Some of the hardest work we do is healing the broken world. And so, we give and we share what we have. What does the next step look like? Our prophets (not our Biblical, but our Social prophets) call us into relationship with others. That means moving closer, becoming proximate to those most broken.
This week, the Kirkland area is living with the presence of coronavirus in our community. We worry about over-reacting… we wonder if we should just go on about our lives as usual, knowing that for many people this virus only causes a mild illness. We worry about under-reacting. If we don’t change our behaviors, and keep going out in the world and interacting as we always do, could we increase the spread of the disease, putting many others at risk. In the spirit of compassion, and honoring the interconnectedness of all beings, we try to find a middle way.
This is an important election year. We must be involved and use this year to promote our values in the world if we truly believe we are part of the interconnected web, dedicated to healing the world. At the same time we must learn resiliency, how we maintain our core integrity, when the political situation feels threatening. (Opens with a reading from Clarissa Pinkola Estes.)
The sermon will focus on what we expect from each other in the upcoming years, and how we manage our achievements and disappointments as a religious practice. From Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church, Kirkland, WA.
This sermon was presented by Nancy Reid-McKee who was on the final day of her candidating week at Northlake UU. At the congregational meeting held immediately after this service, Nancy was called to be Northlake’s next minister! She will start in fall 2019. This sermon is a great introduction to Nancy, and to Northlake. Nancy’s description of the sermon: “As we explore the possibility of the congregation calling me to be the next minister at Northlake, I have spent a week learning about you and exploring the journey of the congregation. The sermon will examine what I have found, and my thoughts and dreams for a possible future together.”
As humans we long to be made whole. As a religious community we work together to bring healing and nurturing to each other and the world, with the goal of becoming more complete and healthy. – Sermon by Nancy Reid-McKee, candidate for minister at Northlake.
Bridging the Gap to the World is a featured part of Northlake’s journey. In this time of reflection we will consider the path that has led this covenanted congregation to reach out to the world with an open heart and open mind, searching for love as we seek to build love in the hearts of those we meet. Lessons for Life from Rev. Jim VanderWeele
