Transforming Faith
- revjaneblackall
- Jul 26
- 22 min read
Updated: Jul 27
Sunday Service, 27 July 2025
Led by Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall
Musical Prelude: Morning Mood - Edvard Grieg (performed by Andrew Robinson)
Opening Words: ‘This Hour of Worship’ by Carolyn Owen-Towle (adapted)
Let us enter into this hour of worship –
this time and space dedicated to
all that is most worthy in this life,
the depths and the heights of it all –
let us give our undivided attention
to what really matters, just for a while.
Come, bringing all of who you are –
all your busy thoughts and big emotions,
your complications and your contradictions –
rest and quiet your week-worn spirit, for you are here
to touch again eternal springs of hope and renewal.
Calm your hurried, harried, pace –
and claim this precious chance to find perspective –
for this hour let the cares, the fretfulness and worry be set aside.
Forgive yourself—you are so very worthy of moving on,
of making new efforts, of trying again – it’s a new day.
And know that you are not alone in all this. Look around.
There is strength and caring support for you here.
You will find comfort and kindness if you but ask.
You are a part of this community, if you choose it.
And you can make it what you will.
So let us join our hearts together as we enter
into this precious hour of worship. (pause)
Words of Welcome and Introduction:
These words from Carolyn Owen-Towle welcome all who have gathered this morning for our Sunday service. Welcome to those who have gathered in-person at Essex Church, to all who are joining us via Zoom, and anyone tuning in at a later date via YouTube or the podcast. For anyone who doesn’t know me, I’m Jane Blackall, and I’m minister with Kensington Unitarians.
Our service today has the title ‘Transforming Faith’. I want us to consider the ways in which our religious commitments, our belonging to a church community, can be transformative for us. It seems to me that progressive religious types like us are presumed to hold our religion quite lightly. But it doesn’t have to be that way! I am inspired by these words from the Unitarian Universalist minister Kent Doss: ‘I’m really curious about what it would look like for us as Unitarians to open ourselves to having a transformational experience in our religious life. I don’t mean feeling like you got a new idea, or feeling motivated to do a little better this week. I mean what would it take for us to come to church open to the possibility of leaving a different person, transformed by the sacred, filled with a new spirit of love, justice and compassion, so much so that you couldn’t help but make changes in the rest of your life?’
Let’s take our cue from that question – that provocation – as we spend the next hour pondering how we might be personally transformed by our religious commitments.
Chalice Lighting: ‘Love Can Transform the World’ by Maureen Killoran
Let’s light our chalice flame now, as we do each week. It’s a moment for us to stop and take a breath, settle ourselves down, put aside any preoccupations we came in carrying. This simple ritual connects us in solidarity with Unitarians and Unitarian Universalists the world over, and reminds us of the proud and historic progressive religious tradition of which this gathering is part.
(light chalice)
Love is the aspiration, the spirit that moves and inspires this faith we share.
Rightly understood, love can nurture our spirits and transform the world.
May the flame of this chalice honour and embody the power and the blessing of the love we need, the love we give, the love we are challenged always to remember and to share.
Hymn (on sheet): ‘The Church Where Love Lives’
Our first hymn this morning is on your hymn sheet, ‘The Church Where Love Lives’. For those on zoom the words will be up on screen for all our hymns. Feel free to stand or sit as you prefer.
The church where love lives is a safe place for all
Where we gather in wonder to remember God’s call,
To embody God’s vision of kindness and care
With each song that we sing, with each protest and prayer.
On this sacred foundation of faith and of trust
We are building a world that is gentle and just.
We rejoice and repent, offer praise and forgive
And we welcome all people to the church where love lives.
The church where love lives draws the stranger inside,
Making neighbours of strangers, no neighbour denied,
Till there’s heaven on earth and God’s will has been done,
Till the whole of creation is restored to its home.
On this sacred foundation of faith and of trust
We are building a world that is gentle and just.
We rejoice and repent, offer praise and forgive
And we welcome all people to the church where love lives.
The church where love lives is preparing a feast
For the pained and rejected, for the lost and the least,
For the deeply afraid, for the truly ashamed.
Come and sit at our table. Love has called you by name.
On this sacred foundation of faith and of trust
We are building a world that is gentle and just.
We rejoice and repent, offer praise and forgive
And we welcome all people to the church where love lives.
