Rev. Barry Blooms June 2018 Reflections

​Well, this is my last time to write to you in this way.  I will be leading the services on June 3 and June 17, then will officially end my time as your minister on June 30. As I said at the Congregational Meeting, there is both deep sadness and a sense of joy that I am experiencing.  The sadness is daily now as I begin ending my time with you. These two years have been filled with the satisfaction of growing relationships with many of you, leading services that brought, I hope, spiritual depth, and getting to know Greeley and its challenges.  Good stuff all. The joy comes from knowing that it is time for me to slow down and shift priorities.  I will not, again, serve as the minister of a church.  I will still be a guest minister when asked and fill in for a short time if there is a need in a UU church. I plan to do some volunteer work as a hospice chaplain. I also want to participate in a local school program where volunteers do storytelling and reading to little kids.  Working with those from each end of life’s journey feels just right for me now. 
As I did at the Congregational Meeting, I do want to apologize to all of you for my limited energy and capacity during these two years.  I do not have the vitality I once did.  I am recovering.  I walk at least a couple of miles every day and do the exercises the physical therapists gave me for my knee.  My sight is better but is still quite limiting. As a result, I have not been able to do all of what you and I would expect me to do if I were fully living out my ministry with you.  So, I apologize for things I didn’t do, as a result of things which happened to me over which I had no control. 
In the big picture, this is such a beautiful spring with green everywhere, I hope we all can enjoy it.  It is not always so.  And as you do, know that I believe that UUCG is going to be just fine.  Aaron seems like a good fit as your new minister.  He will bring new initiatives that I hope you will enthusiastically support.  It is time that you lead with your better selves and take Unitarian Universalism in Greeley to the place you all want it to be. I will be rooting for you.  And prayerfully hoping that your wildest dreams come true!!
Love,
Barry