Behind the lone prophet who speaks up, there is a group. We celebrate the lone prophet because there is a we also present—a whole movement of us who hold to values that are fragile, dissident, and life-giving. This is one thing our faith is sure of: There is a spark of sacredness in every living being. When life faces life within the circle of communion we can see the center that is “god” present in our solidarity.  Rebecca Parker, UU Theologian.

Last night during our Worship Committee meeting someone asked what does prophecy really mean?  Though prophecy is our theme this month, we don’t use the word or even hear it very often, let alone aspire to nourish it. So, what does it mean?  Last week during our worship service to honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, people of many generations gave voice to their individual anti-racism journeys and in the center of it all was the palpable power of “we.” How is it that this happens, how do we nourish both the individual and the collective? This is the question we will engage this month.  Martin said, “The biggest job in any movement is keeping the people together who formed it.  This requires open communication and demands a philosophy that reconciles the individual and collective enterprise.” I like to think of this in terms of two fish swimming along, chatting, when an older fish approaches them and asks “Hi kids, how is the water?”  The two younger fish keep swimming until one turns to the other and asks “What’s water?”  A prophet helps us to climb out of the water, to move from the center of our experience and look at the same thing with new eyes.  With this comes an awareness of an ocean of consciousness beneath the voices of individuals.  An ocean that we call the spirit of life.  Prophets wake us to the reality of this spirit that says “the best way to predict any future is to cause one.”

This month, we are with intention awakening this spirit in worship and religious education. The Worship Committee is hosting a listening circle on February 4^th to hear from you want you more of, less of, and what do you want to stay the same in worship?  And on February 11^th, Karen Bellavance-Grace of the UUA Regional Office is facilitating a conversation for the whole congregation to give voice to our collective enterprise of religious education.  Both are an invitation to create a vision of the future.  Plus, think about attending the February 9^th, compassionate communications pub theology evening.   I look forward to these nourishing conversations with you.

Yours in faith, Jill