Greetings Church Family,
There is a spirit of this season that I love and need, with its promise of light shining in the darkness, and love being born in the most unexpected of places. I can feel this light and love in this building–particularly in our sanctuary–and also when I am with and among you. I feel so blessed to be a minister, your minister, at this time of the year.
This is what many call the Season of Light. We will light our first Advent candle on Sunday, which ritualizes the slow and steady movement towards the longest night, or Winter Solstice, as well as the hopeful wait for Christmas. Hanukkah also takes place this month, and our Jewish siblings will light their menorahs for eight consecutive nights to mark the ancient miracles of God set against a time of great collective darkness. Our culture also finds many of us decking our homes (and churches!) with lights–my family delights in this as a yearly Thanksgiving tradition, and the parsonage is, in our humble opinion, a thing of beauty when illuminated with lights and candles in the windows.
There are so many ways to cultivate and claim rich meaning this month. Our theme of Mystery invites us all to consider what is most meaningful to us–how we look for it, how we live it, and how we are changed by it. I plan to give this some careful thought over the coming weeks. I hope you will join me in this.
More than ever, I find myself moved by the spirit in this place, and in these connections and traditions we make and share. I’m especially grateful for the spirit in each of you, and for the light and love you bring to this community, and to our world.
With love and light,
Rev. Sophia
Reverend Sophia Lyons
Rev. Sophia is committed to radical welcome and spreading the good news that is our bold Unitarian Universalist faith. Some of her areas of interest include interfaith partnerships, addictions ministry, spiritual direction, and working towards collective liberation for all. Rev. Sophia aspires to live her life and fulfill her ministry guided by spiritual seeking, big love, and the seven principles of Unitarian Universalism.