Everything you do matters. Each and every choice makes a difference. Maybe it won’t be a huge difference. Not every decision is going to be a do-I-move-across-the-country-and-take-that-new-job kind of choice. But they all do make a little difference. And cumulatively, these everyday choices determine what kind of life you have.
Do I eat a salad or a burger for lunch? Do I bundle up and attend the church bonfire and spend time building community or do I stay at home, on the couch, and binge one more Netflix show? Do I call my Mom when I see that thing that makes me remember that one time we laughed our butts off or do I just smile and move on with my day? Do I buy a coffee or put that $5 into share the plate to support the Community Crisis Center this month? Do I take a moment truly be present the next time I hug my kid or rush through it because we’re late (once again(!)) and are GOING TO MISS THE BUS‽
And maybe you’re thinking “what difference does $5 make”? But think about the difference it would make if each Sunday, you tossed $5 in—if you made of habit of it and you had your $5 ready to put into the plate as it came around. And then imagine that you talked to your fellow congregants and enrolled the rest of us in your new undertaking. Your new $5 habit has now raised $20,000 for the causes that UUCE supports!!!
My dad is super fond of the saying:
Habit is a cable. We weave a strand of it each day until it becomes so strong, we cannot break it.
So I ask – what habits are you building around your church life? What would it look like if you decided that you’d drop money in the offering every single week you attended? Or even increase your monthly pledge by that amount? What might be available to you if you decided that you’d attend the church social event, no matter what it was? How might your life change if you showed up on Sunday with an open mind, regardless of the topic or the speaker or if you thought you were going to get anything out of it. How might it change the quality of your life if you raise your hand to help out when the church ________________ (fill in the blank here with things like is collecting Styrofoam, needs help with landscaping, is looking for a greeter, asks for your input, etc.). And, thinking beyond how it would impact you, how might these small but powerful choices impact our church community? Or Elgin? Or the world?
You are the weaver of your life. You add a strand each time you spend your time, money, or energy – whether that is on things you value or not. Each action, no matter how small, is a choice. In the same way, we create the tapestry that is the life of the church together, one day at a time, one choice at a time, one habit at a time. A couple of dedicated people can do most of the work for a while, and that’s kept us afloat for some time. But what will really make a difference is when we all decide to step up and carry a part of the load, no matter how seemingly small. Our collective choices can weave a cable so strong that UUCE cannot be broken. Won’t you join me in building some new habits? In Faith,
Sharon Fincher (on behalf of the Revitalization Team)
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