“A Crooked Road” 
– Darrell Scott

Beloveds,

I apparently picked up some germs about a week ago, and I’ve been hunkered down at home almost that long, recovering from COVID. Thankfully, it’s been an altogether uneventful case, and I’m glad to be out of quarantine now, though still a bit tired. 

So not much of a love note from me this week, just the song linked above. 

Oh, and a reminder that this Sunday, Rev. Diane Dowgiert from First UU and I are engaging in the old, revered congregationalist practice of pulpit exchange–meaning she will be in the pulpit at GNUUC, while I will be preaching at FUUN. I am looking forward to seeing old friends at FUUN, and I hope you will enjoy the company and wisdom of my dear colleague. 

Yours in walking the crooked road with old friends and new,
Rev. Denise
RevDenise@gnuuc.org 

P.S. Our Christmas Eve service will begin at 4:30 pm, although you are encouraged to arrive earlier to enjoy special musical offerings.

P.P.S. To my knowledge no one has yet volunteered to make reservations for dinner after the service. Let me know if you pick up this easy ( just one phone call to a business that remembers & enjoys us!) volunteer task.

“Let nothing dim the light that shines from within.” 
~ Maya Angelou

Friends,

December, with all its variety of Northern-hemisphere winter holidays like Hannukkah, the feast days of the Christian saints Lucia and Nicholas, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, Bodhi Day, and Christmas, along with others like the SE Asian festivals of light that come in February, typically pushes us to celebrate light in the darkest part of the calendar year. I typically push back a bit against what can seem like an overemphasis on light by relishing the restfulness and enticing mystery of darkness. 

Right now, cherishing and protecting, spreading and encouraging light seems important, perhaps even vital. So, while I definitely would encourage you to notice and engage the darkness of the next few weeks, maybe also light a candle in the early evening to remind yourself that light in the midst of darkness is particularly sweet. Or resolve to notice and enjoy both sunrise and sunset on the same day–it’s never easier to do than this time of year! Or have a listen to this fine song by our friend Lea Morris (recorded by the Indianapolis Women’s Chorus). 

Yours in the comfort of dark and the sweetness of light,
Rev. Denise
RevDenise@gnuuc.org 

P.S. We will, as is our custom, celebrate Christmas Eve with a service full of music and reflection and ending in candlelight. Be on the lookout for details about that service and another GNUUC custom of sharing dinner at our favorite Chinese buffet!

“The future is an infinite succession of presents,
and to live now as we think human beings should live,
in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.”
–Howard Zinn

Dear Ones,

I know tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and it is traditional to spend this week cultivating a spirit of gratitude, but I’m finding that a wee bit challenging in some ways this year. (You too? Or maybe not.) Howard Zinn’s reminder that this present moment…plus this one…plus this one and the next, offer almost infinitely renewable opportunities for resistance feels like a reasonable basis for gratitude in this particular moment.

In the sometimes bewildering mix of gratitude (for all that is my life–and it is a rich life!) and dismay (that much of what is good and needful for my life and the lives of my beloveds is increasingly under threat), a reminder to simply live right now as best I can opens up a little breathing space. I don’t generally think in terms of victory and defeat, but the idea of small acts of defiance accomplished daily seems worth exploring and even cherishing.

Yours in love and deep gratitude for the present and its possibilities,

Rev. Denise
RevDenise@gnuuc.org

“When crisis is the context for the past and the present, 
hopeful people manage the now and imagine a future.”
–Barbara A. Holmes, 
Joy Unspeakable: Practices of the Black Church

Beloveds,

Human beings have always, everywhere, lived with both crisis and hope. I like Barbara Holmes’ observation quoted above because it notes the importance of hope in the face of crisis, but points to some concrete results of hopefulness. Rather than leaning into or encouraging a feeling of hopefulness, Holmes points out the concrete actions supported by hope: managing and imagining.  

