“If life gives you lemons, find the person that life gave sugar to and form a team. Then find the person that life gave water to and be a gang – a sweet refreshing gang.” –Shane Koyczan

A sweet, refreshing gang! That’s how I felt this week after we had so many new attendees to our worship committee and social justice meetings! Fresh ideas and insights are what keep us vibrant and relevant. I am so appreciative of people showing up.

One of the most “refreshing” moments for me was hearing outside-of-the-box worship ideas that were quite like the interactive and multigenerational services I love to do, but haven’t done in some time, apparently. I feel renewed and look forward to cocreating with anyone passionate about the worship arts and community building. I think there is potential for real growth here.

Meeting at Vegetation restaurant with the Social Justice committee was a sweet moment, too! I enjoyed doing church business at a local business with good, healthy food. We tossed around some ideas and addressed concerns about what has been happening here in Polk County. We gained more momentum around organizing with other progressive organizations that share our values of care and mutual aid. That’s how we do Love + Connection = Transformation!

Mutual aid was an important part of my last week. I collected funds, food, and space heaters to help families in need who did not have heat during that icy cold spell. I reached out on social media and made connections with folks outside of UUCL. In a matter of a few hours, I had what was needed. I delivered it that night. It was very much appreciated. I also gained new insights into what is going on in farm worker communities and I have started a fund to help support basic needs. You can donate through Zeffy:

We must continue to be a sweet refreshing gang, remembering that “we are all bound up together” (Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, an important person in Unitarian history https://www.uuworld.org/articles/we-are-all-bound-together).

Indeed, now more than ever, we are hearing the message of togetherness. Did you watch the Bad Bunny halftime show? What a refreshing call to unity! In fact, the entire Super Bowl production was a statement of unity and diversity, a picture of what America can look like–the America we imagine–when we work together: yes, even this country can be sweet and refreshing!