June 2024

When I first became your minister, one great blessing for me was Jeanne McKinney’s presence as your Office Administrator. Jeanne has her finger on the pulse of how everything works here at First Parish in Plymouth. She knows who the people are. She knows your connections to each other and what tasks and projects you have excelled at over the years. She carried things financially when there was no Finance Committee and the role of Treasurer seemed to change annually. I could go on and on. Most of you know what a blessing she has been to this congregation. With her smile and sense of humor, she has staffed the office with warmth and grace.

Jeanne has decided it is time for her to retire from her role with First Parish. There are more family responsibilities for her aging mother and step-father that she has to take on. As you all know, this will be a great blow and her shoes will be difficult to fill. But we must move forward. The Office Administrator is a half-time position with some flexible hours that has more time off in the summer. We’re in the process of putting together a job description. If you know of anyone who might be interested in the position, please have them contact me. (lavoie.art@gmail.com) 

Jeanne, our gratitude and good wishes will go with you always.

In Peace,

Rev Art

May 2024

“Come One, Come All” (excerpt) Rev. Ian W. Riddell

Come with your missing pieces and your extra screws

Come with your hard edges and your soft spots

Come with your bowed heads and upright spines…

Misfits and conformists and everyone in between…

Bring who you are

Bring where you’ve traveled

Bring what you long for…

It is both a blessing and a challenge that Unitarian Universalists are not expected to fit ourselves into a cookie cutter mold of what we should believe, or how we should think, or what kind of spiritual practice we should have, etc. We are a multi-faceted religious organization longing to share our spiritual journey with others. We know that it is life-affirming to share our deepest fears and joys, knowing that “we need not think alike to love alike.”

Though we have some diversity of thought and expression among us, most of us are from a Euro-American background. I wouldn’t call us a “pluralistic” church community. That would involve casting a wider net and including among us people with greater racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds and differences. And that would bring in new challenges as we navigate our own personal thoughts and desires with those of others.

This makes the development of a church covenant, and the policies and practices that support that covenant, an essential element of our work together. With such diverse ideas, interests and opinions, the “how” we build and maintain our connections with each other, the ability to listen deeply and show respect and understanding, the willingness to compromise a bit for the good of the whole, are all qualities that we strive to achieve.

Here at First Parish Plymouth, we are invited to bring who we are and what we long for as we work together to build a stronger “Beloved Community,” one that is more faithful to our highest beliefs and ideals as we strive to build a better world.

In Peace,

Rev Art

April 2024

As surely as we belong to the universe

we belong together.

We join here to transcend the isolated self…

Margaret A. Keip

We live in a society that tends to honor individuality over community. We’re often taught in overt and subtle ways to be isolated, to not ask for help, to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and more. But, human beings, by their very nature are mammals, and are therefore communal beings. We’re meant to depend on each other, to have emotional connections that transcend our individual isolated selves. We’re supposed to be able to ask for and offer help and support. But that doesn’t come easy for many of us.

Allowing others into our world and personal space can be challenging as we negotiate our lives together with others. We often have to compromise and offer some give and take in our connections and relationships. Sometimes we have to change our plans and expectations. That can create anxiety for us because it goes against some of what we have internalized from our culture.

We often have to make commitments and promises and set up laws so we know how to be with each other most effectively, especially when there is conflict and disagreement. “Covenant” is an ancient belief that we develop an understanding with each other that originates with the sacred and is “blessed” by whatever we hold to be most holy, by our collective truer selves. Let us let go of some of our individuality so that we can recognize how important it is to be in community together.

In Peace,

Rev Art

March 2024

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes 

it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”  Maya Angelou

Sometimes I like my life as a caterpillar. Maybe I like crawling along moving slowly and deliberately. And I’m definitely afraid of heights. At least it’s familiar and I’m content in my lot. So, I’m going to fight against this transformation that is so frightening. It involves changing my whole self, including my self-image, and my way of viewing the world. I don’t want any part of it!

How often have we found ourselves in this position when faced with change or a challenging situation. “No way,” we might say. “I’m just going to keep my head down and cling to what I have.” But we often find that clinging to the past, to an old way of being and doing doesn’t work for us anymore. The future, our future beckons, calls us out of ourselves to something new and different. 

Transformation, our theme for this month, refers to the ways we are called out of some part of our lives and asked to move in a radically new direction. We find ourselves faced with the possibility of leaving the life of a caterpillar behind and become a butterfly, something, that is so different that we can barely comprehend it. I’ve spoken to people, for example, who have left an abusive relationship or gotten involved with a 12-step recovery program, or decided to embark on the gender transformation that they’ve always dreamed of. They often say that they couldn’t have imagined who they have become. Yet they are also profoundly happy with this new self. They find that the pain and struggle have been worth it for the outcome is so amazingly beautiful and fulfilling. 

At different points in our lives, we are called to make some kind of radical change, to let go of something that no longer serves us and move toward something new, even if we can’t yet describe it fully. A caterpillar may have to do this on its own to become a butterfly, but we don’t. We can gather support around us, people who help carry us through some of the most painful places and who rejoice with us when we emerge from our chrysalis into the new person we’ve become.

Amen, Blessed Be

February 2024

Minister’s Musings The Gift of Justice and Equity

There is always light, 

if only we’re brave enough to see it, 

if only we are brave enough to be it.    – Amanda Gorman

It takes a lot of courage to live with integrity in today’s world; to stand by our principles and embody our values. It takes bravery and hope to look toward the light; to seek out that which enlightens us and moves us into right action. “Justice and equity” is our theme for the month of February. These are small words that carry a large impact for they point to things that have not yet been realized. They remind us of what yet needs to be accomplished if we are to live in a Beloved Community.

There is so much vitriol and hate flying around us, so much holding onto structures of power, systems of institutionalized oppression that misuse people and our natural world. Our Unitarian Universalist faith tradition calls us to live on the edge of that system so that we might have a broader perspective of what is going on. In that way we can see more clearly what changes might be needed so that we can all become more full and loving human beings.

It takes strength and courage to live on the edge, to embody our religious values, and challenge the systems of power that only seek to maintain the status quo no matter how many people are destroyed, no matter the damage that is done to our precious planet. It is important to remember that we never have to stand alone, that we are part of a community of people who can be with us as we support each other in the quest to create a better world.

In Peace,

Rev Art

January 2024

I’m generally not one to make big resolutions at the start of a new year, but I do reflect
on the past year and, if there is something I’d like to change, examine how I might do
that. This month, I’ve been thinking about my own self-care practices which have been
lax in the last few years. It’s important that we all take care of ourselves and nurture our
own spirits so that we can be more present to our families and others. One of the things
I realized is that, since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, the days have all rolled
one into another and I haven’t had a clear “day off” every week. That’s not good for me
or for all of you. After thinking it through and observing the patterns of church life, I have
decided that Friday will need to be my day off and I’ll only be available for emergencies.
This has been a difficult decision because I’d like to offer my full support for the Friday
Fellowship activities and programs. These fun, social, educational, inspirational events
are so very important to the life of the church and there will be some that I might be able
to attend, but taking Friday as my day off is the best way I can coordinate my schedule
to what is happening at First Parish in Plymouth. As we approach the challenges we all
face, I hope everyone can find the time and resources to nurture yourselves for the days
ahead.
In Peace,
Rev Art

December 2023

Minister’s Musings The Gift of Mystery 

When I was a child, I can remember Christmas and the winter holidays being filled with mystery and wonder. The lights, the tree and other decorations, the stories and legends, the different TV shows, and carols, and the spectacle on Christmas morning of seeing the gifts under the tree. It was all so magical. I hope you had similar experiences. I know not everyone did. Growing into adulthood and confronting “reality” sometimes means that the things I saw as filled with mystery and awe now have a more logical explanation and the tedious chores of the holiday season take me away from its everyday magic. 

My question for all of us is this: How can we find or restore some of that mystery and wonder? Where in the hustle and bustle can we relieve ourselves of the burdens of this time of year and look at it with some of the awe and wonder that will bring smiles to our faces and warmth to our hearts and souls? A few nights ago, I was running an errand and, on my drive home, came across a couple of beautifully decorated homes. I was caught off guard. I slowed and lingered a bit. In spite of my to do list, I smiled and felt some of the magic of the season.

What is it for you? Every year I look for the 1951 black and white film adaptation of “A Christmas Carol.” I love that version and Alastair Sim brings a wonderful, awe-inspiring transformation to the character of Ebenezer Scrooge. I spoke to a friend last night who was watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” He said that was one of his favorite holiday movies and that it has themes for adults as well as children. Maybe for some it’s a concert, or participating in a “Messiah” singalong, or watching the “Nutcracker.” Maybe it can be the process of decorating the tree and the house that touches us magically. Whatever it may be, please make time for those holiday things that warm your heart and bring a smile to your face. I wish all of you a holiday season filled with wonder and awe and the gifts of love and support.

In Peace,  

Rev Art

November 2023

You must answer this question:

What will you do with your gifts?

Choose to bless the world.

-Rev Dr Rebecca Parker

We don’t often think of ourselves as having gifts to offer the world. Our lives are often more self-focused, trying to keep up with the fast pace of everything that we have to do, more often aware of what’s lacking than of what we have to give. Therefore, cultivating a spirit of Generosity is something we have to be more intentional about.

Generosity, our theme for the month of November, does not have to mean giving away money and possessions. It means that we approach life with open hearts, aware of what our boundaries and limitations are, but willing to accept people for who they are. Generosity can be as simple as a warm smile and friendly greeting or a listening ear. 

The opposite of generosity is greed. It is easier to be greedy, to close ourselves off from the chaos and trauma of our lives and our world and hoard our gifts, talents and resources. But what does that truly get us; a hardened heart that is oblivious to others builds a wall around us and makes us self-absorbed, closed off from the true blessings of genuine engagement with other people and our abundant world. 

For, you see, the true gift of a spirit of generosity is that our hearts are open to take in the beauty and blessings around us. Do we complain that the temperature dipped below freezing last night or do we welcome a crisp and sunny fall day? Open hearted generosity will bring us more affirmation and good feeling than we can imagine. Generosity feeds our souls and invites us outside of our own obsessive thinking. Looking up and out, with a smile on our faces opens us to beauty and wonder that we surely miss when we are focused on a culture of “me” and what I need and want. Please join me in exploring the many blessings of a spirit of Generosity. 

In Peace, Rev Art

October 2023

O, let America be America again—
The land that never has been yet—
And yet must be—the land where every man is free.
The land that’s mine—the poor man’s, Indian’s, Negro’s, ME—
Who made America,
Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain,
Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain,
Must bring back our mighty dream again. – Langston Hughes

This is a short excerpt from a Langston Hughes poem that expresses some of the challenge we face in this country as we look at our history, our present circumstances, and the promise of what this great nation was founded on. Our theme this month is The Gift of Heritage. And we’ll be exploring the fullness of our heritage, not only those things our ancestors did that were life-giving for them and their descendants, but also ways they were not willing or able to see all people as equal. Heritage and history are tricky things. No human being is perfect. We all have flaws and blind spots. Today, we see things differently and have a broader understanding of human beings and equality than our ancestors. Our task is to examine our history with curiosity. We are not here to blame ourselves or get caught up in a cycle of defending our ancestors. We are here to look with fresh eyes at what has been done, accept our losses and failures as well as our triumphs, and help decided what we can do to make necessary changes so that the promises and dreams of freedom and self-determination
that are imbedded in the spirit of America are actually fulfilled for all people.
This work is critical as we see the rise of reactionary fascist tendencies that seek to takeaway people’s rights and create a more totalitarian system of white supremacy. This is a movement that is literally trying to “white-wash” our history and our future. We cannot return to the myths and oppressions of the past. But we have to know them in order to avoid them. Then perhaps we can help create an America that can truly be America forthe first time.

In Peace,

Rev Art

August 31, 2023 – Meetinghouse Update

It seems a bit surreal that this is the last summer weekend, doesn’t it? We often look forward to the summer with unrealistic expectations. It seems like such an expansive time that we don’t realize how quickly it will end until we’re at that moment. Luckily, we are expecting beautiful weather for the weekend, a real blessing, I hope, for all of us.

Sunday, September 10, we will start the new church year with the annual Water Communion service. For this service we invite you to bring water that represents some time or experience over the summer that has been special to you. If you haven’t already gotten water, maybe there is some you can gather this weekend. As always, we will have cups of substitute water available that morning for those of us who forget to bring our own. Your church staff, committees and I have been doing a lot of planning and organizing these last couple of weeks for an exciting new year of being together. As the year unfolds, there will be many new opportunities for people to gather together for social time, and sharing in spiritual development. It will be a blessing to be together again.

