Some days being human feels extra tender.

On Sunday, along with lighting the chalice we lit a candle for peace with hopes that world leaders might imagine a better way to co–exist together rather than turn to weaponry, force, and violence over their own people and against other nations. We could make different choices as a species…if only we would. Knowing that each of us can make choices every day about how we show up, we share a poem from poet and UU minister, Nancy Shaffer.

Blessing for Bodies 

May we creatures of bone and tissue
know our bodies well:
the fourth rib, and how it rises
higher than third, not so high as fifth;
how it feels to the thumb, slowly traced,
and under it, how the heart rests.

May we know that space where
no ribs lie, and unshielded, we bend.
May we know the bottom of each
toe, and that tender arch where
no skin touches ground;
also skin smoothed soft by clothing.

May we know the quick curve of the head
before it sits on the spine,
and the tiny hollow just behind the ear;
the length of the forearm,
lifting food to lips, and how lips become
a circle, waiting—and knowing this,
cease our study of war.

With care, and in faith
~ Rev. Lynn & Rev. Wendy

As your co-ministers, we are sometimes invited to accompany people in their journeys of life and love, and it is an honour. We get to hear or witness how love shapes your relationships, your commitments, who you are, and who you are becoming.

We are grateful for the ways that you choose to put Love at the center, by tending to relationships. We have seen you put Love at the center through actions to create justice, which, as Cornel West reminds us, is what love looks like in public.

And, we have experienced your love for this congregation, in the rapt attention in worship during word, song, and quiet, in the buzz and murmur of social hour after, in the creative exchange of ideas at a planning meeting for a 125th event, in your presence and participation, in the tearful sharing and trust in a grief group gathering, and in the ways that care is offered in person, in email, on social media, and through the mail. These large and small ways that we make love manifest matters, especially when so much is at stake.

UUSS member, Juliana Post-Good, shared this link with us after attending worship. We thought you might enjoy it, too! Let’s do all the good we can do!

What’s love got to do with it? Everything.

in faith~ Rev. Lynn & Rev. Wendy

As we look at so much in the world that seems broken, chaotic, and harsh, it can feel overwhelming. Being aware of the brokenness can help us practice compassion-for those who are suffering and for ourselves as we bear witness.

And, there are ways to also view the world and notice what is beautiful, whole, maybe even holy, caring, and loving. People are still making art-including art to resist cruelty. People are still falling in love. Folks are still protecting and caring for their neighbors like the good folks of MN. People are still building beloved community like here at UUSS. Being aware of the wholeness can help us practice joy-for the many gifts this life has to offer.

It was so good to sing at worship on Sunday, letting so many of our voices weave together in new songs of hope and affirmation. In this broken and beautiful world, may we find our way to wholeness together.

Still we will love,
Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

Feel like hiding under the covers? in a blanket fort? numbed by chocolate or tv? Ok. Do that. Give yourself permission to reset your nervous system.

First, stop scrolling social media and/or news at random times. Choose a time when you will catch up on the news or with posts and then set the device aside.

Second, keep sending out love-to yourself, to family and friends, to UUSS, to the UUA, to the people of Minnesota, to neighbors you know and those you don’t but you imagine might be in harm’s way, to elected officials, to mail carriers, to grocery workers and farmers, and everyone else in our society who helps make life easier, better, kinder.

Third, choose one thing this week that feels really nourishing and give yourself permission to do it. Maybe it is sleeping-in one day. Or building a blanket fort with your kids, grandkids, niece-phews, etc. and reading a really great kid’s book. Choose 1 day to have your favorite food item. Or maybe you select an afternoon or evening to watch your favorite movie or a couple of episodes of your favorite show uninterrupted, complete with heathy snacks. Maybe it is starting each day with 3 people/places/things you are grateful for. Or doing a little stretching before bed.

Fourth-come to UUSS for worship either in-person or online. Connect with others who care about what is happening, who put love at the center, who affirm pluralism, diversity, equity, and justice, who want to increase compassion in the world by being more compassionate.

And if you need more support because you are really struggling, consider making an appointment with one of us for pastoral care.

See you soon!

Rev. Wendy and Rev. Lynn

Late last Friday an organizing collective in Minneapolis put out a call for clergy to come to Minnesota. On Monday we both attended an information session that was geared for clergy to help us understand the level of risk, the preparation we should do to be ready, and the commitment of time and presence they were asking for. After the session, we decided we would register to go, bought plane tickets, and accepted a very generous offer of housing and local transportation. Then on Tuesday morning we learned that the response had been so overwhelming, that their email program had shut down, and that they weren’t able to process all the registrations that had come in fast enough. We were not confirmed, but rather, on “a call list.”

While the uncertainty was a little unnerving, we also know that in justice work, we need to follow the lead of those most impacted rather than assert our own needs. And so, we waited. If there was space for us, we would go there, centering love, carrying all the courage that we can find along with us, showing up in solidarity and in faith. And, if organizers decide they can’t accommodate so many people, then we take our turn for the revolution in a different way.

