THAT WAS EASY… our community meeting on Sunday was well attended and we moved through the agenda with clarity, focus, ease, and grace. If you missed it, you can watch it here. Use passcode L?8v?. There is an agenda item that you might be interested in.
Randall Sawyer has come forward with a desire to remove and replace the children’s playground equipment. At this time, he is seeking to put together a task team. If you would like to join him after hearing the conversation from the meeting, he can be reached at ucsg.playground@nym.hush.com.
Sunday was Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. I began the message with a story about Albrecht Deuer and his friend Hans and a beautiful painting of praying hands. It tells the story about friendship and about giving ourselves to God. Knowing that God always has a plan for our lives.
The story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem is so familiar to most of us. I focused a lot on prayer and the importance of having a close relationship with God. Something that I did point out which was new to me, and I learned from reading Matthew Fox’s new book Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic – And Beyond, is that when the scriptures say, “your faith has made you well” it really is “your trust has made you well.” In translating from Greek to English, the Greek word for “trust” got translated “faith.”
This is a huge revelation to me, as I have mentioned that what I have been working with is my God trustworthy. The importance of trust for me trumps faith. Julian of Norwich writes on the importance of trust. She says: “God wants us to pay attention to these words and be strong in absolute trust, in both well and woe.” Matthew Fox writes: “Absolute trust – what is that? How strong and complete is that?” She (Julian) refuses us the option of mild trust or ‘maybe’ trust, but rather an absolute trust.” He then goes on to say: Trust is a key virtue for Julian. She adds, ‘Just as God loves and delights in us, it is his will that we love and delight in him, and fully trust in him, and all will be well.’ From trust comes hope, and ‘all will be well,’ she promises.”
Now think of all the events starting with Palm Sunday right through to the resurrection. I believe that Jesus’ trust in the Father was so strong, so absolute, that he could walk through it all with love. Even in the garden when his trusted disciples couldn’t stay awake, he showed them great love because his trust in God never wavered. As Julian said, “Fully trust in him, and all will be well.”
Join me on Thursday evening at 7 as we meet Jesus in the garden. Bring your Bible, paper and pen. This will be a meaningful experience… trust me!
Next Sunday we will experience the risen Christ together. Until then…work on “trust.” Notice when you are at a crossroads and you are deciding… can you hear Jesus saying, “go; your trust has made you well”?
Mark your calendar to be with us on May 1 for Unity Cleanup Day beginning at 9:30 a.m. Just bring yourself masked and ready to have some fun together.
You are a blessing in my life,
Rev. Patricia Bessey
Labyrinths are ancient geometric figures. One leaves one’s worries and stress at the entrance and walks meditatively to the middle. As one walks to the center she/he becomes centered within her/himself, calmer, and more grounded. 
