Minister’s Letter 4/1/2026
Dear Friends,
As I write this note today our Jewish siblings are entering the Passover season. This is a time of celebrating liberation, a story of freedom. The ancient story tells of the Israelites getting free from Egypt. The Hebrew word for Egypt is Mitzrayim, meaning the “narrow places.” The story of Passover is a story of breaking free from that that binds us to oppression, that which brings us towards a whole world of possibilities. Passover is the journey from constriction to openness.
Given that there is no archeological evidence for the Exodus story, it is vital to read it as metaphor, like all things in sacred texts. As Unitarian Universalists we approach the Bible and the Torah with a combination of reverence and reason. We find the truth in the stories without worrying so much about the facts of the stories. Lessons are available in ancient and modern myths. I find it helpful to think about the plagues, Pharaohs hardened heart, the parting of the seas, all as representations of the ways we move through life as individuals and as a collective. We need not believe Egypt was a literal tyrannical government enslaving the Israelites to know that people who have experienced oppression need stories of freedom. After a weekend of the largest protests in US history, we know the need for this freedom on deeply personal levels.
What would it look like for you to escape the “narrow places” in your life? Where do you find yourself stuck? In the Midrash, it is said that the waters of the Red Sea did not part until Nahshon ben Amminaday walked into the sea all the way until the water reached his nose. It is a story of faith. Freedom from the “narrow places” does not come without risk, without trust in the possibility of change. Amminaday took the first steps on behalf of the Israelites. When I think about the times I have made changes in my own life, it has required a willingness to move forward without knowing exactly how things will work out. As a humanist, I may not believe in an otherworldly God intervening to save me. I do, however, put trust in the universe, in my community, and in myself to part waters keeping me from that which I aspire to. As we navigate authoritarianism in our country, as we get overwhelmed by imperialist wars, as we listen to endless stories of sexualized harm by people in power, we can feel immobilized. We need to resist that immobilization. We need to be willing to embody the faith of Amminaday in our lives. Move forward all the way until the waters reach our noses. Trust that the waters will part.
Like many of us, I am facing big transitions in my own life. I want to let you know that I have secured both housing and a job in Boston. My last day preaching at 2U is June 28th. On June 29th, my cat and I will get in my car for the 17 hour drive to the Atlantic Coast. On August 15th I will start a 2 year contract ministry at First Parish Brookline. Leaving our congregation brings up grief for me and also a sense of shared accomplishment. We have done so much together the last seven years. We have been through seemingly countless journeys. I wonder what sticks out the most to you. It’s hard not to think about going through a pandemic together as central to our shared ministry. I also think about our capital campaign. Of course I remember hundreds of hours of pastoral connections with you and the loss of beloved members whose impact will live with me for the years to come. As I wrap up my time at 2U, please reach out if you want to get together. I would love to connect.
We are encountering stories and realities of liberation seeking. It is our responsibility to do so with spiritual tools that get us closer to creating the world we all deserve. Thank you for letting me journey with you these last years.
In faithful solidarity,