Candles of Joy and Concern:
Each week when we gather together, we share a simple ritual of candles of joy and concern, an opportunity to light a candle and share something that is in our heart with the community. So we’ve an opportunity now, for anyone who would like to do so, to light a candle and say a few words about what it represents. We’ll go to the people in the building first, then to Zoom.
So I invite some of you here in person to come and light a candle and then if you wish to tell us who or what you light your candle for – please keep it brief – be considerate of others. I’m going to ask you to come to the lectern to speak, as we want people to be able to hear you.
(in person candles)
And if that’s everyone in the room we’ll go over to the people on Zoom next – you might like to switch to gallery view at this stage – just unmute yourselves when you are ready and speak out – and we should be able to hear you and see you up on the big screen here in the church.
(zoom candles)
And I’m going to light one more candle, as we often do, to represent all those joys and concerns that we hold in our hearts this day, but which we don’t feel able to speak out loud. (light candle)
Time of Prayer & Reflection: based on words by Sheldon W. Bennett
Let’s take those joys and concerns into an extended time of prayer. This prayer is based on some words by Sheldon W. Bennett. You might want to adjust your position for comfort, close your eyes, or soften your gaze. There might be a posture that helps you feel more prayerful. Whatever works for you. Do whatever you need to do to get into the right state of body and mind for us to pray together – to be fully present here and now, in this sacred time and space – with ourselves, with each other, and with that which is both within us and beyond us. (pause)
Spirit of Life, God of All Love, in whom we live and move and have our being,
we turn our full attention to you, the light within and without,
as we tune in to the depths of this life, and the greater wisdom
to which – and through which – we are all intimately connected.
Be with us now as we allow ourselves to drop into the
silence and stillness at the very centre of our being. (pause)
Source and Ground of our Being –
voice in our hearts and light in our minds –
in the joyful freedom of our fellowship,
we are here together as adventurers
called forth in spirit, moving, yearning, questing,
pushing the limits of our lives outwards
to what is more loving and just, more beautiful and true.
Here in this church – for so many of us a spiritual home –
this place made holy by the memories, the aspirations,
the purposes and ideals of those before us,
we would be inspired by their example.
These were people of vision – people of spirit.
We, here today, are also people of spirit.
We, too, are powerfully moved by a deep concern
for our world and our care for one another.
The spirit moves also in us – as a free religious community
joined in common aspiration, commitment and hope.
May ours be a faith that is more
than just beautiful words and high ideals.
May ours be a faith of vitality and commitment,
a faith that burns in our hearts and blazes in our minds.
May ours be a faith that shines to the world
as the light of deeds and the witness of actions.
May we respond boldly to your call to transformation –
to keep on changing and growing our whole life long –
for the sake of justice, for love, and for joy. (pause)
And let us take a few quiet moments now to look inward, to get in touch with what’s real,
what is going on beneath the surface of our lives this morning. Let us notice what we’re carrying.
What troubles us. What questions or uncertainties we are faced with. What hopes we nurture. (pause)
And from that place of realness – silently, inwardly, ask for what you most need – don’t get too
hung up on who or what you’re asking – maybe it’s God, maybe you’re casting it out into the Universe.
Even if you’re the only one to hear your prayer – be clear on what you need in this moment. (pause)
And let us also be sure to give thanks for what we already have. Let us look back on the week
and recall all those moments – large or small – of kindness, generosity, comfort – even moments of joy.
Silently, inwardly, take the time to savour those gifts, connect with gratitude, and take in the good. (pause)
And let us turn outwards now, shifting our attention to the world around us, from those
who are closest to our heart, to neighbours and strangers, our wider community, stretching ever onward,
as we sense our connection to every living being we share this planet with, and hold them all in love. (pause)
Spirit of Life – God of all Love – as this time of prayer comes to a close, we offer up
our joys and concerns, our hopes and fears, our beauty and brokenness,
and we call on you for insight, healing, and renewal.
As we look forward now to the coming week,
help us to live well each day and be our best selves;
using our unique gifts in the service of love, justice and peace. Amen.
Hymn (on sheet): ‘The World Needs Love’
Let’s sing again – our second hymn is on your hymn sheet today – ‘The World Needs Love’.
The world needs love; so many hearts are hurting.
Grace, work through us, help us to spread your peace,
bringing to all - through your forgiving spirit -
freedom from guilt, from bitterness release.
Reconcile us; help us to share your calmness,
’till anger stills and all our conflicts cease.