We were expecting to return to the Meetinghouse next week. Unfortunately, the elevator project has been delayed once again. A couple of ongoing problems that have emerged from the pandemic is the difficulty in getting building supplies and a shortage of labor. The company that is set to install the elevator now has all the supplies, but don’t have enough of the skilled workers to have completed the installation this summer. They are set to begin in late September and Sunday, November 5, is the new date for our return to the Meetinghouse. Once again, we are called upon to make the best of a challenging situation. We’ve learned through this difficult time to be more nimble and flexible and must call on those skills again. Let us all say a prayer that this will be the last of the delays.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone.
In Peace,
Rev Art

April 13, 2023

Blessed are we: the chalice-lighters of resistance, justice, love, and faith.
Blessed are we: the heretics, the outcasts, the walkers of our own way.
Blessed are we: the border-crossers, the refugees, the immigrants, the poor, the wanders who are not lost.
Blessed are we: the transgressors, the trespassers, the passers-by, the cause-takers, the defiant, the compliant.
Blessed are we: the hand-extenders, the sign-makers, the protestors, the protectors.
Blessed are we: the trans women, the trans men, the non-binary, the cisgender, the multigender, the no gender.
Blessed are we: the friend, the stranger, the lonely, the hidden, the visible, the authentic.
Blessed are we who rise in solidarity, blessed are we who cannot, blessed are we who do not.
Blessed are we for this is our Beloved Community, and this is who we are.

This reading by Andrea Hawkins-Kamper, offers us a different understanding of the Beatitudes, an interpretation for today of the words Jesus was said to have spoken in his “Sermon on the Mount.” In fact, we all have our own spiritual sense of what is “blessed” in our lives and how we bring blessing to others.

The Path of Resistance is our theme for April and resistance is a very powerful form of blessing. By our own acts of resistance to the forces that dehumanize our lives we offer blessing ourselves and each other. We also offer blessing and insight to those who out of fear, or trauma, or ignorance, cannot act for themselves. We are outraged by those in our world who practice hate and greed and violence against other people and our very planet. But outrage alone cannot fuel our resistance. We will soon run out of steam and can become bitter and vengeful, the very things that fuel violence.

Our resistance has to come from a place of deep spiritual power that can be constantly renewed by our connection to each other and to the sacred source of life and love. At this time of year, the earth itself resists the forces of darkness and fear as it bursts forth into the new life of spring. We will not always know where this path of resistance will take us, but as long as we find support and sustenance, the journey will lead to new unimaginable places of blessing.

In Peace,
Rev Art

April 6, 2023

There are many different religious ideas and traditions that converge at this time of the year. The Spring Equinox occurred on March 20, just a couple of weeks ago. It is a sacred day in Pagan and Earth based traditions when there is an equal amount of daylight and darkness and the earth begins to tilt on its axis so that the northern hemisphere will experience spring and summer. The Goddess Eostre, also known as Ostara, is the Goddess of Spring and the fertility and new life that emerges at this time of the year.

The word “Easter” derives from the name of this Goddess. When the Christian tradition came into Europe, the Goddess’ name as well as the traditions of the bunny and eggs, 2 symbols of spring and fertility, continued to be practiced among the people and have come down to us today. The Spring Equinox, March 20, was also the date of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, which is celebrated by many Muslims. This week also marks the Jewish celebration of Passover when the story of freedom from oppression and slavery in Egypt is remembered.

For Christians, it’s important to also remember that Jesus was crucified when he came to Jerusalem with his followers to celebrate Passover at what we now call “The Last Supper.” I hope that we are all blessed this spring, whatever holiday or combination of them we celebrate. Let us always remember that it is the great diversity of the human spirit in our quest for meaning and understanding, that brings us this richness of ways of honoring this time of the year.

Blessed Be,
Rev Art

March 1, 2023

Bring who you are. . . .
Bring your best self and your struggling self;
bring your mistakes and your triumphs;
bring your shortcomings and your recommitment to good…

The COVID pandemic and all the turmoil in this country and throughout the world have brought many of us face to face with our own mortality, with the human struggle to make meaning of our lives, especially in times of chaos and pain. We have been challenged to drop some of our facades and feel more vulnerable.

Vulnerability is our liturgical theme we have been given for March. It seems like an unusual theme. It might be scary to let our guard down and be more vulnerable in our lives. But, in fact, a religious community like this should be a safe place for us to be more vulnerable since the exploration of our spiritual selves calls us into deeper, more self-reflective places. Church is a place that invites us to bring our whole selves. We share not only our joys but also our struggles.

In the Christian calendar, this is the season of Lent, a time of self-reflection and prayer that leads up to Easter. Though we don’t follow this in the same way, it is good to have a time to look at ourselves and ask important questions: How do I struggle and where do I get support? Do I live by my highest values? Where have I failed? What do I need to change?

It’s also crucial for us to respect each other’s vulnerabilities. We sometimes treat each other more callously than we would like to be treated. As we develop a church Covenant over the next few months, it’s important to ask ourselves what we need from each other and how we will show up for each other. What do we promise each other as we build Beloved Community together? How do we recommit ourselves to goodness, compassion and justice each and every day?

In Peace,
Art

January 5, 2023

“You already have all you need. Everything you need lies within you.”
How often have we seen or heard some version of this phrase? Perhaps we’ve used this phrase ourselves when talking to a troubled friend. But do we actually believe that it’s true?

Finding Our Center” is our worship theme for January. As we begin a new year, it is good to look within a little more deeply for the meaning and purpose of our lives. We often spend so much time looking for meaning and fulfillment outside of ourselves, in a relationship, among family and friends, in the stuff we accumulate, in food, alcohol and other substances, that, in the process, we can lose ourselves in the process.

We are sometime afraid to look withing because we can be confronted with our “demons,” the issues and experiences we haven’t taken the time to process and resolve. As we were growing up, many of the people around us gave us more criticism than praise. Our value, worth and goodness weren’t always mirrored back to us. But once we are able to confront and resolve some of these issues, we are more able to cast aside those hurts and struggles and find a spiritual center that gives us strength for the journey and a window to meaning and purpose. Even though we may experience some grief and loneliness, we may also find that our inner resources can carry through difficult times much more than we imagined.

As we begin this new calendar year, as the days get longer and, hopefully, brighter, let us take the time to get to know ourselves better. When we live from our most deeply rooted selves, when we find strength and meaning within, we find so much more happiness and worth than we search for those things outside of ourselves.

May you all be happy and whole in this New Year!

In Peace,
Rev. Art

December 29, 2022

A new year is upon us. Most often we celebrate and rejoice. We review the past and make resolutions about the future that we’re rarely able to keep. Yet, this is one of the most arbitrary holidays on our calendar. There is no historical occasion that marks this day. We follow the Julian calendar which was first proposed by Julius Caesar in 46 BCE. There are other calendars in other cultures that mark the changing of the year on a different date.

It is though, important to mark and to acknowledge change, whether that be birthdays, anniversaries or holidays because these are times for us to reflect, to remember and to look toward the future. Unfortunately, we seem to be in the grip of illness again this year, not just COVID 19, but the multiple cold and flu viruses that we have avoided over the last couple of years by our careful behavior. Unfortunately, our country and our world continue to be filled with war, hatred and greed.  

The resolutions that I would like to make this year would involve doing my part to make myself and this world more compassionate, more understanding of difference and more able to cope with the challenges that confront us all. I’d like to help all of us to recognize the goodness and value of every single person. I’d like to help us move toward more peaceful and respectful resolution to our conflicts so that we can live in a world that more closely resembles the Beloved Community that is idealized by so many religious leaders and religious traditions. Now wouldn’t that truly be a way to mark the turning of the year?

In Peace,
Rev Art

December 22, 2022

The Winter Solstice happened last night, the longest night of the year. I attended a Solstice Service at the UU church in Kinston to mark the occasion. There is so much that comes together for us at this time of the year, and it can be joyful and difficult at the same time. Dealing with family and friends during the holidays can have its ups and downs, where past issues can reawaken. Yet we come together and try to bring our best selves to the table.

We are also in the midst of Hanukkah, the Jewish celebration of the victory of an enslaved people and the cleansing of the holy Temple which is marked by lighting the Menorah every night for a week. And Christmas will be here in a couple of days. It is a time of magic and miracle, joyful celebrations and also a time of sadness and loss. As the sun returns, we know the days will be longer. But we also know that we need the darkness for the earth to nurture and grow. And without a dark sky, we would never see the stars.

In the midst of all of this, let us take the time to breathe deeply, to hold close all those we love and welcome and nurture ourselves, whatever we feel and however we wish to honor this holy time.

Happy Solstice, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas,
Rev Art

December 15, 2022

I am continually amazed by the open-hearted generosity of the people in this congregation. You go out of your way to care for each other as well as folks in the community. You prepare meals when someone is ill or in need, give each other rides, bring food for the monthly food drive and provide meals for people without homes. I am so grateful to all of you from the bottom of my heart. And I’d like to offer you another avenue for your generosity, if you would like one.

The Minister’s Help Fund is a bank account that has been set up for the minister to be able to provide financial support to people in need. It is my practice to have the fund available to parishioners first, then to people in the community who have been referred to us by an agency, church or professional person. We usually ask for financial gifts for The Minister’s Help Fund as part of the Christmas Eve service. It’s been two or three years since I’ve asked for this support. If you’re able to contribute please be sure that you put Minister’s Help Fun in the memo line.

Thank you once again and may you all have a happy and healthy holiday season.

In Peace,
Rev Art

December 1, 2022

“Let there be a season when holiness is heard and
The splendor of living is revealed…” Rev Dr Rebecca Parker

What is it that brings a smile to your face and fills your heart with warmth and wonder?

It has been a challenging year for many as we continue trying to figure out how each of us will emerge from this time of isolation and grief. We have to determine what our new way of being in the world will actually be like. But with this holiday season we have a moment to step back and to revel in all the things that bring joy to our hearts and a smile to our faces.

“The Path of Wonder” is our liturgical theme for the month of December. Sometimes, when we reach this point in the year, it can be easier to be on the path of “bah humbug,” to be sad and overwhelmed by all we have been through. This year, though we can re-orient ourselves to that which brings us together, gives our lives meaning, and opens us to wonder and awe. With these holiest of days and the changing of the light and the changing of the year we face a liminal moment where we can let ourselves be filled with the love and gladness of this magical time.

May we all know the “splendor of living” during this holy time.

In Peace,
Rev Art

September 29, 2022

“. . .We stand at the precipice, arms locked
together like tandem skydivers
working up the courage to jump.Tell me, friends:
What have we got to lose? . . .”  (Leslie Ahuvah Fails)

This poem about courage, our theme for October, caught me up short. In it the author mentions the great things that can be experienced when we risk taking the leap into something new. But she doesn’t quite acknowledge all of the losses we fear and the losses that we might have to endure.

While I know that good things are likely to be born when I listen to my inner voice and make some change, there will be a birthing process that might be painful and difficult. There is a risk of being misunderstood, being dismissed, a risk of alienating some of the people I am close to, even losing the much needed support of those I love.

The word “courage” has the same roots as “coeur,” the French word for heart. When we have courage to follow a truer path, we are exposing our hearts. We are letting down our guard, being vulnerable and showing others something deeper about who we really are. Once we take the leap and land in a new place, it may take time to find our footing and feel comfortable with who we have evolved into. It is not an easy thing to do.

Ultimately, I have not regretted the times that I have had the courage to leap into a void. The most important thing, I think is that we don’t ever have to do this alone. There will always be companions and guides to support us on our journey no matter how frightening it may be to begin.

In Peace,
Rev Art

September 16, 2022

Music is very important in our lives. Music and lyrics can touch us deeply and also be a transcendent experience. We are often able to memorize our favorite songs much more easily that a poem or a quote. As we know, musical tastes and genres change over time. The music that speaks to one generation is often discarded or altered by the next. But each genre of music continues to touch people in the same ways and resonates deeply in our beings.

Here at First Parish in Plymouth, we are considering what to do with the organ in the chapel. In my four years here, we have only used it once. And the organ in the sanctuary has only been used twice in the last four years. Now certainly some of that is due to the pandemic, but there are other factors as well. There are fewer people who play the organ and most liturgical music today is written for other instruments or multiple instruments. Traditional pipe organs are also much more expensive to maintain. And if we are going to attract younger people to this congregation, our music and our liturgy needs to resonate with what they might be looking for.

Thanks to a great suggestion by Linda Harding, I will host a couple of after-church conversations about the history and future of liturgical music as I see it, and the changes we will make at First Parish in Plymouth over the next few years. We will also have a chance to talk about our sadness about change and losing things we cherished in the past, and also our hopes for the future. I look forward to sharing this time with those of you who would like to participate.

