April 1, 2026
“Hope is fearful, but hopelessness does not protect us. …
To feel deeply is dangerous. To do anything else is a tragedy.”
~ Jared K. Anderson
Beloveds,
April Fools’ Day has always confused, amused, and intrigued me, especially after encountering spiritual traditions from all over the world that feature some version of the Holy Fool. Western thought (especially post-medieval) has tended to downgrade “foolishness” in favor of intellectual rigor and very earnest forms of spiritual seeking and meaning-making. I think we are missing something when we insist on seriousness as the hallmark of truth and good work. I’m not sure I can adequately define what I think we’re missing, but I think it’s something I’d call grace, an acknowledgment of the fact that our existence is always, despite data points to the contrary, stitched together and sustained by giftedness and connection. We are simply here, and if we choose, we might interpret that as being loved. Even if we don’t feel that, there is so much (scientific) evidence that we are never merely independent, self-sustaining individuals. The structure of our world does not require that we take ourselves seriously all the time!
To trust grace enough to risk change and hope looks like foolishness–think of the Fool in the Tarot deck, blithely stepping forward at the top of a cliff–but it can also be a practice of hope. To feel deeply loved might, in fact, be dangerous, but isn’t anything else a tragedy?
During April we will be Embracing Possibility as our Soul Matters theme, and I am hoping that we use this as an an invitation to love ourselves enough to grow and take risks together: to continue building on the strong foundations of our congregation and our UU values, to explore what new foolishness or hopefulness might be calling us as we stand in this moment.
Yours in possibility and the embrace of covenantal community,
Rev. Denise
RevDenise@gnuuc.org
P.S. Do you know what happens every spring in April (besides the greenery and flowers)? Our annual Stewardship Pledge Drive! No, really, this is exciting!
Before GNUUC’s new fiscal year begins in July, before the Bellevue Picnic, before our Annual Meeting in May, before our Finance Committee can create an inspiring and responsible budget for 2026-27… we all get a chance to thoughtfully consider the life of the congregation and the many different ways, including financially, we can contribute to GNUUC’s health, growth, and stability. Our Pledge Drive starts this Sunday (April 5) and will conclude on Sunday, April 19. I hope you will join us in reflecting on why our congregation’s health and stability is important (especially right now) and how each of us can contribute financially to GNUUC’s capacity to serve its members and the world around us.