Hope, love, joy, and peace. The qualities celebrated during the Advent season are not always easy to embody. In the Christian story the figure of Jesus of Nazareth brings them to fulfillment. No wonder his birth is celebrated with such exuberance! The Advent season does not hold nearly as much meaning for non-Christians– and most Unitarian Universalists find themselves in that camp these days. After all, if you honor the historical figure of Jesus as a great teacher (“rabbi” in the Jewish tradition), prophet and healer, but not the Son of God on earth, why should his birth be a cause for celebration?
Halloween and Samhain have passed. That “thin veil” between the living and the dead that some experience this time of the year foreshadows the thin line between late autumn and early winter. The air temperature is still warm on many days, but come November 6, when daylight savings time ends, we’ll be well aware of the time of the year that holds the most darkness as the sun sets an hour earlier. A time that some will dread– for others, it’s the time for hygge, warming the winter with coziness and comfortable conviviality. Perhaps we’ll all experience a little of
To ensure a successful Interim Ministry at FUUSM, we want to share with you our intentions for our Collegial Covenant with each other. A covenant is a promise ministers make to one another that addresses how we will interact with each other and you, the congregation. Basically, we respect each other’s roles and avoid getting in the middle of important communications and relationships between the minister and a congregation member, whether publicly or privately. Rev. Sarah will refrain from attending any church meetings, program, potluck dinners, Parish Committee events or church activities held on- or off-site. Rev. Sarah will gladly
Whether we measure it by the meteorological calendar or the astronomical, there’s no denying that fall has arrived. Our FUUSM community marked the beginning of a new church year, as well, with our annual ingathering service and water communion. From many places, many streams, we brought our containers of water, combining in one bowl this symbol of our ongoing life together. Then we added the water to our memorial garden, honoring our past and adding promise to our future.
Summer is almost here. As my ministry with you approaches its close, I am grateful that our plans for the coming year are beginning to fall into place. As you know, due to a clergy shortage, we were one of twenty Unitarian Universalist congregations in the U.S. that were not matched with an Interim Minister. Luckily, we have some talented ministers in our area who have had considerable experience offering part-time ministries to congregations like ours. In addition, we have dedicated staff and volunteer leaders who are ready to help with everything we need going forward while we prepare for our next ministries.
On Friday, December 14, 2012, our country was devastated by the Sandy Hook tragedy in Newtown. Two days later, this church held our Christmas Pageant with our precious children and with heavy hearts. On Tuesday, May 24, 2022, we were confronted yet again with the ravages of calculated rage.
Sometimes it’s hard to realize what an impact this congregation has had on Middleborough and the communities around us that we serve. Not only do we support nonprofit organizations serving populations needing a helping hand with our Cash-in-the-Plate program, but we support our Minister’s Discretionary Fund. On behalf of our church, with our discretionary fund and with nonmonetary donations, we have given away new clothing and toys for schoolchildren Chromebook for a special needs child so he could keep up with schoolwork a specially designed chair so a child could join his family at the dinner table a child’s first
Some time ago, our congregation voted to display a Black Lives Matter banner on the front of the church. Knowing that there were reasons both for and against doing so, the Social Justice Core Team and the Parish Committee wanted to approach this decision with care. We spent months in preparation. Although it was current events that propelled us into the decision, a representative group of us spent the better part of a year in learning and deep reflection on our country’s history of violent oppression, and our own, inescapable racialization. These have left an indelible imprint on all our
One of my favorite Broadway shows growing up was “South Pacific.” When Nellie belted out her soul-defining song “Cockeyed Optimist,” I wanted to jump up and shout “Take That, Life!”
The Rev. Sue Phillips was the first Regional Lead for the UUA’s brand-new New England Region. An experienced minister and administrator, Phillips offered training in organizing and offering lay pastoral care. She would open by reminding us that “Caring for one another is a primary expression of Unitarian Universalist theology. Caring for one another is a foundational ministry of every congregation.” ‘Community’ means being cared for and caring for others, and that means belonging. We make meaning in our relationships. I think caring for one another is the ultimate expression, the core, of what we mean by shared ministry. There are three parts to caring ministry; the
