December 1, 2023
Listen:
Read Along:
Afraid to Dream? Don’t Be.
by Marsha Whitton
Sometimes I am afraid to dream; afraid to yearn or hope for something that may not be possible; afraid I will be left broken-hearted sitting in the middle of the pieces of a shattered dream. So, better not to dream and avoid being disappointed or embarrassed.
But, as a Christian, I think I am called to be a dreamer–to envision the Kingdom Come and work toward that reality. And we, at UUMC, on the corner of the UT campus and within walking distance of the Capitol, are certainly called to be dreamers, visionaries, influencers and participants in creating change for our common good in this world. So in this Advent season, I am going to make time to dream; and to try and give voice to God’s dream for us.
One dream of “light in the darkness,” for me is, at the age of almost 72, to still find a way to make a vital difference in work impacting the world my grandchildren are inheriting. I want to be part of the Great Turning instead of The Great Unraveling, and so working on issues of climate change is where I’m dreaming to make a difference. I also dream our church can make a great connection with the vital energy of students on the UT campus that are working on issues of Climate Change….so that the old ones will dream dreams and the young ones will see visions and together, with God, we will help change our world.
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was with God in the beginning. Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. What came into being through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. ”
“God of fear, God of the night, God of the expectation, You visited shepherds in the night with songs and sights and joy. In all our nights, turn us towards hope, because hope might just keep us alive. Amen. ”
