Author: Rev. Anya Sammler-Michael (Rev. Anya Sammler-Michael)

The spiritual and emotional challenge of our present reality is change - our ability to transform, to adjust, for the sake of our own and our communities well being. Our service touches on why this is so difficult, and provides reflective tools to smooth the challenge. This insure first service back in the Sanctuary with members and friends in the house since the start of the pandemic, March 15, 2020. Michael Gilch is guest music director, Wil Hylton sings the Anthem, Ginny and Steve Crooks lead the hymns, Ami Brabson is liturgist, and the sermon is delivered by Rev Anya Sammler-Michael.

On this day that honors our capacity to mother - to bring forth life in many forms, we focus on the stories we tell about ourselves and our beloved.

In life we face many challenges. When have you found that you have changed your perception of yourself from surviving something to that of a survivor.

Life may feel in times like it is acquisition - acquisition of moments, ideas, things... but life does not end with acquisition. It ends with an eventual and entire letting go. Here is how we reconcile ourselves to this eventual becoming.

The promise I would like to make and remake to the world is that I will witness and I will testify, that I will not cower before judgment - others or my own. This gets me into trouble. Sometimes it is 'good trouble.'