On Sunday, an important part of each service is called "Sharing of Joys and Sorrows." Here members have the chance to tell the church community about moments of personal celebration or sadness. You should feel free to bring these significant events to our attention. To give all who need to a chance to participate, we suggest you keep the following points in mind:

• Begin by introducing yourself and telling us your name.
• Be as brief as possible, but say what you need to say.
• Speak about yourself and your own feelings, using I statements.
• By all means share elements of your family life, but please respect the indivi­dual dignity and privacy of others, especially children.
• Where there is a condition or crisis that continues over an extended period, please be judicious with follow-ups; a periodic reminder is welcome, but weekly updates are generally inappropriate.
• Whether or not you choose to speak, feel free to light a candle and place it in the Joys and Sorrows bowl near the pulpit during this time. Alternatively, you may choose to light a candle during the pre-service quiet and prelude music.
• If you prefer not to speak yourself, you may write a brief note about your joy or sorrow and hand it to the minister to read or summarize.
• Remember above all that this is a sacred time, reserved for personal testimony; it is not for announcements of coming social or political events. Those should be given (in writing or via email in advance) to the Church Administrator for inclusion in the weekly schedule distributed with the order of service and the weekly newsletter.

The sharing of joys and sorrows is a significant ritual. As our community continues to grow, with many more people and families, it becomes more important than ever as a vehicle for keeping us in touch with one another. Observing the suggestions above will help give everyone a chance to share the important events of their lives with us all.