Finding Connection in the Midst of Chaos

Feb 27, 2025 | Weekly Message

Dazed, devastated, demoralized…and that’s before my morning coffee. It’s going to be a long four years.

As Rev. Audette noted in a recent sermon, UU Asheville can be our sanctuary, a place that reminds us we are not alone in our turmoil. For me, a sense of connection is more important now than ever, keeping me from feeling swallowed up by the chaos around us.

Of course, if you trend toward introversion as I do, it’s not easy to establish those relationships at Sunday services – even if you do your best to follow Rev. Audette’s advice to talk with three new people each week. Sure, some of us walk into Sandburg Hall with eyes peeled, on the lookout for anyone appearing lonely or uncomfortable. Others of us – too often, me – are on the lookout for
familiar faces, eager to glom on as long as they’ll have us.

But we are so much more than Sunday services. If you haven’t yet found a niche here (e.g., social justice involvement, an interest group, volunteering in Children and Youth Faith Formation) – or perhaps you have room for more than one – I want to encourage you to consider the Soul Matters program. Soul Matters groups are small, monthly gatherings of 7-10 people who follow a year-long
program focused on UU themes and values (e.g., justice, generosity, inclusion). The format allows for highly meaningful listening and discussion, as well as the development of deep trust and connection among participants.

Despite being a member of this congregation for more than 20 years, I joined my first Soul Matters group just 18 months ago, after I retired. It was such a rewarding experience that this year I opted to co-facilitate a group. Ours is a writing-focused type; members share a short piece of personal writing each month that relates to the theme. I am amazed at how quickly this practice has facilitated deep bonds and empathy among us. When I see another group member on Sundays, even if across the sanctuary, I feel an instant spark of connection.

If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, there is a Soul Matters group launching this month, Taste of Soul, for folks who want to get involved mid-year. Or look for the call for participants that will come out this summer for the 2025-2026 program. In addition to the writing-focused variety, there are also groups that are fully conversational, including one conducted in Spanish, as well as those that are
oriented around art and creativity.

In the meantime, I will keep working on my “greet three” resolution on Sundays. If you see me first,please say hello!

Melissa Himelein

UU Avl Board Member

 

 

 

 

Wondering what to do? You’re already doing it.

Wondering what to do? You’re already doing it.

Feb 20, 2025 | Weekly Message

I’m sure a lot of you have been having some of the same feelings that I have since the new administration took over the White House a month ago. Horror and shock, even though they are doing exactly the things they said they would. Anger and helplessness, even as we have to keep doing the normal and mundane things that keep our lives going. Especially here in Asheville, where life is still so much harder in the wake of a major natural disaster. We are all worried for our loved ones, near and far, as Americans are under attack by our own government. A lot of us are wondering – what can I do?

 

Here’s the thing though – you’re already doing the work. You’re coming to church on Sundays to be in community with us. Every time you walk through our doors, it’s an act of resistance. You’re taking some time out of the grind to be intentionally loving to yourself and others. Maybe you’re on the board, or part of a committee, or maybe you help put away tables and chairs or open the door and greet people on Sunday mornings. You are engaging with this intentional community that seeks to make the world a better place. You are also doing one more really important thing, you are showing up for our children and youth.

 

Every Sunday morning, dozens of children and youth come into this place and they bring their worries, hopes, and dreams. Over the last 10 years I have watched this congregation transform from a place where children and adults were routinely separated and siloed into a truly multigenerational community. You can see it when our Sanctuary is overflowing and our children are right up front, the best seats in the house, so they can see and engage with our sacred rituals. Our kids bring their whole authentic selves to us and they are surrounded by loving adults who are fighting for them. One of the most important things we are doing is raising the next generation of Unitarian Universalists. When you show up to eat pancakes and support our youth on their journey to General Assembly this year, when you smile at a little kid who may be here for the first time, and when you use a youth’s new pronouns without batting an eye, you are telling our children and youth that they are important and their voices are important and that we are here to listen to them and protect them to best of our abilities. This Sunday is our annual YRUU worship service – show up for our youth and hear what they have to say!

Kim Collins

Faith Formation Staff

 

 

