Dear Ones,

We begin the month of September as we begin anything – embodying varying levels of energy and fatigue, bringing both blessings and burdens. At UUMFE and in the larger world, the recent weeks have been peppered with new beginnings while underscored by losses. This is the way of things.

This morning, I awoke to the loss of Wendell Berry, who died at age 92. While the world won’t be the same without him, I’m so grateful for his life, and in awe of the impact that he had on so many.

If you’re not familiar with Wendell Berry, you can read more about him and explore his writing here, which he leaves for us as an enduring legacy. Berry taught us to be brazenly committed to our values, and to “Be joyful, though you have considered all the facts.” Click here to read the full version of the poem this quote comes from: “The Mad Farmer Liberation Front”

Over the summer, there have been other losses, including several massive wildfires and devastating flooding. Both of these natural disasters – the fires and the floods – were either caused or worsened by climate change and global warming. The receipts in the aftermath include not only the loss of human life and infrastructure; our animal kindreds were not given evacuation notices, nor were the trees able to move out of harm’s way. It can be overwhelming. If you’re feeling this way, I invite you to drop in on our Climate Grief Support Group, which meets (for free!) every Friday. Register here.

And, if you’d like to move into the coming congregational year with a little more active hope, I encourage you to register for our Community Read, Radically Reframing Climate Change: A Guide to Saving Ourselves by Will Hackman. Our approach will be multigenerational, so consider inviting friends across the generations.

There is also so much to be grateful for, and I’m thrilled to share that UUMFE has welcomed a new Communications Coordinator, Xander Huffman. Xander is a joy and a delight, and anyone who gets a chance to cross his path is lucky. Xander: a heartfelt welcome to UUMFE! In addition, I’d like to give a warm welcome to our newest UUMFE Board Member, Rev. Doug McCusker. You can read more about both of these fine folx below.

Over the last year, UUMFE has used Joanna Macy’s “The Work That Reconnects” as a helpful frame for navigating these times. This work reminds us that grief and gratitude are interconnected, both calling us to honor what we love. Engaging in what Macy calls “active hope” reminds me of what it means to be UU, putting love at the center of all that we do. As the leaves change colors and we transition to a new season, may we remain tethered to hope, anchored by love, and buoyed by all that we’re grateful for.

In Beauty,

Rev. Lauren