Many years, especially as a new minister, at the approach of the Winter Solstice, as the days grew shorter still, the nights longer, and we waited, waited, waited, for the earth’s angle in relationship to the sun to shift, I would say, light-heartedly yet seriously, that Arlo Guthrie is right: "you can’t have a light without a dark to stick it in."

At a party the evening of my ordination a four year old friend stood by my side helping me unwrap gifts. We’d undo the wrapping paper and he would exclaim, “It’s a box!”. We’d open the box to see what was inside (the adults would ooo and ahh their surprise and approval). Then we’d move on to unwrap the next package. Again he would exclaim, “It’s a box!”

469 years ago this week Spanish physician and theologian Michael Servetus was burned at the stake, on orders of John Calvin.

Servetus had published a couple books that brought him under the scrutiny of both Catholic and Protestant authorities.

It is challenging–I was going to say interesting, but no, it is challenging–to explore the theme of courage in a month that encompasses both National Coming Out Day and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Challenging to read piece after pieces in the SoulMatters resource packet defining courage, urging courage, as indeed my colleagues and I often preach.

This may sound like a bold or perhaps peculiar statement to make on Animal Blessing Sunday, but here goes: I don’t watch cute cat videos. Or cute puppy videos. Or avidly devour feel-good stories about animals saving lives or predicting the outcomes of elections or traveling thousands of miles to be reunited with their families

Our opening hymn is one that was carried over from the old blue Hymns for the Celebration of Life in our new–now 30 year old–gray Singing the Living Tradition. I’ve sung it most of my life, and it lives in my brain and in my heart.

Where and when, I wonder, have you felt the greatest sense of belonging in your life thus far. Perhaps here at UUCS. Perhaps in an educational setting. Maybe within your family of origin. Or perhaps in the family you married into or the gathered friends you’ve chosen as family. In a small town or in an urban setting.

I said last week that almost every one of you has told me how excited you are to have me here. (And many of you told me that all over again after the service!). If that’s the most common sentiment I’ve heard from church folks since arriving in Savannah, the second most common sentiment I’ve heard from church folk, and first most common overall, is curiosity about how I like the weather.