Sunday morning, we began our month of reflections on Pluralism with a message from our neighbors at First UU of Springfield, Missouri; on June 14, 2022, Rev. Michelle Scott-Huffman delivered a message titled "Blessings That Arise From Pain."
This was part of a service in which First UU observed the Pulse Day of Remembrance. (Content note: in what follows, there will be talk of gun violence and death.) According to the OnePulse Foundation “The Pulse Day of Remembrance is a day of quiet reflection and love dedicated to honoring the senseless loss of innocent life and remembering the horrible attack that occurred on June 12, 2016 at Pulse Night Club in Orlando, Florida.” Such remembrance is a sobering reminder that our commitment to Pluralism is a radical and vulnerable one, which is at times opposed and targeted. However, Pluralism also gives us gifts of resilience to weather such tragedy and find blessings on the other side. The original service at First UU included this blessing, written by Jan Richardson:
Blessing When the World Is Ending
Look, the world
is always ending
somewhere.
Somewhere
the sun has come
crashing down.
Somewhere
it has gone
completely dark.
Somewhere
it has ended
with the gun,
the knife,
the fist.
Somewhere
it has ended
with the slammed door,
the shattered hope.
Somewhere
it has ended
with the utter quiet
that follows the news
from the phone,
the television,
the hospital room.
Somewhere
it has ended
with a tenderness
that will break
your heart.
But, listen,
this blessing means
to be anything
but morose.
It has not come
to cause despair.
It is simply here
because there is nothing
a blessing
is better suited for
than an ending,
nothing that cries out more
for a blessing
than when a world
is falling apart.
This blessing
will not fix you,
will not mend you,
will not give you
false comfort;
it will not talk to you
about one door opening
when another one closes.
It will simply
sit itself beside you
among the shards
and gently turn your face
toward the direction
from which the light
will come,
gathering itself
about you
as the world begins
again.
Recordings from the service and a fuller version of Richardson's writings are available at First UU's website: https://springfielduu.org/2022/06/14/blessings-that-arise-from-pain/
This was part of a service in which First UU observed the Pulse Day of Remembrance. (Content note: in what follows, there will be talk of gun violence and death.) According to the OnePulse Foundation “The Pulse Day of Remembrance is a day of quiet reflection and love dedicated to honoring the senseless loss of innocent life and remembering the horrible attack that occurred on June 12, 2016 at Pulse Night Club in Orlando, Florida.” Such remembrance is a sobering reminder that our commitment to Pluralism is a radical and vulnerable one, which is at times opposed and targeted. However, Pluralism also gives us gifts of resilience to weather such tragedy and find blessings on the other side. The original service at First UU included this blessing, written by Jan Richardson:
Blessing When the World Is Ending
Look, the world
is always ending
somewhere.
Somewhere
the sun has come
crashing down.
Somewhere
it has gone
completely dark.
Somewhere
it has ended
with the gun,
the knife,
the fist.
Somewhere
it has ended
with the slammed door,
the shattered hope.
Somewhere
it has ended
with the utter quiet
that follows the news
from the phone,
the television,
the hospital room.
Somewhere
it has ended
with a tenderness
that will break
your heart.
But, listen,
this blessing means
to be anything
but morose.
It has not come
to cause despair.
It is simply here
because there is nothing
a blessing
is better suited for
than an ending,
nothing that cries out more
for a blessing
than when a world
is falling apart.
This blessing
will not fix you,
will not mend you,
will not give you
false comfort;
it will not talk to you
about one door opening
when another one closes.
It will simply
sit itself beside you
among the shards
and gently turn your face
toward the direction
from which the light
will come,
gathering itself
about you
as the world begins
again.
Recordings from the service and a fuller version of Richardson's writings are available at First UU's website: https://springfielduu.org/2022/06/14/blessings-that-arise-from-pain/
UUFJC News and Events this week:
For accessibility and convenience, we have an option to donate to our Fellowship online through PayPal:
For accessibility and convenience, we have an option to donate to our Fellowship online through PayPal:
Donate to UUFJC
You can also mail donations and pledges to:
UUFJC
Attn: Treasurer
PO Box 1245
Jefferson City, MO 65102
You can also mail donations and pledges to:
UUFJC
Attn: Treasurer
PO Box 1245
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Thank you for being with us and supporting us!
And remember all our ways to stay in touch! You can visit our website at uufjc.org. You can also join our open-posting "UUFJC Cafe" Google Group to chat with other members and friends via e-mail and receive additional announcements and reminders (contact the Administrator at [email protected] to join).
The UUFJC Worship Team meets this Tuesday, May 7th at 4:30 pm at our building. (Note that this is a different date and time from what was listed in our May newsletter.) All are welcome to get involved in creating our Sunday services, in ways big and small (and remember, we're a friendly audience!). For more information, contact our vice president, Lisa Sanning.
An independent Insight Meditation group taught by Joe McCormack meets at our building Thursday nights at 7 pm. For more information, contact Bob Antweiler.
Next Sunday, May 12th, our Intergenerational Book Study meets at our building at 2 pm. This month includes two selections: Sounder by William H. Armstrong, and Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. Contact Emma Regnier and Betty Cooper.
And we are now less than two weeks away from our Annual Business Meeting, coming Sunday, May 19th. Voting members, please plan to attend. For the meeting agenda and more information, contact our board.
Our building is reserved by a community group Wednesdays and Saturdays starting at 6 pm. If you have access to our building, please allow privacy at these times.
For more events, see our online calendars:
UUFJC EventsVirtual Gatherings
Affiliated Events
Religious Education
Building Use (other)
Community Events
And remember all our ways to stay in touch! You can visit our website at uufjc.org. You can also join our open-posting "UUFJC Cafe" Google Group to chat with other members and friends via e-mail and receive additional announcements and reminders (contact the Administrator at [email protected] to join).
The UUFJC Worship Team meets this Tuesday, May 7th at 4:30 pm at our building. (Note that this is a different date and time from what was listed in our May newsletter.) All are welcome to get involved in creating our Sunday services, in ways big and small (and remember, we're a friendly audience!). For more information, contact our vice president, Lisa Sanning.
An independent Insight Meditation group taught by Joe McCormack meets at our building Thursday nights at 7 pm. For more information, contact Bob Antweiler.
Next Sunday, May 12th, our Intergenerational Book Study meets at our building at 2 pm. This month includes two selections: Sounder by William H. Armstrong, and Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. Contact Emma Regnier and Betty Cooper.
And we are now less than two weeks away from our Annual Business Meeting, coming Sunday, May 19th. Voting members, please plan to attend. For the meeting agenda and more information, contact our board.
Our building is reserved by a community group Wednesdays and Saturdays starting at 6 pm. If you have access to our building, please allow privacy at these times.
For more events, see our online calendars:
UUFJC EventsVirtual Gatherings
Affiliated Events
Religious Education
Building Use (other)
Community Events
RSS Feed