wordsofwisdom.uucg.orgWords of Wisdom? | daily reflections for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Gwinnett and

the larger community Words of Wisdom? daily reflections for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Gwinnett and the larger community HomeResources Contribute ← Older posts Practicing Pluralism Posted on May 14, 2024 by admin I just returned home from attending the Beltane service with the Druids at UUCG. I don’t consider myself to be a practicing Druid per se. I have visited various rituals with the Druids for my own curiosity and education as a Unitarian Universalist. I am aware that many in the Druid group are polytheistic, however in my beliefs I am monotheistic. I also believe that the Divine is both masculine and feminine, and neither. I find God or the Divine difficult to define, yet the mystery is incredibly intriguing when I look up at the stars or enjoy time in nature near sources of water. This exploration has been eye-opening to me as I embrace my Unitarian Universalist faith. I was raised Southern Baptist, but I now know that I was UU in my heart ever since I started talking to God/the Divine as a child in the woods behind my house. Although I feel differences between my beliefs and those of my Druid friends, I still enjoy the communion that comes with being embraced by the Druids at UUCG. I have been pondering what pluralism means to me and my experience at the Beltane ritual. I think is it in action. Exploring and considering possibilities beyond what we ‘know’ is a way of opening up our hearts to fresh ideas, inspirations and energy. I chose to focus my energy and thoughts at Beltane on my renewal of energy and life. I’ve been struggling with bipolar depression throughout the pandemic and beyond, but the Druid ritual helped to start the healing of my mind, body and spirit. Blessed Be. ~Jen Garrison Share this: Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) More Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Posted in Gift of Pluralism | Tagged Nurture from many places | 1 Comment Infertile Dreams for Mother’s Day Posted on May 13, 2024 by admin I struggle with infertility, often in silence. The emotions and experiences that are present as Mother’s Day approaches are full of joy and pain. This day can serve as a sharp reminder of unfulfilled dreams and the deeply personal sorrow of being unable to conceive. The celebration of motherhood, while beautiful and deserving, can inadvertently deepen my feelings of isolation and exclusion. During this celebration I open myself to the potential space for recognizing not only those who are mothers but also those who wish to be, as well as those who play significant nurturing roles—be they aunts, mentors, teachers, or friends. An inclusive approach can bring attention to the complex narratives of adoptive mothers, foster mothers, and those who have chosen not to have children or who have chosen alternative paths to family building, like fur mommies. Incorporating a pluralistic view into Mother’s Day can encourage a culture of sensitivity and awareness, making it a day of support and acknowledgment for all forms of mothering. It is an opportunity to validate and honor the different paths people walk in life, acknowledging that while not all are marked by biological parenthood, they are no less significant in the sphere of love and care. As I struggle with infertility, my pluralistic approach to Mother’s Day has not erased my pain but has diluted the sting, offering me a reminder that my values and my contributions to the community are recognized and celebrated, irrespective of my parental status. I invite everyone to extend compassion and understanding, fostering a sense of belonging and acceptance that transcends traditional familial roles. In a world that honors pluralism, Mother’s Day could transform into a celebration not just of mothers, but of all who nurture and influence lives with love and dedication. It would be a recognition of the fact that love, in its most unconditional form, is the true essence of motherhood and caregiving. ~Candice C Carver Share this: Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) More Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Posted in Gift of Pluralism | Tagged How pluralism transforms a traditional holiday | Leave a comment Seeking A Way To Hold It All Posted on May 10, 2024 by admin Rev. Nancy offered the following in the May 5 service. It continues to invite us into prayerful space. Let us open a prayerful space, a reflective space, a space where we can be truthful about how hard it is to live this faith of Unitarian Universalism, this faith to which we are saying yes: This faith that calls us to a way of being centered in love, working to create justice, equity, generosity, and transformation in our relationships right here and in our interconnectedness with all the world. This engagement with the world doesn’t mean that we are all called to be activists or community organizers, though surely some of us are called by this faith to be just that … yet all of us are called to be aware of and to respond, in one way or another, to the troubles and the tragedies of people around us here and around the world. The trauma that we have all experienced, as human beings in this country, over the past at least 8 years makes it difficult for many of us to take in or respond to the troubles and tragedies that are happening now. On this day of saying yes, I want to ask us tenderly to hold a place here, within this container we have created, for the horrors and hardness occurring now. A broken-openhearted place where Love can be released. In this space, let us hold Israel, Gaza, the Palestinians, the horrific attacks by Hamas on Jewish Israelis on October 7, and the horrific attacks by the Israeli government on Palestinian people, communities, homes, schools, hospitals, and more in Gaza ever since. In this space, let us hold the loss, the suffering, the centuries of trauma and years of warfare in that region, and let us hold the impact of this war on people who live here in the United States—Palestinians, Israelis, Muslims, Jews, and every single one of us who love family and friends who are directly connected to the losses and suffering overseas. In this space, let us hold the university students staging protests and sit-in’s, using language that speaks truth for some and that traumatizes others. Let us hold the horror of those images of police in riot gear called in to disperse or arrest them—and let us hold the police themselves. In this space, let us acknowledge the polarization of people’s attachments to one side” or another, to certain words that must be spoken or must never be spoken, and let us hold the equally deep conviction for some of us that this calls for something more complex than an either/or choice. Let us especially hold the pluralism of thoughts and feelings that are no doubt present right here among us, and let us hold the piercing question of why, when devastating armed conflicts are wreaking havoc on lives all around the world; why do some get more attention than others? And now, let us hold our broken-open hearts, and from them let a prayer emerge, in whatever language or method speaks to you … while I offer mine right here: Spirit of Life and of Love, come to us and hold our overflowing minds and hearts and our traumatized bodies and our beautiful searching struggling spirits. Bring the grace of compassion and courage to us—and also to all who are in positions of decision-making power. Shatter the mental shackles of war-mongering habits and ideas,...