Pre-Sabbatical Musings

Feb 13, 2025 | Weekly Message

After seven years of ministry with UU Avl, I will be embarking on a three-month
sabbatical. I’ve been putting it off for a while. There was Rev. Ward’s retirement, the
arrival of an interim minister, COVID, and welcoming a new minister. This year it could
have been “the world is on fire!” I thought , “How can I take a sabbatical?” And then I
thought of the importance of rest after seven years of an engaging, joyful, productive,
and at times, challenging ministry with this Beloved Community. We have done good
work together in Faith Formation and Justice Ministry and, spoiler alert, there is so
much more to do to meet the challenges ahead of us! However, as Wayne Muller writes
in “Sabbath; Finding Rest and Delight in Our Busy Lives”
“Sabbath is not dependent upon our readiness to stop. We do not stop when we
are finished…Sabbath dissolves the artificial urgency of our days, because it
liberates us from the need to be finished.”
My ministry with you is not finished, but it is time for rest, reflection and rededication of
my energies. I imagine my sabbatical as time to listen to the longings of my soul, time
for mindfulness and healing practices, time to witness the beauty of places and people I
will encounter on my sabbatical journey without having a to do list or urgent deadlines.
I’ve been preparing for this sabbatical by reading and reflecting on the art of pilgrimage.
One journey I will be making is a walk on the Camino Portugues from Porto to Santiago
de Compostela. I look forward to days of walking with all I need on my back
accompanied by my beloved partner, Steve, and to meeting fellow pilgrims along the
way. The thought of focusing on the trail, at times along the shore, and being with my
thoughts and open to serendipity is exciting. It will allow me to go inward to revisit my
priorities, explore my longings and fears as well as experience the joy of engaging in a
different way with the world. It will prepare me to return to our community re-energized
and rested, ready to support the amazing ministry that is happening in this community.
You can be sure to hear a sermon from me about my journeys physical and existential
when I return. I also intend to spend time with friends and family, and (no surprise) I
have a stack of books I want to read during this time.
My sabbatical will begin March 17, so I will still be here for a while. I am finalizing my
sabbatical plan to make sure my areas of responsibility are all covered. I look forward to
returning June 17 ready to resume our work together.
With love & gratitude,
Rev. Claudia Jiménez, Minister of Faith Formation

 

 

 

How to Put Love at the Center

How to Put Love at the Center

Feb 6, 2025 | Weekly Message

Since Hurricane Helene, Rev. Claudia, congregational leaders and I have had many conversations about how our plans for the year have changed. This is, of course, only my second year here with you all as your Lead Minister. Last year was an “ok, so how do we do things here together?” year. We certainly all had high hopes, I think, that this year would feel like a “taking off” kind of year – we had had a chance to make plans, we weren’t starting everything from scratch.

Except we were, we just didn’t know it. That’s really the way life is. What’s the old saw? “Humans plan and God laughs.” While that’s not a theology I subscribe to, the point is taken. 

So here we are, living in this reality – the one in which old Biff clearly stole the deLorean, or maybe George Bailey was never born. So ok. We’re doing this. Now what does this world ask of us?

From a ministry perspective, it asks two basic things. One is that we focus the majority of our institutional energy on taking care of each other. That does mean practical things, like we need a building to provide sanctuary to each other and all those whom we love and want to bring into our ever-widening circle. But from those conversations together with ministers, ministerial interns, staff and leaders, it means: we focus on pastoral care this year. We take care of each other. The second thing is, we nurture each other into action – we fill each other’s cups with love and courage so each of us can do something to make the world a little better. 

Stick with me for a few more minutes. I want to offer some advice (!) for both things.

I’ve been asked by more than one person what I recommend for developing a daily spiritual practice from scratch. So assuming you’ve already considered the big ones: personal prayer, meditation, time in nature, gratitude practice, reading & studying various forms of scripture, perhaps using lectio divina. You can certainly consider the valuable advice in one of my favorite UU books on the subject, Everyday Spiritual Practice. But if you’re asking me personally, beyond these suggestions, I gently offer the following ideas:

  • A morning or evening practice of reading a few pages from a spiritual author you love. For my spirit, Anne Lamott is my go-to. Funny, vulnerable as hell, deeply spiritually wise and an amazing writer, she helps me stay in the world when it gets really tough. Right now I am reading Help, Thanks, Wow and Hallelujah Anyway. But ask your friends and neighbors for their suggestions, too.
  • “Morning Pages.” This practice, from The Artist’s Way, is a tried and true way to flush the crud out from your mind and spirit. You just start the day, preferably before you do anything else, by writing three full pages of…whatever. It could just start with “I don’t have anything to say, I don’t know what to write, why the heck am I doing this…” but you stick with writing WHATever comes to mind for three pages, and it tends to work. It shifts the landscape, both mental and emotional. Frees you for better, more creative thinking. I’m geek enough that I could tell you the neurobiology of why it works, but just – trust me and the millions for whom it has. 
  • Love on something. A person. A pet. A kid. A friend, near or far. Send some love to a politician or leader who did something you appreciate. Send some to a politician or leader that’s driving you nuts. “I would love for you to experience love in such a way that it stops you from being such a <insert preferred colorful expression.>” That’s fair. It’s still wishing for more love in this old world.
  • Last but not least, try some somatic practices. I have a big variety here on my changecrafting.org website page.

I know this is long, but the other thing we really all have to do is TAKE SOME DANG ACTION. The world is on fire, so we need all hands on deck. Just briefly, here are some things I highly recommend. 

  • One, you can join me and other UUs for my On Freedom classes in Feb & March
  • Sign up for https://5calls.org/ They will keep you informed on the most critical things and make it easy to make calls or contact your reps about things that matter. WE REALLY NEED TO DO THIS.
  • Consider joining the women of Good Trouble NC
  • Join us at UU Avl for any of our work, including our work with Interfaith Action Network – email Rev. Claudia for more information

And remember: you are not alone. You are loved. Keep coming back. Bring a friend. We have overflow room at UU Avl. 

See you in church –

Love,

Rev. Audette