The music was great, singing was fun, and the annual tree-trimming ritual as moving and sweet as ever.   After service we had organic, fairly traded Chalice Blend coffee plus hot cider and hot chocolate.  At the monthly orientation and tour of campus we had 15 people, including 4 kids.  Here is the pastoral prayer I delivered before the silence (which was followed by a choral piece).  — Cheers!

All-Ages Sunday, December 22, 2019

Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento

Please join me in taking a deep inward breath and letting it out slowly.  Let’s do that again. Now take a moment to notice your body touching the seat where you are, feeling your body held by the seat and the floor and the earth under the floor.  Notice that you are here in this moment and in this place—not in an earlier moment or a later time, but right now.  Not in another place but right here.

Now please join me in the spirit of an open heart as I offer these words of prayer.  After I speak, we will take a few moments together in silence.

O Spirit of Life and Love, be with us on this morning of the new season of winter.  Let the long dark night soften us and calm our souls.  As we long for peace, may we remember to slow down our pace.

May the gradually returning light of the coming days remind us to notice the changes taking place in our lives.  Let us have patience, with ourselves and with others.

In this holiday season, we call to mind those who are no longer with us—those who departed this life long ago and those who have passed away recently.  We extend our loving thoughts to those who are unwell and those who are not able to be with us here this morning, and those who are at a distance from us today.

In this holiday season, some friends and loved ones are traveling out of town.  Other beloved and familiar faces have arrived from schools or homes out of town, visiting and renewing the warmth of connection.  May everyone travel safely and arrive safely and return safely.  May holiday reunions be full of grace, joy and ease.  Let us be gentle with one another and be gentle with ourselves.

May we remember to give thanks for the gift of life, and the gift of this new day, and every good gift.

As we slow down to regain our spiritual strength, we do not forget … that all is not well in the land.  These are times of political strife and uncertainty.  We are troubled and angered by anti-Semitic, anti-Islamic and xenophobic hostility in this country.  Around the world, many people live in zones of conflict and oppression or live in places where climate change is causing disastrous harm.

Let us keep the heart open our will strong to meet the needs of this nation and to do what we can to care for the human family and care for all beings which share this earth with us.  May our practice of seeking peace not lull us from the needs of a world that is not at peace.  For it is in learning to practice paying attention, giving thanks, and cultivating our compassion that we can build resilience and summon our courage to work for peace.

On this morning of the new season of winter, let us remember that we are surrounded by so many people of goodwill and compassion and courage.  Let us feel held in the web of community that we sustain by our coming together here.

As we pause for the next minute in silence together, may we know that love lives in us and among us, love holds us, and love will not let us go.

Amen.