Ok – did changing the time on November 4th to daylight saving time also crank up the speed of things happening since then? Lots going on so be sure to take a close look at this newsletter and mark your calendars for events ahead!
Hard to believe that Thanksgiving is only a vague memory. And wasn’t that a delightful Thanksgiving Sunday Potluck? With kudos to Steve Blinks for helping to make it such a fun event. Even guests to the Thanksgiving Sunday worship service joined us and that just added to the festivities.
During the Advent season it is difficult to not get caught up in the excitement that leads to Christmas. I am, however, wishing you the gift of slowing down, catching your breath, and taking the time to think of Christmases Past, Present, and Future. No Ebenezer needed for this exercise – just the ability to reflect on God’s blessings in the past, the present, and knowing that God blesses the future as well.
Speaking of blessings . . . I have been a part of an Interfaith group of clergy who meet monthly for breakfast and monthly for book group conversations. There is also an Interfaith book group that meets every Friday at noon at the Newman Center for conversation that centers around a book. And often we do talk about the book, too. The blessing for me is to be sitting around the table with people from a variety of faith traditions talking honestly and openly about everything and anything.
Rabbi Larry Karol is a participant of both these Interfaith groups and began a tradition of Interfaith Dialogues on Thanksgiving Sunday. This year the title was: With Liberty and Justice for All: Leadership, Justice, and Unity – What can we achieve together? I was invited to participate as one of the presenters and my topic was Justice. I’ve included a copy of my script on our website.
Seven Interfaith colleagues were presenters and then we each hosted a table for further conversation with people of various faith tradition backgrounds. For me, this afternoon mirrored our time as an expanding Interfaith Community. There is a strong desire that we not wait until next Thanksgiving Sunday to continue the conversation. What a blessing.
May you and your circle of loved ones have a blessed Advent and Christmas.
Blessings, Donna
