The worship theme for Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Santa Cruz County for our January through June of 2020 will be: “Supporting Each Other in Changing Times.”
I recently attended an audio/webinar of “Transformational Resilience for Climate Traumas and Toxic Stresses.” I found some jewels in the material. What moved me was the premise that significant changes are coming. There is a role for churches to prepare our congregants to respond constructively and compassionately. I interpreted this as our religious responsibility to build resilience to help us all respond to the trauma and changes coming. While change is inevitable in life, the forecasted changes due to climate change are not individual, but will collectively have a negative impact on all of us. What we expect in life (power, water, clean air, cheap resources, easy/economic travel, economic stability, etc) may change dramatically—if not for us, certainly for our children and beyond.
I liked this jewel of preparation in the materials because it gave me something to grasp and think about instead of being overwhelmed with the apocalyptic forecasts. Understanding climate change is challenging, but deciding on what to do to slow it is overwhelmingly perplexing. The threat is so complex that it can cause paralysis, denial, or apathy. BUT—if we spend our efforts on building resilience in our community, we will be able to respond to the changes adaptively and see the opportunities in what unfolds.
Our collective angst is not based solely on climate change. The angst list includes the impeachment process, immigration, homelessness, housing crisis, wealth/income inequity, healthcare, crumbling infrastructures, and threats of invasive technology to cite a few.
Accordingly, our Worship Team has chosen to focus the next months on helping each other to spiritually prepare for the changes coming. Our reaction to what is coming will determine if the changes will be overwhelming—or opportunities, apocalyptic—or transformative, our ending—or our beginning.
Please join us as we explore Supporting each other in Sunday Worship, Small Group Ministry, Adult Religious Exploration, Social Justice, Shared Plate, and other aspects of our congregational life……………..in our shared ministry………Rev Russ Menk