News
Blessing When the World is Ending
© Jan Richardson. janrichardson.com
Kindred in Christ,
It has been a heavy week. If you are like me and others I have been checking in with, you are likely still feeling the grief of the results of the election. Yet while this has been a bad week, I hope you also know that it is not the final week. And that God’s story is not over, and I am thankful that you are part of that story with us. We are glad you are here!
I was reminded this week that the kind of community we are and strive to be—LGBTQIA+ inclusive, multi-ethnic, antiracist, seeking justice in the way of Jesus—is needed now more than ever. So, I hope you are finding supportive community in the days to come. Please reach out to me if you would like to process and pray with someone.
And I would like to share with you a prayer by Jan Richardson that I have meditated on these last few days. I offer it to you now, and any time you feel as if the world you knew is coming to an end.
Blessing When the World Is Ending
Look, the world
is always ending
somewhere.
Somewhere
the sun has come
crashing down.
Somewhere
it has gone
completely dark.
Somewhere
it has ended
with the gun,
the knife,
the fist.
Somewhere
it has ended
with the slammed door,
the shattered hope.
Somewhere
it has ended
with the utter quiet
that follows the news
from the phone,
the television,
the hospital room.
Somewhere
it has ended
with a tenderness
that will break
your heart.
But, listen,
this blessing means
to be anything
but morose.
It has not come
to cause despair.
It is simply here
because there is nothing
a blessing
is better suited for
than an ending,
nothing that cries out more
for a blessing
than when a world
is falling apart.
This blessing
will not fix you,
will not mend you,
will not give you
false comfort;
it will not talk to you
about one door opening
when another one closes.
It will simply
sit itself beside you
among the shards
and gently turn your face
toward the direction
from which the light
will come,
gathering itself
about you
as the world begins
again.
Alongside you,
Rev. Paul Ortiz
A Future With Hope
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. — Jeremiah 29:11 (NRSVUE)
Kindred in Christ,
These words of scripture were addressed to a people exiled, while trying to navigate a new reality. Most of us haven’t literally been driven from our homes or country, but I suspect these words from Jeremiah have resonance. Our lives are filled with change. Nonetheless, God assures us of a future filled with hope. On the path of discipleship, we learn that we are active participants with God in creating that future together!
As your pastor, I give thanks for the long and faithful legacy of this congregation and all the saints of our past, which have brought us to this time and place in our history. And together, we will continue to create and sustain a hopeful, joyful, loving and just community, committed to nothing less than changing our city and our world for the better.
This Sunday begins our 2025 Pledge Campaign (learn more here). If University Gathering UMC has made a difference in your life in the past, then I invite you to prayerfully consider giving toward our collective future! Your financial pledge allows us to create a responsible budget, build inclusive community in the way of Jesus, engage with new people in meaningful ways, and further our legacy of faith and social justice with our neighbors. I hope you will join us on Sundays through November, in-person or online, for our pledge campaign worship series, as together we envision, cultivate, and celebrate a future with hope.
Alongside you,
Rev. Paul Ortiz
Pet Blessing Reflection from Jemina
Our recent Pet Blessing was a beautiful experience, inspired by the teachings of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. His love and respect for all living creatures remind us that every life has value, and caring for our pets is a way of showing gratitude for the love and joy they bring into our lives. On this day, we had the honor of blessing both dogs and a cat, celebrating the special bond we share with our furry companions.
For me, this event was more than just a gathering; it was a moment of reflection on my own journey as a pet parent. My pets have been a source of comfort through some of the most emotional times in my life, offering their companionship without judgment. Yet, I’ve often struggled with what it means to be a “good pet parent.” I’ve questioned whether I was doing enough or what their role in my life truly was. Over time, I’ve come to realize that their role is exactly what they’ve been doing all along—bringing love, presence, and calm into my life in ways I never expected.
As someone who never thought of myself as a “pet person,” it’s been surprising to find myself with five pets at home! But these animals have added so much life to our household, teaching me about care, patience, and responsibility. Our home feels fuller and more joyful because of them, and in nurturing them, I’ve learned the importance of caring for the living things around me—whether that’s pets, plants, or even the people we encounter every day. There’s something profoundly sacred in the act of tending to life, in providing love and support where it’s needed most.
