Rev. Michelle's Message May 14, 2026

As I shared in last week’s message, I got to spend a few days in Felton on a personal retreat that was so restorative and nurturing for me. It was wonderful to just get away from everything, be immersed in nature, and focus on spending quiet time, reading, using my Airbnb’s sauna and jacuzzi, and hiking and exploring some of the beautiful trails in the Santa Cruz mountains.

I even made some personal progress with my severe arachnophobia, as I found two sizable spiders in my cabin and somehow managed to cohabitate with them for two nights. Yay me! (I think I’ll save the story about what happened for a future Sunday lesson!😊)

While on my retreat, I spent a lot of time simply gazing out at the natural landscape around me, just drinking in the beauty of God’s Creation. And it has got me to thinking a lot about beauty and what purpose beauty serves in Creation. Mostly I am interested in the effect beauty has on us when we encounter it. For me, beauty evokes in me a deep sense of wonder and awe, which I find invigorating and inspirational. I also believe beauty is one of the most powerful ways God communicates with us.

I am interested in exploring these ideas further, so this Sunday we will be looking at the concept of beauty, especially in the natural world, and what it tells us about God, about Creation, and about ourselves. I hope you’ll join us for Sunday service!

Beautiful Blessings,

Rev. Michelle

#unity #unityofmontereybay #retreat #explore #nature