Dear Ones-.
I’ve come across a wonderful little book entitled Designing Contemporary Congregations by Laurene Beth Bowers.  Bowers is pastor of the First Congregational Church in Randolph Massachusetts and a graduate of Andover Newton School of Theology (I mention these two items to let you know that she is a “close theological relative”).  I’ve not finished the book.  In fact I’ve only gotten to the first chapter, but already I’m hooked.  In her introduction she says this about “worship”:  “Contemporary worship is a transition between celebrating what the congregation has accomplished through its missionary and social justice activities, and praising God for using congregants as the instruments of those activities, and re-energizing those same congregants to go back into the world to engage in ministry again.  Without the opportunity to celebrate the ways that God has worked through the servants, to affirm their gifts and talents and to witness to the presence and power of divine intervention, then we are only do-gooders and do not need organized religion.  Gathering for worship frames the experience of coming into the church and going out with its cyclical movement that has no beginning and no end.”

While we may take exception to some of her language on theological grounds (we‘re UU‘s- you get to choose which language and on what theological grounds), I believe her basic message is absolutely wonderful.

Wishing you peace and blessings,
John

You can reach John at minister@uufs.net

As many of you know, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations has just wrapped up their General Assembly in Minneapolis, MN. Traditionally, the final event is a worship service on Sunday morning, often with the UUA president delivering the sermon. While I don’t normally watch long videos on my computer (it‘s approximately 1 hour), I’ve just finished watching this magnificent service. If you can devote even ten or twenty minutes, I URGE you to watch any or all of it (my recommendation would be at least the chalice lighting and the sermon by UUA President Peter Morales). It really was that good!

General Assembly Worship Service Video

Kit Wright and Joy Troyer market their creations at the Art with Soul booth

Never know who you might meet at GA

Dear Ones-

Ah- the Congregational meeting- as much a UU ritual as lighting our chalice.  It is part of our “Congregational Polity”- part of who we are as an independently organized institution.  There is no higher authority for our Fellowship than the congregation, and it is at the congregational meeting that our member’s voices can be most audibly heard.

This past Sunday at our congregational meeting, our voices were heard once again.  Among other things, we elected new members to our Board of Trustees.  It always fills my heart with joy to see people “step up to the plate”- people who believe in our Fellowship and  who are willing to work for its success.  To those who will now serve- Naomi, Leslie, Judy, Jeannie, Dottie, Kim and Liz- I offer my deepest “thank you” and “congratulations”.  I look forward to another wonderful year of challenge, growth, opportunities, love and laughter.

And to those wonderful folks who have served so faithfully and who are now leaving the Board – Karen, Mike, Richard, Jackie- I also offer my deepest “Thank you”.  You have guided our Fellowship beautifully, and have served us well.

Finally, I also want to thank the members of our Nominating Committee.  I saw first-hand what a thoughtful, hardworking group you are.  I know the process wasn’t easy.  Clearly, there were challenges.  It is also clear, though, that our Fellowship is tremendously enriched by the dedication to fulfilling your mission that you have shown.   So Seth, Ashley, and Kit- thank you!  Well done!

Wishing you peace and blessings,
John

You can reach John at minister@uufs.net

Without a doubt, Spring is my favorite time of year.  The earth seems to fairly burst with color and beauty.

This Sunday we will be celebrating some of that beauty as we honor our new members and those among us who would nurture us in a “motheresque” way.  It’s also our “Flower Communion” annual event (In our “Flower Communion“ we all bring flowers, and then each person is invited to take a flower from our table).  I expect our Fellowship, too, will fairly burst with joy and beauty!  Please plan to join us for this very special “service for all ages”, and don’t forget to bring some (cut) flowers from your garden to share!

