“First learn to listen not only for enemies around corners, in hidden places, but for the faint footsteps of hope and the whispers of resistance…”
It was so, so good to be able to have relaxed and serious and hilarious conversations with North Parish folks of all ages at Ferry Beach. It was SO good to be together. Sometimes you only truly realize what you’ve been missing until you experience it again. (I know that’s how some folks have felt about sitting in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings since we’ve opened back up- and yes, the sanctuary IS open!)
This month’s Soul Matters theme is “Cultivating Relationship”, but I mistakenly looked up last year’s theme which was “What does it mean to be a people of Deep Listening?” Happily, the two are connected, right?
We church folk often cultivate relationship by listening deeply to each other. In Choir, in various small groups, in Youth Groups and Faith Formation classes, in our caring outreach, in AA circles, in casual conversations after the service and in our social justice work- we’re all constantly practicing deep listening. And it takes constant practice to do it well!
As we get back together, there is so much to listen to- each other, our youngest voices, our eldest voices, our neighbors who are often unheard. Some may need to listen to silence, to their dreams, to their bodies, to their beloveds. Thanks to Aaron Pawelek, the Worship Committee presents two services this month that are opportunities to listen to folks with human-centered vocations during the pandemic. Many thanks to the Rev. Tess Baumberger for her stories this past Sunday, and to Erin Lane, Jess MacLeod and Nick Rand who will share their teaching stories on the 17th. Following the educators’ service, therapists Moira McCarthy, Carmen Pepicelli and Ben Tittler will hold a panel that will be in the sanctuary and on Zoom.
Whom do you most need to listen to right now?
What do you most need to listen to right now?
Yours, with deep curiosity about all of our answers,
Rev. Lee