You are about to learn that I love corny jokes with a fervor they rarely deserve. Here is one of my favorites:

What did the Buddhist monk order at the hot dog stand?

Make me one with everything!

When his hot dog is presented, he pays with a $20 bill. The cashier takes it and moves on to the next customer. He notices the monk lingering and asks:

What are you waiting for?

My change, of course! Replies the monk.

My friend, don’t you know that change comes from within?

During the month of September, we explore the theme of change. Our first Sunday together is September 11th, a date that reminds us that some change does not, in fact, come from within. Terrorism, a pandemic, wars, and violent domestic rampages all change lives permanently as they ravage those in their wake. Our choices about what and how we allow them to shape us do, however, come from within. This community of faith exists as a group of fellow travelers committed to making change within that will result in change beyond us. What does it mean to navigate change together as a community in a time when changes come unbidden outside us, so much is uncertain ahead of us, and we feel unsettled inside us?

As we re-gather via Zoom and in person this month, we have an opportunity to see one another again with new eyes. We can choose to talk about what has changed within us as a result of what has happened outside and around us. We come together to make meaning of how we want to be, what we need from one another, and how we will live our values and mission in the larger community.

I look forward to meeting you, and to seeing this strong, remarkable community come back together to explore what has been, what is, and what can be at this time in history. Whether you join events and worship via Zoom or in person, we look forward to growing in spirit together, strengthening one another through the challenges of change.