UUFCM
  • HOME
  • WORSHIP
    • Welcome!
    • About UU Worship
    • Upcoming Services >
      • Orders of Service and Inserts
      • Worship Resources
    • Music Program
    • On Spirituality
    • For Inspiration...
    • Sermon Archive
  • LEARN
    • Learn – Faith Development
    • WiRE
    • Youth RE
    • Adult RE
  • CONNECT
    • Find Community – Connect Your Life
    • Social Justice >
      • Social Justice News >
        • Election Worker
      • Anti-Racism
      • Mother Earth Love
      • Social Justice Interest Survey
    • Serve
    • Shared Interest Groups >
      • Social Events
      • Shared Interest Groups Calendar
    • Calendar
  • NEWS
    • UUFCM eNews >
      • Subscribe to UUFCM eNews
    • UUFCM Events
  • ABOUT US
    • Our Minister >
      • Minister’s Column
    • Membership >
      • New Members
    • Who We Are >
      • Covenant and Mission
      • Welcoming Congregation
      • Arms Around
      • What UUs Believe
      • Principles
      • UUFCM History >
        • Past as Prologue
    • Administration & Staff
    • Governance >
      • Leadership >
        • 2022 Annual Meeting Documents
      • UUFCM Bylaws
      • UUFCM Policies
      • UUFCM Board Minutes
    • Facility Use
  • VISIT
    • Visit the UUFCM
    • What to Expect
    • Service Cancellation Policy
    • Safety Procedures
  • CONTACT
    • Ask Us
    • Find Us
    • Directory & Important Contacts
  • DONATE
    • Ways to Contribute >
      • Pledge Card
      • Volunteer Form
    • Stewardship >
      • Testimonials

Minister’s Column

1/11/2023

0 Comments

 
“We all find ourselves bouncing around three very human lies that we believe about our identity: I am what I have, I am what I do, and I am what other people say or think about me.”
    ~ Christopher L. Heuertz
As I seek to get in touch with the core of who I am—my center, my purpose, my essence—I find the words of Christopher L. Heuertz helpful. Each of the three things he names—about how NOT to define who we are—is a trap I have fallen into.
 
The first one (I am what I have) is defining myself by my possessions. It is an easy trap to think that my house, my car, my clothes, my books, my guitar represent who I am. If I lost everything that I have, would that change who I think I am? In our society we are programmed to identify ourselves with our possessions, and we must un-learn that idea.
 
The second one (I am what I do) is the strongest and most obvious one for me: I have defined myself as a teacher, and now as a minister; I have defined myself as a parent and as a husband. The deeper question is: who am I when all of that is taken away? What is the “me” that is left? Another way to think of this is: who am I when I am not doing anything? Many people use meditation to get in touch with their inner core: sitting and not doing anything allows our deeper self to emerge.
 
The last one (I am what other people say or think about me) is the hardest one. Do I define myself by what others say about me? If I don’t, then the truth of me must come from within. Or possibly from the voice of God, which is not “other people” after all. No, I am not what other people say or think about me. I am instead what the Force of Life says about me. The mysterious power that created me (Life/Evolution/God/Mother Nature) says: you are good and beautiful, holy and perfect just as you are. This is the inner truth that I want to remember, separate from material things, the roles I play in life, and the opinions of others.
 
PRAYER:
May each of us find our center, our inner core, our ground of being. May we know the sense of serenity and belonging and purpose that come from deep within.
 
May each of us know that we are loved and worthy, whole and perfect, just as we are.
 
Blessed be.
 
Rev. Andrew Frantz
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Rev. Andrew Frantz

    UUFCM Minister

    Office hours:
    Drew's office hours are suspended until further notice. However, he is reachable at any time via email, phone, or text.
    Day off: Monday

    minister@uufcm.org 
    Phone/text: 440-935-0129
    Pastoral Care Concerns
    For support with life's challenges, please contact Drew during his office hours or make an appointment with him.

    For specific needs such as rides to medical appointments or meals for people recovering from illness or surgery, please contact the Arms Around team via Gisela Moffit at gbmoffit@gmail.com or 989-772-1602. Every effort will be made to lessen the burden on the individual or family who is dealing with a difficult circumstance.

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Worship Services

Sunday Mornings at 10:30 a.m.
Upcoming Services:
February 5: Coming to Terms
February 12: Growing into Our Future


​

Quick Links

Minister's Column
​Sermon Archive
eNews
  - Subscribe!

Calendar
​Find Us
​Directory
​Facility Rental
The UUFCM is funded solely by members and friends.
Picture

We are a Welcoming Congregation

Picture
Service Cancellation Policy
 ©2023         319 S. University Ave., Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858 • P.O. Box 41 • 989.400.4933 • admin@uufcm.org