Katie's Bay View - May 2009

The month of May, named for a Roman goddess of fertility, is always a full month, with two important holidays, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day. It also ushers in some of the end of the year events that occur in both schools and here at church, too. Store windows show prom dresses and graduation cards, and our local Unitarian Universalist seminary holds its annual graduation event. At Starr King Church, we have our annual meeting on the third Sunday of the month where we do the business of the church, including passing our budget for the upcoming year and voting on new church leadership.

This year, our District Assembly has been moved from April to the month of May, taking place nearby in Fremont at the Marriott Hotel May 1 st through 3 rd . It’s still possible to register on the PCD website and take part in all of the activities that bring together UUs from Northern California, Northern Nevada and Hawaii. District assembly will also welcome both candidates for president of the UUA. It begins with the banner parade and worship on Friday night and ends with worship on Sunday morning. I especially urge those of you who haven’t attended any of these events to attend. I hope to see you there. Looking back ten years, on the first Sunday in May 1999, I was called here to Starr King Unitarian Universalist Church. I began my ministry here the next September. The congregation and the various ministries have changed but suffice to say it’s been a wonderful experience.

On this ten-year anniversary, I invite you to remember some of those folks, many of them founders, who have been a part of this congregation who have passed on during this time. We have been blessed. This is a busy month, but this month of May offers us many ways to express and experience gratitude. If we’re unable to say thank you to our own mother, then we can thank the mothers around us who are actively working hard to be the best parents in a culture with increasing demands. We can thank the wonderful church leadership who have put in hours and hours of effort toward making this a community which is vibrant and caring.

I am especially grateful to our president, Meg Jurich. Meg’s two year term will expire in June. I want to express my own gratitude to you, for calling me to serve in this caring community. This spiritual home has so much to offer in its people and in the commitment to living in right livelihood. This has been a particularly inspiring year, with our engagement in the learning theme of Enriching our Soil: Toward the Beloved Community. We plan on expanding upon this theme for the coming year as we build an improvement to our space. In this lively and eventful month, I am grateful to my dedicated Unitarian Universalist mother, one whose lead eventually brought me here. I remember those who gave their lives in military service, those who died long ago, and those whose coffins are just being returned home. Let us pray for peace in the world. Love,