I found a very useful definition of crisis on the website of the state of Washington’s Dept. of Social and Health Services, which notes that a crisis is a disruption or breakdown in normal or usual pattern of functioning, which cannot be resolved by customary problem-solving resources/skills. It seems to me that if some of us are not yet experiencing crisis, we likely will be soon enough. Even if we somehow escape economic, judicial, or moral challenges, climate change will impact us all in ways we are only starting to understand. 

Holmes offers a response to our times that is practical and doable; we already know how to manage and imagine, and especially practicing together, we can improve those skills and apply them to our new and ever-changing circumstances.  And those skills are applicable in all sorts of areas and at multiple levels–in any life, we have opportunities to navigate (a skill which combines both management & imagination!) situations within our selves, our families/close circles, and all sorts of different communities of which we are a part–ranging from small groups like our congregation, through the communities surrounding GNUUC locally, statewide, nationally and beyond. 

There are so many opportunities to practice good, fair, inclusive management of the present and imagine a future with more love, justice, and life-saving power. I am reminded of a recent Shared Ministries Council meeting in which we had a discussion that imagined GNUUC as a sanctuary for those in need, and I wonder how we might combine our powers of imagination and realistic management of current realities to create together something in service to our world. 

Think about it…If you have ideas about how GNUUC can live and work as a truly faithful and hopeful community in these times, please share them. 

How to share? 

-Mention long-term ideas during the next Shared Ministries meeting (Sunday, January 26 after Sunday service) and find others with whom to collaborate.

-For more immediate opportunities, share during the “What’s Next?” section of any Sunday service. (What’s Next? is a time to further our shared ministry, not just a bunch of announcements!)

-Reach out to me or other members of the congregation to brainstorm, ask questions, or work out preliminary ideas. Working together, there’s no telling what we can do! 

Yours in management and imagination,
Rev. Denise
RevDenise@gnuuc.org 

“There are trees outside that hold
memories from before I was born.”
–Katherine North

Dear Ones,

This week, I am retreating with other UU ministers from throughout the southeast. Our retreat center happens to be placed amidst an ancient and rare forest of dwarf white oak trees. And we are talking about ancestors–our individual and communal ancestors and the ancestors we aspire to be. This is all healing and necessary on so many levels, and I thank you for being a congregation that provides for your minister’s professional development and well-being. 

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday (or maybe Saturday afternoon’s Game Night), and I hope you, too, are connecting intentionally (or planning to do so) with your own sources of comfort and power.

From this hilltop amid the trees, I remain 

Yours in hope and in determination, 
Rev. Denise
RevDenise@gnuuc.org 

“....Oof!….”
–me, at 5:57 this morning

Beloveds,

I am finding it difficult to find words today to express how I feel. 

I thought yesterday, as I fed myself mac & cheese for breakfast, that I needed a little comfort food. This morning was, ummm, less ideal. I don’t know how the potato chips and french onion dip got into the house; must have been brought home from some office thing by my partner. But they seemed like the best, easiest option at the time. (Don’t worry: I had a beautiful salad for dinner last night, and I will surely find things later today to balance this morning’s need for creamy, crunchy bites.)

How are you today? No matter how you find yourself feeling–or not feeling–I hope you will make an effort to be kind to yourself and to those around you. There was lots of work to be done last week, and there will be plenty to be done in the weeks to come. We have each other, and we know who we are and the values that guide our work. 

Yours in hope, persistence, and love, 
Rev. Denise
RevDenise@gnuuc.org 

P.S. I will see you on Sunday, but I am curious: Would any of you appreciate a chance to gather at church in the next few days? Or would you like to talk to me one-on-one? Email me if either sounds helpful. 

“Having no destination, I am never lost.”
–Ikkyū (Zen monk & poet)

Dear Ones,

A colleague asked me recently what I would be saying to you on Sunday, November 10. I couldn’t (and can’t) answer for sure, but my initial thoughts are that no matter how the election goes, I’m likely to want you to know that the world needs us to continue our work: the work of welcoming, of love, of justice. No matter what happens, we can rest in knowing that being always on the way to more love and more justice means that we cannot ever be truly lost, especially when we know who we are together.

