Take courage friends.
The way is often hard, the path is never clear,
And the stakes are very high.
Take courage.
For deep down, there is another truth:
You are not alone.
I’ve been reflecting upon these words by Wayne. B. Arnason, #698 in Singing the Living Tradition. These words ring so very true for me as I contemplate the social justice work of our many Ohio-Meadville congregations. The way is often hard and the path may not be clear, but as we work together we can make great and needed change.
This idea of working together so that we are not facing our challenges alone is partly why I am co-hosting a webinar to get ready for General Assembly in Phoenix, Arizona. Justice GA will be quite different from past General Assemblies with multiple mass witnessing events, extensive learning about the doctrine of discovery, and the national day of witness. But even with this directed focus on immigration justice some aspects of GA might remain the same.
I have attended three fantastic General Assemblies in recent years. My experience has often been the same. I have arrived at the conference site, attended motivating workshops, learned new ways of doing things, listened to engaging sermons and talks, strolled through the many booths, but often I have not seen my fellow congregants and friends throughout the entire day.
I hope that one of the outcomes of the get ready for GA webinar will facilitate all of us of the OMD to get to know each other a little bit better! Perhaps when we see each other at GA we will sit together and cook up plans to address immigration reform back home. What we learn and do in Phoenix is important, but far more important is that we bring the learning back to our home congregations and communities. Because it is through working together that we can stop more deaths in the desert and stop another family from being broken apart, and create equitable working conditions for all people. For deep down we are not alone.
Faithfully,
Rachel
Social Witness Coordinator
