Between Us – Learning Your Ways

By Rev. Clyde Grubbs, August 31, 2022

I am new to the congregation so I am still learning your ways. But I observe that the First Parish in Canton is in transition. For near three years the congregation was in pandemic mode, most operations and most activities were done online, or in small groups, and the staff worked from home. Now we take some tentative steps toward a post pandemic way of being.

Zoom meetings will continue because we prefer meeting online to driving at night. I am getting to know many of you this way. We can focus in on business and get follow up on decisions by practicing the skills we learned of necessity over the last several years.

On the other hand we are beginning to have more and more live in the flesh meetings and get togethers. Last Spring there were live worship services and now with the heating systems working we are looking forward to “live from the sanctuary” worship.

The people of Austin, Texas call their city “the live music capital of the world.” I served the First Unitarian in that city and for the life of me I couldn’t figure what they meant. But the pandemic taught me, even the best choir and most wonderful musician has some loss of power when confined to electronic transmission. Guess that is true of storytelling and preaching too!
So let us pray for a good hybrid year. Zoom for those who love a good Sunday service in their pajamas and “live” for those who love the energy of being in the presence of gathered congregation.

Rev. Clyde