by John Wright, M.Div., Minister
Author Anna Quindlen writes that “Life is not so much about beginnings and endings as it is about going on and on and on.”
While many of you recognize me as your Minister (for which I am more deeply grateful than I can possibly say!), what you may not realize is that my contract with you was actually for 3 months, and will expire the end of this month (May). Hopefully, at the Congregational Meeting on May 17, the congregation will vote to approve a budget that will allow me to continue serving you. But this is, in fact, my last Uutopia article under the existing contract.
This seemed to me, then, a good moment to reflect on some of the things I’ve squeezed into this past two months. I’ve been in contact with local agencies to introduce myself, including the NAACP, Peninsula General Medical Center, The Muslim Student Association of Salisbury University, the Peace Alliance of the Lower Shore, and Halloway Funeral Home. I’ve provided Pastoral Care for a variety of folks, including people who are not part of our Fellowship, officiated a funeral, attended Board meetings in an advisory capacity, as well as consulted with several committees of the Fellowship. And, by the time you receive this newsletter, our “New UU” class will have been brought to completion.
But I don’t want this article to be solely about “what I’ve done”. As Quindlen’s quotation says, “it’s about going on and on and on”. That’s really what I want to focus on- our “going on and on” together. I am confident that in this coming fiscal year we can collectively achieve some important and wonderful goals. Together we’ll strengthen programs that are working well, we’ll “tweak” programs that need some help, and we’ll invent new programs as we go along and need arises. We’ll explore new ideas and perspectives, we’ll find additional ways to celebrate the joy of being who we are, we’ll continue to learn from one another, challenge one another, and support one another. Together, collectively, we‘ll find new ways of bringing the “good news“ of Unitarian-Universalism to the Salisbury area and truly make UUFS a lighthouse, a beacon, a “home of liberal religion on the Eastern Shore.”
Our “formal” congregational year draws to a close, our less formal Summer programming begins (one that promises, incidentally, to be chock full of interesting, insightful conversations!). But ultimately, it’s not about beginnings and endings, it’s really about our moving forward together.
Please plan to attend the Congregational Meeting on May 17, and have a blessed and wonderful May!
