Hymn #18: What wondrous love is this, oh my soul? What wondrous love is this that brings my heart such bliss, and takes away the pain of my soul.

When I was sinking down beneath my sorrows ground, friends to me gather’d round.

To love and to all friends I will sing, who pain and sorrow mend, with thanks unto the end I will sing.

This hymn has come into my mind several times this week as I have been reminded of the wondrous love and connections in my life.

Yesterday, as I emptied out my bag from church on Sunday, I pulled out a box of small seashells from Phil, and a bejeweled chalice ornament that Ana made. I couldn’t help but smile, which was such a blessing in the midst of hurriedly getting ready to leave the house.

I’m not one who requires gifts in order to remember my love and connections with people, but small tokens that come my way are certainly a welcome reminder of just how fortunate I am, and we all are, to have the UUCL community. Small tokens are reminders of what is really important in this life- our relationships- and my need to slow down and feel that blessing. Indeed, it is our relationships, and not material things, that mend our pain and sorrow.

With that though in mind, I invite you all to take a step further into this community- in what way can you engage just a little bit more in order to strengthen your connections with others in this UUCL community so that you can experience the healing power of relationships?

This hymn, What Wondrous Love, also plays in my head as I plan to meet with other faith leaders in Lakeland who want to send the message far and wide that hate is not welcome here and that loving and affirming each and every one of us is the way forward. After years of feeling like an isolated, progressive faith community in this county, this is certainly a most wondrous thing! I am looking forward to building relationships with other faith leaders, knowing that a communal voice of love can help us all overcome the sorrow that Nazi hate brings to this world.

I will keep you posted on what this group is doing but in the meantime, may we at UUCL continue to build a beloved community with our wondrous love for one another.