In Peace,
Rev Art

June 26, 2022

Rev Art was asked to give the following opening prayer/blessing at the Plymouth Pride
Festival on Sunday, June 26.
Good morning Plymouth Pride, I am honored to be here.

I invite everyone to begin by taking a deep breath to center ourselves
As we focus on our breath, let us invoke whatever name we give to that which is most
holy, be that a God or Goddess, the Great Spirit, a Higher Power, or Universal Love. Let
us stand in the presence of the holy and feel it enveloping and filling us as we move in a
time of prayer or reflection

Holy One of many names, we ask your blessing on this gathering as we celebrate our
own liberation and honor those who have come before us and put their lives and well-
being on the line so that we could have a bit more freedom. May they and their memory
be blessed.

There is hatred and evil that is rising in our country. It is trying to turn us into some
romanticized notion of “Father Knows Best,” as long as that father is cis-gendered,
white and heterosexual. The privilege that has allowed a few people to claim the
majority of power is screaming for vengeance against all of us who are not in lock-step
with the heteronormative Caucasian culture.

We grieve this morning with women and all those in our society are now being told,
once again, that they no longer have bodily autonomy, something that is sacred to all
people. Our trans siblings are vilified and preyed upon and told they do not have the
right to claim their own identity. And, if the forces of heteronormativity they have their
way, many of our human rights will be stricken down as we are told that our lives and
our loving is not natural.

So today, as we celebrate this great tapestry of diversity that we are, we ask for the
sacred courage and resilience so that we may continue onward. May we never forget
that we are all together in this struggle, that no one is free until and unless all are free.
And may we always know that all of life is good and holy, and that this great variety and
diversity of the human family is how it was meant to be. AMEN

June 2, 2022

I am not a fan of winter, the darkness and cold depress me. I love it when spring begins to burst forth, the days get longer and life begins anew. June has always been one of my favorite months. It usually has the longest days and some of the best weather, often sunny but not too hot. It’s a great month to be outside, traveling or working in the yard.

Celebrating our Blessings is our liturgical theme for June and this is often a month filled with blessings. Graduations and weddings often happen in June, major transitions in peoples’ lives. Grills and lawn furniture often get pulled out of storage and picnic and barbecue gatherings start to happen. June is often a good month for social gatherings before people go on vacation. We rediscover the joy of nature and being together after the winter isolation. I have been looking forward to finally being rid of COVID this summer and I thought June would signal that.

Yet, both the emergence from the pandemic and the change in weather have been more tentative this year. Spring has taken its sweet time to appear. As we near the summer solstice. It has been more challenging to celebrate the blessings of the outdoors and of each other’s company. These last few months have taught us that we may never return to anything like the pre-COVID normal that we might have been anticipating.

That is no reason, though, to disregard our blessings. We are all incredibly blessed if we take time to notice it. And we continue to be blessings for others in limitless ways. If nothing else, these months of pandemic and isolation have clarified for us what is most important and meaningful in our lives. And that blessing is always worth celebrating!

In Peace,
Rev Art

May 26, 2022

Multiple children’s bodies shredded by bullets designed to explode from the inside. Children, little children, who are now unidentifiable and unrecognizable because of these exploding bullets. Evil politicians who remind us why we need to allow these weapons of mass destruction on our streets. People in other countries who mock us for our barbaric ways. It’s just another day in America, folks, an America that is all too familiar, yet also an America that I am ashamed of. I sometimes feel so powerless as wave after wave of senseless violence washes over us. It sometimes seems unstoppable, corrupting our minds and poisoning our hearts and souls

Spirit of Life, Holy One of Many Names, be with families torn by grief as they bury their children and loved ones this week and every week. Fill us with your strength and courage, we beg you, to not become complacent and to continue to speak and act for justice and non-violence. Send your avenging angel to fill our beings with righteous anger so that we can stand up to the voices of those who allow and make excuses for the weapons that cause such violence. Amen and Blessed Be to those who have been personally victimized by our inability to create a society that can honor and protect all of its people.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

May 4, 2022

Nurturing Beauty by Suzelle Lynch
Our community is filled with beauty!
When you open the door to greet me,
that’s where the beauty begins.
When you share with me what’s important to you,
Beauty is there as I listen.
When we join hands to practice compassion
Beauty’s heart blooms like a flower.
When we teach or learn or work for justice
Beauty abounding sparks joy in all.

Soul Matters is the name of the UU organization that provides us with helpful materials for worship, children’s programs and small groups. Last spring, they chose the themes for the year and we were all hopeful at that time, thinking that the pandemic was winding down and that we would be discovering what the post-pandemic world would be like. Nurturing Beauty would be a wonderful theme to include for this month. But our crystal balls were wrong and we didn’t anticipate Delta and Omicron and the new variant. Nor could we have imagined the war in Ukraine. What is beautiful about all of that?

But this morning, as I filled the bird feeders out in the yard, I saw a great blue heron swoop in and park itself along town brook, which runs behind the house I rent. Then I saw one of the Osprey that flies back and forth along the brook when the herring are running. There was beauty and magnificence of that moment. I now realize that it is the beautiful moments in our lives, both great and small, that give us joy and hope. We need to acknowledge and witness these with gratitude. They will help us deal with the sadness, violence and horror that we see around us. Nurturing beauty and being grateful for the moments we share together, as Suzelle Lynch so beautifully articulates in her poem, can give us the strength to face the tragedies and challenges that we meet in our lives and in this world.

In Peace,
Rev Art

April 6, 2022 – Awakening

The fire of love burning deep in every human heart calls us to awaken!
Awaken to the work of justice;
Awaken to the work of compassion;
Awaken to the work of community!   Rev Suzelle Lynch

At this time of year, when we think of the word “Awakening,” our liturgical theme for April, we think of Spring and Easter and the new life that is bursting forth around us. We think of flowers, vegetables and plants, budding leaves on trees, and the abundance of life that is associated with springtime.

Suzelle Lynch reminds us that “Awakening” can have other meanings. It could also refer to the points in our lives when we come into conscious awareness of the injustices that happen around us and what we might do to stem the tide of hate and prejudice. It could mean the realization of the ways we might have hurt others and the need to make amends. It might remind us of the constant call within us to be more compassionate and the need we have for each other, for a community of people who know and understand us more deeply.

We awaken every time we open our eyes and our hearts and are able to see things we had not seen before and understand things we had previously overlooked. We awaken when we discover more about who we are, our deepest need and longing as well as call to be more authentic human beings. Welcome to this time of awakening, this time when nature opens around us and we have a chance to open to all that life calls us to become.

In Peace,
Rev Art

March 10, 2022 – “How do we renew our faith when so much is falling apart?”

Renewing Faith is our theme for March. It’s an intriguing theme because faith is not something we talk much about in Unitarian Universalist congregations. We talk about spirituality, we talk about hope, we talk about human reason and we talk about abundant love. But, faith; well, that’s one of those words that many of us left behind when we joined a UU church.

For those of us who come from a Christian background, faith is associated with belief in an image of God that many of us no longer embrace. We’re told to have faith, to put our ability to think and reason aside and put our lives in the hand of a supernatural being. Then, when we see so much violence and trauma around us, we question our faith in that God who allows such tragedy to happen.

But, maybe that’s not what faith really means.

Faith is often paired with hope and love. I wonder if hope and love come first and then faith is a response to our connection with those we love and our hope for a better world. When the world does seem to be falling apart, we can believe in the power of love to save us all. We can have trust and confidence in those we love and in the power of our collective love to bring change, transformation and healing. Maybe faith is the confidence that we will participate in that transformation, and use our skills to work for the world we envision.

Faith keeps us on an honest path toward our goals and ideals. Faith keeps us from being consumed by those things which bring us despair. Faith keeps us connected to the people and ideals we care most about. And, faith calls us forth to be better people and be part of creating a new world.

In Peace,
Rev Art

March 3, 2022 – “Remember man that you are dust and unto dust you shall return.”

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, which in the Christian tradition, signals the beginning of Lent, the 40 days that precede Easter. According to the Biblical story, Jesus spent 40 days in the desert praying, while preparing himself to begin his public ministry. It was a time of transformation for him. The Christian tradition uses the 40 days before Easter to offer people that same kind of prayerful experience. To put a Unitarian Universalist spin on it, this is a time of preparation and transformation for whatever Easter moment, whatever time of change and insight, we anticipate in our own lives.

If any of us has participated in an Ash Wednesday ritual where we had ashes put on our forehead we are told, “Remember man that you are dust and unto dust you shall return.” This phrase is actually from one of the creation stories in the book of Genesis in the Bible. In that story God forms man and woman out of the dust of the earth and breathes into them the breath of life. Lent begins with this reflection on our mortality, reminding us that without the Breath of God, the Spirit of Life, within us, we are but the dust of the earth.

Sometimes we might think of a reflection on our mortality as something filled with anxiety or even judgement. Here it is merely meant as a factual statement that helps us, at the beginning of this time of prayer and preparation, to curtail our arrogance and remain humble. Humility can be a difficult thing for human beings because we sometimes think we know it all. Humility keeps us open and a little vulnerable. If we are going enter a time of transformation, or learn something new, or strive to be a better person, a better listener, a better friend, then we do need a little humility and openness.

Of course, these last two years of pandemic have reminded us, over and over again, of our mortality. These last two years have broken many of us open in ways that are not helpful, healthy or life giving. So, I’d suggest we use this Lenten season, this time of preparation and anticipation, as a time that will lead us to whatever healing and transformation we hope to achieve as we emerge from this larger time of pain and struggle. How would you like to grow as you emerge from the pandemic? What challenge would you like to move through so you can experience more healing and transformation at this time?

In Peace,
Rev. Art

Feb. 3, 2022 – “I live my life in widening circles that reach out across the world.” Rilke

Don’t I wish that were as true today as it was before the pandemic! When the Soul Matters team polled the ministers that were involved in their program and established the monthly themes for this church year, we all thought that “Widening the Circle” would be a great theme. But that was before Delta and Omicron and the continued isolation that we have been enduring for the last several months.

I don’t know what your experience is but I am feeling more fearful about reaching out these days. Between the pandemic and the political polarization, it’s hard to know who and what to trust. But, one thing I do know, is that this isolation is doing damage to our beings and our souls. We are communal animals and this is not good for us.

I’m in the midst of a UU ministers convocation this week. An issue that was addressed in one of our worship services was something like this, “our hope comes from the same place as our fear, our trauma, our anxiety, or any of the things that diminish our growth and vitality.” That concept grabbed onto me and I’ve been reflecting on it all week. We can take the more difficult experiences and emotional states and get stuck there. Or we can let ourselves feel those hard feelings and then find new meaning and purpose. We can take our sadness and despair, and turn that into hope.

So let us look forward to the days we can start reaching out beyond ourselves again. Let us imagine the ways we will open our lives, our hearts and our hands to others. Let us look forward to the discovery of what life will be like beyond the issues that weigh us down. And, let us support each other as we break out of our isolation and make our way in the world again.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

Jan. 20, 2022 – An Opportunity to Support the African American Community
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1866 and the congregation moved to its present location on Sever Street in 1870. They are the only African American church in the area and, have a long history of serving the black community. Every year, they host and lead the worship service on Martin Luther King Jr Day. Their minister, the Rev Dr Barbara Simmons is also involved with PAICA, the local clergy association. They are a “tithing” church which means that all members give 10% of their earnings to the annual budget. Therefore, they don’t have a lot of internal resources for needed repairs to their historic buildings. And you know how difficult it is for churches to access money from grants.

They are currently undergoing a major restoration and remain about $8,000 short of needed funds. PAICA, the Plymouth Area Interfaith Clergy Association, is stepping in to help. Some of the local churches have raised money within their congregations and UU minister, Rev Judy Campbell has started a “Go Fund Me” page to support their efforts. Isn’t it also time for First Parish to step up? I see this as a good opportunity for us to put our faith and commitment to social justice into action as we support this community of color in our midst.

Since we didn’t do a special Christmas offering this year, and with the permission of the Parish Committee, I would like to invite the members and friends of First Parish in Plymouth to participate in this campaign. There are two ways to give. We would prefer that you send your checks to us. Either mail them to the office or drop them in the collection basket on Sunday. Please make your checks out to Bethel AME Church. In that way we will know how much has come from this congregation and can present our collected offerings to them. You can also give through Judy’s “Go Fund Me” page. Thank you in advance for your generous support.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/faith-in-actionhometown-style?qid=76b62c08fb831682de7315158cecb5ba

In Peace,
Rev Art

Jan. 6, 2022 – Living With Intention
As I write this, I am remembering the horror I felt one year ago as I watched the insurrection at the Capitol in Washington on the news. These days people who were involved in that threat to our democracy are being prosecuted. Some of them are saying that they got caught up in the moment and didn’t understand the magnitude of what they were doing. That certainly might be the case but they are responsible for their actions as are we for ours.

