Minister's Musings: July Newsletter 2025

In his poem, A Brief for the Defense, Jack Gilbert writes: “We must have the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless furnace of this world. To make injustice the only measure of our attention is to praise the Devil.”

Now, as a good Unitarian Universalist, I don’t believe in the Devil, but I do believe joy is resistance! Finding delight and I dare say pleasure, is how we meet this moment we find ourselves in, when the world is seemingly on fire. I’m not suggesting that we stick our noses in the ground or strum our violins while the ship is sinking. Nay, I say we must find laughter, beauty, love and freedom by resisting tyrants and systems of oppression that seek to make us miserable and compliant.

Joy is a spiritual practice that we can cultivate for ourselves and for each other. When the world is so incredible hard, our congregation provides a balm for weary souls. I like to think that we come to UUCO to help us make sense of our lives, to comfort those who need it and to stir up those who have become too complacent. What does it mean to be a justice minded congregation? Do we serve others because it makes us feel good? Or do we serve others to transform ourselves and our world? Maybe the answer is “both.” And, if transformation and healing is our goal, how do we do this in a way that makes the most positive, joyful, impact?

I believe it is essential for us as Unitarian Universalists to always have a beginner’s mind when it comes to our ever-changing world. This means we must always be curious and willing to learn. I think this is another reason we come to UUCO, to challenge our hearts and minds to consider ideas that may be new to us. Religious exploration isn’t just for kids. Theologian James Luther Adams reminds us that revelation isn’t sealed, it's open and continuous. Therefore, when we think of joy as an act of resistance and spiritual practice, how might we learn to cultivate this within and share it with others? Joy is exhilarating; when we model it, others are drawn to it.

Learning brings me great joy. My favorite quote from our Unitarian ancestor, Rev. William Ellery Channing sums up my philosophy around religious exploration: “the great end is to awaken the soul… to excite and cherish spiritual life." Let us be a learning community, filled with joy and curiosity. Let us face a fragile and hurting world with bravery by offering people hope and knowledge. We can demonstrate a heart-nurturing way to live, one that celebrates collaboration and freedom and honors the full breadth of the human experience. As we seek joy and justice and aim to let service be our prayer, let us begin within.

There are some exciting opportunities on the horizon for cultivating joy and justice at UUCO. We will be facilitating a series of Adult Our Whole Lives sessions this fall on the 4 th Sunday, August-November in the afternoon. All adults are welcome to any and all sessions. More details to follow about this exciting program which explores values, communication, healthy relationships while affirming diversity and acceptance of sexual identity.

With great joy and love,
Rev. Sarah