What made the Pet Blessing truly special was the way it connected people. Whether they were locals or visitors passing through town for a 5k, we all shared something in common that day: a deep love for our animals. It was heartwarming to see how easily conversations flowed when we talked about our pets, and how quickly people opened up. In a world where it can be difficult to find common ground with strangers, our shared affection for our animals made those connections effortless.
Inspired by the spirit of Saint Francis, this event reaffirmed for me the importance of caring for all living creatures, big and small. Pets have a way of showing us what it means to love unconditionally and to find joy in the simplest things. As I reflect on the day, I’m grateful for the love my pets bring, the community we’ve built, and the blessings that come from tending to the lives around us.
St. Francis and Blessing Animals
Kindred in Christ,
Happy Feast Day of Saint Francis of Assisi! In honor of the-nature-loving saint many faith communities bless and celebrate pets, animals, and the environment during this season. I hope you will join us tomorrow for our own Pet Blessing and Costume Pawty event (more info below).
There is a famous painting, which you may have seen before depicting Saint Francis preaching to the birds. This is of course based on the stories and legends of him proclaiming God’s love to all of creation, and the creatures miraculously stopping to listen, and being captivated by his loving presence. Yet, in the modern depiction above, artist Kelly Latimore flips the script with his icon of “A Bird Preaches to Saint Francis.” I really appreciate this take. It is a subtle yet significant difference!
Much of what I appreciate about Saint Francis is that he invites us to share in a spirituality of slowing down and paying attention to creatures. Francis considered all creation his siblings in God, and as such he encounters the Divine presence in “Brother Sun”, “Sister Moon”, “Brother Wolf”, and even “Sister Death.”
Join us Saturday for the Pet Blessing and Costume Pawty and join us Sunday as we continue in our series For the Beauty of the Earth. We will reflect further on the life of the hippie saint, and celebrate World Communion Sunday!
And in the meantime, may you find times to slow down, and listen deeply to the sermons of our siblings the birds and other creatures:
“Best of any song
is the bird song
in the quiet, but first
you must have the quiet”
–Wendell Berry
‘A Timbered Choir’
Alongside you,
Rev. Paul Ortiz
Autumn and Incarnation
Kindred in Christ,
I hope you are enjoying the welcome of the autumn season as much as I am. The changing of the leaves and the brilliant fall colors filling our Seattle landscapes invite us to pause and remember the beauty and sacredness of creation. Fall always feels like a season of homecoming. Our children return to school, our summer travels come to an end, our church attendance increases, and we fall back into the rhythms that give us grounding and a sense stability. And as we gather the harvest of the season, we are also re-invited into a sense of grounded-ness in our mother earth.
As a follower of Jesus, I find it significant that in some beautiful and mysterious way, Christ became human, and shared something in common with all creation. With the plant, Christ shares life, with the animals, Christ shares sensation, with the stone Christ shares substance, and on and on. Christ reveals our own human interconnection and interdependence with all the earth, if we have eyes to see it, and hearts to embrace it.
As we continue in our autumn series, For the Beauty of the Earth, may we make time for connecting with our sibling creation and remember that we cannot ignore the world and still try to love God. Rather, we must love God through, in, with, and, even because of this world. For this is how God’s love comes to us through the incarnate Christ.
And to help open our hearts fuller to the beauty and mystery of the season, I invite you to meditate on the prayer below by Mirabai Starr, from her book St. Francis: Brother of Creation (Contemplations & Living Wisdom):
Dear God,
You created the world
to serve our needs
and to lead us to you.
Through our own unconsciousness
we have lost the beautiful relationship
we once had with the rest of creation.
Help us to see
that by restoring our relationship with you
we will also renew our connection with all your creation.
Give us the grace to see
all animals as gifts from you
and to treat them with respect,
for they are your creation.
We pray for all animals
who are suffering
as a result of our neglect.
May the order you originally established
be once again restored
to the whole world. . .
Amen.
Alongside you,
Rev. Paul Ortiz