A more personal note...memory

Sure, we all think about how our memory isn't as good as it used to be...that is, we of a certain age.  But I woke up trying to remember a group of people, a location, and the experiences I had when living/working/playing in Jacksonville FL.  The thought was, "what was the UU church like there?"

I remembered that a small group (15-18) of women had meant a lot to me.  Rosemary was one. I couldn't remember the names of the others.  We had a class "Cakes for the Queen of Heaven." I started it. Then we did "Rise Up and Call Her Name." We became a close group of goddess oriented women...continuing to meet after the curriculae had finished. I even occasionally came to the church and the women's group after I moved to St. Augustine for the next few years.

But what about the Sunday services? And the building? I admit I'm an architectural nut, and tend to remember places rather than people (sorry folks, but that's my nature and I'm sticking to it.) I remember someone did fantastic floral displays each Sunday morning. And there was some minister that left a bad memory, but no clarity as to why that happened.

I couldn't remember the environment even. And I did remember some of the people, just not their names.  That is unusual for me.

So my first cuppa coffee and my trusty laptop went on line and found a great web site.  And I scrolled through, not finding photos of people...but some good shots of the building and one part of the grounds which triggered a memory.  The pond has apparently become a wetland, completely full of vegetation.  But the roof trusses inside the sanctuary and the windows...ah, now I remembered the place.

And then there were some disturbing things in reading about the events earlier in the year.  The church secretary changed her hours "for safety." What was that all about?  There were conversation circles for people to process their feelings, and 2 people had left.  Again, no idea what had happened.  Some district people came to talk with the congregation, which either was triggered by an unknown event, or maybe something that happened in the governance, also unknown event.

So I'm wishing that all is healing, and I'd kind of like to know the back story.

There doesn't seem to be a minister to the congregation, but lay leaders are listed as giving Sunday services.  That is always possible in UU congregations...though this one says it is a church.

So now I've glued together some of the tidbits of my memory, and feel much better. And I'm ready for another cup of coffee and breakfast. It's watermelon today.