Stewardship Kickoff. One of the biggest challenges we face in this era of constant distraction is how to stay focused on the things that matter most in our lives. What can we do to make sure we are attending to those things that are of ultimate importance?
Each year around this time, we have a special service to remember loved ones and others who have died—especially in the past year. Why are such remembrances important, and how do we honor those who have died without becoming mired in grief?
Sunnyhill member Chetan Chothani will lead a celebration of Diwali, the Hindu “festival of lights” which takes place each fall. This holiday celebrates the victory of light over darkness and hope over despair. Please bring a journal or a book important to you and we will inscribe it with an auspicious message, during the service, that will bring you good luck during the year ahead.
Each of us is part of a lineage of love that extends from long before we are born until long after we die. How does remembering and being aware of this lineage help us live today with hope and courage?
Memory provides us with more than just a timeline or a set of facts. It also provides narratives that can help us face this particular moment in time. How do we remember the past but still live in the present?
Jay’s theme is taken from Robert Nisbet, the influential sociologist of the last century. He wrote that re-establishing old forms of community are counter-productive at best. We require new forms of community.
