A mUUsing on the Journey by Brad Schultz

“It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end” –Ursula LeGuin, The Left Hand of Darkness

 Many of us journey a bit during the holidays. Whether by car, train, or plane, crossing the country, or braving the mall, moving about during the holidays feels different somehow. For some, that journey feels “lighter” as we carve out time to be with family and friends. For others, and for a multitude of reasons, journeying during the holidays can also be difficult.

Many of the stories we tell around the holidays deal with journeys too. Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, and subsequent journeys by wise men to visit the newborn baby; Ebeneezer Scrooge journeys through time with ghosts of Christmases past, present, and future; and who could forget Rev. Kimberly’s depiction last Christmas Eve of St George visiting a dragon?

As UUs, we are blessed with many stories to tell this time of year, though sometimes it feels like a bit of a journey to make them all fit together. At the UUCE Choirs’ Holiday Program, we will celebrate all of these journeys through word and song. Please join me, Suzanne, the Chamber Singers and Sanctuary Choir for “Songs for the Journey that Matters” on Saturday, December 15 at 7pm in the sanctuary.

After singing for the 7pm service on Christmas Eve, the choirs will be on a break until January, making this an excellent time to consider joining a choir at UUCE! There is room for you here- the only requirement is a willingness to help us make something beautiful. Resuming again on Wednesday, January 9, Chamber Singers rehearse from 5:15-6:45 on Wednesdays, followed by the Sanctuary Choir from 7-8:30. A brief and pain-free audition is necessary for Chamber Singers, and there is room in this group especially for Sopranos, Tenors, and Basses starting in January. Please drop me a line if you are interested.

See you this Saturday, at worship, and at work in the world,

Brad