I don’t in anyway look to exonerate the evil that was perpetrated that day, but I do wonder about the times that I have done something without thinking it through beforehand. We often act instinctually or “follow the crowd” without being fully aware of the meaning and magnitude of our actions.

I think our liturgical theme this month, Living with Intention, is so appropriate and necessary for us to think about at this time. This theme echoes the Buddhist concept of mindfulness; striving to be thoughtful in every moment, carefully considering all of our actions. What would it be like for each of us to be fully aware of the motivations for what we do and also the possible consequences of those actions? How can we strive to live with more intentionality, staying present in each moment? That’s certainly not easy, I can attest to that. But I think it is a wonderful goal for us in this new year.

In Peace,
Art

Dec. 30, 2021
We begin a new year in a couple of days. Yet, as happy as I was to say goodbye to 2020, 2021 hasn’t turned out as well as I had hoped. It’s been a good reminder for me to stay present, in the moment, and deal with the reality of my life today.

Here at First Parish in Plymouth, we will continue, for the moment, to meet for Worship in person and film our services to be broadcast on our YouTube channel, Facebook and PAC TV. And we are open to changing that format should the need arise. We have been doing a great job of masking and respecting each other when we meet on Sunday mornings. But we haven’t done such a great job of practicing social distance. Since, the virus is raging right now, especially with the Omicron variant, we are asking everyone to pay special attention to trying to remain several feet apart. There are people in our congregation who are immuno-compromised and we need to be as safe and protective as possible whenever we get together. I know this isn’t a fun way to start a new year, but I do wish health and happiness for all of us in 2022.

In Peace,
Art

Dec. 23, 2021 – The tilt of the earth has shifted, and the longest night has passed with little fanfare of its own. I don’t know about you, but it usually takes a few weeks for me to notice that the days are starting to get longer. And I breathe a sigh of relief. I’m not sure when I’ll breathe a sigh of relief regarding the COVID crisis, but, I believe someday, I will. 
Christmas and the winter holidays arrive at the darkest time of the year and bring light and hope into our lives when things can feel most bleak and barren. Let us turn to each other, to those we hold most dear, for support and strength and to remind us that these intimate connections are what bring meaning to our lives. Let us celebrate as safely as we can, knowing that tomorrow will bring a ray of sunshine and hope.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Peace to All,
Rev. Art

Nov. 23, 2021 – This is a complicated time of the year because of the different understandings of the history that is associated with the Thanksgiving holiday. Nonetheless, in today’s busy world it is increasingly important to make the time to gather with those we love, either virtually or in person, and remember what gifts and blessings we have received. This spirit of gratitude helps lift us out of our self-focused complacency and opens our hearts and souls to people and things that have touched our lives. Our thanksgiving is an essential component of what can make our lives healthier and more whole. I offer the following poem by Laura Horton-Ludwig to help all of us focus on what we can be grateful for. May you all have a safe, healthy and happy holiday weekend.

In Peace,
Rev Art

Nov. 18, 2021 – Some church leaders and I had a meeting after church last Sunday with Amy Palmer who is our Public Health specialist. COVID cases in Plymouth County and many other places are on the rise and expected to get worse over the holidays. Everything we are doing to ensure safety during the services is working well and we will continue with our masking and social distancing protocols in the Meetinghouse. 

But it will soon be too cold for us to have coffee hour outside and too dangerous to take off our masks in the Parish House. Therefore, this coming Sunday, will be the last Sunday that we offer any beverages. Beginning on November 28, we will invite people to stay and socialize with each other in the Sanctuary after the service as long as we all remain masked and are careful to practice some social distancing.

I know that our time together is so very important to all of us and hope that our protocols will continue to allow us to meet in person for Worship Services. We should probably not expect to start serving beverages again until spring.

In Peace, 
Rev. Art

Nov. 4, 2021 – Holding History is our liturgical theme for the month of November. How do we “hold” history when we know that history can be a tricky thing? If you talk to different people who attended the same event, you might get as many versions of the event as there were people present. Each of us has our own perspective. Each of us is influenced by our particular perceptions of what happened and the other people who participated.

Our look at history is even more complicated because we know that most “official” histories have been written by the people in power. Marginalized people have rarely had an opportunity to record the history of something as they see it, identifying how it affected them and giving us insight into the long-range issues that arose.

What do each of us know about our own family histories?  How much has our understanding of history, of the stories of the past, been influenced by our particular circumstances, experiences, and family backgrounds?  If we don’t listen to multiple voices, what do we really know about what happened in the past?

The “Thanksgiving Holiday” is a good example of how complicated our “history” is. Do we hold onto an important moment of recognizing our blessings with family and friends while also acknowledging the history of oppression of native peoples? These are hard decisions for all of us as we attempt to navigate in today’s world. And we are now blessed with many people who give voice to histories of oppression and injustice. It may, at times be difficult, but it is important to understand those and incorporate them into our own understanding of how we arrived where we are today.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

Oct. 28, 2021

We have just had a taste of the increased severity of storms that are the result of climate change. I’m lucky. I live close to downtown and my power was out for about 20 hours. Many of you are still without power as I write this. Some of you will be without power for a few more days. To me this didn’t seem like a typical “nor-easter,” but this is probably something we should expect more of, unfortunately.

I hope you are all safe and have the food you need to get through this difficult time. I hope we all get our power back soon. I hope we all take a moment to reflect on what each of us can do to live more “carbon neutral” lives and begin to mitigate the disastrous effects of climate change on our world.

In Peace,
Art

October, 2021

“…What is it
That gives you the power
To make that change
To ask that question.
To take that journey?…
 It is relationship
The beating heart of our faith…” Rev Monica Jacobson-Tennessen

As I look back on the important changes I’ve made in my life and the ways I have been transformed, there is always a relationship or a set of relationships that have helped me find the clarity, the strength, and the courage to embark on that journey. We rely on one another and the important people in our lives. Our liturgical theme for October is Cultivating Relationship, and we will focus this month on meaningful connections and the ways they influence and support us.

Our relationships are not always with other people. Sometimes it is the connection with our perception of God, our religious upbringing, or our highest ideals that motivates us. Sometimes it is our connection to the earth, the miracle of life and the vastness of the universe that call us to who we are and what we could do.

From earliest human and biblical origins, to the Mayflower Compact, from family commitments to the universal call to sisterhood and brotherhood we recognize that relationship, and its intrinsic values of care, respect, compassion and commitment; this is and these are some of the highest ideals we can hold. As Monica writes in the quote above, “relationship is the beating heart of our faith.” Unitarian Universalism honors our relationships, our connections and covenants with each other, the earth and our deepest spiritual calling as the organizing force that supports our religious movement and our faith

There is a mutuality here, an exchange where we support others and are supported, where we challenge each other and are challenged. We know that we are people whose lives are intertwined in a series of relationships and connections that form the “web of all existence” that we lift up in our seventh principle. Let us always remember that we are not alone and cultivate those deep connections that give our lives meaning and purpose.

In Peace,
Art

Sept. 1, 2021

Our liturgical theme for September is “Embracing Possibility.”  These themes are chosen by the Soul Matters team, a UU service that we subscribe to that gives us resources for worship and spiritual enrichment programs for children and adults. The themes for the year are chosen in the spring, after consultation with the UU faith leaders that subscribe to the program.

Let me tell you, when I saw this theme in the spring, it had a different meaning for me than it does now. In the spring, we all thought we would not have to be so worried about the Corona Virus and that we could explore what life can be like, post-pandemic. Now, as we face more and more bad news about the virus and other issues throughout the world, we are called to look at another set of possibilities for our church and our lives.

It is now more clear than ever that we will need to be vigilant about airborne contagions and other fast spreading illnesses for the foreseeable future, if not the rest of our lives. That, for many of us, is a depressing thought and may also fill us with anger at the callous ways people have treated this virus, making all of us more vulnerable and susceptible. We will deal with these issues in our services and other programs as we move into this new church year.

At this point, we continue to plan to meet together in the Sanctuary of the Meetinghouse on Sunday mornings from September through June at 10 am. Coffee hour will be held outside, in front of the Parish House, weather permitting and we will only serve beverages. At this point food will not be welcome. The elevator project at the Meetinghouse has been delayed for several months, so, for the time being, we will have access to all entrances to the building. All children’s programs, except for the nursery, will be held outside in the back yard of the Parish House.

We also realize that we will have to constantly monitor everything and may have to pivot and change from week to week. Our theme for the month might as well be, “Learning to be Nimble.” We will manage this continued crisis, and, as long as you continue to care for each other, you will thrive as a church community.

Welcome Back,
Rev. Art

August 19, 2021

I’m sure we are all aware that Haiti was hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake on Saturday morning. As I write this the death toll is nearly two thousand and almost 10,000 have been injured. Many thousands more are homeless or afraid to return to their homes. This island nation has been beset by tragedy and corruption for decades and most people have a meager existence. In addition, the health care system is tenuous at best, and only a very small percentage of the population has been able to receive COVID 19 vaccines.

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (uusc.org) offers opportunities to make secure online donations to provide some support and assistance to survivors. The American Red Cross offers other ways to help. Massachusetts is home to many Haitian-Americans and I invite you to offer your prayers and financial support to relief efforts in Haiti.

In Peace,
Rev Art

August 12, 2021

Hello Everyone,

I had a good summer vacation and am pleased to be back among you. I’ve been working with staff and committees to prepare the fall calendar. As we all know, the COVID Delta variant is now making our opportunities to gather more difficult. We will continue to follow the latest guidelines as we prepare for the fall and winter. We will continue to be flexible and things may change from week to week. Sandi and I are back and will be leading the services on Aug 22 and 29. These will continue to be on zoom at 9 am through Labor Day Weekend

The good news is that we plan to start holding in-person services beginning with our Water Communion service at 10 am on September 12, in the Meetinghouse. Everyone will need to be masked throughout the service. Our understanding is that the sanctuary is large enough for us to practice appropriate social distancing. Coffee hour will be held outside of the Parish House for September, and we will only be serving beverages. You will receive more information about this as we move closer to our start date so stay tuned. 

Let us all remain healthy and safe in all that we do.

In Peace,
Rev Art

June 8, 2021

Some of you have asked why we are continuing to do Sunday services virtually until September. I wanted to share my reasons for doing this.

1. We don’t have access to the Meetinghouse in the summer and the chapel can easily feel like a tight space. It will be uncomfortable for some people to gather there and we won’t be able to welcome all who would like to join us.
2. The three program staff people, Sandi, Deb and me, are off during most of the summer and not available to assist with summer services. That would put an undue burden on the Worship and Music Committee and those who will be leading summer services.
3. It continues to be unclear whether public singing in a small space would be safe. It’s hard to imagine services without hymns.
4. There is a rotating cast of service leaders and musicians throughout the summer who will vary in their level of comfort with in-person worship.

All of these issues prompted my recommendation that we defer the start of in-person services to September 12 when we can all gather in the Meetinghouse for our annual Water Communion service. That will certainly be a joyful day.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

May 19, 2021

“And every morning, I plead
with the dew-moist buds
to know their secret joy:
to open and close without holding,
to surrender all to light,
to sing…” Terri Pahucki

Here at First Parish in Plymouth we subscribe to a UU based organization that provides resources for worship services as well as curriculum materials for adult and children’s programs. It’s called Soul Matters. Last summer, when I saw that “Play” was the Soul Matters theme for June 2021, I thought to myself. “I hope this is not wishful thinking on their part. I hope by June we can feel more playful, more joyful, more able to let go of our worries and fears and see the light at the end of this long COVID 19 tunnel.

Yes, we still have a lot of concerns about the strength of this virus and the different variants that are emerging. Yes, we will continue to be more vigilant for we have seen into the abyss in this last year. Yes, we know that things will be different and we will have to discover what “new normal” is comfortable for each of us. But I think we can breathe a little more easily, we can surrender a bit and sing out our joy for the chance to see our friends and family again in person, to hug people and see each other’s smiles on unmasked faces.

So, here’s a toast to joy, to summer, and a chance to play again, to delight in birdsong and the beauty of nature around us, to walking on the beach and contemplate the mysteries of life and love and the universe unfolding in our midst, to children and laughter and the company of those we love. Let us cherish it all like we never have before.

