One of my favorite poems in the UU compendium of religious writings comes from Rev. Leslie Takahashi:

ON THE BRINK

All that we have ever loved

And all that we have ever been

Stands with us on the brink

Of all that we aspire to create:

A deeper peace,

A larger love,

A more embracing hope,

A deeper joy in this life we share.

I have been sitting with this poem as I consider what is to come for us here at Tree of Life. It is August, and we are entering a new church year – our third and final year of interim ministry together. What is it that we aspire to create over the next several months? 

We begin this church year with a newly articulated mission statement: “Together we nurture a community that welcomes diversity, supports our spiritual growth, and acts to create a more just society.”

How will this mission inform the choices we will make together this year, big and small?

How will it inform the future of professional and lay ministry at TOLUUC?

How will we honor and draw from “all that we have ever loved and all that we have ever been” as we seek to live into this mission?

I invite you to accompany me in this wondering and to share your thoughts. Come to our weekly online “Lunch with the Minister” on Mondays at noon. If that time doesn’t work for you, reach out to set up a time we can meet for a walk or coffee/tea. If you’ve been feeling disconnected from the church – or the larger community – over the past few years, please know that I especially want to hear from you, to discern with you what the future might hold for us. Standing on the brink of this new year, each of us is offered an opportunity to reflect anew on who we want to be and how we want to be together.

In faith,

Rev. Jenn

Interim Minister

Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation