Welcome!

From Rev. Cassie:  “A Place for You”

When I think of hospitality, one of the first things that comes to mind is physical space. Is there room for me? We reel with empathy in Forrest Gump’s “seat taken” scene as he tries to find an available seat on the school bus. We notice the long lines of people at the airport, worried that somehow their seat was taken. We become protective over “our seat,” or at least “our corner” at church when we find that a new person had taken it, blissfully unaware.

 This search for physical space can influence our relationship with another kind of space: sociological space. Sociological space is about the ways we make room for people in our emotional and psychological worlds. The difference, though, is that while physical space is limited, sociological space is not. What’s more: keeping a practice of offering sociological space can help us to grow.

 Mechtilde of Magdeburg, a 13th Century Christian Mystic once asked: “How shall we live?” She gave her own answer: “Live welcoming to all.”

 What might “welcoming all” look like, at UUCGT? First, it doesn’t mean welcome the people just like you, or the people who you already know and like. “Welcoming all” asks a lot of us. It asks us to put ourselves out there- to talk with someone new during coffee hour, someone who might be thirty years older or younger than we are. It asks us to explain the inside joke to newcomers, and to say the long version of an acronym. It asks  us to linger a little in the awkwardness of getting to know someone new, something not many actually enjoy doing, but something all of us had to go through as we formed the friendships we have today. Welcoming all might mean putting term limits on committee chairs so new leadership is truly encouraged, or it could mean that offering childcare at all UUCGT functions is a priority as a multigenerational community.

 The thing is- there is no limit to sociological space. And the more we offer it, and structure our congregation so that we can offer it, the more it helps us to grow, personally, religiously, and numerically.

 Blessings to you,
Rev. Cassie

Congregational Covenant

 Mindful of our vibrant Congregational history and steadfastly committed to a strong future, we strive to promote good in the world and aid each other in ethical and spiritual development.

To this end, I willfully covenant to:

Welcome with open minds and hearts all who gather here;

Inspire and respect others, from youngest to oldest, on our various spiritual paths;

Assume good intentions, communicate directly, share ideas freely, listen willingly, disagree respectfully, and forgive easily;

Support the ministry of our Congregation through gifts of time, talent and money.

Encourage all voices to speak and be heard, as we participate in a collaborative and democratic process.

 

What is Unitarian Universalism?

Unitarian Universalism is a non-creedal faith, meaning that we believe that it is each person’s right and responsibility to follow her or his own spiritual path, as it leads toward compassion and justice.

Our congregation’s mission statement declares who we are and who we strive to become as a religious community:

We provide a safe, caring community where all can freely explore diverse religious thought.