Dear Beloveds,
In the midst of this unprecedented attack on democracy and our Unitarian Universalist values, it is hard to talk about trust. And yet, we need trust the most in times of fear and uncertainty. We learn who and what we can trust under pressure. Where are you finding security in the moment? What makes you feel grounded?
It can help to find something larger than yourself to trust, whether it be time, or the universe, or tomorrow’s sunrise. In fall worship, we sang Rev. Dr. Rebecca Ann Parker’s prayer, “There is a love holding us. There is a love holding all we love. There is a love holding all.”
The love that holds us is larger than any individual moment, heartbeat, or relationship. It is a love within, among, and beyond us that holds all that is. Love returns again and again, through tragedy, death, and even fascism.
There are also smaller places to find trust: in friendships, in community, and in the people who show up. Invest in these places, and keep building relationships and communities of trust. This is what holds us through the stress of oppression, loss, and grief. We are stronger together, First Church, and we will hold one another in trust through the storm.
With love,
Jennifer
Rev. Jennifer Nordstrom, Senior Minister