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Recently I stood on the shore of a small New England harbor watching two
men repair the mast of their sailboat. High above the boat deck, one man sat in
a boatswain's chair. Far below, the other pulled on a sturdy rope to hoist the
boatswain's chair higher still. I marveled at how much trust was necessary to make
such an operation possible. The safety of the man in the boatswain's chair
depended on the competence and attention of the man hoisting the rope. The
sailing pleasure of the man below depended on the skill of the one repairing the
mast above. Each depended utterly on the skill of the other.
Like the men repairing that mast, here at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick we also depend on each other to
launch the programs and events of the church, to nourish and build our church
community, and to offer one voice of liberal religion to the wider community.
Sometimes we may feel a though we are high in the air, putting our faith in
those who support us while we attend to some important task. Other times we may
feel as though we are the bedrock of support, lending our strength and
confidence to those who work to move our community forward. Either way, the work
we do is important, and our church community depends on us.
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick offers myriad opportunities for everyone to plumb their interests and to contribute
their talents to build a solid, supportive, and loving community. By sharing our thoughts, creativity, and enthusiasm with one another, we initiate new programs and carry beloved traditions forward for future generations to enjoy. By sharing our gifts, appreciating the work of other
community members, and working together, we craft a vessel to sail through the choppy waters of a bruised and unsettled world.
As we launch our 2008-2009 church year, greeting old friends, welcoming wonderful new friends, and beginning exciting new programs, let us take a moment to remember this: Together, all of us -- old and new, and young and old -- are co-creators of our
church community. May our work together promote justice, spread love, increase peace.
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