The world needs hope, a vision for the future,
what life might be, if all would live in you.
Help us to lead - through your transforming spirit -
lives that reflect what you would have us do,
to share our gifts, show forth your loving kindness,
encourage all to find their hope in you.
The world needs faith, a willing dedication
of all we are and all we might yet be.
Help us to serve - through your empowering spirit -
in active faith in our community.
Love for each soul, respecting and upholding,
declares the worth of all humanity.
The world needs joy, a sense of celebration
that human lives have such diversity.
Help us to see - through your dynamic spirit -
each person’s part in life’s vitality.
Sharing our joys, supporting others’ sorrows
make our small world a better place to be.
In-Person Reading: ‘The Amen Effect’ by Sharon Brous (excerpt, adapted) (Hannah to read)
The following is an excerpt from ‘The Amen Effect’ by Sharon Brous which some of us have been reading together in the ‘Better World Book Club’ this month. Sharon Brous is a Rabbi and one of the founders of IKAR, a progressive Jewish congregation based in Los Angeles, and she has plenty to say about the nature of religion and its power to transform. This is what she has to say:
I became a rabbi in the early 2000s, a time in which so many young Jews had abandoned synagogue life that many Jewish communal leaders had become single-mined in their obsession with the continuity crisis, a demographic disaster in the making. Conferences, retreats, and all kinds of desperate strategies were devised in an attempt to win over a generation of young people increasingly repelled by the religious establishment.
The disengagement crisis was not unique to Judaism. Synagogues, churches, and mosques were all struggling to maintain relevance to a generation that prided itself on being spiritual but not religious. It was clear that there was a deeper, more foundational brokenness, in religious life that needed to be addressed. Half a century earlier, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel had offered a scathing critique of American religious life: “Religion declined, not because it was refuted, but because it became irrelevant, dull, oppressive, insipid.” “What young people need,” he wrote, “is not religious tranquilisers, religion as diversion, religion as entertainment, but spiritual audacity, intellectual guts, the power of defiance!” I resonated deeply with that call.
At the turn of the millennium, the dull conformity of organised religion was matched by an additional challenge, simultaneously new and very old: Faith as a dominant force for regression and repression, vitriol and violence. God and faith abused, contorted and distorted to serve the political interests of the powerful rather than the spiritual needs of the people.
For my generation, the answer was simple: most refused to choose between religion that was deadly and religion that was already dead. They fled institutional religion.
Having moved from my beloved New York City to Los Angeles, I found myself yearning to connect with others who shared my sense that in a world of violence, disease, poverty, and racism, faith communities had a moral mandate that we were failing to meet. At this time there were two questions that literally kept me up at night: How can our tradition help us live lives of meaning and purpose? And, given our faith and history, who are we called to be in this time of moral crisis?
We launched IKAR – our best attempt to address those questions – on a hope and a prayer. As founders, all we had was a shared conviction that faith communities needed to be spiritually alive and morally courageous at the same time. I wanted to awaken our generation’s spiritual and moral imagination. I wanted my own imagination to be awakened. And I was certain that to do so, we needed to translate timeless ideas for a generation that was intellectually curious and spiritually hungry. We needed to bring back honesty, surprise, and wonder back into our sacred spaces.
To my astonishment (and delight) the vision resonated. Our services were moving and surprising, playful and serious. We were committed to soulful prayer and deep learning, to reclaiming the prophetic tradition and working with multi-faith partners to build a society of equity and equality, compassion and justice. We didn’t always get it right, but we were fuelled by the mission and genuinely open to learning from our failures, iterating and experimenting until we did better.
Words for Meditation: ‘Imaginal Cells’ by James Crews
We’re moving into a time of meditation now. To take us into stillness I’m going to share a poem by James Crews – we’ve had a lot of talk of butterflies already this summer – and perhaps it’s no surprise that we’re continuing that pattern in a service about transformation. The poem will take us into a few minutes of shared silence which will end with the sound of a bell. Then we’ll hear music for meditation. So let’s do what we need to do to get comfortable – maybe adjust your position – put your feet flat on the floor to ground yourself – close your eyes. As we always say, the words are just an offering, so feel free to use this time to meditate in your own way.
