I don’t know about you, but our June theme of ‘Renewal’ couldn’t be more fitting for this community. Many of the rituals that still mean something to this church find themselves happening around this time of year–from Bridging our Youth to First Chalices to Flower Communion and to our new closing Ritual of Appreciation, which will happen on June 16th.
Marking the transitions of our lives through ritual is one of the unique features of a spiritual community. From birth to death, our UU congregations help us live with deeper gratitude, greater connection, and more reverence for life. Some of these rituals see us through from week to week, like Joys and Sorrows in worship. Others are shared with our larger faith, like Water Communion in September, or our Flower Communion in June. In child and youth Faith Exploration, we find rituals and ceremonies that mark the various stages of life–like Child Dedications, which celebrate new life; First Chalices, which honor the transition from lower to upper elementary-aged children; Coming of Age bridging; and Youth to Young-Adult bridging (which we took part in this past Sunday!)
Rituals help embody the prayers we have for our fellows and remind us of the preciousness of life in the fullness of time. Rituals slow our nervous systems down and invite us to drop into that deep wise place within–the Soul place. Some of us find rituals to be emotional or even spiritually awakening, a time to finally shed some tears of gratitude, love, or grief.
Rituals also help us Renew our faith in Someone, or Some Ideal–hence our month’s theme being so very timely. None of us are outside of these rituals. They invite us into the stream of life and ask us to reflect on our place in it. By doing this we discover what really matters.
If any of this sounds good to you, come to church. Partake in these rituals with us. We miss you when you aren’t here. Find Renewal of heart and mind with us as we mark the passage of time, and celebrate the joys of being together.
What a blessing it is to walk with you.
With love,
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.