As we write to you on this Tuesday morning, our hearts are heavy with news of famine and fighting in Gaza, worry for the Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas, the impact of the collapsed bridge in Baltimore, a mass shooting in Moscow, and the difficult situations and challenges that are being faced by folks we love and serve.

This coming Sunday, we will gather to celebrate Easter. While most Unitarian Universalists, Christian or otherwise, do not take Biblical stories literally, we can learn important lessons from these ancient texts as well as recognize the cultural significance of this Holy Week. It’s complicated. Perhaps you can identify with a story of sorrow and loss. Perhaps you can be moved by the possibilities of rising anew after devastating news. Perhaps you might find some healing in being part of a religious community buoyed by hope and saved by love.

Our Christian colleagues, remind us that, There is no Easter without Good Friday. That hope and love doesn’t just happen. It takes cultivation and attention to building community. It takes being willing to go through hard things together, putting in the effort and showing up. We have weathered some hard things together. There will be more in the near future. This Unitarian Universalist faith can inspire hope, belonging, and love. Our living tradition reminds us that we need one another. Know that you are not alone whatever challenges you may be facing. Know that you are not alone when you exclaim words of triumph and joy.

In faith~ Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy