Dear Members and Friends,
“In this bright new year
Forget frustration and fear.
Submit to Spirit.”
This simple greeting in a card touched me such that I pass it along.
This month, our theme is Story, or more specifically: Learning to love through the practice of story. I appreciate Zen teacher David Loy’s observation: The question is not so much “What do I learn from stories” but “What stories do I want to live?”
I have noticed all sorts of stories created by anxiety and fear about what the coming months and years might hold. I encourage you all to notice what stories are emerging—and notice which ones don’t serve you and which ones support and sustain you. What stories help make sense or at least put into perspective how to move forward when the winds in the wider world seem out of control?
While I am horrified by the continuing destruction of homes and displacement of people in Los Angeles, I’m grateful to be introduced by one our members to the Velveteen Rabbi blog at velveteenrabbi.blogs.com. Rabbi Nicole Guzic provides a thoughtful reflection that helps me process the devastating Los Angeles fires. I share it with you with hopes it may similarly support you.
In these trying times, may you seek communities that anchor you and support you in standing in your integrity, as well as give you the opportunity to give the best of yourself. This is what we at UU Westport aim to offer. Sometimes we may fall short of what you’re seeking, but this is a time for this spiritual community to get ever clearer on why we are here together. I’d like to suggest that we are here to participate in a joint venture that carries forth the flame of hope and the call to love. We are here to support one another in cultivating hope, courage, curiosity, and compassion. We are here to help one another to listen to one another—and listening seems to be in such short supply in many of our institutions.
In these trying times, may you seek communities that anchor you and support you in standing in your integrity, as well as give you the opportunity to give the best of yourself. This is what we at UU Westport aim to offer. Sometimes we may fall short of what you’re seeking, but this is a time for this spiritual community to get ever clearer on why we are here together. I’d like to suggest that we are here to participate in a joint venture that carries forth the flame of hope and the call to love. We are here to support one another in cultivating hope, courage, curiosity, and compassion. We are here to help one another to listen to one another—and listening seems to be in such short supply in many of our institutions.
One way we support people to listen—not only to others but to one’s own inner landscape—is our Soul Matters and Small Group Sharing groups. This month’s theme of Living Love through Story seems all the more critical. It asks asks us to consider if we are the dreamers of our own destinies or simply the victims of our circumstances. This month, we have three newly created opportunities to participate in:
- On the fourth Wednesday of each month, beginning January 22nd, I will facilitate an online deep listening circle that engages our monthly theme. What to listen to others and share how our lives intersect with the current theme? Then join me here on ZOOM.
- A new Soul Matters Group is forming to meet in person on the 4th Wednesday of each month at the home of Randy Burnham in Westport. If you have interest in participating on a monthly basis, please let me or Randy Burnham know. You can respond to this letter.
- On the fourth Sunday of each month, a sharing circle will be held for members and friends who would like to reflect on the Sunday service and the monthly theme. On January 26th, this will be held in my office at 11:45 AM. The sermon will reflect on how the ministry of Rev. Ed Thompson has contributed to the unfolding story of this congregation.
It has been good to be with you in person this past weekend. I will also be in person January 21-26, February 7-10 and 21-26. If you would like to simply check in when I’m not in person, I am happy to talk with you by phone or on ZOOM. Please don’t hesitate to be in touch.
My email is alan@uuwestport.org.
And remember we also have our Pastoral Care Chaplains who are trained and available to provide confidential support on a short-term basis to our members who would like a non-judgmental spiritual companion. Pastoral Care Chaplains provide a ministry of presence and loving attention to assist you in good and difficult times and can help identify resources that may be helpful to you on your journey. Please email pastoralcare@uuwestport.org or leave a message on our Pastoral Care voicemail to request support.
In Peace, Joy, and Love,
Alan
There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. ~ Maya Angelou
I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do. When we have the courage to walk into our story and own it, we get to write the ending. And when we don’t own our stories of failure, setbacks, and hurt—they own us. When we deny our stories and disengage from tough emotions, they don’t go away; instead, they own us, they define us. Our job is not to deny the story, but to defy the ending—to rise strong, recognize our story, and rumble with the truth until we get to a place where we think, Yes. This is what happened. This is my truth. And I will choose how this story ends. ~ Brene Brown
The ancient question, “Who am I?” inevitably leads to a deeper one, “Whose am I?” – because there is no identity outside of relationship. You can’t be a person by yourself. To ask “Whose am I?” is to extend the question far beyond the little self-absorbed self, and wonder, Who needs you? Who loves you? To whom are you accountable? To whom do you answer? Whose life is altered by your choices? With whose life, whose lives, is your own all bound up, inextricably, in obvious or invisible ways? ~ Douglas Steere
