I’m writing at the kitchen table of my friends’ home in Sandy Springs, Oklahoma. It’s the beginning of an annual gathering of seminary friends. Tomorrow, we’ll head out to a cabin on a lake almost into Arkansas and spend a few days talking about what we’ve been reading and what we’ve been preaching about. And we’ll cook for each other. And we’ll play pool. Badly. We do this once a year, the week after Valentine’s Day. It’s a welcome respite in the middle of a dreary month.

I don’t know about you, but for me February feels like such a long month for so few days. The predominant color outside is “snow.” I’m longing for leaves on the trees and some more birds for my binoculars. February is a low energy month. And then I get to spend some time away from work and be with friends in Oklahoma. Sure, we talk shop, but we also laugh a lot and learn a lot and bask in the presence of people who love one another dearly. It’s a very effective method for recharging the personal batteries.

And how are you? By the time you read this, it will be March, and the month of low ebb will be over. How have you fared? Perhaps February isn’t a low ebb month for you, but I’m sure you have times where you need an extra boost to your personal reserves. What do you do? How do you take care of yourself?

As we approach a season of renewal and rebirth, take some time to take care of yourself. The earth renews, so why shouldn’t you? Find those things that fill you and make space in your schedule for them.

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The day after I preached on “Standing on the Side of Love” and the progress of domestic partnerships in New Mexico, the state senate finance committee tabled this year’s bill indefinitely. As I said that Sunday, we’re going to have to wait for another January to come around. It seems a long way away, but it’s really a brief span of time—just enough, perhaps, to plan effective advocacy.

If you’re interested in being more active with this and other social witness issues, consider teaming up with Unitarian Universalists from across the state to combine our efforts. The New Mexico Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry is a new statewide project being spearheaded by the Rev. Liz McMaster. It’s an opportunity to engage with other UUs on local advocacy issues that affect us all. Rev. McMaster is looking for a few good UUs from Los Alamos to be contact people for the network, here. If you’re interested, please contact me. Let’s start working together to make 2011 the year that the whole state of New Mexico stands on the side of love.

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March means the annual canvass. We have a vision and a mission to guide us, and now we need the resources to make our vision a reality. I hope that you’re as moved by the final statements that came out of our “Searching for the Future” process as I was, and I can’t wait to see the kind of ministry we can do in our church community and the wider Los Alamos community with a solid mission in place. Jess and I are raising our own level of contribution for the coming year. Be kind to our stewards as they do their important work this month, and please consider a “fair share” pledge to support the continued mission of the Unitarian Church of Los Alamos.

See you in church,
Rev. John Cullinan

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