The beauty of summer!

Well, I think it is official. With the summer solstice behind us, and the weather forecast predicting temperatures in the 90s with corresponding dewpoints, I think it is fair to say that summer is here.

There’s an old joke that says Unitarian Universalists are the only ones that God trusts to take summers off. It’s offered as an explanation for why UU churches go into “away mode” in the summer. And, in many ways it is true that our congregations tend to be a little less well attended in the summer months. Owing perhaps to our roots being rather tightly intertwined with that of institutions of higher education, and owing too to the fact that our tradition has historically valued a highly educated ministry (PhDs are welcome here!), we are accustomed to the academic calendar and it isn’t uncommon for UU ministers to take some extended time away during the summer.

And so, in keeping with that tradition, I want to let you know that over the next month or so, you can expect a couple of things to be different. First and foremost, this column will be taking a break, and will resume as we start things up again in August. Second, Meg is away through mid-August, and Terri and I (Arif) will be less physically present in the church, but still checking in and available.

This does not mean that we are not present or that you’re on your own! To paraphrase the title of Rev. Kate Braestrup’s wonderful book on her experiences as a chaplain with the Maine warden service, we are here if you need us. So, if you find that you do need us, please don’t hesitate to reach out. And as always, in the event of an emergency, call us.

May the longer days of summer bring a slower and more sustainable pace. May you have at least one moment by a lake where the sound of the water and the play of light helps you remember our interconnection to each other and the wider world around us.

May you have a wonderful summer.

— Arif

Each week (starting again in August), the interim ministry team will share a reflection on the Soul Matters monthly theme, the state of the church, or the state of the world. Meg, Terri and Arif will alternate writing this “In the Interim” post. We encourage your comments.

I live in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul. In the blocks surrounding my home are lots of tudors, a fair number of bungalows (like mine), and colonials. Most of the houses are nicely maintained with foundation or sidewalk edge gardens and mown lawns. I love living in this area so filled with flowers and foliage.

And while I like trim and tidy, I like wild too. I like both. The orderly and thoughtful, and the creative and spontaneous. I need  the unexpected, the not sure and who knows. And, I can sit down for hours researching plants and filling out my custom-created garden database.

My spouse and I have only lived in our new house since November, so this is our first summer. It’s been wonderful discovering what we inherited in the gardens as they’ve come alive with the growing season.

Now I could have spent this time observing, learning and planning  what I wanted to do. That’s a very good thing and I’m doing that. But I also am doing another entirely different thing…. Continue reading →

Dear UUCM Friends,

I don’t know about you, but I love a road trip.  I love stopping at whatever roadside attractions make themselves known, settling in with music or podcasts or audio books, staring out the window at telephone poles.   I love the conversations that unfold with hours to poke around with half baked ideas, memories and dreams.  I love seeing the road up ahead and knowing I’m going somewhere!  My three year old car has more than 50,000 miles on it—I’ve driven it to both coasts a couple of times and to New Orleans as well!

June 15, I’m setting off on a massive roadtrip—the longest I’ve ever taken.  I’ll start by driving to General Assembly—the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists for business and for learning, commonly called GA—which is in Spokane, Washington this year.  After a week of GA,  I’ll head up through British Columbia to Alaska! Continue reading →