While we thought we were setting out to hike the famous Camino de Santiago, we quickly learned that we were on three distinct yet intertwined caminos: Rory's camino, Ashley's camino, and our camino. This 33-day journey was filled with confronting old parts of ourselves, accepting our current selves, and discovering who we wanted to be individually and as partners." Special music by Irene Kaufmann.
Rory Ledbetter and Ashley Fly: Intertwined Caminos. "
While we thought we were setting out to hike the famous Camino de Santiago, we quickly learned that we were on three distinct yet intertwined caminos: Rory's camino, Ashley's camino, and our camino. This 33-day journey was filled with confronting old parts of ourselves, accepting our current selves, and discovering who we wanted to be individually and as partners." Special music by Irene Kaufmann.
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Mississippi Cluster Weekend Worship Sunday - Rev. Dr. Gail Stratton - Sunday, March 24, 20193/19/2019 The Sunday Service for March 24 will be the conclusion of the Spring Mississippi Unitarian Universalist Cluster Gathering! For the first time, all 4 Mississippi UU Congregations will be doing a parallel worship service with readings and reflections from the gathering. The Cluster gathering is from March 22-24 in Jackson, MS and on Sat. March 23, the participants will start the day by visiting the new Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. Our reflections will be on our shared history here in Mississippi and what gifts Unitarian Universalism can bring to our hurting world. Register for the gathering here:
https://goo.gl/forms/lwqQZQMszUNL8x622. What Does It Mean To Be
A People of Journey? We UUs love to tell our journey stories. And hear each other’s journey stories. Whereas other religions have newcomers stand up and confess their fallen ways or declare a commitment to one way, we invite each other to talk about how our way is like no other. It’s a curious thing when you think about it. We welcome people to our fold not by asking them to commit to thinking exactly as the group does, but by having them declare how their journey is not like anybody else in the group. It’s about space not similarity. We bind ourselves to each other not by sharing the same journey but by offering each other the room to discover the unique journey that fits us. It’s about making room for people to write their own stories. Or maybe it’s about making room for people to re-write their stories. It’s become popular in our society to talk about spiritual journeys as a process of living into your full or true self. That’s a helpful frame. And yet there’s something deep within UUism that resists it. Historically, we’ve been the people that struggled not so much to find ourselves but to untangle ourselves from the religious identities we were given. Our spiritual journeys did not begin with a blank slate; they began with the hunger to wipe the slate clean and begin anew. So we have this important awareness that spiritual journeys are not simply about finding your true self, but also about untangling from your old self. We agree with Albert Schweitzer who wrote: “The path of awakening is not about becoming who you are. Rather it is about unbecoming who you are not.” Which means we are also sensitive to the fact that most spiritual journeys begin with a leaving, a separation, a decision to walk away. We know that the first step is often laced with mourning and isolation. We know that “unbecoming” is not easy work. We also know that it isn’t a one-time thing. We find ourselves routinely tangled up in all kinds of identities and journeys that aren’t truly ours. “Unbecoming who you are not” is a journey we walk every day. So what does all this mean for us this month? Well, first, it’s an important reminder that we’re not just here to help each other hold steady and persevere on our current paths; often our primary gift is to help each other find the exit ramps. It also means remembering that being a people of journey involves tenderness. We are here not just to make room for each other’s unique stories; we are also here to make room for each other’s pain. Again, “unbecoming who you are not” involves bravely walking away, isolation and mourning. And so, if we are going to complete our journeys of unbecoming and becoming anew, we’re definitely going to need pitstops of kindness and tenderness along the way. Kido Jimmyle Listenbee, Sensei, will speak about Zen journeys, weaving Basho's Haiku-filled The Narrow Road to the Deep North with her own journey northward and its return to Mississippi, including a few personal discoveries, expressed sometimes in Haiku. The brief talk will end with reflection by the congregation, and offer an opportunity for each person to express personal insights through juxtaposing concrete and metaphoric images in a few words.
Support UUCO during our Stewardship drive!! To plan for next year we ask members and friends to considering making a pledge to UUCO for the coming year. Pledges are promises to pay in the future. The fiscal year for UUCO is July 1-June 30 and the pledge drive for 2019-2020 is starting NOW!! Pledge packets are mailed to members and are available online as well. New this year: Pledging can also be completed on line by clicking below. Thank you for supporting UUCO and for helping this congregation to thrive!!
Insights on Mardis Gras, Karneval, Ash Wednesday, and Lent - Blake Shedd - Sunday, March 3, 20193/2/2019 Blake Shedd will share his reflections on the upcoming calendar rituals and their significance for Unitarian Universalists.
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