Our worship theme this month is building belonging. This past Wednesday evening, while serving at the Suquamish Community Dinner, I noticed how people came in and greeted one another. Some knew each other, others not. New people were often outgoing or brave enough to introduce themselves to others. For many years now, the United Church of Christ has partnered with others to provide meals for the community. It is a place of welcome and belonging.

This next week, in our Sunday service, we will be exploring how to build community at Cedars
and beyond. We will be using the reading I Want to Be with People by Unitarian Universalist, Dana Worsnop. Worsnop calls out “I want to be with people who are willing to walk the tight rope that is life and who will hold my hand as I walk mine. I want to be with people who see me in my goodness and dignity, who also see my failings and foibles, and who still love me. I want to be with people who support, encourage and even challenge each other to higher and more ethical living.” We are invited to bring our true self in and believe that we will be loved for who we are.

There are also risks when we choose to belong to a community. We risk being disappointed or hurt and we risk disappointing or hurting others. We risk being changed and challenged to grow. We risk grief, because people in the community will come and go. Because we want to be a warm and generous community, we must stretch to meet the times we are in. To offer true belonging we need to increase our skill set for truly welcoming others. I hope that many of you will participate in the Transforming Hearts Collective 3-part series Understanding the Anti-Trans Movement. Patricia Erdmann, Nancy Philip and I will be offering this course on 3 consecutive Tuesday early evenings, beginning September 30. Look for the sign-up link in The Beacon or the sign-up sheet on the information table on Sundays.