By the Rev. Sara Goodman
When I was small my parents divorced, and I learned that it was easier on my family if I was easygoing and agreeable, and I learned that I was being a good person by letting others get their way and ignoring my own inner voice. I’ve worked hard through my adult life to counter this, but my people pleasing runs deep. It takes so much courage to be vulnerable and ask for help, or ask that my needs be met.
Now, all grown up, I work hard to prioritize my needs alongside the needs of my son. It also takes courage to stand before you and share my words and part of my heart with you when I preach. When I speak, I speak from my heart, I speak my truth, and I take the risk that you might hate me for it. That’s a scary business. It’s a scary business to do things that are radical or dangerous like listening to the pain of people who are different from you. Like making art, holding the hand of a platonic friend, putting a sign on your lawn proclaiming Black Lives Matter, or opening our physical space to immigrants who need sanctuary.
This month we have lots of opportunities to do courageous and vulnerable things. The Board wants to hear from you about your vision for our church in the next 5 years, the Immigration Issues Action Group wants to hear from you about becoming a sanctuary congregation, and you can even come and sit in the pew next to a stranger and learn a little about their lives. I hope you will be courageous and share part of yourself here. The results could be life-changing.