‘Imaginal Cells’ by James Crews
Like caterpillars born with imaginal cells
that know how to become a thing with wings,
we too carry a dream inside ourselves
of a different, better world. There will be
struggle, yes, as we claw our way out of
a chrysalis that can no longer keep us trapped,
as we give the heart room to breathe, space
to seek the nectar of flowers, and the nectar
of mud and dung alike, feeding on darkness
when darkness is all there is. If we can
imagine a body that breaks free of its own
container, if we can envision a place where
everyone feels safe and welcome, then we can
become anything. Perhaps it begins
with a small yes stirring in a cluster of cells,
and the trust that this—whatever this might be
is never the end of the story.
Period of Silence and Stillness (~3 minutes) – end with a bell
Interlude: Aoise - Michael Holohan (performed by Andrew Robinson)
Reflection: by Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall
The question at the heart of today’s service is this: “What does it mean – what could it mean – for religion to be ‘transformative’?” More specifically: “what might transformative religion look like for Unitarians? People like us?” What might it mean for you? For everyone joining us today?
According to the Centre for Philosophy of Religion at Notre Dame University: ‘A transformative experience is an enduring reorganization of a person's thinking—for instance, their beliefs, attitudes, traits or emotions—that substantially alters life as they experience it or live it.’
I wonder if anybody here today thinks about their religious faith, their Unitarianism, in those sort of terms? We Unitarians are not generally known for dramatic conversion experiences... I don’t know how many of you would say you have had your ways of thinking permanently reorganised or your life substantially changed by Unitarianism (though – honestly – I would say that both of those things did happen for me – my life is very different to what it would have been had I not found my way to this church – I first came here in my mid-twenties, when I was a bit of a lost soul, with no serious engagement in any religious tradition before this one, and coming here exposed me to a completely different way of thinking about life, meaning and purpose, which inspired, challenged, and yes transformed me)… Maybe if you first come to Unitarianism later in life, or you have deeply engaged with another religious tradition before this one, it won’t blow your mind as much it did mine! But still, perhaps some of you will have experienced more subtle changes over a time, as a result of joining this congregation; a more gradual giving of your heart to this place and these people, to this tradition, and our wider Unitarian family. So let’s start by thinking about this process and some of these more modest forms of religious ‘transformation’ that you might have experienced.
Over the years I have had this conversation with many members of the church; asking them how belonging to our congregation, or being a Unitarian more generally, had changed their life in ways large or small (if they felt it had done so at all) – maybe through new things they learned, or insights they had gained, perhaps through people they had met, or personal support they had received, or even ways in which they had been challenged to change the way they think, or behave, or even their whole way of life…essentially any way in which they had been (even slightly) transformed by their participation in this modest, quirky, religious community that some of us call home.
Almost everybody I’ve ever spoken to mentioned the way in which they had found meaningful connections here, with caring, supportive, encouraging people, and that those relationships had made a difference to them through good times and bad. That is not an insignificant change in one’s life. It can be hugely meaningful. It can be life-saving. And that’s not an exaggeration. Someone noted that, as an older person, and a single person, the sense of belonging they found in this community was especially significant for them. Knowing that, whatever else is going on in your life, you can come here on Sunday, every single week, like people have been doing in this very building for nearly 50 years, and on this site for over 150 years, and you can rely on seeing those familiar, friendly faces of people who (more-or-less) share your values. Or, these days, you can join us online, either on Sunday mornings, or at our small groups like Heart and Soul which are even better for getting to build deep connections. That actually matters a great deal to people. Your presence here matters. To them. To me. You might not credit it, but people are looking forward to seeing you, and being seen by you. If you’re a regular, and you’ve not been spotted round here for a few weeks, then someone is likely to wonder how you are and will probably try to get in touch. For some of you that might not sound like a big deal, or it might not even sound desirable! But for those of us who are feeling a bit lonely, or disconnected, or even alienated, that knowledge that there’s somewhere that you belong, and where you will be missed, can be life-changing in itself. Don’t underestimate the transformative power of showing up and making church a habit.
Another theme that came up a lot when I asked people about the ways in which this church had helped to bring about transformation for them can be summed up by this comment I received: ‘Church helps me to be my best self.’ Perhaps this is because it gives you a regular time and space to reflect on your life, and to be around other thoughtful people who are also committed to thinking about deep matters, wrestling with questions of meaning and purpose, and wondering about how best to live. More than that; in this community we repeatedly return to the values and aspirations we profess, and we ask challenging questions, asking ourselves ‘are we walking our talk?’ and ‘how do these values play out in practice, what is required of us, when the real world is so messy?’