A couple of suggestions for reminding ourselves and each other of who we are and what we value in the upcoming weeks: 

-We will have a Shared Ministries meeting between the service and lunch this Sunday (Oct. 27). It will be a chance to reflect further on the Vision of Ministry for  this church year presented by our Board during this week’s service and explore together how we’d like to live into it in the coming months. I hope you will attend in person or on Zoom and share your ideas about the work we could do together.

-If you are eligible, please make and execute a plan for casting your vote! 

-Housing is already an issue our congregation commits to working on. If you would like a plan for something challenging and engaging to do on November 6, you could attend the panel discussion being hosted by Vine Street Christian Church that evening. See the ad below or find more information here.  (Don’t you miss Demetria Kaladimos?) (Email if you want to sit with me.) 

Yours in knowing who we are, 
Rev. Denise
RevDenise@gnuuc.org 

Friends,

You’ve noticed, haven’t you, the distinct turn toward autumnal weather? I love this time of year, and this year in particular, it seems to be quite intensely a time both of letting go (like the leaves) and of taking stock, laying in stores, and making preparations for the next season (like the squirrels!). 

I hope you’ll take a little time to reflect on how letting go is showing up in your life right now–notice, acknowledge, grieve if necessary, and offer a gesture of gratitude. 

And, I hope you’re finding significant ways this season to be engaging the present in ways that will make our shared futures richer and more sustainable. In case you need suggestions, I have a couple (or three):

-Early voting starts today in Davidson County! Unitarian Universalists deeply support the practice of democracy, and in the United States, the most basic democratic process is voting. I make it a point to vote every time I have the chance. (I think it counts as one of my spiritual practices.) I often like the festival-like atmosphere of voting on election day proper, but sometimes (like this year) the stakes feel so high that I vote early, just to be sure nothing unexpected happens to prevent my participation. Please have a plan for casting your vote, and check in with those around you if you can offer support. 

-If you vote early (or even if you don’t), you might enjoy spending part of Election Day volunteering in support of the democratic process. Here’s an opportunity that landed in my inbox yesterday that looks promising (and non-partisan, plus they’ll feed you!):  https://www.mobilize.us/civictn/event/721205/

-If you’d like some expert-led, nonpartisan education around important issues of reproductive health specifically in our state, Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and Northern Mississippi is co-sponsoring an online webinar this evening at 7 pm. (I’ll be at the Board meeting, so I hope someone will go and tell me about it!) Register here.

Yours in letting go and getting ready, 
Rev. Denise
RevDenise@gnuuc.org 

P.S. I just learned that while I was composing this note, our amazing administrator, Kris Thresher, has been in line to vote in Williamson County–Yay, Kris!

Beloveds,

Hurricane Helene left a wake of death and extensive damage across multiple states in the southeast. As I write, we are waiting to see what damages Milton will inflict. Recovery from these storms will be costly and will take years. Immediate needs are, and likely will be, immense. 

In times of disaster, it can be hard to know how best to help. The Unitarian Universalist Association has a Disaster Relief Fund, which provides direct assistance to congregations and their members, friends, and community partners. Those of you who remember Tennessee tornado damage in 2020 will remember that our two local UU congregations received a grant from this fund to share with the Nashville community. Similarly, there are UU congregations in the areas currently impacted by these hurricanes.

 As you consider where to direct your giving so it will have the most impact, please consider donating to the UUA Disaster Relief Fund. Recently, the demand has outpaced the availability of funds, which are replenished only by the generosity of people just like you and me – members of a community of faith in a relationship of covenant with each other. We need each other when disaster strikes. Giving generously to support our fellow UU’s is a tangible way of living our values of generosity and interdependence. It also lets our fellow UU’s know they are cared for and held in a web of love during an incredibly difficult time. 

To make a donation, Simply follow this link:  https://www.uua.org/giving/areas-support/funds/disaster-response

Yours in in faith and love, no matter the weather, 
Rev. Denise
RevDenise@gnuuc.org