Minister's Corner
OUR CONSULTING MINISTER
The Rev. David S. Blanchard of Syracuse New York
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Pastor’s
Prism
When
a friend of mine moved into the first home she had purchased, I wanted
to find just the right housewarming gift. She was a member of my
first church (in Lexington KY) as a law student, and now teaches at a law
school in Boston. She is a cancer survivor, a fervent Yankees fan,
and one of the best friends anyone could hope for. Her decision to
buy a house was a real affirmation for the future. I found a simple
little gift and sent it along. I t was a small tin sign with one word written
across it: ‘Nest’. I now find myself in the midst of a move, and
though I am not conscious of any resistance, there must be some, as it
is taking me a long time to make the transition. I am leaving the
house that I shared with my former partner for the past 9 years, and moving
into an upstairs flat, which I will call ‘home’ for at least the near future.
I suppose I am reluctant to fully close this chapter of my life, to take
apart a ‘nest’ that has been a place of comfort and companionship.
But that is the task before me, and little by little the migration will
be accomplished, and in time it will be more than just the place I live.
Before
long, it will become home. I know so because I have been given a
sign. An honest- to-God sign. After I made arrangements to
rent the place, and the keys were handed over to me, the first thing I
did was buy two luxuriant Boston Ferns to hang on the front porch.
I thought it gave the place a ‘lived in’ look. I watered them religiously,
and though they seemed to be thriving, I kept finding fronds on the porch
floor under one of the plants. I thought nothing of it, and just kept sweeping
them up. Until Saturday. As I lifted the watering can, a bird
flew out of the plant. I pushed aside the foliage, and heard the
agitated peeps and saw the outstretched beaks of a nest full of newly hatched
baby birds. I don’t know what kind of creatures my ‘feathered friends’
might be. They look like a sparrow, but the feathers of the adults
are a shade of mauve. I sat for a time at the opposite end of the
porch and watched them fly in and out for the next half hour. (No
wonder it is taking me so long to move..) There are no shortage of trees
and shrubs along the street from which these squatters could have set up
housekeeping. But they picked a Boston Fern hanging from the upstairs
porch of 329 Hickok Avenue. They hauled everything they needed from
wherever they could find it to make a home for themselves. They will
not stay forever. Without notice, they will vacate the premises.
In the absence of a home, they made one. In an unlikely place, they
made a nest. If they can do it, so can I.
In
faith, David
PS:
As is the typical practice with UU clergy, one month of the summer is designated
as vacation and the other as ‘on-call’, when preparations are made for
the coming year, but regular/routine duties are not scheduled. I
will be using July as vacation and August as my ‘on-call’ period.
A Note on Contacting the Minister
In
general, my intention is to keep my hours in Utica close to what I have
published in the newsletter and in the Sunday bulletin. But I have
found that it is almost impossible to keep them precisely! Other
things get scheduled, and in the interest of being flexible, I have to
adjust the schedule - often at the last minute.
So
I would ask/remind you to be in touch on my cell phone listed in the directory
or by e-mail revdsb@aol.com or
minister@uuutica.org.
I might not be at the church, but I might be meeting someone for coffee over at Barnes and Nobles. You are not bothering me to call! (And a message left on the church machine might not reach me for a couple of days!) - David
Minister's Schedule
The nature of the work of ministry conspires against rigid schedules, but for the purposes of planning and some degree of predictability, a schedule is necessary for both you and me. At the outset, not being certain how well this will work, I am planning to be in Utica - at or near the church - on
Tuesdays
from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM and
Wednesdays
from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
On
the Sundays when I am preaching (twice or three times a month)
I will plan to stay until 2:00 PM.
I will be in Utica at other times, of course, but these are the times you can count on me being there. (It is always best to call first before just dropping in, or you risk finding me in consultation with someone else, or out on a parish visit. Making an appointment isn't a bad idea. It would also help me plan my own time.)
My
phone number is listed in the new Directory available at Church.
My e-mail address is revdsb@aol.com
or minister@ uuutica.org
Please
make a note of them and use them whenever you need to reach me. In
the case of emergency, call me at any time. - David
Secretary’s office hours: Monday-Wednesday-Friday 8:30 - 11:30 AM.
Chalice Circles
At the current time, one Chalice Circle has been established. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. As the group takes shape and form, people are welcome to check it out. I am hoping that other Circles will become established to accommodate the varied schedules of members who have expressed interest. Stay tuned! -David
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
On the bulletin board, just outside the sanctuary, I will be placing multiple copies of items that I think might be of some interest to folks. For instance, you will find the Opening Words from last Sunday, an article on Mormon beliefs, and a short essay/meditation that I found very meaningful. Help yourselves and keep a look-out for what gets added. - David
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