It’s the sort of reflective activity that it’s easy to put off doing in our busy lives but making a regular habit of coming here once a week helps you keep a focus on the deeper dimensions of life. This community will support you in your own personal exploration and self-development. People around you aren’t generally going to try and mould you into something particular but will do whatever they can to help and cheer you on while you’re working it out for yourself. You can try out new things in a setting where people are generally rooting for you to do well. Hopefully, whatever your age or stage of life, religious belonging helps open up a greater sense of possibility for future-you. Someone else I spoke to said that their experience of transformation in this church was that they’d ‘changed towards someone that they’d like to be...’ and ‘everyone they’d engaged with had been supportive and accepting…’ They observed that ‘you are enabled by others to transform by yourself for yourself’.
Perhaps this is a good moment to make it quite clear, in passing, that all this talk about church being a place of transformation doesn’t imply that I, or anybody else, thinks that there’s anything wrong with you, or anything that needs fixing! Each one of us has inherent worth and dignity just as we are, and by virtue of the fact that we’re still alive, we’re each on a journey of continual change that isn’t over yet. Indeed the Unitarian Universalist minister Douglas Taylor points out that ‘a pre-condition to true transformation… is to accept ourselves in the moment’. And he quotes the words of the psychologist Carl Rogers, which may be familiar to some of you, ‘It wasn’t until I accepted myself just as I was in this moment, that I was free to change.’
Let’s return to that quote from the Unitarian Universalist minister Kent Doss that I shared at the start of the service. He said: ‘I’m really curious about what it would look like for us as Unitarians to open ourselves to having a transformational experience in our religious life. I don’t mean feeling like you got a new idea, or feeling motivated to do a little better this week. I mean what would it take for us to come to church open to the possibility of leaving a different person, transformed by the sacred, filled with a new spirit of love, justice and compassion, so much so that you couldn’t help but make changes in the rest of your life?’
I think he’s talking about something more dramatic here, more like a Unitarian conversion! Not just small-scale changes but a whole reorientation and re-dedication of your life. A real sense of wholeheartedly committing to that ‘spirit of love, justice and compassion’, taking your values seriously, sorting out your priorities, and actively rearranging your life so that you can give more of your time and energy to the things that ultimately matter most of all.
Religious transformation of this kind is not an end in itself. Not just a passing mystical thrill. We are transformed so that we can go out and transform the broken world. We are transformed so that we can speak the truth and challenge injustice. We are transformed, if you like, so that we can help to build the Kingdom of God, or the Beloved Community, a realm of love and justice. Feel free to choose the form of words which express it most powerfully for you. It’s about claiming this sense of purpose and aligning our actions with the greater good.
Unitarian Universalist minister Rev. Scott Alexander says this (it’s a long quote, but worth it):
‘True religion—transforming, saving, compassionate religion— is about rolling up your sleeves and genuinely living a theology of dirty hands. It's about standing up for principles, living your values, and serving others. It is not convenient to live by one's most dearly held principles; there are many costs and sacrifices that are required. True religion limits, tests and challenges the individual. It is often anything but fun. For in this broken world of ours, it is hard to serve justice, difficult to work for peace and equality, demanding to live compassionately.
Taking your Unitarianism seriously means that your beliefs, principles and values should be visibly present in your life. People around you should be able to see your religion in all the big and little ways—in what you say and do in relationships, in how you make decisions and solve problems, in the institutions and causes to which you give time and money, in how you care for and serve other living things, most especially other people. Being a Unitarian means daily lending yourself and your soul to the building of a gentler, more humane world—most often not in grand and glorious heroic feats like those accomplished by great human saints, but in little, everyday ways that have the power to transform our world, one caring, responsible deed at a time.’
…words of encouragement and challenge from the UU minister Rev. Scott Alexander.
We have so much potential within us, as individuals and as a community, to help make the world better in innumerable different and beautiful ways. And in this congregation we can support each other to realise that potential, using our gifts to the full, and spotting and developing those that are as yet undiscovered. To coax and cajole and occasionally prod one another into new phases of growth. It is perhaps too easy to forget how unusual this is, this opportunity we have here. You’re onto a really good thing! Well done for finding us (and for sticking around)! This gathered community of people, of varying ages, and life experiences, brought together around shared values, and aspirations. Now be sure you’re making the most of this remarkable opportunity – for your own sake, for the sake of all of us, for the sake of something bigger. Make a ‘leap of faith’, some sort of inner commitment to deepen your religious life, to take your Unitarianism a bit more seriously, to let it truly transform you.
