Both Sides By Rev. Nina D. Grey September, 2001

We come together from many separate and diverse experiences, families, and settings. Some of us have traveled far away. Some have stayed nearby. Yet each has, hopefully, had some time of respite or reflection, of summer fun or refreshment. Now we enter a cooler time, the sun is moving to a different place in the sky. This is a time for beginnings. And this is a time for our congregation's Ingathering. Yes, it is true that many have come to church every Sunday this summer while some have been away. Yet we take this time, this September 9th, to mark returnings and beginnings. Joyfully we celebrate our community and, with revitalized vision, we move forward into our shared future.

There is a hymn, Forward Through the Ages, which tells us that we are bound by far purpose. What is that far purpose? It is a vision of a present and a future characterized by loving and just relationships, within our community, between people, and with other living beings and the earth itself. It is the nurturing of our community which encourages us in the deepening of our spirits, the emboldening of our courage, the opening of our hearts, and the good work of our hands.

These are some ways to think about that to which we may give our loyalty and commitment. These are some reasons for joining our lives in religious community. May we move forward in hope as, with renewed intention, we return to the sound and sight of each other's names and faces.

In faith, with love,

Nina