As we approach the vernal equinox, I am aware of a certain anticipation. When the balance tips and there’s more daylight than nighttime, something within us might feel a bit of inspiration to grow as well. After a time of rest in winter’s still darkness, we may feel restored and invigorated for the journey ahead.

Or maybe I’m only speaking for myself. Maybe your winter was exhausting and frustrating, and you don’t feel like you have any energy for any sort of journey beyond what each day requires of you. I get that.

My anticipation isn’t just about weather and sunlight, though. There are a couple of big things on the near horizon that really have me excited.

I’m delighted that Roschelle Ogbuji has agreed to co-lead an Adult Religious Exploration course on spiritual practices on Sunday mornings beginning April 3. In this experiential course, we’ll consider spiritual practices from a variety of faith traditions and explore ways to make them personally meaningful. We’ll basically be asking: How can we embrace and adapt the practices that will help sustain us on our individual and collective journeys?

And, speaking of journeys, I’ll be facilitating an introductory spiritual development group on Sunday evenings from 7:00–8:30pm beginning April 10. The Journey 101 is a sort of overview to a potential path of spiritual development, specifically oriented toward Unitarian Universalist and inter-spiritual settings.

Even though I haven’t experienced the Credo course that Melissa Vandergriff and David Kantor led, my understanding is that The Journey 101 will be an excellent next step from that work. Sometimes it isn’t enough to know what we believe most deeply and identify how we want to live into our deepest values. In fact, for some of us, that work is just the beginning of a longer journey.

Maybe you’re set with regard to your spiritual practices and personal journeying. For those who want a little more insight, encouragement, and companionship along the way, though, I’m eagerly anticipating these two great opportunities in April. To me, this is exactly the kind of thing that brings new life. And new life is what springtime is all about, right?

Oh! One more thing: We need to know you’re planning to participate in one or both of these opportunities. It’s as simple as a quick email or phone call. This is how we’ll ensure that we reserve appropriate space and have abundant materials for everybody. You can reach me at randy.partain@uucleveland.org or by calling (216) 245-8373.

Rev. Randy Partain