Author: Laurie Gauer
It’s a New Year! A time to reflect on and learn from the past year. To be grateful for what’s working in the present and let go of what’s not. To dream for the coming year and commit to actions that will help make those dreams come true.
As I reflect on the Fellowship’s past year, here’s what stands out for me: Losing our beloved Jo Hermann, one of our founding members. Debating, accepting, and starting to embrace our newly adopted UU Values alongside our UU Principles. Increased passion and initiatives for our social justice and charitable work, like this Sunday’s Green/Orange Bag food drive and Soup Sunday fundraiser (see below for more info on both). The extensive, beautiful, and much needed repairs and upgrades of our building and grounds. New marketing efforts to let people know we’re here and who we are. Gatherings that connected us and programs that challenged us . . . with a slight shift to exploring spirituality more. A new privacy policy that’s made us more aware and mindful of how we protect our data.
What have I learned? That we’re still finding our way after the pandemic . . . a new, maybe even better way. That doing so will take time, patience, work, care, and faith in ourselves. I’m grateful that right now we have those and a wide variety of skills, interests, and talents in this small, dedicated tribe. So, I’ll let go of my worries that we won’t survive. (Which I’ve had every one of my 34+ years as a member.)
What are my dreams for this community? That we all do our part to become an even more vibrant, connected, sustainable community. That we live our UU values of Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Generosity, Interdependence, Justice, and Love by practicing our UU principles (this is the Rainbow version we taught in Religious Education when my daughters were young):
Respect the value and importance of all beings.
Offer fair and kind treatment to all.
Yearn to learn throughout life.
Grow by exploring ideas and values together.
Believe in our ideals and act on them.
Insist on peace, freedom, and justice for all.
Value our interdependence with nature.
To do my part to help make those dreams come true, I am committing to these actions: continue to write this weekly note, lead and empower our marketing committees, and inspire our Board members to dream and act.
What are your dreams for the Fellowship? What actions are you committing to to help make them come true?