Tag Archives: community

Tears of Joy and Sorrow: The Work Is Not Yet Done

In the beloved community I serve time is set aside on most Sundays for something called “Joys and Sorrows”.  Valued as a time in which to plum the depths of our hearts, to affirm the complexity of grief and of … Continue reading

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“Sometimes”

“Sometimes” A poem shared with UUFRC 01/04/15 By Reverend Stefanie Etzbach-Dale PART 1 Sometimes Life just bowls you over with – “Grace”! Knocks you down, So you have no choice But to let those shimmering, soul-quenching waves of “Undeserved” bliss Seep into … Continue reading

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Advent

Christian story and ritual, including that relating to Christmas, evolved over centuries. (Given the growing influence of Santa and his reindeer, it continues to evolve.) In the early years of Christianity, well after the crucifixion, much HOPE was invested in … Continue reading

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Circle Blessing for the Ancestors

Please join hearts for a Circle Blessing Upon the Ancestors, turning together, as you are able, to the directions called: First, we turn to the NORTH: blessing the elders, who carved the paths we now walk; whose curiosity and vision, … Continue reading

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The Between Place

We live always in the “between place” The “liminal space” between one breath and another Between one day and the next, one season and another. Rushing: poised always on the brink of something else, “yet again”. We reach out, seeking … Continue reading

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Today Is The First Day of The Rest of Your Life!

Opening Words for the 09/14/14 Worship Service: “Fresh Start” Today is the “first day, of the rest of your life”! A time to step out, of old sorrow or strife! To lay down the burden, of “things left undone” To … Continue reading

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A Transformation Story

A long time ago, there was a young woman, who woke up to find that she could not “wake up”! She slept and slept, for months, for years, shrouded in a cocoon of fevered dreams. Her hair fell out, her … Continue reading

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