There is a tree in front of member Ed Martoglio’s house that has turned a brilliant red. I ride my bike past it most days hoping that those bright red leaves will hold to the tree’s branches just a little bit longer. Truly though, I’m certain that when the leaves fall, and I can then see through the spaces where the leaves had been, I will be blessed by this new vision of sky. Change is constant. Unimagined opportunities lurk behind our every attempt to make the present beauty last for all time.
A visit to our congregation’s archives tells a similar story. Remarkable programs have come and gone. Remarkable ministers have come and gone. Remarkable people have come and gone. When each transition occurs it feels at first untenable. Of course the congregation asks: “How will we survive this change? This loss?” Later the congregation stretches into the space that had previously been occupied and when they do, previously unimagined opportunities arise. Think of it this way, there is very little about our congregation now that was present at our beginning, save a deep and resonate commitment to our values and to our faith. The people are different, the programs are different, the physical spaces are different, even our name has changed (we were once Unity Montclair, a name that was later co-opted by a very different faith tradition, and later the Unitarian Church of Montclair.)
When the challenges of the present feel untenable, root more deeply in your history. Rest on the blessed ground of your ancestors. Lift up gratitude for the shoulders you stand upon. This kind of spiritual practice will prepare you to navigate the incredible challenge of present change. It will remind you that what we are doing is difficult but difficult change has occurred before, and we can learn from and be blessed by that reality.