Minister's Musing

Rev. Mark Ward
Unitarian Universalist Church of Asheville

January 2010

So, What’s Next?

Those of you who pay attention to these things will recall that at the beginning of our fall worship season I announced that I would try an experiment this year: focusing our Sunday worship services each month on some of the values that I want to suggest we should cultivate as a church and as people to live in a fulfilled, centered and compassionate way. For the fall I turned to our mission statement for these values, reflecting on the importance of freedom, justice, love and community. Starting in January, I’ll be branching out to other values and looking for ways to extend conversation around these themes beyond Sunday morning.

Let me begin with the themes I’ve chosen for January through May. In January, we’ll consider Unity; in February, Hospitality; in March, Reverence; in April, Hope; and in May, Gratitude. As I did in the fall, in each month I’ll address the topic directly on the first Sunday of the month. I also intend to draw on that theme in some way in each of the other services that month.

I recognize, though, that so far this has been a one-way conversation with me speaking and you listening. I’m curious to know what you make of these values, how important they are to you and what impact they have on your lives. And, I know, you may have a different perspective on them than I do. So, in order to open a conversation, from January through May on the Tuesday following the first Sunday of the month I’m going to hold a series of what I’m calling “Fireside Conversations.” We’ll meet in Sandburg Hall, and, yes, we’re going to set a fire in the fireplace and chat a while. Keep an eye on the calendar for dates, but plan on joining me at 7 PM in Sandburg Hall on the Tuesday following the first Sunday in each of those months.

I also invite you to engage with these topics in other ways. I’ve invited Covenant Group facilitators to raise them in their groups, and they have told me they plan a special focus around the topic of Hospitality in February. I’m also exploring possible adult education offerings, including a class on spiritual practices arising from these values. If you have other ideas for ways of bringing people together around these topics, please let me know. I’d be happy to help make them happen and keep the conversation growing and deepening among us.