In This Special Place You will hear me use that phrase often--this Special Place. Special Place, the language we use to describe whenever two of us meet together for sacred purpose. Special Place, the language of joy, possibility, and hope. And the word covenant.--I use that word a lot too. Unitarian Universalists are covenantal. We promise one another certain things; sacred things. We promise to remain in right relationship with one another. We speak, as Rev Victoria Stafford reminds us, "not in the binding language of contract, but in the life-sustaining fluency of covenant, from covenir, to "travel together". . . .covenant is the work of intimate justice.." The Gift I am stepping into a role left by Jennifer Halperin. Just in case you weren’t paying attention, she left you a gift. A last, farewell gift. 16 years in the making. The Gift of Opening. What will you do with her gift? It’s a rare and precious thing, lovingly fashioned during years of service to this spiritual community. And that gift is now the work of this church and of you all, and of mine for the next two years. How shall you honor it? What are you being called to do? What am I here to do? More on that in the months to come. I Promise I promise. I promise to sojourn with you wherever we may go together. I promise. I promise to witness with you whatever may unfold between us. I promise. I promise to serve you with all my heart. And most importantly, I promise to care for all of you. I promise to care for your babies, your children, your youth, your singles, your mothers, fathers, elders, and your leaders. I promise. I promise to care for your religious education program, your church, this community and its sacred purpose. I promise. Remember this well, because two years from now we are going to revisit it—see if we don’t. You are now my people. I promise. I promise--that's the first part of a covenant. The second part of the covenant is what this congregation intentionally does with the first. It is an honor to serve you and a blessing to be invited and welcomed into your lives. I bow deeply to you all. And look forward to our unfolding lives together. Lives of joy, possibility, and hope--in this Special Place. Let us covenir. Steven Mead Interim Director of Children and Youth Ministries
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Steven Mead
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