I’d like to close with some words from the UU minister Rev. Dr. Joshua Snyder: ‘Even a small thing can transform us if it resonates with our soul. For it is in that moment when we understand that religion is more than a set of philosophical ideals that one gives their intellectual assent to. Rather religion is the truth that you live your life by. It goes beyond knowing, to actually doing (or not doing) something, because you are called by God or by your innermost conscious to do it. That takes real courage. For it is when we follow that deep stir of the soul, and we have the courage to let it burst forth into the world in some concrete way that our faith becomes transformative.’
May it be so for the greater good of all. Amen.
Hymn 198 (purple): ‘We’ll Build a Land’
Let’s sing one last time. Our final hymn is number 198 in your purple books: ‘We’ll Build a Land’.
We'll build a land where we bind up the broken.
We'll build a land where the captives go free,
where the oil of gladness dissolves all mourning.
O, we'll build a promised land that can be.
Come build a land where sisters and brothers,
anointed by God, may then create peace:
where justice shall roll down like waters,
and peace like an ever flowing stream.
We'll build a land where we bring the good tidings
to all the afflicted and all those who mourn.
And we'll give them garlands instead of ashes.
O, we'll build a land where peace is born.
Come build a land where sisters and brothers,
anointed by God, may then create peace:
where justice shall roll down like waters,
and peace like an ever flowing stream.
We'll be a land building up ancient cities,
raising up devastations of old;
restoring ruins of generations.
O, we'll build a land of people so bold.
Come build a land where sisters and brothers,
anointed by God, may then create peace:
where justice shall roll down like waters,
and peace like an ever flowing stream.
Come, build a land where the mantles of praises
resound from spirits once faint and once weak;
where like oaks of righteousness stand her people.
O, come build the land, my people we seek.
Come build a land where sisters and brothers,
anointed by God, may then create peace:
where justice shall roll down like waters,
and peace like an ever flowing stream.
Announcements:
Thanks to Jeannene for hosting and Lochlann for co-hosting. Thanks to Andrew for lovely music today. Thanks to Hannah for reading. Thanks to Marianne for greeting and Patricia for making coffee. If you are here in-person – we’ve got coffee and walnut cake today – plus vegan treats.
I’m sorry to say that the walk we had planned for this afternoon has been postponed as David who was going to lead is poorly – we’ll let you know if that gets rescheduled in due course.
This month’s Better World Book Club is on ‘The Amen Effect’ by Rabbi Sharon Brous – that’s online tonight – I have already sent the link to everyone who’s told me they’re coming. If you still need the link let me know. Next month’s book is ‘The Other Significant Others’ and I have a few copies of that to lend out if you want to come along on the 31st August (irregular date).
Friday at 7pm we’ve got our ‘Heart and Soul’ online contemplative spiritual gathering – this week we’re considering ‘Meeting’ – email me if you want to join us and I’ll share the link.
Next Sunday our own Roy Clark is joining me to co-lead a service on ‘Opening Up’.
Looking much further ahead I want to remind you that we have our next tea dance coming up on Sunday 7th September – these events are so fun – and the more the merrier so do save the date. Our good friend Rachel Sparks will be back to lead us in a few fun group dances and there’ll be cake!
And I also want to let you know that we’ll be having our ‘Gathering the Waters’ service and a congregational lunch on 14th September – if you haven’t been to that before all you need to know for now is that if you travel anywhere interesting over the summer we invite you to collect some water (tap water is fine!) from wherever you go – and save it to bring along to that service.
Details of all our various activities are printed on the back of the order of service, for you to take away, and also in the Friday email. Or if you haven’t already got one why not take home a copy of our summer newsletter? Or you could take a copy for a friend – please help us spread the word.
The congregation very much has a life beyond Sunday mornings; we encourage you to keep in touch, look out for each other, and do what you can to nurture supportive connections.
Time for our closing words and closing music now.
Benediction: based on words by Kent McKusick
In the name of all that is holy,
May the connections between us inspire and sustain us.
May the flame of life within us and amongst us
Be a sacred reminder that we are all called to serve,
To grow, and to love as we continue this journey of transformation. Amen.
Closing Music: The Ugly Duckling - Frank Loesser (performed by Andrew Robinson)
Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall
27th July 2025