I mentioned at an Inquirer’s Class a few weeks back that a new schedule of Adult RE classes would be set at the beginning of next year. “January, really … that far away,” was the response. “Oh no, I said, next year… in September.” There was silence. I laughed.
We can all get so used to our own ways of being in the world that we
forget the idiosyncratic nature of our personal experience. September is
the beginning of our new church year… when new programs begin, when we
wake from the slumber of summer. If however you want to know when the
new pledge or stewardship year begins, well, the answer to that one is
July 1st. And then of course there is January 1st – a different sort of
new year altogether … but who really pays attention to that one anyway?
One of the most difficult things for members of a growing congregation
to remember is that not everyone knows what you are talking about when
you say “the beginning of the next year,” or during Joys and Sorrows,
“John is in the hospital,” or during announcements, “the JPD meeting.”
We at the Unitarian Universalists of Sterling have made a commitment to
be welcoming to visitors. One half of hospitality is taking the extra
time to explain what we mean when we say X, so the idiosyncrasies that
make our congregation what it is do not make newcomers feel like
outsiders.
Think of what it might feel like to hear someone say: “You all know
Barry,” when you have no idea who Barry is.
Believe me, I am not pointing a finger. Many people whom I consider
mentors have shared that “a minister preaches exactly what she needs to
hear.” I am the one who said, “the beginning of the year” and meant
September. No innocence here!
Some of this work requires recognizing who we gather to serve, when we
gather. We certainly need to find a space that nurtures our spirits, but
I believe it is possible to nurture our spirits while working with a
depth of meaning to make certain that everyone who walks through our
doors feels like he belongs … like she has what it takes to fit in …
like they matter.
The Irish poet and philosopher John O’Donohue writes, “The hunger to
belong is not merely a desire to be attached to something. It is rather
sensing that great transformation and discovery become possible when
belonging is sheltered and true.”
We hold the keys to helping or hindering others from experiencing a
sense of belonging, a sense that opens the door to transformation. That
is a heavy key. Let us use it wisely and with open hearts and open arms.
May it be so.
Yours in Faith, Rev. Anya
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