May 6, 2026

“There is nothing but blunt forgiveness.”
~Kate Baer, “Dream Death”

Beloveds,

The season of tumbling turmoil I wrote about a couple weeks ago is ongoing in my life, and I will be taking some time off work to attend to big family milestones. I will be unavailable from Saturday, May 9, through Tuesday, May 19. See notes in the postscript below about how to access care in the event of a pastoral emergency.  

Meanwhile, here’s the rest of the lovely poem “Dream Death” from Kate Baer’s book How About Now?:

I walk into the great blue.
There is nothing but blunt forgiveness.
But what of hell?
What of fury?
What of good intention?

The great eye blinks.
The great mouth yawns.
As I swallow this,
So peace swallows me.

I’ve been thinking lately of my propensity to assure others (and myself, too) in times of distress that “It will be okay.” I’m realizing that phrase no longer feels true to me or to many around me. One of my adult children has taken to saying instead, “It will be.” Sometimes things are not okay, but maybe, as Baer’s poem suggests, there is still a great, blue space where we encounter forgiveness and peace.

Yours in peace and love despite it all,
Rev. Denise
RevDenise@gnuuc.org

P.S. As noted above, I will be away from work May 9-19. If during that time you experience a pastoral emergency, please contact the church office by phone or email (615-673-7699; gnuuc@gnuuc.org). Please state in your message that you need pastoral care, and our administrator, Kris Thresher, will connect you with a local minister-in-training who has agreed to be available.