Homecoming Sunday was filled with energy, excitement, and people of all ages. 480 people were in-person and over 300 of you were on Boxcast, YouTube, and Facebook at the same time. And, many of you are watching throughout this week. (If you missed my opening message, here is the YouTube link beginning at the sermon: https://youtu.be/71PO8eIhQek?t=4082).
We kicked off our theme for this year, “Rooted in Relationship,” we had a rousing afterparty for homecoming, our children and youth got to meet their teachers, and we renewed our commitment to strengthening our democracy through UU the Vote. What a meaningful, moving beginning for our shared ministry!
Thank you to all who planned, who ushered, who sang, who tabled, who hosted, who made our facility shine. As a newcomer, I am so impressed by our team – both our staff and our volunteers. You are all a blessing to this congregation.
One focus of our spiritual theme, “Rooted in Relationship” is building community. Over the course of the year, we will offer opportunities for us to have fun together and to deepen our connections with one another. The next two Sundays provide two great examples.
First, this Sunday, September 18th is the first day of RE classes. Parents and grandparents – do your best to bring your children and/or grandchildren consistently. This space for their spirit to grow, for friendships to form, and for them to imagine building a more just world together is vital to their health and development. Some of the relationships from our RE programs will last a lifetime. I have already met adults who are friends in the congregation who first got to know each other in Sunday School. As a lifelong UU, I am also still friends with a several of the people I met in RE classes and youth group. We have supported one another over many transitions in our lives.
Second, we want to welcome the WHOLE family, including your furry, feathered, scaley family members on the afternoon of Sunday, September 25th for a multigenerational Animal Blessing in Columbia Park. The gathering time will be 4:00 pm, and the service will begin at 4:15 pm. You can either bring your pet(s) with you or a photo representation. You can bring a stuffed animal. You can just bring yourself. We will be blessing our animals, including honoring and blessing pets who have passed this year (bring a photo). Following the short service, you are invited to stay and re-connect with friends and meet new ones. Columbia Park is a beautiful place to explore. We’ll also have some games for children. We invite you to BYO snacks or a picnic dinner, and to stay a while and enjoy the company. (My family will be bringing our pet hedgehog, Harry.)
If you have ideas for building community in-person or online, we’d love to hear them and enlist your help. Let us grow the connections that will allow us to embody care and to experience the joy, healing, and hope that comes from community.
In faith,
Rev. Alison
—
Rev. Alison Miller (she/her/hers)
Senior Minister
First Unitarian Church of Portland
Email: amiller@firstunitarianportland.org
Website: www.firstunitarianportland.org