EVENSONG--Come As You Are: You Are Welcome Here

United Church in Walpole invites the community to the return of EvenSong on Sunday, September 13 at 6:30 p.m. This month’s theme, “Come As You Are: You Are Welcome Here,” offers a gentle invitation to set aside the pressures and expectations of daily life and make room for rest, reflection, and belonging.  All are welcome.

EvenSong is a contemplative gathering weaving together music, poetry, sacred readings, silence, and reflection. There is nothing to prepare and no expectation that those attending arrive feeling peaceful, certain, or “put together.” Whether you come carrying weariness or wonder, grief or gratitude, questions or hope, you are welcome.

September’s gathering will explore what it means not only to be welcomed, but to be welcomed as we truly are: to be known without pretending, to recognize our inherent belovedness, and to consider the difference between fitting in and genuinely belonging.

The evening will draw from an unusually rich variety of voices, including the ancient poetry of Psalm 139, the writings of Henri Nouwen and Brené Brown, and poetry by Rumi and Nobel Prize-winning poet Derek Walcott. Music will range from traditional and contemporary hymns to songs by Crowder and India.Arie. The gathering will culminate in an extended period of silence before closing together in song.

At the heart of the evening is a simple message: You do not have to earn your place. You do not have to leave the difficult parts of yourself at the door. Come as you are.

EvenSong is designed to be accessible both to people who are comfortable in church and to those who may be exploring spirituality, seeking a quiet place to reflect, or simply longing for a pause in the busyness of life. Participation is always invitational. Guests are welcome to sing, listen, sit quietly, or simply rest in the music and silence.