During a challenging week, Rev. Catie and Jenna want to share resources for surviving — and perhaps even thriving — during this hard time of both the pandemic and the wait to know who will be the next president. We hope our Sunday service from October 25th and these resources will help buoy your spirits as we head into the winter.
If you were at the service on October 25th, you will remember that members of the Pastoral Care team offered reflections (both insightful and humorous!) for the Time for All Ages, in response to the question, “How do you cope with stress during times like the present? Where do you turn?” You can watch it again here!
These are articles of self-care recommendations that Rev. Catie used in developing her sermon, Are We There Yet?:
- Finding Steady Ground
- If You’re Already Dreading Winter, Here Are Some Small Ways to Prepare Now
- A Survival Guide for our Collective Well-Being or How to Stay Alive When the World is Collapsing in a Pandemic Winter
- NASA Astronaut’s Tips for Surviving Quarantine During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- A Message from the UUA President: Practices of Self-Care and Resilience
- UUA Braver/Wiser: My Ancestors’ Dreams
This is the song that Rev. Catie shared at the end of her October 25th sermon, The Keep Going Song. You can also find The Bengsons on Spotify and Apple Music, and support their art by buying their latest album.
Please also remember our community’s supportive resources, both at First Parish and beyond. You can connect with First Parish every Sunday at 10:30 am at our YouTube Sunday services and Zoom social hour. Each month — and in some cases, each week — we have gatherings and spiritual growth opportunities available over Zoom, including Small Group Ministry, Lane Lyceums, Lunch Bunch, Parent Support Group, Writers Escape, Vespers, Meditation Ministry, Creative Escape. All Zoom links are provided in our weekly email newsletter, the Bell Notes; you can sign up for the Bell Notes through our website, uuneedham.org, under “Connect” on the front page. You’ll also find links to our social media pages there. If you want a loving listening ear for conversation and support, you can always contact Rev. Catie at minister@uuneedham.org, Jenna Crawford at internminister@uuneedham.org (even if it says that email address belongs to Sally, it forwards to Jenna now!), or the Pastoral Care Team at pastoralcare@uuneedham.org. If you are struggling financially during this time, please contact Rev. Catie to request a disbursement from the minister’s discretionary fund.
In the broader community, you can connect with therapeutic care through the William James College INTERFACE Referral Service. Within Needham, the town government sponsors both The Center at the Heights for seniors and a Youth and Family Services Office. Our local Needham Community Council provides a wide variety of charitable services, even and especially during the pandemic.
If part of your self-care is activism and exercising the right to vote, please see this resource list from the Social Action Committee. Remember to vote your Unitarian Universalist values and help others to do so, too! On Election Day itself, UU ministers from across the country (including Rev. Catie) are holding a 
Spiritual Grounding Zoom gathering. Our national denomination, the Unitarian Universalist Association, is also hosting a post-election vigil and community event the evening of November 5th. Our First Parish Vespers Service on the evening of November 5th, too, will be a special one. Regardless of which way the election goes, Rev. Catie and Jenna will be hosting four consecutive (and identical) 30-minute services from 5-7 pm for you to join at the time most convenient for you, or for you to stay the whole time. You can find the Zoom link in your Bell Notes.