Dear Friends,

A few weeks ago I went to see Michel Hazanavicius movie 'The Artist.'  It is primarily a silent movie which tells the story of a successful movie star who can't come to terms with being brought into the age of the 'Talking movies.'  Now just before I risk losing my reputation for only watching intense European movies with sub titles ;).  The movie is actually French and the lead star in the movie is a well known French comedian - Jean Dujardin.  The movie was really excellent and gave me some cause for thought.

I think that many of us find change and transitions difficult.  Like the silent movie star who wants to hang on to an outdated genre of film he can relate to, how many of us like to hold on to jobs, professional or social positions in life, people - even though the relationships may be well past their sell by date just because we fear change or we fear stepping out into the unknown.  The star of the movie does eventually step into the Talking Movie era but goes through all sorts of pains to get there - mostly the pain of attachment to an unhealthy inflated ego and resistance to advice about doing his art differently.  For most of us change means pain - it means focusing inward, looking at ourselves seeing both our limitations and our possibilities, allowing the relaxation of 'fixed positions' we have taken spiritually, emotionally, intellectually.   If we can allow ourselves to step forward into this the present moment of our lives we can live out our lives with vitality and relevance, in spite of the pains associated with the fear of change.

Our spiritual community has to be this way to.  Yes we can celebrate the golden age of Czech Unitarianism when the Rudolfinium had to be rented for our annual Flower Communion, yes we can honour the legacy of our forebearers and the great buildings we have inherited as a result of their work and their witness, yes we can celebrate the fact that Unitarianism is a recognised religion in the Czech Republic as it is in Canada and in Hungary.  But we must not let our historical legacy and the richness of our liberal Unitarian Tradition stop us from finding new ways of making ourselves relevant and vital as a church community in this the year 2012.  

I believe we have something special to offer the people of Prague and of the Czech Republic.   May we face the challenges of articulating who we are and find new and exciting ways of living out our faith individually and communally.  

With metta,

Mark