Dear friends,
Summer is almost here. We are just finishing our canvass campaign, and getting ready to change from one church year to the next. (Our fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.) In UU communities, as in so many communities, summer is the time to step back, rest, renew and reset for the coming school/church/work year.
At Westside, we’re trying something really new this coming year: Grassroots Theology at work. For the coming 12 months, you get to choose our service topics. Starting in July, the worship team will be selecting not just our service topics, but also some new practices, from the survey responses you have been turning in.
Folks have suggested different types of music and meditation; a wide range of sermon topics and guest speakers; and some new approaches to old practices. What is it you most want to learn about, or explore, on Sunday mornings in the coming year? If you haven’t already shared some ideas, please send me an email or call me with your suggestions. This year, we’re going to really put into practice the principle that this is your congregation, your community. It is built out of your hopes, dreams, needs, and intentions. So please share with me, the worship team, the music team, the Board, the Committee on Ministry, and one another, what makes you excited and curious.
In addition, we’ll be doing some ‘grassroots’ education this summer, as well. Starting in mid-June, I’ll be leading another round of adult Religious Exploration classes on Earth-Based Spiritual Traditions. And in the fall, we’ll move into a 6 month “Building Your Own Theology” program, in which participants explore together their personal journeys. I hope you’ll consider joining in.
So as you plan for your summer, think about what you’d like to see happening at Westside, and get ready to be part of our “Grassroots Theology” programs.
With gratitude and joy,
Rev. Carol