Come, Come, Whoever (and Wherever) You Are

As I write this, it’s the first day of spring. In Brussels, the days are longer, the first blossoms have come out – but it’s not yet time to store the wool scarves and gloves at the back of the closet. We need patience. And we also need patience, perhaps much more patience, for the time when this pandemic is past, and we can put away our protective face masks and our little bottles of antiseptic gel.

One piece of good news is that, despite the ongoing restrictions in Europe, EUU is gathering again! We’ll meet online in a month’s time for our spring retreat – and, as ever, it’ll be a time to learn, interact, worship, discuss and disagree. I hope you can join on 22 to 25 April.

The theme is Nourishing Body and Soul: The Ethics of What We Eat and Why. It’s a big topic and (as far as I know) a new one for an EUU retreat. Many of us live in urban areas, like most Europeans (and North Americans). How can our food and our meals reflect our values? Is it by choosing what to buy, or where we buy it, or a certain label on the package? How can we act on our concerns for animals on farms – and for the workers we never see, who tend the farms and turn what grows into the food we buy? These are questions I will bring.

It will be a wonderful opportunity to learn about and discuss these issues, and I’m sure as UUs we’ll find things to disagree over!

The retreat will have many activities to nourish our souls: workshops on the main theme and  other topics, meditation sessions, religious exploration for children, a talent show and much more, including a Sunday service on the theme of compassion.

If you haven’t registered yet, please do so via the EUU website.

The fall retreat was an amazing time – it was almost like being together in person – and our spring retreat organizers are trying to make this one just as good. Most activities are scheduled in the afternoon and evening, so EUU members and friends in North America can join. While there’s a suggested payment, as at last fall’s retreat, it’s a pay-what-you-can system. And for those who haven’t been to an EUU retreat before, it will be wonderful to see you there.