A message from our minister, Rev. Jim McKinley:
“God made mud.
God got lonesome.
So God said to some of the mud, “Sit up!”
“See all I’ve made,” said God, “the hills, the sea, the sky, the stars.”
And I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around.
Lucky me, lucky mud.”
— Kurt Vonnegut
Lucky me, lucky mud. That gets to sit up and look around. Thank you, Kurt. I like the gifted, playful sound of that. Now how do I live up to, or into it? Another heady way to say the same thing is to think of each of us as an “inclusive opportunity space.” We are our own individual brief moment in which the universe has taken form. Viewed from this perspective, it’s hard to imagine that we were given our own personal opportunity and mud shape just to make money, worry and take ourselves so seriously so much of the time.
This month’s Soul Matters packet, “What Does It Mean To Be a People of Revelry?” begins with the quote from “inimitable writer and UU friend,” Kurt Vonnegut. It goes on to talk about revelry as boisterous fun, but then settles in to examples of laughter and play. Very reasonable, accessible ways to re-member ourselves and regain our perspective.
The materials then remind us that: “Summer is a time of letting go of responsibility. This release from duty is no small thing. Many argue that it is a sacred calling, a needed gift we need to give to ourselves.”
Letting go of responsibility is only possible for a while. We take a break. Our “response ability” doesn’t go away. But at times it needs a rest in order to come back renewed and more “response able.” It’s similar to the difference between feeling sleep deprived or having slept long and well.
Ministry can be a demanding profession. Fortunately, congregations recognize this and build a release from duty into the cycle of the year. Each year I have a month’s vacation. In addition to that there is a month that was once called study leave where I am freed from worship preparation and office hours in order to read and plan and get ready for the year to come. This year I will be on a mix of vacation and study leave during July and the first half of August. I will be back in the office and available for meetings after August 20th.
Congregations also recognize the value of a longer time away and build into their Letters of Agreement the accumulation of 1 month of sabbatical time for each year of service. I have now accumulated five months of sabbatical and will be taking a sabbatical leave of four months from September through December. This is an exciting, creative opportunity for UUFH as well as for me. The fellowship will be in very good hands. We have a group of three ministers to help cover worship, pastoral care, and ongoing small groups. There is also a Sabbatical team appointed by the Board. You are not going to miss a beat, and you will benefit from new energy and perspectives. I will update my plans soon. There will also be a brochure and a complete contact list.
“This release from duty is no small thing.” I take it very seriously and treasure it as a sacred calling and a needed gift. Thank you for making it possible. Thank you for extending this summer, as it were. Thank you for providing me with this chance to take a break and come back renewed and more response able: For providing for this opportunity space “to sit up and look around.” Thank you, UUFH. I like the gifted, playful sound of that.
“Lucky me, lucky mud.”
Lucky us.