Flutterings

[11 March 2007, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Cookeville]

( tree of life and tree of knowledge... )

I'd rather be reading, but the spreadsheets and slides are due first. So, spreadsheets and slides it will be. But first, lunch: a serving of yogurt, a can of chickpeas, a handful of wheat crackers, some shredded squid, a wodge of cranberry Wensleydale, and three red-bean mochi.

This would be because I circled around the store thinking, "What do I want for lunch..." and then cashed out without realizing I hadn't actually decided. *facepalm*

At this morning's service, Rev. Laurel Cassidy spoke about her work as a "community minister" associated with our congregation - she worked in the medical-mental health field before her ordination in 1997, has since worked as a chaplain at the VA hospital and a local hospice, and is now enrolled in a doctoral program for which she's studying the intersections of public health and religion.

The key thrust of her sermon was on how to relate to other people who are suffering, using depression as her example. To paraphrase: the main thing is to show up, be present, and listen. The thing NOT to do is to inform/remind the person how much they have to be grateful for or that things are not as bad as they think: they are already aware of that. Depression is a disease because the sense of hopelessness is beyond the reach of logic. The main thing for lay people to do is let others know that they are not alone, and if one doesn't have the gift of saying the right thing, simply admitting "I don't know what to say/do, but you matter to me" still counts. And the same holds true for other situations, such as someone grieving over a loved one.

Much to digest.

Other good things:
* it becoming cool enough outside that I needed a shawl this morning.
* my replacement hard drive (yes, again) has iPhoto on it.
* much hugging during coffee hour. Even though it was Labor Day weekend, many of the people I'm closest to were at services anyway, and I got to chat with several new members while working the grocery table.
* colored hanging folders. Yes, this is trivial, but such a nice change from institutional green!
* Hymn #93 ("To Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love") uses the same tune as "Dear Weaver of our Lives' Design"), which is a particular favorite of mine. Lyrics -- meh. But I was still at the church when it rolled around again for second service, so I got to sing it twice.
* Coffee. Mmmmm.

I have insomnia, I have no shame, and I'd promised to send more details about my Thanksgiving sermon to the worship committee in question by this morning... so I'm stealing my own subtitle to placet for my sermon title, that's how shameless I am (and because I am fascinated by the concept of gratitude and how/if/whether people wrestle with what they anticipate/expect/believe vs. what actually transpires -- and because, driving home at midnight, I'd locked into how that fits in with yet another somewhich-or-other I need to outline, and because given how many other discussions are going on around the blogosphere at any given time on neediness and feedback and reciprocity and recognition and such, I'm inclined to believe I'm far from alone in pondering the slippery beast).

( And, speaking of 'Placet'.... )

( Yes, yes, I'm babbling... )

( service details )

Here's McTigue' s benediction:

May the light around us guide our footsteps,
and hold us fast to the best and most righteous that we seek.

May the darkness around us nurture our dreams,
and give us rest so that we may give ourselves to the work of our world.

Let us seek to remember the wholeness of our lives,
the weaving of light and shadow in this great and astonishing dance in which we move.