A Cup of Joe for December 20, 2024

 

Thich Nhat Hanh says this:

When you love someone, the best thing you can offer is your presence. How can you love if you are not there? The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.

The main thing we all need is simply to be there for one another.

One of the special ministries of this congregation has been the LGBTQ+ Teen Night that we’ve hosted on first and third Fridays for over a year now. I am very grateful for the leadership of Kristina Spaulding who has been coordinating this ministry since the beginning.

The LGTBQ+ Teen Night has been a welcoming haven for many local young people who often have the experience of feeling unsafe and unseen in other spaces of their lives.

Parker J. Palmer notes

The human soul doesn’t want to be advised or fixed or saved. It simply wants to be witnessed — to be seen, heard and companioned exactly as it is.

I’ll never forget the parent who remarked to the volunteers one night that they’d never seen their child smile so big before.

Kristina needs to step down from being the Teen Night coordinator so she can focus on some other projects.  Unfortunately, we haven’t yet found someone in the congregation able to take over as the coordinator.  This means that tonight’s LGBTQ+ Teen Night might be the last one.  I’d love to be able to re-start this effort in February after a January break.  If you are interested in being part of that and in continuing this way we can make a difference in our community, I’d love to hear from you.

 

In this season of gift-giving, may you find yourself receiving the gift of presence from others.  May you have the opportunity to give to another the gift of your presence.

I hope to see you at this Sunday’s morning service which will celebrate the Winter Solstice.  And our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight service offering a lessons and carols celebration of the holiday will begin at 4:00 on Christmas Eve.

Blessed Solstice! Merry Christmas!

May the winter holidays bring you peace, rest, and renewal.

love,

Rev Joe