While thoughts and prayers are often offered as gestures of support and empathy, what is often needed is prayerful action. How can we learn to pray with our feet, our hands, and our actions rather than just our hearts and minds?

As we all wait for the results from this historic election, we will gather together to breathe together, to sing together, and to remind one another that we are not alone.

 Our UU Value of Pluralism states: “We embrace our differences and commonalities with Love, curiosity, and respect.” In our current highly polarized world, how can we embrace our differences while still being true to our other core values? Is functional pluralism even possible given our volatile social and political realities?

 In the wake of a brutal election season, how do we go about repairing and healing the wounds that have occurred? What do we need to do to heal our own wounds, and how might we help others heal and work to repair the various individuals, relationships, and institutions that have been harmed?

This holiday season brings many challenges. Some are personal–losses of loved ones, losses of relationships, illnesses, changes in employment status, and so on. Others are more political or societal–loss of a sense of safety, increased isolation, divisions among neighbors and organization, etc. How do we deal with these challenges while still finding something to celebrate?