Dear UUWestport Members and Friends,
It was good to gather with all of you this past Sunday – my first time leading service as your senior minister! What a way to celebrate beginnings – from a new opening song in the brand new Singing the Journey teal hymnals to the precious newborn babies who joined us for the very first time. Our music director, Micah, delighted us with another first – an original composition – which he and Angie Mendez sang beautifully. I am grateful for all who contributed to make this a joyful uplifting service. Most of all, I am grateful for meeting so many of you before and after service (thank you to everyone who wore nametags – it will certainly help me going forward to remember your names as well as your stories)!
At the same time as we celebrate happy beginnings, we also hold grief and sadness in our hearts. This congregation has experienced several losses in the past few months. We will be honoring a number of our beloveds who have died throughout this Fall in memorial services. We will also lift up the names of members who have died in a Memory Service on November 1st – a time set aside across many traditions and cultures to remember our ancestors.
The world’s brokenness also impacts our lives. We know this well as we mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks this week. We hold the personal and collective stories of heartbreak with tenderness and care, as we remember all those who lost their lives in that tragedy, especially the family members and friends of our own community members.
Here in this time of beginning, in the month of September, we are reminded of the complexity of life. We hold the both/and: the joy and the sorrow, the hope and the history, the deep wisdom of the past and the promise of the future. We gaze with respect and love upon the ones who came before, as we embrace the possibilities of life before us. In the face of violence and despair, we choose to rebuild a world filled with greater understanding, justice, and peace.
Life’s complexity is a lot to hold alone. Perhaps this is why our gatherings matter so much. We need one another to share our joys and our sorrows, to celebrate life, and to reaffirm our commitment to love.
I look forward to seeing you all this Sunday for our multi-generational Homecoming service, as we gather to begin this new congregational year and envision a path forward in abundant life together.
In peace,
Rev. Terri