In Peace,
Rev Art

May 6, 2021

“We do not experience a world and afterward make up stories to understand it. Stories teach us what is real, what is true, and what is possible.” David Loy

We don’t often think very much about the stories of our lives and we don’t realize that there is a story behind everything we think and believe. Tell me an idea, a concept, a cause, an experience or a belief that is important to you and I just might ask you. “What is the story at the core of this issue that makes it so compelling and meaningful to you?”

There are so many different experiences, events and ideas that we encounter in any given week that we only remember or pay attention to the ones that touch a story that is imbedded in our own narrative. As you well know, many of us can be touched by the same event and we could all have different ideas about its meaning or lack there-of. And those ideas can be as different and varied as the number of people who share the same experience.

Some of our early experiences of pain and trauma become the stories that we use to make sense out of the rest of our lives. Some of our early experiences of joy and blessing, on the other hand, will also become stories through which we give meaning to other things that happen to us. Sometime it is stories from our families that have become imbedded in how we define the world and our experiences. Our stories can help us to take risks with life and love or they might shut down our hearts and souls, causing us to be more cautious and move inward.

Our stories need to be shared. We need to grieve those stories and/or celebrate them. May we all have a chance to look at our inner stories and bring healing to those that continue to cause us pain and always honor the power of story in our lives.

In Peace,
Rev Art

April 1, 2021

Now I become myself. It’s taken
Time, many years and places;
I have been dissolved and shaken,
Worn other people’s faces  May Sarton

All of life is a process of growth and change and we are constantly “Becoming,” which is our liturgical theme for April. And we certainly do try on many “faces” as we try to tailor our lives and personalities to meet the expectations of those around us. It’s not easy to stand up for ourselves, to discern our own inner path, to become the people we are meant to be. Sometimes that journey takes us to difficult and frightening places when we find something of who we are to be at odds with what people around us think we should be.

Rita Mae Brown has written that “the reward for conformity was that everyone liked you but yourself.” And, I have found in my life, that when I have tried to please other people, to conform to their expectations, they are often not satisfied with the outcome. When I relinquish my own soul to the demands of others, I am so stressed and unhappy that I am not fun to be around, and therefore, not very likeable.

So, I choose, we choose, the sometimes more difficult but ultimately more freeing path to realize who we really are and follow our own star, our own destiny. We may lose people along the way whose love was conditional, but we will find greater love, acceptance and peace of mind as we embark on our own journey of discovery. And that journey doesn’t end. There are always new truths about ourselves to discern, no matter what our age or stage in life.

For each of us, becoming our truest, most authentic self, is a blessing that we offer to those we love and the world around us. May we always support each other on this journey.

In Peace,
Rev Art

March 4, 2021

Love is the Spirit of this Church and service its law;
This is our great Covenant: to dwell together in peace,
to seek the truth in freedom, to speak the truth in love,
and to help one another.

These are the words we say every Sunday when we light the Chalice. It is a promise, a commitment we make to ourselves and each other about how we are going to live our lives. What does it mean for us, to dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in freedom, to speak the truth in love, and to help one another?How do these words resonate within us and how do we act upon them day to day? How do these words give life and sustenance to this community, bind you together and call you forth?

Commitments our liturgical theme for March and we will explore voices and truths that are not always heard in our society as we discern some of the meaning of the commitment each of us makes to ourselves, each other and the larger world.

As we emerge from the isolation and fear of COVID-19 and the threats to our democracy we will find ourselves in a world that is different from the one we left behind a year ago. There will be losses to grieve but also opportunities to have a voice in defining what this new world will be like. If the words of our own Chalice Lighting covenant are deeply imbedded in our daily lives, then these words will shape how we co-create the world of tomorrow.

Rev Suzelle Lynch writes:
Each time we light the chalice
we renew our commitment to our Unitarian Universalist faith.
With the spark of a match, we make it new again –
as fresh and surprising as the first day
we encountered this spiritual community
and realized we were home.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

February 4, 2021

Beloved Community is our theme for February and is a phrase that was often used by Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr. “Beloved Community” was central to his ethic of non-violence and is based on deeply religious teachings and principles. It represents a quality of relationship with ourselves, each other and the greater whole, the greater love which some call God. 
 
In our world today, a vision of Beloved Community may seem like an unrealistic pipe dream. Our communities and country are so polarized. With divisions of wealth and power, race and class, gender and sexuality, we put ourselves at opposite ends of a spectrum and don’t seem to have the ability to bridge the gaps we have created. But we must realize that those very gaps, those differences are all of human invention. We have created them, and we can narrow or eliminate them.
 
Beloved Community is a state of mind and a strength of character. It challenges us daily to let the power of love change us and call us to become our better selves. It asks us to listen deeply across the divides that have separated us and do the hard work of seeing the worth and value that every person brings to this beautiful human family. It is hard work and can be the most rewarding part of our lives.
 
In Peace,
Rev. Art

January 28. 2021

Thirty Days of Love is the annual celebration and call to learning and action from our Unitarian Universalist Association which recommends that we engage with this program from MLK weekend to Valentine’s Day. Since our liturgical theme for the month of February is Beloved Community, the Thirty Days of Love campaign fits beautifully with the four weeks in February, so we will be off the recommended cycle. The titles of our services in February are taken directly from this program. There are several ways for individuals and families to get resources at the following website:
https://sidewithlove.org/thirty-days-of-love

In Peace,
Rev. Art

January 21 2021

A new day is dawning. This feeling first swept over me on Tuesday evening as I watched the beautiful prayer service and vigil by the Reflecting Pool below the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. On the eve of the Inauguration, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris led a beautiful and simple ceremony to honor all the people who have died of COVID 19. The Reflecting Pool was surrounded by 400 lights to commemorate the 400,000 people who have now died from this terrible virus.

“Here are people,” I thought, “who live by their religious values, who are compassionate, thoughtful, inclusive and kind. Perhaps, I can stop holding my breath as I await the kind of public discourse that I envision, one that lives up to the spirit of our national covenants.” I hope you are all feeling this sense of peace that I felt in these last couple of days.

I know we have a long way to go. I’m not going to turn into a Pollyanna here. But I’d like to think that we have begun to turn a corner and it will take all of our effort and prayers to help ensure that our public life once again speaks to our deepest values.

In Peace,
Rev Art

January 14, 2021

“Too often the framing of racial justice gets limited to the Black/white experience. We find that by broadening our lens of how white supremacy marginalizes multiple groups, we both deepen our understanding of white supremacist strategy and impacts and learn about particular histories and current issues of historically targeted groups. Indigenous people, the first to feel the wrath of white supremacy on what we now call US soil, sets the stage for the human and environmental destruction that has unfolded since.”
Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness

I hope you’ve had a chance to begin exploring the resources available on this website which contains an amazing array of articles, podcasts, films and documentaries. There is so much that we don’t know about Indigenous peoples and cultures in what we now call, The United States. Do you know that many Native Peoples, especially those from the Eastern part of this continent refer to this land as Turtle Island? There is a wonderful creation myth that I used in a joint service with Church of the Pilgrimage a couple of years ago. It tells the story of Skywoman creating this land on the back of a giant turtle.

The Social Action project we begin this month will help us develop a deeper understanding of native cultures and issues and also help us realize all that we have in common. I look forward to facilitating our discussions later this month.

In Peace,
Rev Art

January 7, 2021

“Imagine all the people livin’ life in peace.
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will be one.
-John Lennon

Yesterday, we saw an armed insurrection against the US Capitol and American democracy that was incited, promoted and supported by President Trump. Most of us have watched the unfolding of this latest election and its aftermath with shock and horror, and the events we viewed yesterday were hopefully, the culmination of the effort to overthrow the democratic process and presidential election. We are shocked. We are outraged. We are horrified that we have come to this where our national elected senators, representatives and their staffs have their lives at risk and the President of the United States is attempting to overturn a duly certified election.

Unfortunately, we also saw a discrepancy with the way that these armed white Americans were treated. When peaceful American protesters from the Black Lives Matter movement were in Washington and other cities several months ago, the National Guard was out in force and brutal force and tear gas were liberally used. Peaceful protesters, especially people of color were decried as terrorists and their cries for justice were downplayed

And then we have John Lennon, inviting us to imagine a different world, one where we live life in peace. Today, that does seem like a dream. But it is only by joining that dream and working toward its implementation that a peaceful world of justice and equality can be achieved.

Imagination is our liturgical theme for January. Can we imagine together the world we would like to work toward in these next years? Can we imagine the words of Dr King and other prophetic leaders of color guiding us to examine ourselves and listen to the voices of those who have been oppressed? Can we imagine the values that we embody at First Parish in Plymouth strengthening us and calling us forward? I can imagine such things and I hope you can as well.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

December 30, 2020

As we begin a new year, one that we face with much hope, we are committed to continuing to make our lives more whole, healthy and inclusive. In our commitment to the Black Lives Matter movement, we want to deepen our knowledge of the lives, experiences and ideas of people of color so that we might better understand the issues that they face.

I invite you to participate in the Racial Equity Indigenous Challenge that has been developed by your Social Action Committee. The readings, podcasts and films that are listed on the website reflect important historical issues shared by Indigenous Americans. Especially with our history in Plymouth it is important for us to be stronger allies with our Indigenous neighbors. Later this winter we will explore the history of the Wampanoag peoples through the book “This Land Is Their Land” by David Silverman.

At the same time, we will explore a deeper understanding of racial oppression by reading and discussing “So You Want to Talk About Race”by Ijeoma Oluo. This book is being promoted by several congregations that are part PAICA, the Plymouth Area Interfaith Clergy Association. There will be several 5-week discussion groups that are being leg by PAICA members and will begin the week of January 10. Get your books now and there will be a sign-up sheet for the discussions next week.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

December 3, 2020

Find a stillness, hold the stillness,
let the stillness carry me.
– Carl G Seaburg

In the northern hemisphere at this time of year, we are aware of the coming of winter and the encroaching darkness. Even though we know in our heads that light and warmth will return, we still feel a little less safe emotionally. We seem to be hardwired to feel some discomfort and fear in the darkness and cold.

Since time immemorial, we have created feasts and rituals to bring light and warmth to our lives and distract ourselves from the discomfort we feel. As long as we are conscious of these forces moving within us, our winter distractions can be ok. But, if we lack that awareness, or avoid it, our pace can become more and more frenetic and we stop finding pleasure and solace in the rituals that we have created. At worst, we can fill ourselves with addictive substances to fill the emptiness that we avoid looking at.

Stillness is our liturgical theme for December. For me, it’s important to learn the difference between stillness, and isolation, emptiness and loneliness. Stillness can happen when we give ourselves time to rest from our daily struggles. Stillness gives us the opportunity to look more deeply within our own hearts and souls and find the companionship, the insight and the comfort that each of us can provide for ourselves.

The winter holidays will be different and more difficult for most of us this year. If we don’t give some attention to the hard feelings, we can harm ourselves trying to avoid them. At the same time, we will also be avoiding the many blessings of this time of year. If we take some time, in stillness, to pay attention to all that is happening inside, we just might discover a sense of peace and contentment, real gifts of this season.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

November 12, 2020

Thanksgiving???

Our Thanksgiving holiday is very complicated. On one hand, it is a real gift to have a time where we gather with family and friends and celebrate our blessing and all we are grateful for. This year though, things will be different for many of us and we will not be with many of those we love. It’s too bad that this holiday is based on something in the complicated Pilgrim’s story. We may see this story as one of triumph over adversity. But the Wampanoag people and Native Americans everywhere see the story of our first European ancestors as a time of grieving and mourning for lives lost and all that was taken from them.

The event from 1621 that we refer to was a harvest festival and the Pilgrims did not see it as Thanksgiving. Our Pilgrim ancestors did have days of “thanksgiving” that were not fixed days on the calendar but would be honored when needed. These thanksgivings were days of fasting and prayer, not days of revelry and stuffing ourselves with every food available.

I would like to invite us to return to their spirit of “thanksgiving” this year by having our own time of fasting and prayer. Please take the time to think about what you need to “fast” from. Is there some area of your life that you need to step away from for a day or a month? What gets in the way of your genuine engagement with those you love? What is it that keeps you from being grateful and acknowledging your blessings? Many of us might need to “fast” from our screens for a while, or a particular food, or too much alcohol.

We will start off with a zoom meditative service on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, November 25, at 7pm. I ask everyone to fast for a minimum of 12 hours, and spend quality time in reflection and contemplation, and/or time with those we love, either in person or virtually. Let us take the time to know more deeply what moves in our hearts and souls.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

October 1, 2020

“…Listen! Can you hear it? The Spirit is calling.
It’s calling to you and to me. It’s calling us to greater wholeness, greater connection, greater service, greater love. It’s calling us to heal the brokenness within ourselves, in others, and in the world… It’s calling us to live courageously and kindly, to speak our truth in love, and to bend the moral arc of the universe toward justice.
It’s calling us into community….” John Saxon

Deep Listening is our theme for the month of October. After watching part of the presidential debate the other night, I was struck by how much we have failed to make listening an important value in our fragmented and polarized world. Yet deep listening is one of the most precious gifts we can give to each other and could be one of our highest values. We all know how much it feeds our souls when we feel we have been heard, that our feelings and our very being are considered special enough for someone to take the time to listen. We also have all experienced the pain of not being heard, being taken for granted, having our thoughts and feelings minimized.

