Our spiritual theme for the month of September has been Welcome, and we’ve explored this theme in many ways in worship, in small groups, and in education and trainings. What does Welcome mean to us? Here are a few snippets from our Soul Matters small group packets (to join a Soul Matters group, there are still some with openings! Register here: Small Group Ministry Programs (ouuc.org))
Welcome dates back to Anglo-Saxon days, from Beowulf. The word was originally wilcuma in Old English, a combination of wil (pleasure) plus cuma (guest). The verb form, wilcumian, meant to receive someone or something with pleasure.
If you go without belonging for long enough, if you’ve known the sting of betrayal, you can end up manufacturing an identity from your alienation. To protect yourself from the risk of exclusion, you begin initiating distance on your own by calling yourself ‘loner’ or ‘independent.’ But a life lived with trust only in the self is exhausting. Cole Arthur Riley
[Hospitality] is the first step toward dismantling the barriers of the world. Hospitality is the way we turn a prejudiced world around one heart at a time. Joan D Chittister
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13.1 - Christianity
On the Article II Study Commission’s Invitation to Welcome New Values Introduction and context: https://www.questformeaning.org/questarticle/embracing-the-living-tradition/
The proposal: https://www.uua.org/files/2023- 06/Article%202%20Package.pdf
In our volunteer training on September 24th, we talked about best practices for creating welcome. In our work, our programs, and our being here at OUUC we can all put welcome into action:
Pay attention to accessibility, in all its many forms. Are our meetings, teams, groups, and space accessible for all? How do we communicate about accessibility? For instance, if a volunteer role requires a certain ability, or a group is meeting somewhere with stairs to climb, do we describe that in the communications?
Affirm and support what others do to meet their needs and how others self-identify. Use the pronouns people want used. Be welcoming and accepting of masks, of noise canceling earmuffs, or any other device people use to keep themselves safe or help them meet their needs.
Don’t make assumptions or generalizations about others, respect differences and diversity.
Try to avoid microaggressions, and remember it's about Intent vs Impact.
Learn to acknowledge your mistakes, make apology, and then move on with learning and love
It will always be ongoing work, to be a community and a people of welcome. Thank you for being on this journey with us!
