We light this chalice in a spirit of thoughtful joy.

Not the joy that avoids difficulty,
But the joy that dares to create.
Bertrand Russell wrote that happiness does not come from passive amusement,
But from the deep well of meaningful work
From the effort to build, to think, to serve something greater than oneself.

Today, we gather to do just that.

In this annual meeting, we make choices not only about budgets and bylaws,
But about the future we imagine,
And the responsibilities we are willing to share
To bring that future closer.

May the flame we kindle now remind us:
Even in mundane motions and messy amendments,
There is the quiet courage of community.
There is the possibility of happiness,
Earned not by escape, but by engagement.

Note: These chalice lighting words pair well with the chalice extinguishing “Companions in Covenant.”