It is hard to believe that we are coming to the end of our summer congregational renewal series, “Spirituality, However Known.” I hope that you have found moments of connection, inspiration, and community with your UCG family this summer. It has been spiritually enriching to connect with each of our guest speakers and preachers as I created worship services alongside them. Each provided a window to view and reflect on spirituality through a different lens, and opening our pulpit allowed us all to experience the gifts of a spectrum of meaning, value, transcendence, connecting, and becoming. An enormous debt of gratitude is owed to the committee who made this summer, and in particular the times of connection, art, conversation, and picnicking following the worship services possible. Thank you to the chair of the committee, Helda Montero and members RD Bonnaghan, Anne Casella, Jackie Davis, Dick Elkins, Pam Smith, and Steffi Wohlgemuth with support from Jeremy Archer, Lindsey Telg, and our wonderful office staff. An additional measure of gratitude goes to Revs. Sandy and Larry Reimer for gracefully filling two weeks of coverage. You have all given your church family a tremendous gift.
We will begin our fall program schedule with our spirits full and much to reflect on, and our next worship theme will allow us the time to do just that! On August 18th, we will welcome Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan back to the pulpit to begin the worship theme, “What I Learned on My Summer Vacation.” As we all return from summer adventures both near and far, we will take the time to weave our threads together once more. Thank you for being on this journey of spiritual renewal with me, and with one another this summer. Let us take this feeling of connection and spiritual growth with us as we move forward as the United Church of Gainesville.
A Reminder to bring your gathered water to service on Sunday, August 11. We will celebrate our reconnection from our summer journeys, however known. You are invited to bring some water that is sacred to you to add to our communal vessel. These can be waters of peace, waters of hope, waters of homecoming, or waters of healing, and each person or family is invited to share where their waters are from and what they represent to you. We will combine the gathered waters into one sacred water to use for baptisms and blessing rituals in the coming year. Following this beloved service, stay for a Gathering of Waters celebratory “Welcome Home” Reception. Please bring a finger food dish to share and leave in the kitchen ahead of the service. The church will provide beverages and a dessert option. As part of our celebration, we will also honor Rev. Bromleigh’s return from sabbatical.
We will also have a Back-to-School Blessing during the August 11 service – Receive words of blessing and encouragement from your church family as you start a new school year!