{"id":35434,"date":"2019-10-29T17:47:42","date_gmt":"2019-10-29T21:47:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uuwestport.org\/?p=35434"},"modified":"2020-09-13T20:16:36","modified_gmt":"2020-09-14T00:16:36","slug":"a-ministers-message-belonging-october-29-2019","status":"publish","type":"worship","link":"https:\/\/myswan.info\/mz\/worship\/a-ministers-message-belonging-october-29-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"A Minister\u2019s Message \u2013 Belonging \u2013 October 29, 2019- Rev. Shelly Thompson"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/myswan.info\/mz\/wp-content\/uploads\/bb-plugin\/cache\/s_thompson-circle.png\" alt=\"Rev. Shelly Thompson, Assistant Minister for Faith Formation\" title=\"Rev. Shelly Thompson, Assistant Minister for Faith Formation\" itemprop=\"image\"\/>\r\n\t\t<p>Rev. Shelly Thompson<\/p>\t\t\t\r\n\tMy Dear Ones,\r\nCreating belonging for ourselves and one another is the heart of what it means to build beloved community. After our last Family Friendly worship, I had the privilege of reading your reflections about Belonging. What a delight to hear your heartfelt wisdom and to see that our congregation has such a strong shared sense of what it means to belong to one another!\u00a0This beautiful heart image shows the recurring themes that emerged from your sharing. Those themes are also apparent in the consolidated responses below.\u00a0For me, they are poetry, full of your feelings and evocative of my own experiences of belonging here with all of you.\u00a0May we continue to nurture one another by sharing ourselves so wholeheartedly, so generously, and with so much love!\r\nWith love and gratitude,\r\n<p>Rev. Shelly<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\nChurch is belonging.<br \/>\r\nWe are loved and accepted for who we truly are.<br \/>\r\nWelcomed with a smile and a hug and surrounded by warmth.\r\nYou can come as you are and you are missed when you are not there.<br \/>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/uuwestport.org\/vole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/belonging_heart.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"251\" height=\"218\" \/>Being welcomed and being heard.<br \/>\r\nBelonging means mutual support, trust and care.\r\nFeeling appreciated.<br \/>\r\nFeeling respected and needed.<br \/>\r\nBeing there for each other every day.\r\nIt is a place where smiles and laughs come easily.<br \/>\r\nTo share sorrows and happiness together.<br \/>\r\nPeople are kind to you and include you.\r\nBelonging makes me feel warm, loved, able to be vulnerable.<br \/>\r\nBelonging feels warm and safe. I feel held.<br \/>\r\nBelonging is a community with safety, trust and respect.\r\nComing together in celebration or in times of difficulty.<br \/>\r\nBelonging is being a part of something. Having a joint sense of purpose.<br \/>\r\nBeing included. Taking active part. Giving time talent and treasure.\r\nTo belong means life is richer and you feel comfort and that you are needed.<br \/>\r\nBelonging means mutual sharing and understanding.<br \/>\r\nFeeling calm and comfortable.\r\nBelonging sounds like joy and being happy.<br \/>\r\nBelonging is a form of spiritual food.<br \/>\r\nBelonging feels like hope.\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rev. Shelly Thompson My Dear Ones, Creating belonging for ourselves and one another is the heart of what it means to build beloved community. After our last Family Friendly worship, I had the privilege of reading your reflections about Belonging. What a delight to hear your heartfelt wisdom and to see that our congregation has &#8230; <a title=\"A Minister\u2019s Message \u2013 Belonging \u2013 October 29, 2019- Rev. Shelly Thompson\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/myswan.info\/mz\/worship\/a-ministers-message-belonging-october-29-2019\/\" aria-label=\"More on A Minister\u2019s Message \u2013 Belonging \u2013 October 29, 2019- Rev. Shelly Thompson\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":40275,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":""},"tags":[782,785],"video":[],"audio":[],"text":[],"pdf":[],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/myswan.info\/mz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/rev-shelly-2020-04-02.png",652,868,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/myswan.info\/mz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/rev-shelly-2020-04-02-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/myswan.info\/mz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/rev-shelly-2020-04-02-225x300.png",225,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/myswan.info\/mz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/rev-shelly-2020-04-02.png",652,868,false],"large":["https:\/\/myswan.info\/mz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/rev-shelly-2020-04-02.png",652,868,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/myswan.info\/mz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/rev-shelly-2020-04-02.png",652,868,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/myswan.info\/mz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/rev-shelly-2020-04-02.png",652,868,false]},"post_excerpt_stackable":"<p>Rev. Shelly Thompson My Dear Ones, Creating belonging for ourselves and one another is the heart of what it means to build beloved community. After our last Family Friendly worship, I had the privilege of reading your reflections about Belonging. What a delight to hear your heartfelt wisdom and to see that our congregation has such a strong shared sense of what it means to belong to one another!\u00a0This beautiful heart image shows the recurring themes that emerged from your sharing. Those themes are also apparent in the consolidated responses below.\u00a0For me, they are poetry, full of your feelings and&hellip;<\/p>\n","category_list":"","author_info":{"display_name":"Rev. Shelly Thompson - Assistant Minister for Faith Formation","author_link":"https:\/\/myswan.info\/mz\/author\/rev-shelly-thompson-assist-minister-for-faith\/"},"comments_num":"0 comments","featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/myswan.info\/mz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/rev-shelly-2020-04-02.png",652,868,false],"comment_info":"","taxonomy_info":{"post_tag":[{"value":782,"label":"Minister's Message"},{"value":785,"label":"Rev. 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