I wasn’t at church on Sunday, but I often make sure to tune in afterwards if I can’t be in the sanctuary. For me, worship is a way to center myself in our faith community. I feel more connected to you all and my own spirit when I know we’re pondering the same questions, chewing on the same topics, or feeling lifted by the sound of the same choir anthem during the week. And I’m so grateful for the staff and technology that make it easy to tune in remotely!

So while other passengers were watching the Super Bowl pre-game, I put on my headphones and listened to Rev. Alison’s sermon on Black Humanism while waiting for my flight to board. It had been a long weekend of travel and meetings and my late evening flight was delayed. I was feeling tired and irritable, but as I listened, my mood shifted. I had studied black humanism in Divinity School, but the sermon taught me new things and helped me look at it in a new way. It was energizing to learn something new, to challenge my own belief system (which leans in a more theistic direction) and to dig into a different framework for meaning-making and liberation. I begin to feel a sense of possibility and imagination that maybe there are ways of centering love and justice that I haven’t even considered!

We live in exhausting and overwhelming times, with each day bringing some new threat to democracy, decency, and human rights. It’s no wonder we feel worn down and uncertain about how to act to resist hatred and fascism. While listening, I was reminded how vital it is that we keep learning new things, engaging our imaginations, and keeping our minds open to different solutions as we come together to work for the beloved community.

I was also reminded how important it is to ground our actions and commitments in deeply held sacred values. The Black humanists Rev. Alison lifted up work for justice because of their deep belief in the worth, dignity, and power of human beings. Over these next four years, our faith will be tested and we will be asked to take risks on behalf of the communities and ideals we profess to care about. I think we will be more effective at the work, less likely to cave when threatened or pressured, if we have done the work of theological reflection that ensures we are moving from a place of deep faith. For example, it is that deep faith that gave Bishop Mariann Edger Budde the courage to ask Donald Trump—to his face on a national stage—to practice love and mercy. Although Bishop Budde’s faith looks very different from that of the black Humanists Rev. Alison mentioned, like Anthony Pinn or Rev. Egbert Ethelred Brown, they all move or moved out the kind of bone deep commitment that only comes with a deeply examined faith.

In the days ahead, we will need to keep our imaginations alive, while grounding ourselves in our sacred values and theological beliefs. We need to grow our roots and our wings, if you will. To that end, I invite you to keep showing up for worship and leaning into the inspiration and challenges you find there. And I invite you to take advantage of other upcoming opportunities to explore your theology and expand your spiritual tool box. For example:

• Journey to Articulating Your Faith: A Spiritual Development Opportunity for People in Their 20s and 30s: Rev. Alison and I will be leading  an 8-session course of theological exploration and discovery for young adults. The course will be on the 2nd and 4th Thursday from 7 – 9 p.m. at the church, beginning February 27th. Find out more information and register here.

• Connect and Reflect: Every Tuesday from 5:30 – 6:15 p.m. on Zoom, join Rev. Alison, membership engagement coordinator Jen Thomas, and fellow congregants to share in conversation centered on the topic of the most recent sermon.

• Drop in Community Circles: After service on the second Sunday of each month, there is an opportunity to engage deeply on that month’s theme with fellow congregants. Everyone is welcome, and there is a special community circle for parents who want to connect with one another (child care is provided). Look for more information in the e-news every month.

I hope to see you at one of these opportunities or at church soon. In the meantime, be good to one another and to yourselves, dear ones.

In faith,

Danielle