Good People,
As this church-year-like-no-other winds toward summer, there are a few things not to be missed.
The first is our Flower Communion and Bridging Service this Sunday, June 13.
This will be a two-part Flower Communion on both Saturday and Sunday.
❊ On Saturday the 12th, we will recreate our traditional ceremony between 11am and 2pm at church. We’ll be set up outside around back with vases for you to bring a flower. This can be a flower from your garden, a wildflower found on a hike, or your favorite flower from the grocery store. You will leave your flower in a vase and then take another brought be someone else – gifts of beauty and life circling through our community.
We’re inviting people to come in staggered time slots, alphabetically starting with the end of the alphabet. (Those whose last names come after U or V or W do enjoy turning the tables on the all the A, B, C, and D folks!)
W-Z: 11 – 11:30 am
SV: 11:30 – Noon
N-R: Noon – 12:30 pm
J-M: 12:30 – 1 pm
E-I: 1 – 1:30 pm
A-H: 1:30 – 2 pm
Please come during these times if you can, and if that doesn’t work in your day, please do come when you can.
❊ There will also be a simple and pretty flower craft project for kids of all ages, and folks can hang out while crafting,
❊ On Sunday, the 13th, all are invited to have their flowers – living or crafted – with them during the service on.
❊ In the service, we will also be recognizing the ‘Bridging’ transition for Abigail Austin who is finishing her senior year of high school and entering adulthood. There is still time to record a surprise VidHug for Abby.
Here’s how to do it:
- Record a short message of well wishes, love, and congratulations for Abby on this important day on your phone or computer using the camera feature. Portrait or landscape mode will both work great.
- Follow the link to Abby’s VidHug. Click on “Upload Video” and find the correct video on your device.
- Wait for the video to finish uploading. Make sure there is a green “Yes!” next to “Has my video been received?”
- If you’re having any trouble, you can also email your video to Fidelity (Fidelity@UUVentura.org) or text it to her (805-620-2770).
Don’t forget, this VidHug is a surprise!
❊ After the service comes our Annual Meeting in the same Zoom room at 11:30am. This is a chance to exercise the democratic process in our congregation, voting on the budget and 4 new board trustees. Please consider voting by absentee HERE.
That will make for a full weekend, one which unofficially marks the beginning of our church summer season. I’m guessing that folks will be taking long-delayed trips this summer. On those trips, whether near or far, don’t forget to collect some water for our Water Communion in September.
Our plan is still to throw our doors wide once again on Sunday, September 12th, which is the tradition date for our Water Communion.
I have always loved the Unitarian Universalist tradition of re-imagining communion with our own rituals and symbolism. Flower Communion was created by Rev. Norbert Capek in the 1920s. Our tradition of a Water Communion arose out of a gathering UU Women in 1980. Both even have their own Wikipedia page: Flower Communion and Water Communion. They bookend our liturgical year, reminding us that we are connected in magic, mystery, and wonder to each other and the earth.
Hope to see you for both rituals.
Rev. Dana
