Soul Matters used to title each month’s topic with the question, “What does it mean to be a Community of ________________?”. Then fill in the blank with the theme. So my question is “What does it mean for WUUC to be a community that is Living With Intention?”
I have been very involved in supporting our Worship Services as we work to create services that bring us together, even when we are apart. One positive result of the COVID-19 pandemic was that it gave us motivation to connect from afar. As the Worship Team has developed Hybrid services, we are dedicated to providing meaningful worship experiences that engage those on Zoom and those in the Sanctuary in a sense of community with one another.
As we begin to gather in person, maintaining health safety procedures, there are many who are not ready yet to come to services or even small-group meetings in person. And we have others who live far enough away that getting to church on Sundays is not feasible. There are many members, friends and future WUUC journeyers who cannot, for a vast variety of reasons, come to our building regularly on Sunday mornings. And yet, Sunday mornings are often seen as the ‘heart’ of the church, that feeds and nurtures all the other aspects of congregational life.
It’s obvious that our Worship services should continue to be hybrid, but what if WUUC became very intentional about creating meaningful ways to engage in blended/hybrid book groups, classes, committee meetings, almost ALL aspects of church life? Of course, it’s hard to take care of the Building and Grounds on ZOOM. And the summer Campout or the annual Women’s and Men’s Retreats would be difficult in hybrid form, but most of our work can be done in a blended way.
We have the technology, and we have the imagination. We can create a WUUC that thrives without being limited to our walls. It is my hope, and I know I share this vision with many others in our community, that WUUC can work to be so radically inclusive that we can live, laugh, love and grow together in most every aspect of the church – regardless of our physical locations.
Is that one way the WUUC might Live with Intention?
