Dear Members and Friends,

Back when we used to meet in person for Adult Religious Education, we were going around the circle inviting people to share their thoughts. I prefaced our sharing by saying “of course in UU congregations you can always pass” and a new member of our congregation said “I wish I’d known that earlier!”

Church, especially our worship services, is for your spirit, for your soul. We who create worship for a Sunday morning use our experience and our best judgement to try to create a sanctuary for our beloved community, a time when your soul gets what it needs to face another week, to be the person you most want to be, to support your search for truth and meaning, and encouragement to spiritual growth, your growth as an ethical person. But only you know for sure what your soul needs. As my yoga teacher says “everything we offer is optional.”

Now that we are gathering by Zoom, I hope you will feel even more freedom to choose what feels right for your deepest truest self. I know some folks aren’t able to meet by Zoom, or find it unpleasant. We value you too, and hope you think of us Sunday morning at 10, and that you are doing something that feeds your soul.

I know some Sundays I enjoy putting on a dress or a favorite necklace, but I imagine if I weren’t leading worship I might love to attend worship in my Pajamas with the camera off. You might call in by phone and listen to the service as if it were on the radio. Some days I sing along full volume with the hymns, other Sundays I just hum along or listen to Katie play.

Now of course I love to see all your faces on the zoom cameras. It’s great that so many folks show up loyally week after week, even if it was hard to roll out of bed and log on. Because we are a community, it’s good that we rely on and support one another. Therefore, it becomes more subtle to discern “am I doing this because I think my community needs me to, or because the need is arising from deep within myself?

It’s okay to do something because folks are relying on you, or because it would make someone else happy. The spiritual growth comes from noticing which is which, and making the choices that come from your own wisdom and discernment.

The other day I was in a meditation class where we were listening for a word for the new year. I never did find a word, it just never arose, despite the lovely, guided meditation the teacher had created. Afterwards she said, “don’t worry about not doing the assignment – welcome whatever actually comes.” From the words of welcome to the last notes of the postlude, what if we just imagined our time together in worship as time to focus on your soul, and what it needs? And whatever comes up for you, whether it’s peace and inspiration, frustration, grief or even rage, whether it’s ideas about the sermon, compassion for the joys and sorrows of your community or the site of a beautiful bird outside your window, I encourage you to welcome it. Let there be a space in every week to allow your soul to be exactly as it is.

Yours,

Rev. Darcey