I am a minister, not a vicar, but those of you who frequent BBC comedies will recognize that I have blatantly copied the name of this blog from one of my favorite shows, "The Vicar of Dibley." I love the title character, Geraldine -- especially her earthiness, her humility, and most of all her love of those she serves in her little country parish.
Rest assured, I am not romanticizing the role of minister, nor do I believe shared ministry within our faith community can be resolved in one-hour episodes..but that's exactly the point: I hope for many hours, weeks, months, and years of relationship with this congregation. I yearn to to go deep with them as we engage in the work of a faith community: choice, engagement, and discovery. Our choices are grounded in our values. Our values are informed as we engage with life in the interdependent web. The discoveries that occur during such engagement influence our values, and therefore influence our choices. The cycle of choice, engagement, and discovery continues as a perpetual cycle of becoming, unfolding, creating, transforming, and this is the highest work to which we are called as human beings dwelling within the interdependent web, and as people of faith whose work must include justice- and peace-making in our global neighborhooods.
It is a pleasure to share the good news of our Unitarian Universalist faith, and it is a privilege to serve the UU Church of Meadville, Pennsylvania! And so we begin!