It is only by listening to ourselves that we have any chance of knowing who we are and what gives our lives meaning and joy. It is only by listening to others that we can form the bonds of friendship, companionship and more intimate relationship. It is only by listening to the lives of those on the margins, those often taken from granted, those discriminated against, that we can expand our understanding of the human family and know the joys and struggles of those we might disregard. It is only by listening to the deepest call of our spiritual values that we can work toward justice and offer any chance to heal our broken world and struggling planet.

So, in spite of our urge to speak and react to all that is swirling around us, let us resolve to listen, to take more time with each other and ourselves, and to listen deeply to the voices calling for us to participate in the transformation of our world. Listening is a great gift and also nourishment for our own souls.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

September 10, 2020

Back in June, before I went on vacation (it seems so long ago now), I wrote to all of you with a list of books and films that dealt with themes of anti-racism and white supremacy. I wanted to study these with you as we explore issues that will help us understand the proposed eighth principle of our Unitarian Universalist Association.

“We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”

On Tuesday, I met with other local religious leaders who are part of PAICA the Plymouth Area Interfaith Clergy Association. We would like to have our houses of worship and other organizations work together on these issues, thereby offering a forum for more people in Plymouth to join us.

At the suggestion of our neighbor and friend, Rev Helen Nablo at Church of the Pilgrimage, we decided to begin our study this fall with a book I hadn’t mentioned, “So You Want to Talk about Race“, by Ljeoma Oluo. We will get to the books I suggested. After all, unfortunately, it appears that it will be a long winter. Those books are a little more advanced, meant for those of us who have already been dealing with some of these issues. We feel that Oluo’s book is a better place to begin and will help us all get on the same page together. The book is readily available in lots of places and is a #1 New York Times Bestseller.

September 2, 2020

Renewal
The spark is what passes between us,
along with our aliveness, our possibility.
Spirit moving in us is our clear invitation—
embossed, addressed, sealed with wax, tied
with ribbon. The spark is a seed of fire that
must be treasured and tended that it may
bring the light. “The Spark Between” Rev Theresa I. Soto

“Renewal” might seem an unusual theme for us as we begin this church year in a time of pandemic. We know it is going to be a challenging year. COVID infections throughout the country have not diminished over the summer as some predicted in the spring. We fear what the fall and winter flu season will bring. The political partisanship has been relentless and hope is a difficult commodity to find now. Yet, each fall you gather again as a church community. Each fall is a new beginning of sorts. Each fall offers us an “invitation” to renew our spiritual lives in this community of possibility. Your minister and staff have had some time for rest and renewal for ourselves and it is time to bring that spark back to all of you. I think it is important to renew the “spark” that can still pass between each of you, each of us, even though we will not be meeting regularly in person.

As we do every year, we will begin on the Sunday after Labor Day with our Water Communion service, a time to share how we have fared, and hopefully, grown over the summer. We will renew our covenants to each other and this congregation with our Annual meeting the following week. We will close out the month by honoring Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when we look at our lives and renew our promise of the future by being able to acknowledge our faults and struggles, forgive ourselves and each other, and strengthen our commitments moving forward.

In a time of pandemic, in the autumn of the year when things begin to die, we hold onto the spark of life, the spark of sacred fire that fills every part of our lives and our psyches. In a time where a national election brings out the worst of partisan strife and discord, we renew our democracy, a commitment to shared leadership and responsibility that had some beginning on these shores.

In spite of all our struggles and pain we strive to remember that Life is ongoing, that Love is everlasting and that the spark of connection and compassion will bring you back to what is most important, most sacred as we strive together to make our lives meaningful and whole.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

August 4, 2020

Spiritually Speaking
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” There is a version of this Biblical quote, also known as the Golden Rule, in the sacred texts of every religious tradition. “Love thy neighbor” is a similar passage that also can be found, in some form, in religious writings all over the world.

But who is our neighbor and what effect do these words really have on our lives? Is our neighbor just the person who looks like us and thinks like us, those that we see regularly at work, in our families or in our religious institutions? It’s easy to love those people, isn’t it? Or, is our God, or Higher Power, or Great Spirit, calling us to take on the more difficult task of loving everyone, even those neighbors who look differently, or think differently, or speak a different language, or are from a different race or culture?

I remember some of the discomfort and controversy that arose when the rainbow flag started to become popular and we had conversations in our Houses of Worship about displaying it as a sign of being welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community. Many people didn’t want to deal with their long-held prejudice, discomfort and beliefs that devalued the lives of our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered neighbors. It made us uncomfortable to focus our attention on “those people.” Then we started to really listen to the stories of our LGBTQ+ family members, friends, neighbors and colleagues. We did not know how much discrimination, violence and hatred LGBTQ+ people faced on a regular basis. We realized that, in many ways, their lives were similar to our own and some of our fears were unfounded. We became more comfortable with seeing the rainbow flag, and with appreciating what LGBTQ+ people bring to our lives and our communities.

Now, we face a new challenge as we see a renewed Black Lives Matter movement and Black Lives Matter signs appearing throughout our communities. We have to face the facts that our black and brown-skinned neighbors have suffered horrific violence and prejudice in our society. We are now being asked to deal with our own prejudices and the racial hatred that has been passed down to all of us in our society. It is scary and uncomfortable, as it always is, whenever we are asked to look deeply within and make some changes in ourselves and our lives.

Yet, if we are truly to “love our neighbor” and “do unto others,” it is beyond time for all of us to listen to the stories and the lives of our Black and Brown neighbors. It is beyond time for us to stand with Black and brown skinned people who have been oppressed and mistreated to proclaim that Black Lives DO Matter. It is our religious calling to do so. It is what is required of us as people of any faith tradition.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

May 27, 2020

On Sunday, I preached a sermon that was inspired by the book, “A Year to Live,” by Stephen Levine. This well known writer and expert on the experience of death and dying, imagined that he had been given a terminal diagnoses and had just one year left to live. What choices would he make if he knew that this year was his last? What choices would we make under similar circumstances? How would we structure that last year so that we would feel that our lives had meaning and that we could die with few regrets?

I’d like to give us another meaning for the phrase, “A Year to Live,” for I think this next year will be like no other that we have experienced. It appears that we are likely to have to continue wearing masks and practicing social distancing and it is likely that we will be unable to meet in person on Sunday mornings for at least another year. I know that Governor Baker has said that houses of worship could start meeting this weekend with proper procedures in place.

But here are the facts that we know today:
Medical experts have said that any form of choral or communal singing constitutes a “super spreader” event, because of the ways we project when we sing. So, if we met in person, we would not be able to sing or have a choir, and we would all have to wear masks. Having me preach to you would pose some of the same risks. And, I don’t think any of us are eager to have me preaching with a mask on.

Even if they find a vaccine, there’s not likely to be enough for everyone before the fall and winter flu season starts up, during which all public health experts are predicting a resurgence of this corona virus. Jessica Clay, my ministerial colleague in Brewster has said that “none of us should gather together until all of us can.” I think that’s a wonderful testament to our Universalist heritage.

Having to say this breaks my heart. I miss seeing all of you in person as, I know you miss seeing each other. I have discussed this with the Worship and Music Committee, and the Parish Committee and we all agree that our safety is more important, at least for the foreseeable future.

Even though this is going to be a crazy, lonely and fearful year that we now face, we will find ways to build connections, to explore meaningful thoughts and ideas, to develop deeper spiritual resources, and, to have fun.

I would also suggest that this would be a good time for all of us to review our lives and discern more deeply what is most important. Let’s ask ourselves what we need to let go of and what we need to do more intentionally in order to make our lives more healthy and whole. What do our lives need to look like so that we can face the end of our days and know that we have no unfinished business and have left a legacy of love and compassion?

In Peace,
Rev. Art

April 29, 2020

It is a beautiful day and the sun is shining as I sit here to write this column. Yet it may not be so “sunny” in our hearts as we are in the midst of the COVID-19 surge in Massachusetts. How is it with our spirits after so many weeks of “social distancing,” changes in our routines, financial instability of one kind or another, and fear for ourselves and those we love? These may not be “sunny” times in our lives and spring seems to be taking a long time to get here in more ways than the weather.

We are living in a new reality brought on by this virus and we may have lots of anger, fear, and grief about what is changing in our lives and our world. In order for us to deal with this most effectively, we will need to work through our feelings and embrace the new challenges and joys that our lives are now bringing to us. I use the word “embrace” because I think that acceptance will not be enough. The ways our lives will be altered are too great for “acceptance.” We will need to make whole new ways of being part of our everyday lives.

I also use the word “embrace” because that is something we will not be able to do with each other for the time being. For many, it is the human contact that we miss the most. The handshake may never return and who knows when we will be able to safely touch each other again.

For the month of May, I have reshaped our liturgical theme so that we can reflect on the issues that we may be dealing with during this difficult time. I will reflect on our isolation, silence, loneliness, grief, fear and the ways we are once again made vulnerable and aware of our own mortality. I’ll also talk about some of the joys that may touch our lives these days. At the end of the month, on Pentecost, I will talk about embracing the call of the spirit to fully live into the new life we have now been given. As I prepare services and programs for May, please let me know the particular issues and feelings that you are now dealing with so that I may include them.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

April 22, 2020

Our lives have changed considerably in the last couple of months because of COVID 19. We’re no longer able to see family and friends in person. Schools are cancelled through June. We’re asked to wear masks and gloves when we go out. Many are unemployed or working remotely. Perhaps those we share our home with are beginning to drive us crazy or we are feeling lonely in our isolation. And our fear for ourselves and those we care about is profound.

There are some beneficial outcomes that may come from this new reality we find ourselves in. Less commuting and travel have had a very positive impact on the environment and air quality. More time connecting with family and friends can create closer bonds than we’ve had in years. And it may also be difficult to accept some of the changes that will occur, but accept we must. How can we face our fear and make long-lasting positive changes as we confront this new reality?

For me, one way to do this will be to engage with a spiritual practice that will help me to become more mindful, to have greater awareness, to deal more effectively with my fear, my joy, my grief, my hopes and dreams; all that is part of my being. In the book Mindfulness for Beginners, Jon Kabat-Zinn describes the practice of becoming more mindful in dozens of small steps. So, I’d like to invite those of you who are interested in beginning your day with a short reflective moment to join me for a Zoom morning reflection/meditation that will begin on Monday, April 27 at 8 am.

Six days a week, Monday through Saturday, at 8 am, for at least the month of May, I will be leading these sessions. We will begin with a centering exercise. I will then read a passage from the book and allow us all to sit for a few minutes in silence. The whole process could take as little as fifteen minutes but you can stay in a reflective/meditative space until the time is right for you to leave and get back to your day. These are stand alone sessions and you can join us whenever you are available or feel the need for deeper connection.

Zinn describes mindfulness as “a love affair—with life, with reality and imagination, with the beauty of your own being, with your hear and body and mind, and with the world.” I look forward to exploring this with you.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

April 8, 2020

I hope you and your families are all well and staying home and staying close to those you love. Please call if you need to share what is in your heart. I’ll be happy to hear from you. Even though we may not feel like we’re having an “Easter” moment in our lives today; even though gathering to celebrate Passover doesn’t feel right, that is what the calendar is bringing us this week. We don’t feel like the words “liberation” and “resurrection” fit into our experience this week, yet here they are, asking us to remember and to celebrate the joys and struggles of our freedom and our lives. For that is the stuff of life, joy and struggle, tears and laughter, all part of this great miracle. Please join us for our Zoom service and coffee hour on Sunday. You will find the link elsewhere in this eblast.

I recently came across this beautiful reflection by Elizabeth Tarbox, a wonderful UU minister who passed away several years ago. Elizabeth was also Valerie’s sister. May you find inspiration here during this troubling and fearful week.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

Expect Life!
Do not live too far in the past or the future. Live now.

In each moment expect a miracle: ten kinds of birds at the feeder and the tracks of a fox in the snow.

Pick up a magnifying glass and scrutinize that crocus. See the pollen at the center of a beauty.

Run naked through the garden early in the morning and hope the wild geese fly by.

Get silly and laugh loudly with your grandchildren or your grandparents. Refuse to leave the dead behind, but bring their memory to all your chores and games and corners of quiet, warm tears.

