This past July 30 was my “ask me anything” worship service, where I answer your questions in lieu of preaching a sermon. It’s always interesting, and I love seeing the questions that are on your mind. I’m usually able to provide some kind of answer during the service, but some questions stay with me, and I realize I want to think more and/or say more. So these may become sermons or newsletter columns.

Here’s a question I wanted to say more about: Is there a chance we can go back to one Sunday service at 10 a.m. so we can all be together again?

The answer I gave in the moment was: Unfortunately, no, we won’t go back to one service. More people are able to attend when we offer services at two times. This is just part of the limits of having a small chapel. I too miss having all of us together at one service.

What I didn’t say and want to add: Because we aren’t able to all worship together at one service most of the time, it becomes important to look for our special congregational events and recognize these as opportunities for more of us to be together at the same time.

We had two special Sundays like this over the summer: one service at 10 a.m. for Blessing of the Animals at Felicita Park, and one service at 10 a.m. for Hymn Sing Sunday on our courtyard. These were fun “not our usual Sunday” gatherings that brought us together in new and different ways.

Our next special gathering is our September 17 Sunday worship service, “Ingathering and Water Ritual.” This annual service, celebrated in September at many UU congregations, calls the community back together after summer, when many have been traveling or otherwise away from church.

Of course, we won’t all be together at the same one worship service, but we CAN all be together between services! There will be a bounce house for kids and cake for everyone. And we’re putting together a getting-to-know-each-other activity for the adults. There will be prizes for participating, and (I hope—we haven’t figured it out yet) some kind of grand prize! We are looking forward to a fun morning together.

Whether we see you every Sunday or haven’t seen you in a great while, I hope to see you soon.

Blessings and love to you,
Sharon