King's Chapel Prayer

Transcription:

Gracious God-
Stir our solidarity, that we may save our world!
Rekindle our respect, that we may rejoice as one!
Trigger our tenderness, that we may touch the heavens!
Enchant our empathy, that we may exercise compassion!
Fire our fellowship, that we may follow brother Kiyimba!
Animate our altruism, that we may answer Jesus!
Wake up our warm-heartedness, that we may widen our gates!
Harvest our humanity, that we may have life – and have it abundantly!

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Four Truisms of International Engagement

From discussions with my field education supervisor, Rev. Eric Cherry, I have identified four distinct truisms that inform international engagement efforts:

1. Unitarian Universalist congregations are religious communities – their members may not agree on one exclusive theological position, but every worshipper yearns for an experience of the divine in community.

2. Personal theology informs the choices we make – contrary to the modernist division of social life, our convictions and commitments drive our actions and judgments.

3. Through reflection, we gain confidence and grow in new directions – failure should be welcomed as an opportunity to re-assess our world; intentionality must work hand in hand with action.

4. Becoming an effective inter-religious partner depends to a great degree on self-awareness – we are all located in specific contexts and must be held accountable for these locations.

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Walking Home

I was walking home the other day at dusk and penned the following:

Sweet silence-
Wisps of a lost sun streak overhead.
Dimming houselights spot the evening palette - confetti.
A nomadic leaf, brittle, skips across the pavement.
The biting wind nips my lobe.
A soft shadow nears-
Engulfed in blackness,
A cigarette tip burns orange.
God crumbles to ash, again.

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New Life

I have been absent from the 'interwebs' recently - which has afforded me some space to grow more present to and patient with the now. One afternoon, during sunset, I stumbled across a miracle, which I belligerently tried to record (above). As we near the celebration of Jesus' resurrection, it is empowering to witness to the fact that nature has not forgotten the promise of new life - which seemingly desires companionship.

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