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Rev. Diana September Update

ByKaytee Rairdin

Dear Ones,

Our new congregational year has begun! 

We celebrated a beautiful Ingathering together, including our water communion, backpack blessing, commissioning the Board of Trustees, and an ice cream social. And as I write this, the Learning Space has just opened with first day excitement, smiles, and wonderings.

I’m excited this year to be engaging with a Vision of Ministry that centers hospitality, welcoming, homecoming; nourishing resilience; and nourishing our congregation’s health. Our staff and members have already been engaging with this vision as we’ve developed our stewardship campaign, which launches September 24, created our week of Ingathering events, and developed religious education programming for all ages. 

As part of our focus on nourishing resilience, there will be quite a few spiritual practices/mind and spirit opportunities this coming year. 

  • Worship associates are working with me on developing a simple monthly vespers service on 2nd Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. 
  • After All Ages worship services on 3rd Sundays we will have All Ages religious education with 3 types of activities: an arts, crafts, or hands-on activity; a discussion or forum; and music, meditation, and more. 
  • Lectio Divina with Poetry with me will be back on Wednesdays from 12 – 12:30 on zoom.
  • A monthly sound bath and meditation experience on 3rd Wednesdays from 6 – 7 pm.
  • Soul Matters covenant groups, which you can learn about and sign up for here Learn More and Sign Up Here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfOLdpUqOYN1-V8-68-Wb7XPlVzOTG42xRc4jxpHyNQ5GF0qQ/viewform
  • Opportunities through the Buddhist Sangha, Secular Humanists, UU Mystics, and CUUPS (see the calendar for details).

I’m particularly excited to invite you to save the date for our Equipping for Action event on October 6 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm and October 7 from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm. We will have the privilege of having Abena Imhotep of the Sankofa Literary and Empowerment Group and CB Beal of Justice and Peace Consulting coming to share three powerful workshops about bearing witness to ourselves and each other and how we facilitate and take action for liberation.

I will also be continuing to have community office hours away from UUS twice a month on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays (see the calendar for times and locations). Or if you’d like to meet with me at UUS or on zoom, you can still schedule a meeting with me using my electronic calendar. 

During this month of focus on Welcome (our Soul Matters theme for September), I hope you’ll join me in reflecting on and sharing what welcoming means to you, as well as how we can cultivate hospitality, welcoming, and homecoming as a congregation.

Love and Blessings,
Rev. Diana

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