The Soul Matters theme for the month of June is creativity, a word which comes to us from the Latin word “Creatus”, meaning to make, bring forth, produce, procreate, beget, or cause.  A word related to another Latin word “crescere”, meaning to arise, be born, increase and grow.  So, to be creative is to both bring forth and grow.  It is an act that is by its very nature the antithesis of efforts to diminish, destroy or eradicate.

This time of year is an interesting time for ministers to contemplate creativity.  As things begin to wind down in the prospect of summer rest, May is often the time when we begin to count the number of sermons left before vacation. (The answer is seven in case you were wondering.) And it is also the time when many of us hit the veritable wall when we stare at a blank screen or piece of paper and wonder out loud if there is anything else to say. 

In these moments I remember my father’s advice when I called him as I was preparing my very first sermon some 34 years ago.  I was panicking.  I had a mental block and could not for the life of me figure out anything to say.  Truth was, I was also petrified of making a fool of myself. 

So, what did my sage and experienced father say?  He chuckled “Good!” now, you can begin to write.  Taken aback I whined a bit more and he said, “Sermon writing isn’t about trying to figure out what you need to say as much as it is about thinking about the people you are speaking to and asking, ‘What do they need to hear?’”

That moment changed my experience of sermon writing forever.  My meditation was turned on its head.  Sermon writing became a discipline of remembering those whom I am honored to serve, and asking what form that service needed to take on any given day, including Sunday.

I think about this when I contemplate the idea of creativity.  Admittedly there are many times when I feel things well-up inside of me that almost demand to be communicated.  More times than not, if I am attentive, I realize that the origin of this demand to be spoken is my response to some issue or another in the lives of those I love, on occasion, even me.  

At its best, the creative enterprise is a call to respond to that which inspires us to grow.  And each time I pause to remember the origins of my most creative moments I recall the blessings bestowed upon me by those who have trusted me to accompany them through life’s trials, tribulations, and triumphs.  It is in this spirit that I hear the words of my colleague, Marcus Liefert whose rendition of the Sermon on the Mount gives me joy.

Oh you who are makers;
Makers of beauty,
Of paintings and pottery and sculpture,
Blessed is the making.
You who make with hands and hearts and minds,
Who make out of breath and bones and blood human lives,
Blessed are the makers.

Blessed are those who make us laugh,
Who make jokes and faces and toys.

Blessed are those who make messes,
Who make trouble and friends, and when needed, make up.

Blessed are those who make do,
Who make it last, make it work, make beds and make time for others.

Blessed are those who make love,
Who make out and make more and make mistakes.

Blessed are those who make coffee and tea,
Who make conversation, who make meaning in the face of tragedy;
who make merriment and awaken joy.

Blessed are those who make peace
For they shall inherit the earth.

Blessings,
Aaron

The post On Creativity first appeared on Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester.

This month’s Soul Matters Theme is “vulnerability”.  For my nugget on the theme, I propose to use one of the exercises suggested in the small group material shared to prompt discussion on the subject as well as engage in the kind of discipline that our 8th Principle working group has demonstrated with the moments shared during services throughout the year.  Below is a description of an exercise in going deeper that I invite you to consider for this month.  Stay tuned to the newsletter for an announcement that invites us to gather virtually in a few weeks to discuss this material, a date yet to be determined.  You are also invited to share your thoughts on vulnerability in our UUCW Soul Matters Facebook Group.  If you’d like to talk privately about this material, please do not hesitate to contact me at  minister@uucworcester.org.  Blessings, Aaron

“You can’t numb those hard feelings without numbing the other affects, our emotions. You cannot selectively numb. So when we numb those, we numb joy, we numb gratitude, we numb happiness. And then we are miserable, and we are looking for purpose and meaning, and then we feel vulnerable, so then we have a couple of beers and a banana nut muffin. And it becomes this dangerous cycle.”
― Brené Brown, The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings of Authenticity, Connections and Courage

Exercise: Led by the widely read and widely celebrated Brene Brown, “courage & vulnerability culture” has become the unquestioned frame of reference for vast swaths of the self-help, research and therapeutic communities. But maybe a bit of questioning is needed. Spend some time this month with some important questioners and their appeal for us to take another – and more careful – look. Here are three of the voices we suggest: 

●        The Dangers of Courage Culture and Why Brene Brown Isn’t for Black Folk, Dr. Carey Yazeed

 ●        Is vulnerability a privilege? Jeff Couillard

 ●        The Risks & Dangers of Brene Brown’s Vulnerability for People of Color – Different People Podcast

The post On Vulnerability – Going Deeper first appeared on Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester.

Is it surprising to anyone that the Soul Matters theme for the month of February is. . .love?  February with the prospect of Valentine’s Day brings a creative moment to the depth of winter which unfortunately has been co-opted by an industry of card makers and chocolatiers, not that I’m opposed to either, both also bring a bit of brightness to winter.  But what if we took the opportunity this year to do something different?  Hear me out. . .see below.  Blessings, Aaron

A Few Love Letters… to Strangers

It was an effort born from empathy and loneliness. Hannah Brencher, new to New York City, found herself led to writing letters to strangers. At first, she secretly wrote them to people in her mind and left them tucked away for strangers to find. Then, using the internet, she invited anyone to ask her for a love letter. Requests flooded in. It’s now an organization called More Love Letters.

With this story as our inspiration, you’re invited this month to write at least 5 letters to a person you’ve never met. You will have to imagine them, their story and what they need to hear. Then place those letters in some place where eventually a stranger will find them. We encourage you to write this on the front of the envelope; “A love letter for a stranger, maybe even you. If you discover it’s not actually for you, pass it on to someone who needs it.”

It’s as simple – and challenging – as that!

Here’s the background:

●        The Origin Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VopcuymgUCA

●        TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/hannah_brencher_love_letters_to_strangers?language=en

●        The Website: https://www.moreloveletters.com/get-involved-1

The post “Love” – A Few Love Letters to Strangers first appeared on Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester.