Where are you from? I might answer this simple question with the story of my childhood home: The United States. Upstate New York. Rochester. Beechwood. Springfield Ave. My mother’s garden of carrots and lettuce and the smell of clean sheets billowing on a clothesline in the wind. The willow tree I loved to climb, and the neighborhood tales of haunted houses whispered beneath a canopy of pine. Or centuries unwinding– the pilgrim ships, the Coast of Kerry, or the hidden forests of another land. Ancestors I never knew. Or maybe, just maybe, the answer to this question lies beyond my DNA– in the evolving cells of my body, the breath that connects me to prehistoric beings, the spiritual traditions and stories passed down, the quest for meaning which unites us across continents over time.

The poets might answer the question of this month’s theme -Heritage- far better than Ancestry.com. In fact, George Ella Lyon’s poem “Where Are You From” has inspired countless expressions by people of all ages giving voice to their own unique story.

I invite you to ask the question “Where are you from?” and to consider the answer from multiple lenses. As Unitarian Universalists, we have both a common religious heritage and a muti-faceted one. Until recently, our sanctuary was filled with many flags, each representing one of the world religions. These flags (created by our own Dianne Dadonna) represent the many heritages and sources of meaning of the people who gather in UU community.

Throughout this year we will be exploring these world religions together, in the spirit of wonder, respect, and engagement. In October, we focus our learning particularly on the tradition of Judaism, a heritage shared by many members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation. In our eblast this week you will see opportunities for all ages to read, reflect, and learn from the wisdom of this tradition.

We will also be paying attention to our own heritage as Unitarian Universalists later this month, and remembering with multigenerational ritual our personal ancestors who have passed on. I invite us to ponder the lives of those who have come before and shared their gifts with us. Whoever and wherever they may be, let us welcome them into our shared space.

In peace,
Rev. Terri