In 2025, on a trip to Antarctica with my friend Faye, we polar plunged. I’m calling this Series, “Gladly Beyond” from a line in an e.e. cummings poem “somewhere I have never traveled, gladly beyond.” Gladly Beyond! There is so much to this world. Let’s Leap!
On Thursday, December 18, this year, a community of Clergy and members of their congregations gathered for the Takery. Luckily, it wasn’t bitter cold, just wintery. We do this on the third Thursday of every month. I can’t even tell you how many years we’ve done it. The Takery started in Sunbury as an outlet for a close-knit group of clergy: Lutheran Pastor, Rabbi, President of the Islamic Center, and me, who at that time was the minister at the UU congregation. Rabbi Nina loves to bake so she wanted to open a Bakery that was a gift. The rest of us came along, as we always did. And now there are more of us. The community of the helpers continues to weave itself into something new as more of us gather to take part. For a long time there’s been a second Lutheran Pastor. Now, there’s an Episcopal Priest who’s become an active member.
It wasn’t long before there were sandwiches and canned goods, period products and household products. It keeps growing. There are clothes and bed clothes that show up. And almost always now, there is a hot meal served. The food bank and the community garden gift us fresh vegetables. We offer food, support and community. Bokchoy remains hard to give away, but we try!
One of the sweetest pictures I carry in my heart from the early days is of a young man asking Pastor Rick and Sister Sonia to pray for him, and there they were, the three of them, stood in a circle, the young man with warm hands on both shoulders, and you could see his posture move from deflated, to filled and confident. That would have been enough! Except of course it isn’t. Because there was more to offer. He went home with a soothed soul, a full belly, and groceries for the week.
The Takery continues to grow. We support the elderly, the impoverished, the homeless, the farm workers when they were here, the differently abled, and people simply walking down the street. The community we serve has become fairly constant and more arrive any every week. We let people know it’s happening. All kinds of community groups help.
Slowly, a few of the recipients started to become helpers, not simply recipients. They held parking spaces. They carried tables. People held their spaces in line so the helpers could do that. And that’s been growing. People come from the Shelter and bring extra food and clothing they get. Last Thursday, I suddenly realized that there were almost as many recipients helping as volunteers. They’re acting like it’s their responsibility as well as their gift. We’re all going gladly beyond.
Then a very telling thing happened. I live in a very Christian Area in a very Christian state. It rarely dawns on folk that there are other traditions in the Valley. However, this group of volunteers come from at least four traditions. And what people said as they hugged us hello or good-bye, or when they left after the meal outside, was “Happy Holidays!”
That whole what do you say conversation has been pretty fierce. There are many who think there is only one holiday in December and that saying Happy Holidays takes away from their holiday. That day we moved right past that, gladly beyond to the Peace on Earth, Good will to All part. So dearest ones:
Happy Holidays! Happy holidays!
While the merry bells keep ringing
May your every wish come true
Happy holidays! Happy holidays!
May the calendar keep bringing
Happy holidays to you!
(lyric by Bing Crosby)
Salaam, Shalom, Peace, and Blessed Be!
See you soon! Meanwhile, I’ll be off leaping into Peace!
Come and Join me — Peace waters are great this time of year!