Minister's Comments

August - September 2008

It’s been a full summer already. General Assembly (GA) was one of the best ever, especially programmatically. Our attendees came back full of energy, vitality, knowledge and ideas. We’re ready for another exciting year.

I’ve done a lot of reading. Looking at what has happened in other states with a so-called “marriage law or marriage amendment” has gotten my dander up. I’ll preach on it since it’s not a partisan issue but a moral one. Church and state seemed to be another focus of my studies, as well as two conflicting narratives found in Jewish and Christian scriptures that may have influenced more of current thinking than we realize. Walter Brugemann will be showing up in a sermon coming to you soon. I’ve also had the opportunity to take a class from Pacific School of Religion entitled “Homosexuality and the Bible”. It’s been years since I had such a rigorous academic course, and it was fun! A sermon’s coming to you this month about that. The third one this month comes from watching an episode of Law and Order. Summer wasn’t all nose to the grindstone.

By far the most poignant and moving part of GA for me, though, was the eloquent speech of the Rev. Dr. Forrest Church. Forrest is suffering from terminal cancer, and has only months to live. His encounter with the valley of the shadow of death is very public testimony to a life and a theology well lived, and to a way to die that is very, very Unitarian Universalist. It’s a sermon to be sure, and a memory not to be forgotten.

There’s much to come this year, as we move together into UUCOV’s second decade. What a celebration is to come on the tenth anniversary of your first public worship service! Be there on November 2nd, and don’t make other plans for that weekend either.

It will be good to be back with you on August 3rd. I’ve enjoyed my respite and am coming back recharged and ready to go.

Love,

Rev. Susanne

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Venice

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