Can’t Wait to See You!

How’ve you been?

My sabbatical is over and I’m grateful for that time to find rest and renewal. Thank you so much for it. I did some reading, a little traveling, and loads of hiking. Mostly, I got the chance to think deeply about all sorts of things.

And I am SO GLAD to be returning to Live Oak. I’ve missed you all so much, and can’t wait to see your faces and hear about what’s been happening in your lives, and in the life of our congregation.

I want to give a huge thank-you to everyone who kept things running smoothly — Rev. Jami, Cindy, Diane, Curtis, and all of you church leaders, especially our president, Joel Bercu. I know as I return, I’ll hear more and more specifics of things everyone has done, but I want to start with that preliminary gratitude.

One of the things that has become crystal clear to me over these months is how desperately our world needs Unitarian Universalism, including here in our area, and across Texas. I look forward to celebrating with you whenever we have a reason (like our 30th anniversary!) and working hard to make our world more just and compassionate, as we head into elections where voter registration and turnout are so important, and the Texas Legislature returning in January.

And I look forward to exploring with you your own deep thoughts – how do we find meaning and joy when it can feel that everything is breaking around us? How do the events of the world shape our personal understandings of what is sacred and timeless? Where do we find awe and mystery? (Have you been seeing those images from the James Webb telescope? Wow!)

This Sunday is our Homecoming Service, always one of my favorites. Please bring water from your travels (or kitchen sink). There will also be an element in the service for sharing with me what has happened in your life since April.

Until then, here’s a little video with some of the things I saw and did on my sabbatical:

Shine on,
Rev. Joanna