November is a special month of celebration for me. It’s the month of both my birthday and that of my husband, Dave. I love to celebrate all month with moments of gratitude for the blessings of this beautiful time of the year. After moving to NC from Texas in 1977, the fall has won a special place in my heart due to the brilliant colors of the fall leaves, pumpkins of many shapes and sizes, mums in a variety of hues and acorns crunching under foot. Growing up in San Antonio, Texas, I never experienced the sights and smells that signal harvest time. Perhaps that’s why crisp fall mornings stir my soul with such appreciation.
November 2, 2008, I added another special date of appreciation to my month of personal celebration when I was ordained to the Unitarian Universalist ministry by the Eno River UU Fellowship. As this anniversary approaches, I am making plans for some private reflection on my ministry of the past year and my new commitments to you.
November 2009 marks the first full month in this new ministry. By your decision to “call” me as your minister and my acceptance of that “call”, we have made commitments which we will formally covenant in an Installation Ceremony sometime in the new year. Basically, we have made decisions to take a risk together. We have listened to our hearts and will now be devoting our efforts in being “real” with one another as we work to grow this congregation both in faith and numbers.
The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision which no one could have dreamed would have come their way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets: ‘Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it.’
W. H. Murray
November has traditionally been one of the months we turn our attention to the giving of thanks and reflections of gratitude. Sharing our resources with others has been an American tradition passed down for generations. Let us be glad and give thanks for the commitments we have made. You dreamed and we have begun. Let there be boldness in our quest of truth, magic in the fellowship we share and healing power in our service to others.
Sharing love, hope, and joy,
Claudia