WHOOSH!! That was the sound of a Colorado summer flying by! I know it isn’t over, but when you see all the sunflowers lining Highway 82, and school supplies crowding store shelves, and home-grown tomatoes finally ripening on their stalks, then you know that fall is near. That’s not a bad thing—fall is my favorite time of year. But couldn’t it just slow down a little?

Our TRUU summer has been versatile and enriching, thanks to the hard work of Barbara Palmer and the Worship Committee. Next Sunday, Stephan Papa will return to us in an “unofficial capacity” to join Tilly Maddux in a presentation called “Children of War.” And the following Sunday, Stephan will begin the new church year with our traditional water communion.

I know everyone—and I mean everyone—is thrilled to have Stephan return to us for (at least) one more year. His experience and wisdom, his deep and genuine interest in TRUU and in each one of us, his joyful nature—all these and more have been an invaluable gift to our congregation.

As you may know, we now have an active Social Justice Committee, led by Judy Feinsinger, and a burgeoning Religious Exploration Committee led by Anne Cerrone. I am so grateful to all the committee and board members for devoting their time and talents to TRUU, and of course that includes the awesome musical talents of Jimmy Byrne and the gentle, inspiring teachings of Heather Rydell!

So we’re good, right? Can we pat ourselves on the back now?

You know we can’t. You know our mission goes far beyond our happy little Sunday morning gatherings, however enjoyable they may be. Have you read our mission statement lately? The last line says that TRUU “is a springboard for personal and societal transformation.” That’s a very tall order, and one that will never be fulfilled, but we have to keep chipping away at it anyway. That is why we exist.

In her wonderful book, “Traveling Mercies,” Anne Lamott describes the members of her own “funky little church” like this: They are “people banding together to work on themselves and for human rights. They follow a brighter light than the glimmer of their own candle; they are a part of something beautiful.”

That’s what I hope for each and every one of us: that we will follow a brighter light than the glimmer of our own candle; that we will reach out not only to each other, but also to the larger world that needs so desperately to heed our message of justice and love.

May be it so.

Yours TRUUly,

Sue Coyle, Board President