This week I am
contemplating an old Zen saying, “The glass is already broken.”
I believe it reminds us that all things are temporary, so we must not
be too attached to things (including ourselves)—breakage is a part
of the natural cycle of life. In our house, we are recently
experiencing the breakage of our television set (during one of the
electrical storms of August) and of our refrigerator, and just for
good measure, my luggage was damaged during recent air travel. It
has made things a bit chaotic during the past two weeks. I find that
when one thing breaks I feel cranky. But when multiple things break,
I start to get philosophical, and have to laugh again.
I have
to remember that life is always a bit chaotic, and change is the
nature of reality. This fall, we will have some change at church
too. Happy change, but still a bit chaotic for everyone. We are
welcoming a new Director of Religious Education, Taryn Walker. The
search committee feels very excited about her experience and her
potential, AND, it is all new for her. Taryn has a strong background
working with kids, and she already loves our spiritual community, AND
she has never been a DRE before. Just to make it a bit more
challenging, her prior work commitments included two trips this
fall—so, even though she has been hard at work during August, we
won't get to welcome her at church until September 21st.
So please, help her to feel welcome in her new role, and offer a lot
of patience and support as she learns the ropes. (And volunteer for
RE!)
We are also
welcoming a full-time Intern Minister for the 14-15 church year. Lyn
Betz comes to us via the Concord, NH church, where she was a member
for many years, and also did a two-year part-time internship. She
recently graduated from Meadville Lombard Theological School, and
brings many gifts of ministry to our congregation, plus a wonderful
chance to share a perspective from another UU church, as she learns
about our A2U2 culture and community. Remember how it felt to be the
new kid on the block? I know you all are great at helping people to
feel at home. That will be her primary work this first month, and
then we'll see how best her ministry can find some good purpose here,
and she can learn the aspects of ministry that she still needs to
learn.
I am looking
forward to seeing everyone again after a fairly restful but full
summer. I had a chance to visit my parents, who are both in their
eighties now and living in West Virginia, where two of my sisters
also reside. Mom and dad are slowing down, and dealing with some
health issues so my sisters are helping out in significant ways. On
the other side of our family, sadly, my partner Margy's mother died
at the end of July, at the age of 96. Even after someone has lived a
long and full life, we cannot help but grieve their passing. I
always appreciated that Margy's mother purposefully let me know I was
welcome in their family, and that she, as well as Margy's sister,
came to my ordination ceremony fifteen years ago. Margy and I
traveled to Rochester for her memorial service in mid-August, and had
a good visit with all of her extended family, including three little
ones—ages one and a half, two and a half and three and a half.
So I
will see you in church on September 7th,
and look forward to hearing about your summers and the events of your
lives since last we met. I also look forward to more work on our
church's three year plan, and our environmental focus—this year we
get to see more details about possible improvements to our building
and land, and make some decisions about what we might like to pursue
as a congregation.
