September 10, 2025

“We are not what other people say we are. 
We are who we know ourselves to be, and we are what we love.” 
~ trans actress Laverne Cox

Dear Ones,

In the delightful little book Design for Belonging, Susie Wise observes that Cox’s words (above) are “a call to leave room for everyone to be who they want to be.” Wise also suggests that true belonging goes way beyond acceptance and tolerance of others, that true welcome demands that we excel at being ourselves:

“Sometimes the way we behave acts as an invitation for others to do the same. Let your actions be an invitation to others to be themselves in all their glory.”

During the month of September, our Soul Matters theme is Building Belonging. In its vision of ministry for this church year (2025-26),*** the GNUUC Board invites us to be a true sanctuary, knowing and nourishing every person who steps into our presence. This, friends, is a commitment to building belonging in all our gatherings, in all our spaces, in all the ways we interact with the larger communities of which we are a part. It’s not a small vision, but I think we will have a good time enacting it together!

Yours in the joy of belonging and the work of love,
Rev. Denise
RevDenise@gnuuc.org 

***The Board will be presenting its 2025-26 Vision of Ministry–our annual discernment of how we can, right now in these next several months, live aligned with our Mission (which you can read at the top of GNUUC’s newly redesigned homepage)–during Sunday Service on September 28.