Benjie is back!!!
Our Music Director, Benjie Messer, has returned from his 7-month sabbatical. I got the wonderful opportunity to drive in a car with him for 14 hours total to Albuquerque (7 hours each way) as we traveled to the Association of UU Music Ministries gathering, which was full of music, joy, worship and companionship. We got to catch up on everything and I am so excited to have him back.
AND, I am SO proud of this congregation and how well we did while he was gone. WIth the tremendous help of Donna Featherston and Susan Morris, our terrific paid musicians–Jessica, Christine and Nicole, our song leaders, and our amazing staff who did extra work–our music continued to be high quality, beautifully organized and fully supporting our cohesive worship experiences. It seemed like a big task when we all took it on and I think many of us feel really proud of how well we managed.
Benjie’s absence was really felt, his collaborative spirit, his brilliant ideas, his intuitive sense of what is right for the moment, and his abundant kindness.
Welcome Benjie home this Sunday with me as I also return to the pulpit for a series of 4 services in our “Take A Breath” month where we get some spiritual nourishment. It will be good to share the community together with him. And thank you all to everyone who helped make this sabbatical possible!