Dear UU Schenectady~
What a joy it was to see many of you in the circle last Sunday… and we hope to see even more this coming week as we gather to bless the many adults volunteers in Children and Youth Religious Education before they gather for their first week of classes. Last Sunday we began exploring this month’s theme of Covenant. What is it that we want to promise one another about how we will be together?
When we welcome new members, those present are invited to share in a ritual of welcome and say together: “We covenant together to nurture and challenge one another in our efforts to act with compassion, to live with integrity, and to respond to the call for justice with courage. Our regular participation matters, for when we are present, our congregation changes as we widen the circle of beloved community.”
This past Sunday, we witnessed so many people leaning in to participating… to being present, to grilling, serving dessert, cleaning up, or playing games. Thank you and thank you to the steadfast leadership of the Fun for UUSS Team! Thank you to all those who serve at the welcome table or as UUSS BUGs-beverage servers, ushers, greeters, and worship coordinators. Sunday morning would be so very different without you!
Other volunteers have been busy cleaning, weeding, and planting, bringing new beauty to the grounds. Thanks to Finn, Abby, and Steve Winters-Bona for clearing all the leaves and maple sprouts and making the labyrinth behind Waters House visible and usable again. Hooray!! It is lovely!
Thank you to Randy Jennings who went above and beyond during the River Rising conference when not only the fridge at Waters House died, but 2 other major buildings things happened and he took care of it. Thanks to Ernie Hall for cleaning and oiling the Sanctuary statue, and also for working with the participants of the River Rising conference and doing so much work in the back gardens. We are blessed with beautiful grounds… we encourage you to explore them a bit the next time you are at UUSS.
With thanks to all those who volunteer and participate in so many ways. There is room for you to get involved too! If you aren’t sure how you might serve the congregation in the coming year, please talk with us, or with Kristin Cleveland, Congregational Life Coordinator.
in faith~ Rev. Lynn & Rev. Wendy