Religious Education Update: December 23, 2007
A Christmas Miracle
The worship services at UUP occur regularly each and every Sunday, as predictably as the sunrise. The order of service is printed; the music is rehearsed; a sermon is written; the chairs are set-up; and we gather in community. Worship is something we do very well.
Today’s Christmas Service is, in itself, a story of a miracle. Rev. Ben had planned to preach this service since his first meetings with us at UUP, and plans were going well early in the week. As Ben wrote in an email to me on Dec. 16, he was planning on being here today, “….and yes, I'll be there with bells on!” In another email, dated Dec. 17, he expressed his excitement, “I'm psyched! This should be a fun/great/music-filled service!”
But life doesn’t always cooperate with our carefully made plans. Ben’s email to me on Dec. 18 reads, “Monday morning I had an MRI done on my back. Much to my chagrin I have a severely herniated disc and three out of three docs agreed that I needed emergency surgery.”
Ben’s surgery happened early in the morning, December 19. Meanwhile, the Worship Associates in Petaluma started making alternate service plans. Meredith Guest agreed to preach, and Lara Abel said she’d be the Worship Associate.
On December 20, Ben wrote of his Christmas miracle, “My Christmas, it seems, is indeed coming early. I have been amazed at both the minimal time and impact of the surgery (which, indeed, went quite well--I was home and snuggled in my recovery bed by noon yesterday.) I am euphoric with my good fortune and my sturdy Irish genes. God Bless us, Everyone! Hallelujah, and pass the percocet!”
Ben reports that he appreciates how the leaders of the community rallied to his support. In an email on December 22, he wrote, “Jean Conrad was also a voice of reason and perspective for me.... This greatly relieved my anxiety and allowed me to let it go so I could focus on healing. The wonderful get-well card and all the calls and emails of support I received during the "miraculous" recovery added to my sense of connection, love and support from this wonderful community. They truly were a dose of good medicine for my spirit, mind and body!”
I feel fortunate to hear of two Christmas miracles this week: Rev. Ben’s speedy recovery and his presence with us today, and the cheerful, humor filled, efforts of the Worship Associates, our musician David Dodd and others in planning an alternate service in very little time. Best wishes to Rev. Ben for continued good health, and to the leaders in our community who pulled together with warmth and compassion this week, ensuring that we would worship together today, regardless of life’s complications.
Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education
(Quotes from Rev. Ben used with his permission.)
The worship services at UUP occur regularly each and every Sunday, as predictably as the sunrise. The order of service is printed; the music is rehearsed; a sermon is written; the chairs are set-up; and we gather in community. Worship is something we do very well.
Today’s Christmas Service is, in itself, a story of a miracle. Rev. Ben had planned to preach this service since his first meetings with us at UUP, and plans were going well early in the week. As Ben wrote in an email to me on Dec. 16, he was planning on being here today, “….and yes, I'll be there with bells on!” In another email, dated Dec. 17, he expressed his excitement, “I'm psyched! This should be a fun/great/music-filled service!”
But life doesn’t always cooperate with our carefully made plans. Ben’s email to me on Dec. 18 reads, “Monday morning I had an MRI done on my back. Much to my chagrin I have a severely herniated disc and three out of three docs agreed that I needed emergency surgery.”
Ben’s surgery happened early in the morning, December 19. Meanwhile, the Worship Associates in Petaluma started making alternate service plans. Meredith Guest agreed to preach, and Lara Abel said she’d be the Worship Associate.
On December 20, Ben wrote of his Christmas miracle, “My Christmas, it seems, is indeed coming early. I have been amazed at both the minimal time and impact of the surgery (which, indeed, went quite well--I was home and snuggled in my recovery bed by noon yesterday.) I am euphoric with my good fortune and my sturdy Irish genes. God Bless us, Everyone! Hallelujah, and pass the percocet!”
Ben reports that he appreciates how the leaders of the community rallied to his support. In an email on December 22, he wrote, “Jean Conrad was also a voice of reason and perspective for me.... This greatly relieved my anxiety and allowed me to let it go so I could focus on healing. The wonderful get-well card and all the calls and emails of support I received during the "miraculous" recovery added to my sense of connection, love and support from this wonderful community. They truly were a dose of good medicine for my spirit, mind and body!”
I feel fortunate to hear of two Christmas miracles this week: Rev. Ben’s speedy recovery and his presence with us today, and the cheerful, humor filled, efforts of the Worship Associates, our musician David Dodd and others in planning an alternate service in very little time. Best wishes to Rev. Ben for continued good health, and to the leaders in our community who pulled together with warmth and compassion this week, ensuring that we would worship together today, regardless of life’s complications.
Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education
(Quotes from Rev. Ben used with his permission.)
posted by Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma @ 12:14 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home