Know always that joy and sorrow are woven together; one cannot be without the other. If you love, know that sometimes your love will bring you to tears; if you grieve, know that it is because at some time you were willing to love.

Do not be afraid to die today. But expect life!

March 18, 2020

This isolation and social distancing that has been imposed because of the Corona Virus seems very strange. We are social beings, after all. It is our inclination to connect with other people, not to avoid them. Most of our contacts now need to happen through social media, email and phone calls. For me, at least, there has been a silver lining in this cloud. I’ve called some old friends that I haven’t talked to in a while and had deep meaningful conversations where we had time to catch up with each other. I highly recommend using this time to go beyond superficial contacts and connect and reconnect with people who are dear to us.

Some of you are watching this on Facebook and some are reading this in the weekly eblast. I am trying to develop my social media skills to stay in touch with all of you in a few different ways. Please let me know what is working and what is not. There will be an abbreviated service that will be sent out later in the week. We’ll let you know how to access it when we determine the best way to do it. Please email me or call me with any milestones or Joys and Concerns you would like to see expressed in an online service. Speaking of Joys and Concerns, how are you all doing? How are you and your families coping with this virus and the change of landscape that has now touched our lives? Please call and let me know and check in with each other as well.

As we move through this difficult and uncertain time, let us remember the certainty of love and community that we have with those we are closest to and to this church community. Let us pray especially for those who are personally affected by the virus, those who are ill or caring for the sick, especially healthcare workers who are on the front lines. Let us pray for those whose livelihood and financial well-being are affected by the ways everything has closed down, restaurant workers and other service workers who often don’t have savings to get them through a financial crisis. Let us remember in prayer the children who are not getting free lunches in school and the parents who are now out of work and can barely afford to feed and house themselves and their families. Let us also stay in contact with those who are older and those who have compromising health issues. May we watch enough news to stay informed but not so much that we become overwhelmed and incapacitated by what is happening. Let us always remember that the Spirit of Life and Love is with us through this crisis, giving us grace and sustaining our hope through whatever fear and uncertainty we face.

Amen and Blessed Be,
Rev. Art

March 13, 2020

Last week I wrote to all of you about Journey, the spiritual theme we are contemplating this month. How much things have changed in the last 10 days. We are now clearly faced with the risks of COVID-19, the coronavirus that is wreaking havoc throughout the world. There is so much that remains unclear, but we know that this virus is very serious and will alter our lives for months to come.

Yesterday there was an email from Rev Susan Frederick-Gray, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association in which she suggested that we follow Center for Disease Control and public health recommendations that all public gatherings be limited to 25 people. If so, we would need to cancel our services. I then spoke with Amy Palmer who works in the public health field and she strongly concurred. After consulting with Ron Clarke, your Parish Committee President and the Worship and Music Committee, we decided that it would be prudent for us to cancel services beginning this weekend.

We are exploring using online platforms to broadcast services and/or create a YouTube channel so that reflections and sermons can be recorded and linked to the church’s website. We will keep you informed of all of this as we move forward. The most important thing is that you take care of yourselves and your health and stay in contact with family and friends. Please call and check in on each other. If you would like to be part of a more organized effort to call other church members, or if you are able to shop or run errands for people who are homebound, please contact me. This may also be a time of economic hardship for church members. You have given generously to the Minister’s Emergency Fund and there are resources available for those who need it

I offer my prayers and my love and support for all we are dealing with. Please call to talk whenever you need.

In Peace, Rev Art
lavoie.art@gmail.com
617-413-8791

March, 2020

Journey is the spiritual theme that we are contemplating this month. What has your life’s journey been like? In what ways have you followed a more conventional course? When have you taken “the road less traveled”? How have other people shaped your choices? What are the values you’ve learned along the way and how have those values changed as you encountered people and ideas that were different from yours?

This journey has been and continues to be one of self-discovery, a pilgrimage perhaps, as we discern life’s meaning and the call of our souls. It is a journey toward deeper awareness and acceptance of ourselves, our deepest longings and those of other people we meet along the way. It is also a journey of action as we live out our deepest values in the world around us. And it is a journey that sometimes challenges us to the core of our beings as we are buffeted by tragedy and heartbreak.

As Unitarian Universalists, we recognize that the journey, the path we are traveling, is often a spiritual one, laced with themes and values that have shaped us and the choices we have made. It is a spiritual journey because we are accompanied and supported by other travelers and by God, the Spirit of Life, the Greater Love. In truth, we never have to walk this path alone.

In our next Evensong session on March 11, we will be looking at our spiritual journeys and are asked to write our story, or part of it in six words. If each of us had to condense our autobiography into a six-word phrase, what core aspects of our life would we choose?

In Peace,
Rev. Art

(There is still time to join one of the two Evensong groups. We meet the first and last Wednesday of the month. There is an afternoon session at 2 pm and an evening session at 7 pm)

January, 2020

Possibility

Listen carefully. . . Can you still hear the song? The one sung for you when you were born. The song sung by a cosmos in motion rejoicing at your life…
Rev. Manish K. Mishra-Marzetti

The song sung at our birth offered us an open door of possibilities and a call to pursue our dreams and become the wondrous miracles we were born to be. Along the way, for most of us, life intervenes, sets limits, re-defines our dreams and expectation, obscures the call of our open hearts. We become locked into patterns and structures, many of which are wonderful and joyous and meaningful. Some of those patterns, though, hold us back and are empty of joy and meaning.

We always have the possibility of making other choices, facing ourselves and our lives and deciding to change one aspect of things or to move on in an entirely different direction. For me, pursuing the call to ministry over twenty years ago was one such moment when I radically re-oriented my life. I had to face my fear and complacency and move more fully in the direction of the song sung for me when I was born. There have been many joys and struggles along the way. There have been some regrets but I have rarely doubted that this was the right path for me and my life has been amazingly blessed.

Can you still hear that song of your birth?
If you listen deeply, what new adventures are you being called to?
What new possibilities are opening before you?

Happy New Year, Rev. Art

Dec. 22, 2019

2019 Holiday Message
“Expect the Unexpected“

Some of you may remember Robbie Walsh, who for many years was the minister at First Parish in Duxbury, one of your daughter churches. In his article, “Lo, the Star,” he tells the following story:

“There are many wonderful times in a year of being a parish minister, but there is nothing that quite compares with a certain moment toward the end of the Christmas pageant. There before me is the babe nestled in straw, around him are his parents, shepherds, angels, a variety of friendly beasts, three monarchs are slowly advancing down the center aisle, hundreds of people watch quietly by candlelight. I read, ‘They departed and lo, the star which they saw in the east went before them.’ Over my head suddenly shines . . . the star!”

It was always a magical moment for him as well as for others. Well, one year the star didn’t shine on schedule. There were technical difficulties. On the intonation of “lo,” Robbie pushed the light switch in his right hand and nothing happened. (Yes, there is a switch. The star doesn’t light magically.) Robbie flipped the switch as he’d done for years, and over his head the light did not shine. Meanwhile, the congregation had started singing “We Three Kings,” so Robbie had time to play with the switch and by the end of that hymn the star glowed and there was light in the darkness.

Science has been trying to explain that Christmas Star for ages, yet, to paraphrase Margaret Gooding in our reading, Christmas is one of those times where we may want a little magic in our lives. The story of a star lighting the birthplace of a special child, a star leading travelers on a journey; well that’s the kind of unexpected miracle that continues to touch our hearts.

One Christmas over twenty-five years ago, my father was in the hospital. He had had a heart attack and would be discharged on the 27^th, but would not be home for Christmas. It really didn’t make any sense to have Christmas without him, so we decided to postpone our family’s Christmas time together till after he was home. It was a momentous but necessary change for us.

Christmas came and went. We all visited him in the hospital at some point during the day. And we were all busy celebrating with in-laws, and other family or friends. Then the day of our family Christmas arrived and we had a better Christmas than we could have imagined, better even than any in the previous several years.

It wasn’t just the sense of fragility we felt because of Dad’s recent medical crisis that made our celebration so meaningful. The day was special because we were all able to be together for an extended period of time. No one had to run off to visit in-laws or other relatives or friends. There was nothing else going on that day and we could just BE with each other. An unexpected twist in our Christmas planning had turned into a remarkable blessing for all of us.

Now, I know that family holiday get-togethers can be very complicated by the years of stresses and strains in our relationships. We want everything to go well. We want everyone to be on their best behavior and to come together without any of the messy things that can happen among family.

We want this to be a peaceful and joyous celebration. What we sometimes really want is to control everyone else’s behavior so that they conform to our wishes rather than allowing them to be themselves and accepting them for who they are. We want everything to go according to our plan rather than letting things unfold in the way that they will.

The truth is that we have cleaned up and sanitized Christmas and expect the same things in our own celebrations. We see the picture of the crèche scene with a kind of extended family of the babe and Mary and Joseph, shepherds and wise men all caught in that perfect image of tranquility and adoration and wonder. We think that our homes and our hearts are supposed to look like that, everything neatly wrapped in quiet awe for Christmas. And then we’re surprised when we all behave as normal, rather than as expected

But let’s look at what really may have happened here. The story tells us that there is mess and chaos from beginning to end. Nothing goes quite as planned for anyone that day. First of all, they’re in an overcrowded village with all of the people who have come from all over to be counted in this census. They speak different languages and dialects and are tired and cranky from the journey. 

Mary goes into labor, which can happen at the most unexpected times. There is no room at the inn for these weary travelers and Mary has to give birth out in the shed where the animals are kept. And let’s not kid ourselves; giving birth is not a clean and tranquil event in and of itself.

The poor shepherds are scared out of their wits by a choir of angels and then they’re told to leave their fields and run into town to check out the scene. Now, since they’ve been out in the fields, they haven’t bathed in days. And let’s not forget that the place is filled with animals doing all of their messy animal things all over this shed. And then these three foreign looking strangers and their entourage show up adding more chaos and confusion to the event. It’s not really the tranquil scene of our fantasies, is it?

Today we also celebrate the first day of Hanukkah, another story that has been deeply sanitized and turned into a miraculous legend. The legend states that after reclaiming the temple after the victory over the Greek army, there was only enough sacred oil in the temple to light the lamp for one day. Yet the lamp stayed lit for the entire eight days it took to consecrate another batch of oil.

But the true miracle of the Hanukkah story is that, after some intense messy and bloody battles, a small band of Hebrew freedom fighters was able to defeat the Greek army in the first place. And then they get to the holy temple and find it overrun with the statues and other implements that were used to worship the Greek deities. It was a mess, filthy and desecrated. And they rolled up their sleeves and cleaned it all up. These stories are all about the blood and guts of our lives, literally and figuratively.

Robbie Walsh concludes the story about the star with the following statement: “This is a moral tale, and here are its lessons. First, my control over the cosmos, or much of anything else, is indeed an illusion. Second, things often turn out well in spite of my inability to control them. Third, if the divine presence breaks through, the timing is up to it and not to me—and the best I can do is to stay loose enough to be open to it.”

What would that be like for us to stay open this holiday season to the miracles around us, to the gifts and strengths and challenges that everyone brings to the season? It is a stressful time and we are all a bit on edge. Our behaviors will reflect so many of the stressors we feel, about this season as well as the family issues that continue to plague all of us.

If I try to control the outcome, I will have a lousy time and I will miss the presence of God, the presence of the sacred when it chooses to make itself known. If I waste my time being annoyed about the schedule, the mess, or some other crazy thing that someone in the family says or does, I will miss the wonder and awe in the faces of my nieces and nephews. I will miss the chance for quality time with my brothers and their spouses. I will miss all that might have meaning for me on that holy day. Since that Christmas over twenty-five years ago, my family has always picked a day on the weekend after Christmas to celebrate together.

Christmas is the stuff of life, sometimes messy and complicated and sometimes glorious, and when we try to make it otherwise, we miss the point that miracles and moments of magic don’t need to be perfect. They happen every day, all around us, in the chaos, and mess, and difficult feelings, as well as the joy and tranquility.  We just need to let ourselves look up into the night sky and see what magical star is calling us to find the glorious miracle right around the next corner.

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas
Amen, Blessed Be
Rev. Art

Dec. 4, 2019

Nov. 13, 2019

Our personal, family and collective history helps inform our lives and gives us meaning. The history of First Parish Plymouth has many interesting chapters, some of which are well known and some of which are not. You have all been part of that ongoing history, some of you for all of your lives and some for shorter periods. However long you have been here, you probably have stories about what your experience at First Parish has been. Over the next couple of months we will be collecting your stories and experiences on a “history wall” that will be set up between the parlor and library. Please take a few minutes to reflect on your experiences, both positive and negative that have been part of your life here.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

Nov. 1, 2019

Have you ever been at a family gathering and someone begins telling a story about something that happened? In many cases others remember that same event differently. These different perceptions of a family story have often created many an argument.