As of 4pm, we still had not heard. We asked Lillian to pause sending Circuits until this morning so we could share what needed to be shared with all of you. As of 6pm, we made the complicated decision to release our spots so others could hopefully say yes. While we are a little disappointed, we also trust that things are unfolding as they are supposed to. What is happening there is evil unleashed and unfettered. The people have whistles, snowballs, and songs. They are facing an armed and uncontrolled terror-inducing force. And Maine might be next.

Dr. King reminded us in his Letter from Birmingham Jail, “…I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial “outside agitator” idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.”

As of 9:30pm, we received an email saying the organizers have reached capacity, thanking everyone who registered and to join in solidarity in other ways. Then they shared some resources for what folks can do wherever they are. Here’s one of them:

Take action from wherever you are by visiting the ICE Out of Minnesota website, which includes guidance and actions for people nationwide:

ICE OUT MN // Solidarity Actions Partner (Orgs) Toolkit

With Love at the Center,

Rev. Wendy and Rev. Lynn

It has been almost a week since the murder of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Last Wednesday morning, our friend and colleague, Rev. Ashley Horan, was livestreaming from her South Minneapolis neighborhood where people had been gathering to respond to the presence of ICE, and then to police who cordoned off the area where Renee was killed. Later we would learn of what had happened there, and then witness the courageous and compassionate responses of the people in Minneapolis and around the country. Heinous acts perpetrated by this so-called federal agency have continued in Minneapolis as well as other towns and cities across the country. Some of them are being covered by the news and some news agencies are still playing the “angle game” instead of covering the criminal acts and actors.

We know that many of you are seeking ways to stay present, to respond, to show up for press conferences, vigils, and protests, attending worship for grounding and connection, and reaching out to neighbors, friends, and relatives who may be more directly impacted.

Know that showing up for protests and vigils matters. Calling your elected leaders matters. Sending thank you notes to people who are doing good work matters. Sending an email of encouragement to those finding their courage matters. Posting the truth of cruelty, the connections to fascism past and present, on social media matters; just be sure to confirm a source before you share because there is a lot of misinformation and disinformation out there.

Fascist and authoritarian regimes have been stopped when 3.5% of the population publicly resists. On Saturday in Minneapolis, there was a People’s March. Organizers expected 30-50,000 participants. More than 100,000 people gathered and moved along the streets together, chanting and singing! Rev. Ashley has shared multiple messages and livestreams this week, and she noted that she was grateful to have songs in her pocket to share and sing. We hope that lots of folks will join the Music Team and folks from other congregations for the Sing Out for Peace and Justice on Sunday, Jan. 25. (see their announcement)

Last night, Lynn attended a training on Interfaith Non-Violent Resistance. When asked how people might prepare to resist, Rev. Susan Hayward, a specialist on religion, peace, and human rights who has been in the streets of Minneapolis all week, said, “deepen your spiritual practices. If you don’t already have one, start. We need spiritual practices to get us through impossible times.” During the membership process (because newcomers are not members until they go through an intentional process), we ask new members of the congregation to continue or begin a practice that can be done with intention, attention, and repetition. We welcome a conversation if you’d like some support on choosing a spiritual practice. This can be one of the ways that we find courage on our own and the practice of coming to worship helps us find courage together.

We also hope you’ll come to the potluck Meet the Moment event after worship this Sunday (see announcement). We need one another so much right now and we need to be thinking and acting strategically and with gratuitous compassion in these times.

In faith~ Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

As we welcome in a new year, some of us celebrate Epiphany; many of us remember with disdain the events of Jan. 6, 2021 and the efforts to erase the harm done and lives lost; some of us are concerned about health care and the cost of heating our homes; and caring for our neighbors and families. It is easy to get overwhelmed by it all. And for this moment, as you are reading the newsletter from your faith community, we invite you to notice your breath. And then to notice the strength you already have-the tenacity you have exhibited just by getting out of bed this morning or opening this email. And then, perhaps, you might focus your attention on this poem that Jan Richardson, wrote- The Year As a House which appears in How the Stars Get in Your Bones: A Book of Blessings.

THE YEAR AS A HOUSE

Think of the year

as a house:

door flung wide

in welcome,

threshold swept

and waiting,

a graced spaciousness

opening and offering itself

to you.

Let it be blessed

in every room.

Let it be hallowed

in every corner.

Let every nook

be a refuge

and every object

set to holy use.

Let it be here

that safety will rest.

Let it be here

that health will make its home.

Let it be here

that peace will show its face.

Let it be here

that love will find its way.

Here

let the weary come

let the aching come

let the lost come

let the sorrowing come.

Here

let them find their rest

and let them find their soothing

and let them find their place

and let them find their delight.

And may it be

in this house of a year

that the seasons will spin in beauty,

and may it be

in these turning days

that time will spiral with joy.

And may it be

that its rooms will fill

with ordinary grace

and light spill from every window

to welcome the stranger home.

And may it also be that UU Schenectady is a place of ordinary grace where we can name reality, support one another in our personal challenges and celebrations as well as acknowledge with courage what we are facing, together, for as James Baldwin reminds us in an article in the New York Times Book Review from 1962, “Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

Breathing. Learning. Changing.

