April 26, 2020
Dear Members and Friends:
 
Welcome
Although a pandemic may separate us physically, it need not sever us from
community. While we cannot be together in body at this time, we can be
together in spirit. Let us then, set aside some time today to gather in spirit
with one another and, through ritual and reflection, support one another by
strengthening our resolve to remain faithful to our principles and maintain
the bonds of community, friendship and love.
 
Below is an abbreviated worship service for use at home while limits on
public gatherings are in place due to Covid-19. A new service will be
posted and emailed each week until we can resume worship in the
sanctuary at BUUC.
 
If you can, please join us on-line or telephone via Zoom, at 11:30 AM on
Sunday.  We will do the Chalice Lighting, Affirmation, Joys and Concerns
and Benediction.  A separate email will have the details. 

Singing Bowl

Chalice Lighting
Light a candle at home or in your mind’s eye mindful of people from our
church community and around the world who, though physically separated,
are gathered in spirit. 
Today’s chalice lighting is written by Amy Carol Webb

Sacred Unknowing
We light this flame
For the art of sacred unknowing.
Humbled by all that we cannot fathom in this time,
We come into the presence of what we do know,
Perhaps the only thing we can ever know:

That Love is now and forever
The only answer to everything
And everyone
In every moment

Affirmation
● Together:  We unite in an atmosphere of care and support to foster
spiritual health and growth.
● Together:  We focus on sharing our ideas and histories, with warmth,
hope, loving friendship and an open mind.
● Together:  We nurture stability for our daily lives and seek motivation
to reach out to the larger community.

Readings/Poem for Reflection
Surface Tension
By Tess Baumberger
Of course there are people behaving badly
during this pandemic, using it as an excuse
to practice prejudice, to hoard, to blame;
using it to divide and weaken us,
cashing in on surface tensions
for their own terrible benefit.
The news daily shows these heavy things.
In nature surface tension gathers
water molecules together so tightly
that they form a sort of membrane
across which light things can dance--
Leaves, insects, the wavering sun.
It is why rain falls in discrete drops
and babies can blow bubbles.
Surface tension makes life possible.
It helps drops collect along
subtle edges of pine needles or leaves,
run down to water roots, then helps sap
rise to nurture those same
gatherers of sun and water..
Bitter tannins in chartreuse mosses
increase the tension so larger drops can form,
held aloft by their fragile villi
until they can be absorbed,
or used to foster new life.*
Here’s the other picture revealed by this pandemic.
People are reaching out in kindness and concern
to acquaintances, neighbors, strangers
creating aquifers, revealing watersheds running
through the tiny capillaries of human hearts,
minds, homes, streets and neighborhoods.
Could the bitter tannins cause such large drops
to form that we can scarcely hold them up
until they can be absorbed?
Until we can use them to foster life? 
Let us open ourselves wide to gather them
So we may send them to the suffering, the grieving,
the caregivers, and all the workers who always were essential.
Let us send them across all those spurious divisions
because there is a deeper, humbler, more beautiful truth.
We deeply need one another, especially now.
We can pull together across distances to form a surface
Across which light things can dance and which can nurture life.
 
*for this knowledge I am indebted to Robin Wall Kimmerer’s work.

Question(s) for reflection:

What is your response to the reading?  Did it touch/move or disturb you?
In what way is the reading relevant to your life experience past or present?
What might you take from this reading into the week ahead?
Music 

If you are able to join us via Zoom on Sunday, Jefferson Upton will play
Minuet in G from Klavier Suite in g minor by J.S. Bach on the flute.
If you are unable to join us, please enjoy this piece,
Wake Now My Senses
Joys and Concerns
 
If participating on Facebook: As you feel so moved, post a joy or concern
you are holding this week. Remember this is a public forum so please
exercise discretion, respect confidentially and refrain from moralizing.
 
If participating as on ZOOM recipient: You may raise your hand and wait
to be called on or post your joy and concern in the chat box
If participating as an email recipient: As you feel so moved, speak aloud
a joy or concern you are holding, mindful you are not alone, but one among
many with joys and concerns seeking expression.

Moment of Silent Meditation/Prayer:
Take a moment to be still and listen to the wisdom of your heart and /or
pray or chant words meaningful to you or in your own words.
 
Extinguishing the chalice:
Blow out the candle you lit physically or in your mind’s eye.
 
Benediction
Recite aloud or in silence
 
Peace be my companion
Have courage
Hold onto what is good
Return to no person evil for evil
Strengthen the fainthearted
Support the weak
Help the suffering
Honor all beings
Amen and Blessed Be
​