Prophetic Witness, Direct Action, Faithful Resistance

Brothers and Sisters in Christ and in Creation,
 


These past months, and particularly the past few weeks have been very stormy times. We have seemed to go politically from storm watch to storm warning at a dizzying pace. And as stormy weather goes, it seems dark. We all have been searching for wisdom and guidance.






Looking to Christ, we may have seen him overturning tables in the marketplace one day and healing the blind another. Looking for clarity, we find him in our hearts, in the eye of the storm. 
 


Indeed, we may find in the darkness of the storm, a place of rebirth - for ourselves, our community, our nation. At the Moral Revival Poor People’s Campaign 2017 Watch Night Service with Rev. Dr. William Barber, a message was shared that we could compare the darkness of the tomb with the darkness of the womb - and we could rebirth our nation, seeking justice and loving kindness - out of that womb.
 


As we look to Christ for rebirth in our strength of being and becoming, we move to the doing - prophetic witness, direct action, Faithful Resistance (thank you, Rick Ufford-Chase!).
 
We can be and do in our hearts, homes, neighborhoods, cities, states and nation. 

We can be and do in our churches, presbyteries and synods. And it is so obvious now how we so “easily” touch our neighbors globally.
 


Please allow me to share an idea of a “doing” (and being). As part of a follow-up to a 2016 General Assembly overture, On Communicating Gratitude - based on Pope Francis’ “Laudato Si,” our congregation organized a community-wide ecumenical eco-justice team. We have had great success working with multiple ways of seeking environmental (and social) justice in our community and beyond.



We have researched, been publicly proactive and have been communicating with city officials, local media, the EPA, and others. We have had community members coming to support our Standing Rock brothers and sisters.  One had visited and another reminded us of a notice for Public Comment on the Dakota Access Pipeline. Another new member hosted a letter-writing gathering to the EPA at her house!! If you want to do the same to stop DAPL, the comment deadline is February 20.
 
Pray, host a vigil, become informed, take action. 

•   Regularly call or correspond with your elected officials! Correspond daily as you feel led!!!

•   Make an appointment to visit Congressional offices locally with cohorts.

•   Review the popular Indivisible website and guide.

•   Check out Ecumenical Advocacy Days, "Confronting Chaos, Forging Community," April 21-24 in DC

•   Join the April 29 People's Climate March in DC. (Read more about the March next month!)

Friends, breathe deeply!  Seek justice in and through the darkness, holding Christ in your heart - in the eye of the storm.
 


Diane Waddell, Moderator