Vacations are wonderful tools for perspective. While I enjoyed mine immensely, and while it was full of great moments with family, it made me appreciate home and the congregation all that much more. I couldn’t wait to come back and be with you all again. I surprised myself with how emotional I got standing up to lead the service before the Los Alamos/Santa Fe picnic. After a year, I’m still excited to be here and still love spending Sundays with all of you. It’s good to be home. Let me wish you a heartfelt “Welcome back!” from wherever your summer has taken you (even if it’s just a day trip somewhere, or some time off from the church).

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Many changes are afoot as we get ready to start the church year in earnest. As I sit down to write this, the asbestos abatement in the kitchen has been completed, and much of the work of kitchenette in the Hearth Room is underway. I’m surrounded by the sounds of power tools and heavy lifting. By the time Water Communion rolls around on August 17th, we should all be looking at new kitchen facilities on both ends of the first floor. Our new parking lot is also complete and looks fabulous. My thanks to Buildings and Grounds and everyone else involved in our construction work this summer.

Of course, the biggest change coming is the beginning of our new worship and RE schedule, which will commence with Water Communion on the 17th of August. Services will take place at both 9 and 11 with RE beginning at 9:15 and 11:15 in the morning each Sunday. Religious Education will have a different flavor in each hour, but the services will be identical. I encourage everyone to try both times out and discover what works best for you.

The forum will now take place in the hour between services (concurrent with coffee hour — grab your coffee and join the forum!). Evan Rose has taken over Forum responsibilities from the McNaughtons, and he’s assembled a small committee that’s already hard at work putting together some excellent programming for us. If you have a topic suggestion, or you’re interested in taking part in planning, please contact Evan.

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Our first forum on the 17th will consist of reports from our General Assembly attendees. GA was a big week for me this year. I was asked to give the response to this year’s Berry Street Essay, which was delivered by our friend, Rev. Christine Robinson. It’s not an honor typically bestowed on one as green as myself. It was an unbeatable experience, an exciting afternoon, and I was grateful to have some of you there in the crowd cheering me on. Hopefully there will be audio of the event available soon. I’ll keep you updated.

GA also saw the release of Reverend X: How Generation X Ministers are Shaping Unitarian Universalism, from Jenkin Lloyd Jones Press out of All Souls Church in Tulsa. This book has been in process for two years now, and it’s gratifying to see the finished product. I took part in a well attended authors panel on the Saturday of GA, and I’m happy to say that the stock of books that All Souls brought with them was gone by the end of the week. I’ve place a copy on our library shelf on the second floor (next door to the Assembly Room, if you’ve never been there). It’s on the shelf marked “UUism”. It’s got some remarkable essays in it (I highly recommend my friend David Pyles essay on military chaplaincy). Take a look.

Of course, there was much business of the denomination done during the Assembly as well. Delegates chose “Ethical Eating” as the study action issue for congregations, edging out “Nuclear Disarmament,” and much work was done around issues of youth and young adult ministries. If you want to know more, and hear about others’ experiences and impressions, I encourage you to come to the first Forum of the year at 10 a.m. on the 17th.

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Finally, registration for Covenant Circles will begin this month, as well. If you’d like to try it out, or you’re uncertain, talk to any of the thirty or so folks who participated last year. You can also talk with Warren Houghteling, Mary Hrbek, or Carl Newton (our steering group) if you have any questions. We’ve got room for many more people this year. Please consider taking part.

Rev. John Cullinan