Merrimack Valley SURJ -- planning!

Merrimack Valley SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) has gotten off to a promising start so far -- but it's time to re-group!

Just since this past August, SURJ has:

• Successfully partnered with Courageous Conversations on the February series at Memorial Hall Library with the "Examining Whiteness Workshop" and the "Between the World and Me Panel". SURJ hopes to offer a follow-up to "Examining Whiteness" and plan future educational events.
• Established an action plan for standouts when the need arises – so far there were two standouts for Charlottesville in August, and one for the Stockley acquittal in the murder of Anthony Lamar Smith in September. SURJ will continue to organize standouts at the intersection of Rts. 28 & 133 in Andover.
• Promoted various partner events (e.g., Andover Women’s March) and actions (e.g., showing up for ICE detainees, contacting legislators).
• Studied possible Trust Acts.

What should SURJ do next in the Merrimack Valley? Please come to the next meeting for planning and brainstorming on Wednesday, April 11 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the UUCiA (6 Locke Street in Andover). Facebook event page link here.

Today is the 50th Anniversary of the death of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. May we work to end the kind of senseless violence that ended Dr. King’s life all too soon. May we work toward fulfilling his dream to bring about the Beloved Community, ending racism and poverty and war.

Fool of Spirit: New blog

Yesterday was my normal “day off”. And so it felt like a good time to set up my new website and blog. The new website will be called "Fool of Spirit", and it can be found at foolofspirit.com. 

Curious about the new site’s title? This past Sunday (Easter), I preached a sermon about Jesus as holy fool. The Jungian archetype of the holy fool is found in many world religions. I certainly would not elevate myself to holy fool status; however, I am sometimes an “ordinary fool”!

I like the idea of being a “fool” in the sense of prioritizing “holy values” over “worldly values”. In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he talks about becoming “a fool for Christ’s sake”. (1 Corinthians 4:10) That’s what I want to be: a fool for Jesus… a fool for Guru Nanak and other prophets that I esteem highly. I want to be a fool for the Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism! I want to be a fool for justice. I want to be a fool for love, always expanding my circle of compassion. These are my highest aspirations. I want to be a “fool of spirit”.

Transitions...

In February, I told my wonderful congregation -- the UU Congregation in Andover -- that I would be leaving at the end of my contract (June 30 is the last day). I have been the consulting minister of the UUCiA since July 2009, starting about a year after I was ordained. Although it has been a part-time, year-to-year contract ministry (as is common for our smaller congregations), in many ways it has felt more like settled ministry. I am "all in" until July 1, but the reality is that this is a time of transition for me and the congregation. I have been "in search", and they are just now starting to look for a new minister. It is an emotional time, but it is an exciting time, too. In a word, it is bittersweet. We have time for a good leave-taking, and there is still good ministry to do, together. I am so grateful for the time we have had together -- and the time we still have left -- and I know that the UUCiA will always be a part of me.

Every change — no matter how positive — involves loss. Right now, I’m trying to remain open to all the feelings that come, remembering the famous word’s of Rumi’s “The Guest House“.