Memory is our theme for November. It is important to realize, that like all of the other values we have lifted up over these past months, our memories are very personal and do not often correlate with historical fact. Our memories are colored by our relationships with the other people in the story, our perceptions of ourselves and the world around us, and our values. We remember things that happened in a way that reinforces how we see ourselves and the world.

Our story is important because it gives our lives meaning and hope. Our memories can warm our hearts and light our way into tomorrow. But our story is not the only story to be told. Our collective wisdom and understanding grow deeper as we listen to the stories of others and give all the stories an equal voice in our world.

In our memories we both honor and revile those who have come before us, depending on how we see them in our personal story. The stories associated with the Thanksgiving holiday, or with the National Day of Mourning as that holiday is known by our Native American neighbors, are filled with conflicting narratives and deeply personal joys and sorrows. Can we hear the truth in all of those stories? Can we honor both the legacies that have been left us and the lives that have been destroyed? Can we honor our ancestors, all of them, and use their stories to help us define a better future?

In Peace,
Rev Art

Sept. 11, 2019

We are quickly approaching the time when most Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving, the remembrance of a time when indigenous people and recent immigrants celebrated together, thanking God and the earth for a bountiful harvest and survival of a colony after a brutal winter when so many were lost. And we know that this closer relationship did not last long. This can be a very complex and tender issue for all people as we navigate the full extent of our history and the ways that Indigenous Americans have been exploited and killed and European Americans have attempted to destroy their cultures.

For many years now, First Parish Plymouth has made Kendall Hall available to the indigenous communities of New England who have honored a Day of Mourning on the fourth Thursday in November, what many in the U.S. celebrate as Thanksgiving. First Parish no longer owns the Meetinghouse and, due to the ongoing construction, Kendall Hall will not be available this year. We have been asked to help find another location for the meal after their march and ritual. I think it’s important to continue our support of and advocacy for Native Peoples. I have made some inquiries in the community and would welcome anyone from First Parish who would like to work on this with me.

In Peace,
Art

Sept. 4, 2019

These are some of the issues that we’ll be dealing with over the next few years as you take the bold step to reimagine your future. I can offer helpful guidance, but this is not my church. It is yours. Only you can chart the course of your future. It will be my role to give you some ideas and to set the structure for you to work in. Then my most important role will be to listen deeply to the musings of your souls. I look forward to this wonderful journey we will be sharing. It won’t be as drastic or dangerous as that of the Mayflower Pilgrims, your spiritual ancestors. But it may be just as important. This country and this world need a new vision. It would be a gift from the heavens if you could have a role in providing it.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

May 29, 2019

May 1, 2019

“To be creative is to unleash the fire within.”

With this opening line of a poem, the author invites us to explore our creative potential, and tap into our own creative fire. This can be frightening. We know the creative fire of our imagination can sometimes be difficult to contain. When we are creative we put our deeper selves out there for all to see. We take risks anytime we reveal part of who we are and open ourselves to both positive and negative criticism. Creative solutions and ideas can bring new ways of being and can also reorder the balance we have in our lives. Yet, we all have that spark. There it waits, that creative fire, simmering within us.

I like to think of creative energy as a form of spiritual energy. Just look at the creative power of the universe and the forces of nature. It is always changing and transforming. Anything that stagnates, dies. It’s no wonder that myths and legends of the beginning of time are often called “creation stories.” They remind us that, though the creative process may seem chaotic, the results are wondrous and take us to new and profound places.

I think most of my creativity goes into writing sermons and planning worship services. And there is always some anxiety, some risk in exposing that part of my soul. But when I listen to the call of that voice within, the results are most often deeply inspiring and satisfying. We all have that creative fire, that spiritual power within us. Whatever we do, however unimportant we think it might be, there is always the opportunity for creative insight and action. God, the Spirit of Life, the Creative Fire, is constantly calling out to us and it is only by answering that call that can reach our full potential.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

April 3, 2019

Emergence

Crocuses! They always amaze me. Such a frail seeming flower that dares burst forth when most of us are still feeling the winter chill. You may have already seen the little patch of crocuses that appeared a couple of weeks ago by the parking lot behind Brewster Chapel. Out of the brown hard earth appears this vision of green, purple, lavender and white.

At the parsonage in Dorchester, the lawn to the left of the driveway became a field of crocuses every year. The first year I was there the blossoming of those crocuses stopped me in my tracks and brought tears to my eyes. The earth was so brown and seemed so lifeless that it was a miracle to see this field of delicate color burst forth in all it’s splendor. I never got tired of the annual spectacle. Every year it surprised me and took my breath away.

What if we all had the courage of crocuses? What would our lives be like if we could let go of our fear of winter’s chill, or other people’s expectations and just let our colors bloom? What would happen if we ignored the naysayers who tell us that it’s not the right time to announce spring’s beauteous arrival and our emergence into the newness of life? What if we worried less and risked a bit more?

Yesterday I saw a few daffodils had bloomed alongside the Meetinghouse. Here we go! We can’t deny or delay the emergence of spring and its chaos of blooming color. Let spring blossom in our hearts and break open our winter crusted lives. Let the riotous fun begin!

In Peace
Rev. Art

February 4, 2019

Spiritually Speaking

“Perseverance” is a religious value that we are considering this month at First Parish, Unitarian Universalist. It is defined as “the persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” Perseverance is not a religious value that I often think about. Yet, as I reflect more deeply, I realize that perseverance is key to our spiritual lives and our work for justice and peace in the world. When I think about all of the great religious teachers and prophets that I admire, from Jesus to Martin Luther King, Jr, I can see that they persevered, sharing their message over and over again, in the face of strong opposition and even persecution. They knew that long-lasting change in the ways people think and act would not happen quickly yet they continued on. Perseverance is a value that stands up against the pervasive cultural norm that calls for immediate gratification of all of our wishes and desires. Without perseverance and determination, we can easily lose hope that we will be able to achieve positive change, either in ourselves or the larger community.

Perseverance is an element of any commitment that we make, whether that is to a partner, spouse or family, a commitment to taking care of ourselves and others, a commitment to a religious or civic institution, or a commitment to a social justice issue. When making a plan to be more healthy, for example, which many of us do at the new year, you can’t just go to the gym a few times or eat more healthy once a week. In order to achieve any lasting results, we need resolve and perseverance. And, we know that perseverance is essential to long-lasting healthy relationships. In the face of a world where there is so much hatred, violence and open hostility, it takes perseverance and commitment to right relationship if we are going to live lives based on our religious values.

All of the achievements that have been won in the cause of justice and peace, have taken great effort and perseverance. Most of our suffragist mothers never got to see the vote in their lifetime, but they persevered, knowing that their cause was a just one. The struggle for civil rights has been a long and arduous one that began with the abolitionists and continues today through the work and perseverance of the Black Lives Matter movement. Our commitment to equal rights for all regardless of race, class, sexual orientation or identity, or immigration status is an ongoing commitment to practice the values enshrined in our religious ideals, the very values our country was founded upon. Our work to raise the alarm on climate change and make lasting changes in how we care for our planet and the other species that we share it with will take much tenacity and perseverance before we see many lasting results. We join Martin Luther King, Jr and the great 19th century Unitarian orator, Theodore Parker in proclaiming that “the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.”

In Peace,
Rev Art

January 16, 2019

There are important moments of transition to honor in our lives. Birth, death and marriage are the transitions that first come to mind. The transition from childhood to adulthood has become prolonged in our current society, yet every indigenous culture and religious institution that I know of has created some kind of ritual to mark this important time. For Christians, this is called “Confirmation.” In the Jewish tradition there are Bar and Bat mitzva’. In Unitarian Universalist congregations we call this ritual “Coming of Age.”

Several teens at First Parish Plymouth and their parents have been meeting this year, under the direction of Kim Caple, to prepare for a “Coming of Age” service that will be held on Sunday, June 9, 2019. I’ve been fortunate to attend these meetings and am so proud of the youth in this congregation. They are engaging, intelligent and committed teens who care deeply about the world they will inherit from us.

Each one of them is exploring their own values and beliefs as they prepare their “Credos” for the June 9th service. Each of them has created a social justice project which you will be hearing more about and they will go on an overnight “Vision Quest” retreat together in April. Please plan on attending the June 9 service so that we can all honor them and the work they are doing, and, when you can, please support their social justice projects.

In Peace,
Rev Art

January 2, 2019

2019 has arrived and I pray that it is a good year for all of us and for First Parish Plymouth. Many of us think about the beginning of the year as a time to make resolutions. What if we took a different approach?

Intention is our theme for the month, and it works best for me if I think about the word Intentional. This, I think, is closely related to the Buddhist practice of Mindfulness . Instead of making resolutions about things we might never do, what would it be like for us to commit to being more intentional in our lives? We don’t always think and plan before acting. We are easily distracted and don’t pay attention to what we do or say. We say things off the cuff that might be hurtful or inconsiderate. Instead, what if we had a more thoughtful way of communicating with each other, a more deliberate way of being? I think we could eliminate so much hurt and misunderstanding if we were more intentional and mindful, don’t you?

In Peace,
Rev Art

December 19, 2018

Jeanne is playing holiday music in the next office, and I can hear Andy Williams belting out, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” While that may be true for many, it’s not true for all of us. I can remember a few years when I felt depressed and lethargic from mid-November till January. I know it had something to do with the lack of sunlight, but it was also the enormous pressure I felt to be joyful and merry at this time of year. The expectation that the holidays need to be a picture-perfect moment further isolates those for whom this is not true. Life is messy, families are complicated, and we don’t often fit into the neat little boxes that are set before us. The winter holidays, especially, can be a time where our grief and unhappiness are more pronounced because everyone else seems to be having a jolly old time.

I think the most important thing in this season is to find ways to honor our feelings, whatever they are, and to spend time with the people we can truly be ourselves with. For those of us who are feeling merry and bright, we can listen more deeply to the feelings of others and not expect people to feel as we do. This is a time of waiting and wondering as the year changes and the days begin to grow longer. As we try to recognize the mysteries of life and love around us, let us open our hearts to the many blessings we can receive.

In Peace,
Rev. Art

December 12. 2018

The Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth out of his holy word.

These words are from Rev John Robinson, the founding Separatist Minister of this congregation who stayed in Holland when the Pilgrims sailed to Plymouth. These words are as true today as they were when he spoke them. You have reached a seminal moment in the life of the congregation. On Sunday you gave the deed to the Meetinghouse to the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. We honored the meaning that this building has for you as we looked toward the future. We will, of course, be meeting in the Meetinghouse through Christmas Eve and will then be in Brewster Chapel for the winter.

I know that this brings mixed emotions to many of you who have worshiped in this church for many years. Some of you have raised children here and buried family and friends out of the Meetinghouse. Much of that will still happen. GSMD is committed to keeping having the congregation that has worshipped here continuously for nearly four centuries remain an integral part of the future of that building. First Parish will continue to hold services and rites of passage there. In the summer we will need to have Sunday services in Brewster Chapel because of the tourist season. As plans develop for the renovation of the interior spaces, Lea Filson and her team will keep us informed of their plans.

As I said on Sunday, I truly believe that First Parish Plymouth will grow and thrive in ways that you can barely imagine without the burden of caring for that building. It is a great new journey that you are embarking on. But, for today, I want to honor and respect all of the feelings that are emerging for you. Please feel free to contact me if you’d like to talk.

May this holy season bring you peace and hope,
Rev Art

December 5, 2018

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all

Emily Dickinson wrote these words many years ago. Isn’t it true though, that hope feels like something with feathers, something that lifts our spirits, makes us feel lighter, and brings a song to our hearts?

As I walked to work this morning, I was thinking about our December theme, Hope. It is a cold morning, and the sun is shining brightly in a clear, blue sky. It is a fallow time of year, a season of waiting. The trees are bare, the plants and flowers are dormant, and the silence and darkness of the season and our lives hold seeds of anticipation, seeds of hope.

For there is much to be hopeful for at First Parish Plymouth. This coming Sunday we will honor and ritualize the decision you’ve made to give ownership of the Meetinghouse to the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. It is a fallow time as we wonder, and anticipate what will happen next. How will each of you deal with this new reality and how will the congregation manage this transition?

I think you will do this with the same grace and perseverance that you have always shown in the face of change or adversity. I think this is a wonderful opportunity to reassess who you are, re-discern your mission, renew your energies, and re-vitalize this congregation in the face of the 21st century. Now, that is something to hope for!

In Peace,
Rev. Art