“I was so shocked to learn that the opposite of belonging is fitting in. Because fitting in is assessing a group of people and changing who you are. But true belonging never asks us to change who we are. It demands we be who we are.” -Brené Brown

I am eager and grateful to be entering the start of a new church and school year and diving back into the structure, connection, and inspiration that comes with this season. As we anticipate the month of September, I am beginning to explore the Soul Matters theme of Building Belonging. Even before I went to see which quotes were included in the month’s packet, I knew the memorable words above from Brené Brown were ones I wanted to include.

If belonging demands that each of us be who we are, building belonging means that our work as a community to practice radical inclusion, healthy communication, and true curiosity. I was fortunate enough to sit in the worship service when our friend, Rev. Chad Snyder, preached at UUFM this past weekend, and I felt both challenged and encouraged to assess my own biases, assumptions, and pain points when it comes to living in a time of so much pain and division. It truly is countercultural work to lean into our sense of inherent worth, dignity, and love as an action in these times.

May we all sense that we belong, that the way we show up matters, and that building belonging is something that we all get to do in big and seemingly small ways. Let us always seek understanding, and when we can’t understand, may we hold steady intentions on both compassion and justice.

Macey will be away this Friday-Monday. She is eager to return to dive back into more structured work on Tuesday, September 2nd. Please reserve phone contact for emergencies and instead leave an email at lffdirector.uumankato@gmail.com for her to circle back. Thanks!