Turn my sullen sense toward marvel.

Cup of Joe. October 18, 2024.

 

One of my favorite readings about autumn in our hymnal is one (no. 485) that begins by brazenly calling out: “Turn scarlet, leaves! Spin earth!” 

Autumn-time can get a bit riotous.  All sorts of things are happening and either changing right now or portending change any moment now.  The boldness of that reading heartens me in a couple ways.  It reminds me that while there may not be much I can do to change how much is happening and how fast, I can acknowledge it, recognize it, greet it—even call it forth.  And in the brazenness of that challenge what I also hear is a brazen confidence: I will be here.  All this change and riot can clatter around and ripple through me, and yet I will still be here.  I will be part of this change.  I will turn scarlet, spin, and spill.  

There is a gift in all that turning, spinning and spilling.  The reading asks of all that riot: “Teach me to turn / My sullen sense toward marvel.”  And can marvel.  I can do that.  And feel that.  I can be part of this living:

Let green and red
And dark and day
Concur with the returning life
I am.

There is a larger motion of returning life, of life’s resilience, that I am part of.  There is a larger motion of returning life and of life’s resilience that you are part of.  We can marvel, and we are all part of a great, interconnected marvel.

That’s the poetic part of my message for you at the moment.  The prosaic part is simply this: You can learn about all that’s going on and more with our congregation and beyond at our vibrant and fabulous new website at <https://uusaratoga.org>.  

Looking ahead, at the website you will find news and announcements of things to come—like: the Music Night happening tomorrow, the New Home Task Force update after the service this Sunday, and news from our Butterfly Team about digging up a time capsule currently buried on our grounds.

Looking back, at our website, you will find a growing archive of sermons that are searchable by speaker and by topic. 

The motion of life is always returning.  Turn scarlet leaves!  Let’s go!

Peace,
Rev Joe

P.S. I will be on Study Leave from Monday, October 21 through Sunday, October 27.  I’lll be attending a meeting of a clergy study group where we will be learning a little about the Protactile movement, as well as (via Zoom) this year’s meeting of the New York State Convention of Universalists.  You can attend the Universalists’ conference, too!  The theme is “The Art of Helping and Being Helped.”  Today is the last day to register to attend that meeting, so don’t delay!  Register here: <https://nyscu.org/>