Extreme heat was the story of much of this past week, and our beautiful grounds have been feeling it. Our vegetable garden needs a little extra loving attention right now, and we are grateful to everyone who has been helping with the watering. There are a couple of days still in need of a loving watering angel. Your care and dedication truly make a difference and are deeply appreciated.
Another area that could use some TLC is the labyrinth. The weeds seem to be growing as enthusiastically as everything else this summer, and many hands make light work. If you’re looking for a peaceful Zen break, consider spending a little time in the labyrinth pulling weeds while enjoying the quiet and allowing your thoughts to settle. There is something surprisingly therapeutic about tending sacred space while being fully present to the moment.
A few minutes of mindful weeding can be both an act of service and a form of meditation. Just saying.
If the Founders Could See Us Now
As we gathered on this Fourth of July weekend, our community explored a Reader’s Theater titled If the Founders Could See Us Now: Power Reconsidered. Through the imagined voices of Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Abigail Adams, Betsy Ross, Molly Pitcher, John Adams, and a modern American voice, we reflected on what our nation’s founders might say to us 250 years later.
The message that emerged was both timely and timeless: Power is not found merely in position, authority, or achievement. True power is revealed in how we treat one another, how we expand the circle of belonging, and how we choose compassion over division.
The founders’ imagined reflections challenged us to listen more deeply, remain connected even in our differences, honor every voice, and recognize that freedom is an ongoing practice rather than a finished accomplishment. Perhaps the most powerful insight came through the realization that power is not something we inherit—it is something we embody through our choices each day.
The recurring refrain throughout the presentation offered a simple invitation:
“The future is yours not to perfect, but to choose. Again, and again and again. With awareness. With compassion. With love.”
As we celebrate our nation’s journey, may we remember that we are not only inheritors of the past—we are active participants in shaping what comes next.
Thank you to Matt Purinton, Gloria Herboldsheimer, Betty Kay Lewis, Cali Crowley, Don Labbe, Mimo Otis, Christine Wolf, Mercer Bonney and Carol Sterling who gave a stellar performance and to our music team under the leadership of Deana Gurney that underscored each reading with a beautiful piece of music. If you missed it or want to see it again click here…
Calling All Family Historians and Story Keepers
As we continue exploring our connection to the larger human story, I am considering a special service dedicated to the ancestors who lived during the founding years of our nation. If you know of an ancestor who was alive during the American Revolution, the Constitutional era, or the first few decades of our country’s history, I would love to hear from you. Whether your ancestor was a soldier, a settler, an artisan, a farmer, an enslaved person, an immigrant, or simply someone whose life was woven into those early years, their story matters. Together, we can honor the courage, challenges, and dreams that helped shape the world we inherited.
Please let me know if you would be interested in sharing a brief story, photograph, or family remembrance as part of this special service.
Purpose in Uncertain Times
When the world feels unsettled and the future unclear, it’s natural to wonder: What is mine to do? Yet purpose is not always found in a grand plan or a single calling. More often, it reveals itself through the values we live, the gifts we share, and the small choices we make each day.
Join us this Sunday as we explore how meaning emerges one faithful step at a time. Discover how purpose can become a living relationship with life itself—even in uncertain times.
You are a blessing in my life,
Rev. Patricia Bessey
July 8, 2026
