Dear ones,

There are many pathways that can inspire us, strengthen us, that offer healing. Our SoulMatters theme for November is Healing so let us reach out to each other, offering care and insights. Being part of a faith community can be nourishing and supportive, especially if we are feeling alone and disconnected. 

There were twenty four of us from All Souls and the community who gathered for our Living Well, Dying Well workshop on a Sunday to share our experiences and learn more about the abundant free resources that Center For Solace offers. It was a healing experience, and a reminder that we are not alone in facing the deep questions and process of living and dying. These continue to be challenging times we are living through so it becomes even more vital to reach out to each other. It can be hard to express feelings of isolation or fear, but let us try. Our strength lies in the threads of connection that live within All Souls. We have members and friends that have been here for decades and then we have newcomers who enter our building for the first time. Imagine the courage it takes to enter a new community and find your way. We can offer a welcome and a smile, curious about who they are and their experience. 

There can be a tendency to fall back on the way things have always been done, or to circle back to the familiar. But our faith is a living, changing experience as we seek to live our values and heal through individual challenges. Some of us are confronted with health challenges, others are adjusting to loss, and others of us may be apprehensive about the colder weather and darkness coming earlier. Whatever we are facing, let us be courageous and share with each other, lean in to embrace newcomers and reconnect with each other as often as we can. 

We will be holding several special events in November that I hope many of us can attend. On Saturday, November 7th we have a Benefit Concert with musician Joe Jencks to support refugees and asylum seekers in our community! We will hold a Transgender Remembrance Day gathering of poetry and song on Friday, November 20th at 6 PM. And we will have our Community Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 26th at 1 PM. Each of these events holds the potential for healing and connection within and beyond All Souls. May we inspire and care for each other, share what lifts our spirits and strengthens us in these November days. 

 

Gratitude and Blessings,  Rev. Telos