And So It Begins…
Welcome to OCUUC’s newest blog! This past Sunday, February 21st, members attending the Special Congregational Meeting after the service voted almost unanimously to move forward with the proposed new sanctuary. Now that we’re on our way, we will be using this blog as one of our communications tools to provide you weekly updates on what is happening. Some weeks will be less action-packed than others as we hold meetings with our architect and other parties. But some will be full…
New Members and New Sanctuary
“We have made a huge difference this year in the lives of our neighbors, in the care and protection of our communities, and in the strength of our democracy. This remains to me a source of hope and strength and joy. We are resilient. We have everything we need. We are enough. Love will continue to guide us.” Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray, President UUA, January 2021 2021 is off to a big start at OCUUC. On January 31, 2021 we…
The Power of Music and Art
I am continually humbled and awed by the power of music and art. If you think of the recent joyous inauguration, imagine how it would’ve felt without any of the music or art. Take away Lady Gaga singing the National Anthem (problematic though its lyrics and origin may be), J. Lo singing a mash-up of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land” and “America the Beautiful,” and Garth Brooks’ simple a cappella version of “Amazing Grace.” Take away the amazing…
Random Kindness
Beloved Community is a special kind of community. Here we honor Black, Indigenous, people of color. We love each other into healing and we stay in relationship, even when things get tough or messy. Not to mention a place where we use our creativity, offer our unique gifts, have fun and grow. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave depth and meaning to the phrase beloved community. For him it was about dignity and respect for every person, equality and justice…
Beloved Community
When I, eight years ago, began my search for my first congregation to serve as a called minister, I was looking for one that wanted to be a beloved community. I wasn’t looking for perfection (no such thing), but rather, I was looking for a community that wanted to create it (something that is never ending). A congregation that knew that healthy boundaries were important, that also knew that mistakes happen; a congregation that trusted in its leadership and knew…
Grow Your Imagination
As many of you know, I’ve been learning how to paint and draw these last three years. And one thing I’ve learned is that there are skills… and then there is imagination. And the two don’t always go together. Which is frustrating as an artist. You can have a great imagination and think of wonderful ideas, but if you don’t have the skills, you cannot execute your vision. And vice versa. You can have great skills, but if you lack…
Put Imagination to Work
Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand. Albert Einstein Happy New Year! Imagination is our Soul Matters theme for January. Here we are with 365 brand new days. We get to envision all that a new year could hold. We can feel in our bodies all the hope and love we can put into…
Music and Light
After our busy holiday schedule, the musicians are back at it in January. We are looking forward to singing together again when it’s safe to do so, but until then, we will continue making video recordings for services and special events. Make sure to subscribe to the church’s YouTube channel if you haven’t already. There’s a Music Playlist there that you can play anytime. You can even shuffle the songs so each time you listen is a different experience. I…
A New Year
There are only two days in which nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live. The Dalai Lama Happy New Year to you all! Despite the hardships we experienced in 2020 due to the pandemic and likely more hardships to come for at least part of 2021, I believe we all have much to look forward to in this coming year.…
The Solstice-Christmas Season
As many of you know, I love the Solstice-Christmas season. I love the messages of love, hope and family. What I don’t love is the commercialism, the sense of frantic and frenetic giving with all its politics and worries. It seems like the messages get drowned out amid the hustle and bustle. But this year with the pandemic we have a golden opportunity to approach this season with perhaps more mindfulness than usual. Because the normal round of parties, gift…
Stillness
Stillness. How perfect for the month of December…one of the busiest months of the year! But think of it. Feel the peace and serenity that comes from just breathing in the word before the panic of all that must be done to have a perfect holiday season rises from deep within. Then breathe the word stillness in again until the anxiety passes. Reflect on who told you what the perfect holiday is supposed to look like. How come they get…
Acknowledge the Darkness
Thank you to those of you who sang and played, attended, and assisted behind the scenes in our two big November events—Transgender Day of Resilience and Remembrance and NMIIC Thanksgiving Interfaith Music Celebration. Both events came off beautifully, and if you missed either of them, they are available on our church’s YouTube channel. For the past 10 or 12 years, we’ve held a Winter Solstice service at the church, complete with altar, candles, and a cappella choir. This year we…