“Let every moment be a reminder that you are more than the sum of your mistakes. A sunrise is still beautiful no matter how bad a day is. It’s allowed to start over. And so are you.”
On Tuesday I overheard my neighbors talking, peeked out my open window and saw them engaged in that classic September ritual: taking photos of their kids on the first day of school. Each kid held up a piece of paper noting the grade they were entering. Truth be told the whole process was a bit like herding cats, but they got it done. A colleague in the same Doctor of Ministry program that I’m in took a similar photo of himself, noting that he was entering his 22nd grade. Good lord, I thought, is that true for me too??!
For those whose families include children or younger people, early September can bring a lot of newness to navigate, a lot of excitement and anxiety. Some may find their moods impacted by personal concerns, the worries of an election season and/or tragedies both local and far away. At North Parish we return to our sanctuary- a place to hold all our emotions and to find some peace and joy in community. This month also brings the start of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah- a time to mend relationships and begin again in love. The timing seems apt.
This Sunday we’ll give the Meeting House a Sabbath; there is no Sunday service so I hope you’ll spend some time in the sanctuary of nature. On the 13th we’ll walk under the scaffolding and celebrate our annual Water/Stone/Shell communion. By September 20th the scaffolding should be gone and the Green Envelope Phase One completed! We’ll take a moment after that service to say thank you to those who made this project happen. The Rev. Dr. David Breeden writes, “As if expecting a ship, we wait for what is to be, yet we do not begin alone. The Ancestors lean in.” Perhaps this weekend our North Parish ancestors will take a look around and enjoy having the sanctuary to themselves!
With gratitude for all who labor,
Rev. Lee
To make an appointment with Rev. Lee, click here.
Email: RevLee@northparish.org
Phone: 978-687-7948