Moving Forward

“Revolutionary love can only be practiced in community.”

– Valarie Kaur

This Sunday, we’ll hear from a few North Parish members about adopting the 8th principle here at North Parish. For those who are new, there is a statement of 7 ethical principles that all UU congregations agree to affirm and promote. A proposed 8th principle says, “We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”  (You can learn more about it in this week’s eNews and at https://www.8thprincipleuu.org/background)

Exterior photo of North Parish window through snow covered branchesI recently head someone say, “Progress is a nice idea”– but it’s not a given. Some things in our world continue to careen along in disconcerting and upsetting ways- war, climate change, gun violence, systemic racism. So we try to “keep on movin’ forward” as a community, and meanwhile keep our hearts and souls uplifted. The other day there was a morning frost that I could hardly bear to scrape off my windshield because it had formed such beautiful, intricate, symmetrical feathery patterns. I thought to myself,“No wonder people believe in God.” There is an Amazingness to all natural things- that they exist, and that they exist as they do, often in breathtaking beauty. I’m glad to keep on moving forward and to celebrate that Amazingness each week with you.

Yours in the midst of the “wintry mix”,
Rev. Lee