified collection of new Unitarian Universalist music in 20 years, but it is also the first of its kind–an entirely virtual hymnal designed to evolve and grow.
More than just a collection of songs, Sing Out Love is a bold step forward for our Unitarian Universalist music tradition. It reflects who we are now–a faith community continually evolving in love, justice, and inclusion. This digital hymnal brings new compositions, global melodies, and reimagined favorites, accessible from anywhere and ready to meet the spirit of our times.
As your Director of Music Ministry, I see this as a true gift of the spirit. I am honored to help bring this gift to our congregation. It’s an invitation to sing new truths, to lift up unheard voices, and to deepen our worship with songs that resonate with the world we live in today.
In the Fall, I will host several New Hymn Sings where you are invited to come and greet these new hymns that will surely become as woven into our tradition as Blue Boat Home and Spirit of Life have. I look forward to weaving these new selections from Sing Out Love into our services–sometimes joyfully, sometimes prayerfully, always together.
Let us be brave enough to sing new songs. Let us be open enough to hear them.
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Piglet once said, “It’s hard to be brave when you’re only a Very Small Animal.”
I’m really feeling that right now. The world feels like it’s in total chaos, and I am one in a sea of 340 million people, in this country alone. With so much going on, how can I possibly make a difference? We’ve all heard the ripple effect stories–the idea that when you influence one person, they influence the next. Or that every link in the chain matters, and when one breaks, the whole chain weakens. Rope is stronger than a single thread. A mountain is a pile of rocks. Ants can move a rubber tree when they work together. We’ve heard it all before.
But what does that actually mean, to me, to us? The stories are good, but they don’t move us unless we let them. It’s easy to say how important it is to stand up, but as the saying goes: talk is cheap, actions speak louder than words.
Bravery is the quality of facing fear, danger, or difficulty with courage and determination. Did you know? Bravery isn’t about being fearless, it’s about your brain learning to act with fear. The amygdala fires when you sense danger or uncertainty, that’s your fear response. But your prefrontal cortex (the logical part of your brain) can override that fear, helping you take action anyway. That’s literally what courage is: your brain saying, “I’m scared, but I’m doing this.” So, if your heart races or your palms sweat when you speak up, volunteer, or face hard conversations, that’s your brain doing its job. Bravery is choosing to keep showing up anyway.
If I could give one gift to our congregation and each individual, it would be that: the bravery to move. To not just know the stories but to let them shift us. To step into discomfort, to challenge ourselves to be better, to live our values in real, visible ways. To be willing to teach our brains that the fear response is just that, a response, not the final say.
So I ask: what can you do today to be part of the rope, not just a thread? To be a rock in the mountain? To be the link that holds others together? To teach our brains to be brave?
We are a we. And together, we can show the world what a true community that lives its values looks like. Even Very Small Animals can change the world–and so can we.
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The Unitarian Universalist Association Condemns U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision in the United States v. Skrmetti Case
The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is condemning the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision (PDF, 118 pages) in the United States v. Skrmetti case that will harm the rights of transgender youth to receive gender affirming care in this country.
“The Supreme Court’s decision today will irreparably harm transgender youth by allowing states to deny them the kind of care they need for their physical and mental well-being,” said Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, the UUA’s president. “As a part of our faith tradition, Unitarian Universalists embrace transgender, nonbinary, intersex, and gender diverse people. This is a central expression of our faith. We also believe that denying healthcare to the trans community is a moral violation. We send our love and care to all the trans youth and their families who are directly affected by this ruling, we will keep fighting for you. We will continue to work with and on behalf of the trans and nonbinary community to ensure that their dignity as human beings and rights are protected across this country.” Read the full article here.
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