What do we mean by Love at the Center? What is this Love of which we are speaking? Perhaps you have pondered these same questions which emerged during the first meeting of our new small group ministry Wellspring circle- Love at the Center: Values and Covenants- in September. These questions reflect a conversation that is all abuzz among UU theologians these days- by which I mean not some select group of scholars, but all of us. There’s even a new book on the topic, which I highly recommend.

Of course I have my own thoughts on these questions… While I am not certain of the origin or the final destiny of Love, I do recognize its existence in our connections to one another and the world. I have both witnessed and experienced Love’s transformative and enduring power in the midst of loss and suffering. I have known Love as that which affirms our inherent belonging to one another and the interdependent web of life again and again, and moves us- individually and collectively- towards wholeness, healing, and liberation. This Love shows up and is generated through our human choices and actions; and yet, even when we are well intentioned, we often fall short in our practice of Love. Love, therefore, is a spiritual discipline that requires learning how to do it better. It requires practice.

But that’s just a little bit of my take on Love…. In Unitarian Universalism, we co-create our understanding through sharing our experiences and reflections together in community. This year, our Soul Matters themes invite us to not only talk about Love, but also to practice it. In October we practice love through Deep Listening. As theologian Paul Tillich writes, “the first duty of love is to listen”.  We are invited to listen attentively to one another, to the Earth, to the Ancestors, and to the Spirit of Life itself, as a practice that moves us in the direction of wholeness, healing, and liberation.

As we move into October, I invite you to practice love through deep listening. Who or what is inviting you to listen? Maybe it is a child, your partner, or a neighbor with whom you disagree. Maybe it is someone in this community. Maybe it is your own inner voice begging for your attention. And I invite you to join  the continued collective practice of love in our worship services, small group ministries, religious education, justice outreach, pastoral care, and other intentional gatherings.

With love at the center,
Rev. Terri