The Jewish phrase - tikkun olam - captures the underlying spiritual purpose of many of the activities and themes of our events and worship this fall.  Tikkun olam is translated from the Hebrew as "repairing" or "mending the world."  As I understand it, the phrase refers not only to the external work of what we might term the building of the Kingdom of God on earth, but also the inner work of attending to the healing of the soul, both personally and the soul of the community.

Fall begins with International Day of Peace on September 21.  This year the theme is Bread for All = Peace.  And throughout the fall there will be opportunities to read and discuss very different books that engage the reality of hunger in our world:  Take this Bread by Sara Miles and Enough by Roger Thurow and Scott Kilman.

During September we welcome into our space the Community of Temple Chai as the Jewish community celebrates their High Holy Days.  And throughout the fall we will continue our conversations with members of Congregation Beth Am as we prepare for a joint visit to the Illinois Holocaust Museum in November.  And then we'll conclude the fall season November 21 as the Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration lifts up 20 years of "Walking Together" as communities of faith in the Northwest Suburbs.

The inner work of "healing the soul" will be nourished also.  A video based learning series .... Living the Questions ... will be facilitated by Gary Genge on Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings.  Based on recent Biblical and theological thinking, these sessions are less focused on studying the Bible, than on asking and engaging the deep heart questions, the soul questions that our scriptures pose to us. And the chance to join a Circle of Trust will be offered based on the Parker Palmer model of nurturing the soul through the creation of a safe space of silence and reflection.  And our shared learning with members of the Beth Am Congregation will include a focus on spiritual practice.

And of course, the ongoing  ministries of teaching our children, gathering for worship, offering hospitality to the community (Harvest Fest is October 9) and serving those in need through PADS, the Food Pantry, Crop Walk (on October 17) and in many other ways, goes on .... as we walk together in faith that God is using us in this place and time to heal, to repair ... to mend the world.

Tikkun olam ... mending the world ... building the Kingdom of God!   What an audacious task God has called us to. But what a blessing ... to know ourselves as part of God's larger purpose for us and all people ... indeed, for the world.

~Rev. Margaret Gramley