by Rev. Dr. Talia Raymond
A mother hen longing to gather her brood: Shelter. Warmth. Belonging. This image that Jesus has of himself and his ministry is sticking with me this Lent.
As we move deeper into this season, this image feels even more timely. Lent is a season of re-centering. A season of reorganization, not just of closets and committees, but of hearts and commitments. A time to ask: What is essential? What is binding us? What is the sacred gathering among us that we must not allow fear, fatigue, or distraction to scatter?
A world of division is not new. But I believe that belonging is more ancient still: older than empires, older than every story that tells us we must earn our place. From our first breath, we are woven into something larger than ourselves. On Ash Wednesday, we remembered that we are made of both earth and stardust, connected to one another through the very essence of our being.
Belonging, however, is not automatic. It is practiced and deliberate.
At UCG we have many beloved mottos. One is: “Weave my wanting threads with yours to form one cloth. It matters not that you are silk and I am wool. What matters is that we touch and make each other whole.” The church community is not uniform fabric; it is intentional weaving. Honoring different textures, different stories, different strengths, and making the choice to belong to one another.
This season of transition invites us to that intentional work. As we reorganize ministries, clarify leadership, and re-center our mission, we are not starting from scratch, we are tending the loom. Beloved community does not happen by accident, it is built through small, steady choices to listen, to stay curious, to risk being known, and to let our threads be joined with others. This tapestry of colors and textures reflects who we are called to be: a sheltering community, widening the circle, protecting the vulnerable, practicing repair, and staying present even when change stretches us.
May this be a season when we allow love to organize us. When we remember that safety and belonging is not only something we feel, it is something we decide.
Together, with intention, we keep weaving.