Last Sunday I led worship at the Community Unitarian Universalist Church (CUUC) in Pasco, WA at the invitation of their minister, Rev. Monica Jacobson-Tennessen, who will lead worship at OUUC next month in exchange. I do pulpit exchanges on occasion because it offers variety for you and for me--it is always fun to see how other ministers and congregations do things.
The trip to the Tri-Cities was especially poignant because CUUC was the first UU congregation that I ever belonged to. My husband, John, and I moved to Richland in 1989 when John got out of the Navy as a nuclear engineer. Working at the Hanford area was the job that transitioned us back to civilian life. When we looked for the local progressive community in the Tri-Cities, we found it at CUUC, and I found a faith home that would eventually lead me to become a UU minister.
After almost 30 years, returning to my first UU home was moving. The building was different, most of the people were different, and the technology was different for sure. Yet the feeling was the same: intimate, warm, welcoming. I am grateful for the invitation and experience.
Just like CUUC and many other UU congregations, this Sunday we’ll celebrate our fall ingathering and water communion ritual. It’s a time when we intentionally come together from wherever we’ve been over the summer and begin a new congregational year of worshiping together, being together, and learning together.
Bring your water to share on Sunday, and we’ll have water for everyone if you forget. It’s the coming together that matters, always.
As a congregation, we welcome each other back and re-create community by mingling our waters. We have been pushed around by waves these past few years, and we welcome the solid ground of community. The spiritual practice is to keep our hearts open even though we are challenged.
Our spiritual theme for the month of September is “welcome.” We may welcome the return of the rain, the beginning of school, the cool mornings, shorter days, routines, and coming together again.
What are you welcoming with an open heart this month?
Blessings on your week.
Rev. Mary
Minister@ouuc.org
