This past week, the United States passed a horrible, tragic milestone. Over 500,000 people have died from Covid-19 in our country. The number is too large to reasonably fathom. Some of the members of UUC have lost loved ones to this illness. Many know someone who has died or has been left adversely affected by the disease. It’s a horrible milestone to mark. At the same time, we also coming up on the 1 year anniversary of when most of us became aware of the pandemic and started taking isolation precautions. What was going to be a couple of weeks stretched into a month, then months, then half a year… and now a full year. It is, again, a hard milestone and a hard anniversary to contemplate. I’ve shared with you before the normal responses we make to abnormal conditions. The way we all tend to react to on-going trauma. Twice before, I’ve shared with you the idea of a “wall” we were collectively experiencing as this trauma continues. Anniversaries are another predictable prompt for our human responses to trauma. Anniversaries of trauma tend to produce all the effects we commonly experience when grieving. Anger, sadness, lethargy, irritability, emotional sensitivity, trouble sleeping– the list goes one. I tell you this now because some of you are likely already experiencing some of these feelings. Most of us will likely experience them some time in the coming month. I tell you this to remind you that it is normal. You aren’t going crazy. You aren’t weak or broken or mentally impaired– you are human. And this is how humans respond to trauma and anniversaries of trauma. So, be extra kind to yourself and others. Be forgiving to yourself and others. And find ways to mark the anniversary in a healthy, honest way. Acknowledge the pain, the loss, the grief. But also, acknowledge your survival, the adaptions you’ve made, the new skills you have learned. Acknowledge that there is a light at the end of this tunnel. Vaccinations have started. The rate of new cases is going down. It’s been a long, painful, trying year– but we made it. And we will make it to the end of this.
Pastoral Care
In addition to the Sunday worship services and the Wednesday lunch, I am also available for phone calls and zoom sessions throughout the week. All you have to do is call, email, or text me and I’ll gladly set up a time to chat. My phone number is 607-287-7906. My email is [email protected]. I will make the time for you.
Sojourn Service – March 7th!
On March 7th, we will be visiting three different congregations for a worship service presented by my dear friend and colleague, the Rev. Darcey Laine. Rev. Darcey serves three different congregations in two different states: The UU Church of Athens & Sheshequin (PA), The UU Church of Cortland (NY), and the UU Fellowship of Big Flats (NY). Since the pandemic hit, all three congregations have combined their services together and have enjoyed learning how to be connected communities of faith. Rev. Darcey is looking forward to our visit. Her topic that day will be “Why Talk About Justice?” (Something I’ve been asked a couple of times lately, so it’s a fortuitous sermon topic.) Rev. Darcey is one of the best storytellers I know and I love her dearly. I can’t wait for all of you meet her and experience her sermonating style.
Cooperatively,
Rev. Craig