Extraordinary

This week, we received a fraud alert on the UUCC credit card shared by several staff members. Don’t worry, there wasn’t actual fraud. The alert was triggered by a string of purchases that were flagged as out of the ordinary.

You see, UUCC doesn’t ordinarily purchase large quantities of kinetic sand and wooden blocks to launch an exciting year of Spirit Play for our children in grades 1-5. But we’re living in extraordinary times, because of the creativity and tenacity of our Religious Education staff and volunteer teachers who are bringing Spirit Play to all ages and the generosity of UUCC members who recognize that religious education requires supplies which requires funding.  

UUCC doesn’t typically order multiple delicious meals from local restaurants in one afternoon. But because of extraordinary conviction, UUCC staff and volunteers are hosting 18 adults from around the country to become trained as OWL facilitators, because we recognize that comprehensive sexuality education for adults of all ages is vital to building a just, inclusive, and healthy world. And because we believe in extraordinary hospitality, Robin Slaw combs through menus, calls restaurant after restaurant, and coordinates catering orders to feed our guests during their weekend of learning (it all starts tomorrow!).  

Our staff credit card hasn’t been used to purchase coffee grounds in a long, long time. But in this extraordinary moment of homecoming and reunion as a congregation following years of pandemic separation, we circle up around snacks and coffee in Sanctuary B after worship each week to meet new friends and deepen existing connections — and Sara Davidson dashes across the parking lot to Giant for more decaf because we’re somehow running low again. 

We’ve lit our chalice together so many times, declaring our intention to build extraordinary, interdependent community in a world founded on individualism and capitalism — we’ve lit it enough times that Hannah Nelson tracks down and purchases lamp oil so our flame remains ablaze this week and the next.   

A glance through our recent credit card charges reveals much that is out of the ordinary. Is there fraud? No. There’s just a lot of extraordinary going on.  

Stay extraordinary, UUCC.