Dear First Parishers,
On Saturday evening, Josh and I attended the annual fundraising gala at Fitchburg State University. Fitchburg State has a new president—the first woman—Dr. Donna Hodge who is an energetic, smart and skilled leader. In almost two years, she has revitalized the campus, bringing a sense of joy and possibility to the students, faculty and staff. The gala was her brainchild—a way to bring together not only the members of the Fitchburg State community and city of Fitchburg, as well as members across North Central Massachusetts, as she said in her speech, to build trust, articulate their educational mission, and invest in both their students and the city. She talked about staying true to their purpose and values, while also adapting to a changing world: trying new ideas and letting go of traditions and practices that were no longer working. An example of this was offering all high school students in Fitchburg free tuition and fees to attend the university, if they maintained the necessary academic standards. To make visible this commitment, the university has set up an admission center in Fitchburg High School and a welcoming center for families in downtown Fitchburg, making the process accessible and supported. I thought it was brilliant. It is already starting to work and President Hodge and the administration’s willingness to take the risk was inspiring.
As I listened to President Hodge speak, I was struck by parallels with First Parish. We too are an institution that serves communities within and beyond our walls, with a commitment to a set of values that we embody through a mission to serve both our larger world and our vision of what is possible. Obviously, our values, mission and vision are grounded in our Unitarian Universalist faith rather than education but there are a lot of similarities.
This past year has been a mix of positives and challenges. On the one hand, we finally seem fully back from COVID. The participation, energy and engagement are back to the pre-pandemic levels so as to feel that chapter receding. At the same time, the country and the world are in increasing chaos and turmoil. The economic, political, technological and environmental future feel uncertain and fragile. It is an uneasy and frightening time.
It is natural in the face of uncertainty to want to turn inward, stay in our comfort zone, and protect our resources. However, if we are true to our mission as a community of faith, then we are called to do the opposite. To share and proclaim our values. To invest and engage in hospitality, service and generosity. To be visible in making the Spirit of Love manifest in our larger community and to be accessible and creative in meeting the spiritual needs of a new generation of seekers. As a consequence of COVID, people, particularly young people, are battling loneliness, looking for spiritual meaning and belonging. Rather than turning inward, I believe our congregational health depends upon us being willing to turn outward and to invest in the values and mission we claim, to take some faithful risks. In a time when trust has been broken in so many places by the failure of leaders and institutions to live up to their responsibilities, we have an opportunity and a call to help heal that trust, in our local corner of the world.
In faith,
Rev. Ellen