Dear ones,  

Let us take time to honor the beginnings of this new year. We embark together with intention, apprehension, hope, and possibility…. Though a single day signifies a new year, it may not feel any different, but it is an opening to imagine a change or embrace. There is so much to be anxious about, to feel burdened by, most specifically the unknown, which is with us all the time. None of us knows what the next day will bring, what might unfold for us as individuals, as a community or as a nation. It is hard to live with this uncertainty. But there are ways we can support each other, strengthen our resolve, open our perspective and ground ourselves in what we know to be true in order to face uncertainty.

 In Joyce Rupp’s New Year’s Blessing she hopes that we “find meaning, purpose, and vitality in what [we] do daily. That we treasure our loved ones and let them know how dear they are to us. That we make choices and decisions that reflect our truest selves.” Yes, it is finding meaning in what we do, how we are in each day. Yes, that we treasure our loved ones and let them know how dear they are, and for us as a community, imagining that each member and friend, traveler that has found their way to All Souls becomes a loved one. We seek to deepen our relationships with each other and we do that through learning, and hearing each other’s experiences and histories. When one of us is grieving or struggling, we look to ways we can offer comfort and support. When another of us is celebrating a reunion with family, or a new pathway unfolding, we share in that joy. This is how each of us becomes more able to live lives of purpose and vitality, and how a community is strengthened and more deeply connected. What better work to deepen into this new year ahead? 

Two of our dear members – Maisie and Heide took part in LifeSongs, a project honoring the experiences of elders, and worked with musician Putnam Smith to create songs that honored their lives. Let us join in the celebration on January 4th in Saxtons River to hear their songs  (see last page of newsletter for more information)! We are each part of the universal experience of living and dying, looking to embrace each day and allow ourselves to embark on new pathways even if they seem unfamiliar. Later in the month, we will hold a service that explores how we live with purpose and contemplate dying. What are our beliefs around the dying process? How would we like to be remembered? How do we open our hearts to what we are experiencing, the sorrows and the joys for they are always interwoven. 

Bringing ourselves to a community can be challenging because it is about relationships, intimacy, vulnerability. Let us be held by the tapestry that is All Souls, woven with music and words, visual imagery and our own experiences, that are all threads within our design that strengthens us all. Let us hold each other with love and continue on our journey together! 

Blessings, Rev. Telos