News: January 10, 2025
Dear Members and Friends
Happy New Year! The New Year is a time for both looking ahead and behind. I always start my New Year by reviewing the lists of books I’ve read and the things I’ve accomplished over the past year. I suspect that many of you do something similar.
One of the most significant things that I accomplished in 2024 was something we accomplished together: your decision to call me as your settled Senior Minister. This month marks the start of my time in that role. I am excited for this new type of relationship with you and all that it may bring. We will be celebrating this shared accomplishment in September with a special installation service. The details of the service are still be worked out but I’m thrilled to announce that the preacher will be Dr. Judith Weisenfeld, the Agate Brown and George L. Collord Professor of Religion at Princeton University, where she is also the Chair of the Department of Religion.
This month we’re taking a religious perspective on what I might euphemistically the great look ahead. As part of our “Future Visions, Future Selves” program we will be addressing that most religious of subjects: death. As the Unitarian Universalist theologian Forrest Church wrote, “Religion is the human response to being alive and having to die.”
It is not easy subject to face but it is one that is easier to face together. Over the course of the month we will be exploring it in four ways: through worship, through the installation of our memorial garden plaque, in the Senior Minister’s Book group, and through a special workshop. We’ll be devoting the service to religious perspectives on death this Sunday and again on January 26th, when Rev. Scott is in the pulpit. This Sunday we will also be dedicating our new memorial garden plaque. Throughout the month we will also be viewing death through the lens of Elizabeth Alexander’s beautiful memoir The Light of the World in the Senior Minister’s Book group. It is one of Michelle Obama’s favorite texts. I anticipate we will get a lot out of it. Then on January 26th Rev. Scott will be leading the workshop “What Matters To Me” End of Life Planning at 1:00 p.m. On January 19th we will be holding our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. service.
The New Year is also bringing new programs. The week of January 20th we will be relaunching our Minister’s Forum. The format is going to be somewhat different than in the past. Once a month we will be holding a conversation on a subject important to congregational life or the wider community. This month we’re going to kick things off with a conversation between Margarita and me about getting involved in the community. On top of that we will hosting a number of short livestreams on a variety of social media platforms to build better awareness about our congregation.
I know that 2025 is not going to be an easy year. But I am honored to know that I’ll be able to share it with you. I know that together through these programs and more we’ll be widening love’s circle.
love,
Colin
Happy New Year! The New Year is a time for both looking ahead and behind. I always start my New Year by reviewing the lists of books I’ve read and the things I’ve accomplished over the past year. I suspect that many of you do something similar.
One of the most significant things that I accomplished in 2024 was something we accomplished together: your decision to call me as your settled Senior Minister. This month marks the start of my time in that role. I am excited for this new type of relationship with you and all that it may bring. We will be celebrating this shared accomplishment in September with a special installation service. The details of the service are still be worked out but I’m thrilled to announce that the preacher will be Dr. Judith Weisenfeld, the Agate Brown and George L. Collord Professor of Religion at Princeton University, where she is also the Chair of the Department of Religion.
This month we’re taking a religious perspective on what I might euphemistically the great look ahead. As part of our “Future Visions, Future Selves” program we will be addressing that most religious of subjects: death. As the Unitarian Universalist theologian Forrest Church wrote, “Religion is the human response to being alive and having to die.”
It is not easy subject to face but it is one that is easier to face together. Over the course of the month we will be exploring it in four ways: through worship, through the installation of our memorial garden plaque, in the Senior Minister’s Book group, and through a special workshop. We’ll be devoting the service to religious perspectives on death this Sunday and again on January 26th, when Rev. Scott is in the pulpit. This Sunday we will also be dedicating our new memorial garden plaque. Throughout the month we will also be viewing death through the lens of Elizabeth Alexander’s beautiful memoir The Light of the World in the Senior Minister’s Book group. It is one of Michelle Obama’s favorite texts. I anticipate we will get a lot out of it. Then on January 26th Rev. Scott will be leading the workshop “What Matters To Me” End of Life Planning at 1:00 p.m. On January 19th we will be holding our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. service.
The New Year is also bringing new programs. The week of January 20th we will be relaunching our Minister’s Forum. The format is going to be somewhat different than in the past. Once a month we will be holding a conversation on a subject important to congregational life or the wider community. This month we’re going to kick things off with a conversation between Margarita and me about getting involved in the community. On top of that we will hosting a number of short livestreams on a variety of social media platforms to build better awareness about our congregation.
I know that 2025 is not going to be an easy year. But I am honored to know that I’ll be able to share it with you. I know that together through these programs and more we’ll be widening love’s circle.
love,
Colin