Wishing you peace and blessings,
John

You can reach John at minister@uufs.net

Minister Musing

By John Wright, M.Div., Minister

Dear Ones-

A quotation from my colleague Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae:
“This is what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist: to walk with the women and men of ages past, to march forward into the future with this great living tradition, and to offer our saving message to the world. That is the only Unitarian Universalism that I have ever known.”
What does being a Unitarian Universalist mean to you?  Something to ponder…

Wishing you peace and blessings,
John

You can reach John at minister@uufs.net

Minister Musing

Success for April Pathway to Membership Class

By John Wright, M.Div., Minister

Dear Ones-

Last Sunday there occurred an extraordinary event that I wanted to share.  It was the second half of our “Path to Membership” class.  It was an opportunity for folks considering joining our Fellowship to meet and hear from some representatives of our Board and Committees (Many thanks to the lovely folks who provided lunch and who gave presentations.  You really are SUCH an amazing group of people!).  As the representatives each in turn gave a brief presentation of what their committee did or the group they represented, I was struck by the amazing breadth of opportunities we have to serve and deepen our involvement in our beloved community.  Apparently, so were the seekers who attended the meeting, because we now have SEVEN new members!  Congratulations and welcome to our newest members!  May you grow in service and love for this community, and may this community, in turn, love you, encouragement you, nurture you, challenge you, and support you through all the days and seasons of your life.

Wishing you peace and blessings,
John

Minister Musing

Questions

Dear Ones-

Questions- our lives are filled with questions.  I’ve been thinking a lot about questions, lately.  We ask questions to learn, to clarify, and to explore the world around us.  Teachers often ask questions to stimulate conversation, or to help students learn. Recently, Kit and I went to a lovely Seder (Thank you , Seth!) and, of course, part of the Seder ritual is the asking of questions.  (Why is tonight different from all other nights?  Why on this night do we eat only matzah?  Why on this night do we eat only bitter herbs?  Why, on this night, do we dip our vegetables twice?  Why on this night, do we eat only reclining?)
Sometimes, as in our Seder, the questions are both ritual and a starting place for a larger conversation about slavery, oppression, and freedom.

There are those who feel threatened by questions, who see them as a challenge to authority and the status quo.

And I suppose they may be right.  Frequently that is exactly what happens when one asks questions.  Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong speaks of “comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable”.  He sees his life’s calling as asking questions that challenge, that stimulate, that threaten the status quo, that compel us to look at what is and compare it to what might be.  Our Unitarian Universalist faith, too, calls us to ask questions, to confront forces and systems of complacency and oppression and ask ourselves how we can make the world a better place.

May each of us continue to ask questions- to stand in the face of those very forces and institutions that would silence our questions and ask, “Why?”

Wishing you peace and blessings,

John

You can reach John at minister@uufs.net

Minister Musing

Reflecting on the Past

Passover- for thousands of years Jews the world over have been honoring the time when the they were slaves in Egypt, and were finally allowed to go free.  For Jews it is a time of reflecting on the past, appreciating the present, and understanding that the two are inextricably connected.

And isn’t it also true for all of us?  Even if we deny our past, it is still a part of what makes us who we are today- as individuals and as a society.

So we reflect on that past-difficult though it may have been.  And we recognize that we may, in time, “be brought forth from bondage unto freedom, from sorrow unto joy, from mourning unto festivity, from darkness unto great light, and from servitude unto redemption.”

Wishing you peace and blessings,
John

You can reach John at minister@uufs.net

Minister’s Musings

John Wright, M. Div., Minister

Dear Ones-

Every now and then a friend will send me links to …something- all sorts of things.  Sometimes these links are just for fun, sometimes they’re provocative, and sometimes they’re absolutely profound.  Recently, a friend sent me this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0TInLOJuUM#watch-main-area.  It’s to a youtube version of Cat Stevens singing his lovely “Morning Has Broken”, with beautiful pictures.  I believe it captures the spirit of the song, and certainly speaks to me as a Unitarian Universalist.

This Sunday, the Rev Gabriele Parks of our sister UU Fellowship in Easton will be our special guest.  Don’t miss this opportunity to meet “Rev Gabi” and hear her sermon on “Humor in Church”!
Have a wonderful rest-of-the-week, and I’ll see you at the Fellowship.

Wishing you peace and blessings,
John

You can reach John at minister@uufs.net

Wishing you peace and blessings,
John

You can reach John at minister@uufs.net