Maybe it’s the approach of Thanksgiving, but lately, I find myself experiencing frequent unanticipated spells of gratitude.
Walking up the sloping sidewalk in front of our main building on a recent Sunday, I was struck by the beauty and condition of our UUCA rain garden. My appreciation continued as I stepped onto our open plaza and then entered our expanded and welcoming lobby, designed to promote the connection of those who enter. Well, that started the gratitude ball rolling.
I thought about how many projects have recently come to fruition because we are blessed with not only a talented and committed professional staff – we have a corps of inspired and dedicated volunteer ‘giants.’ It’s tempting to acknowledge some of them by name, but that’s too risky, as there are many more of them than I even know about. (And, as they say, you know who you are!)
Just pause for a moment and think about how our UUCA congregation has responded to recognized congregation need. We have a wonderful piano, enhancing the inspiration of our services (and even making our space more inviting to other groups, some of whom provide significant revenue streams). It was some of the volunteer ‘giants’ who stepped right up and made that happen. Our congregational response to the successful solar panel project is another example of our congregation being inspired by ‘giants’ to live our values.
How many of the ‘giants’ made the Welcome Project happen? And remember when 23 Edwin became available and our congregation quickly raised the funds to buy it? Think about how UUCA responded to the need to provide sanctuary and how that has become a meaningful reality, expressing our values of compassion and justice.
There are so many other volunteer ‘giants’ who help us express and live our congregational values: pastoral visitors and worship associates; those devoted to the fiscal success of our congregation through annual campaigns, special events and Legacy work; those who work in RE; organizers and leaders of small groups; committee chairs; social justice leaders; those who water the plants and greet us each week.
So many reasons to be grateful to all the ‘giants’ who enhance our present congregational life and help us live our values – connection, inspiration, compassion and justice – now and into the future.
Diane Martin, Board of Trustees