Courage to us all,

Rev. Wendy and Rev. Lynn

No matter what they tell you,
let it be about joy,
let it be about the sacred!
Self surviving — no, thriving —
shining its way to the knowledge within.
Let it be about blooming,
the unfolding of the universe through you,
because the story of you begins
fifteen billion years ago
with that first flash of being.
– Nita Penfold

You are already worthy of love. Not after you buy all the right presents or find the right outfit or gain or lose whatever weight or do all the DIY crafts perfectly or after you find the best recipe or get all the cards written and sent. Right now. No matter what they tell you-let this day, this week, this holiday season be about joy, let it be about the sacred in whatever way that word can hold meaning for you.

Season’s Greetings! Merry Christmas! Happy Boxing Day! A Blessed Kwanzaa! Happy New Year! Happy Holidays!

Love,
Rev. Wendy and Rev. Lynn

We grieve yet another week that has held terrible tragedy and gun violence both near and far. Why do we humans have to use our power for destruction instead of connection?

And still there is joy for our UU religious pluralism for so many different holy days and holidays celebrated by the diverse array of amazing and resilient humans around the planet.

We do not know how to resolve the seemingly intransigent conflicts that are hundreds or dozens of years in the making except to keep loving, keep sharing, keep being curious, and keep opening our hearts, turning towards one another until day unto day we build actual real beloved community.

Today, we share a slightly adapted (for gender inclusion) Hanukkah prayer written by our Jewish UU colleague, who also happens to be one of the first out gay ministers to serve our denomination, the Rev. Marko Belletini.

N’vakeysh et nitzotzot hanefesh matzitey m’orey ha’eysh

Let us seek the unseen sparks that kindle the greater lights.

1. The spark of just one person beginning to forgive himself or herself, or themself and behold, that person begins to light up with peace.

2. The spark of just one person beginning to forgive another, and behold, two people begin to light up with peace.

3. The spark of several persons getting together to address an issue of injustice in the neighborhood, and behold, the neighborhood begins to light up with peace.

4. The spark of the neighborhoods taking the city that cradles them seriously, taking the city as a whole, not fragments… and behold, a whole city begins to light up with peace.

5. The spark of religious people cooperating with each other, and learning to work side by side despite their very real differences, and behold, the whole county begins to light up in peace.

6. The spark of compassion tempering legislation meant to shore up the powerful, and behold, the whole state begins to light up with peace.

7. The spark of the people actually determined to take their national government seriously, so that they are not ashamed to begin to expect honor, quality and respect instead of cynicism, tawdriness, apathy, and legalism, and behold, the whole nation begins to light up in peace.

8. The spark of nations and peoples daring to embrace each other and cooperate, rather than hating each other on principle, and behold, the whole world would be brighter than a whole sun of peace.

Barukh atah, Source of Life, origin of the mystery of light! As a great and illuminating fire begins from one small spark, so may a great light come from these small candles, and our little lives. Amein.

May it be so,

Rev. Lynn & Rev. Wendy

Congregational life is an ever changing entity even as it might be the same institution, like a river. The Mohawk River has been flowing for a LONNNNGGG time and yet, it is never the exact same river from day to day.

The tradition of an Adult Holiday Party was expanded to have a Homemade Holiday event for kids which has evolved now into a multigenerational Holiday Hangout. And that is ok-things change and evolve over time and sometimes things fade away and sometimes new things are created. Letting things go with grace and intention and welcoming new things in with curiosity and anticipation can give our lives meaning, especially at the holidays when there are usually too many expectations (often unspoken) and we have choices to make about what we can/can’t do.

Each winter (except during parts of Covid shutdown), we have created a wreath for our front door at home. We are already anticipating the smell of evergreens and the bright decorations that will enliven our senses. The creative process is joyful and spiritual as well. The Wreath-making crew is skilled and patient, teaching hands young and old how to make wreaths, how to make a bow, how to use a glue tool (we’re working to remove violent language from everyday usage as one of our spiritual practices), and more. Other craft leaders (who have also changed over time) will be offering their gifts of skill and patience, teaching all who come into the dining room how to do their particular craft project. Meanwhile, those who wish to sing holiday songs will be in the back of the Great Hall and those who need a new photo for Breeze (our database) can wander into the photo booth.

As UUA President, Rev. Sofía Betancourt, PhD, posted recently, “The reminder to reclaim craft is counter cultural, is healing, and undergirds resistance itself. Mindful attendance to craft in all its forms reconnects us to an approach to life that centers on what is tangible and concrete, and helps us to detach from the too often weaponized stress and despair of these times. As we move through the push and pull of winter seasonal holidays – and all the complexity of life in these times – may our return to craft help us to recall one another’s gifts and our own, and continue to answer the invitation to transform the world itself.”

We hope you will join us on Sunday, for crafts, for community, and opportunities to gather, create, sing, and share delicious treats! – Rev. Wendy & Rev. Lynn