March 2019 Connections

Connections read • share • inspire March 2019

Issue 2 Vol. 6

perspectives:

Becoming

Beloved Community

What does Beloved Community look like? On our

Understanding the

VISION

of Beloved Community

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Theologian and civil rights leader, Howard Thurman

pilgrimage to Israel this fall, Gary, our guide, a devout Jewish man, put on his tefellin as we were sitting amidst the stones of the Temple and he shared stories about his children’s bar mitzvahs and the meaning of his religious practices. We had just wandered around the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock and felt the mystery of these religions woven together, just as our spiritual experiences and longings began to be interwoven with Gary’s. On another day, we shared a simple meal with Daoud Nassar and his family at the Tent of Nations, where they shared their faith and commitment to building bridges across the conflicts of the Holy Land. As we spent time with rabbis and Palestinian Christians, we heard truths that didn’t fit together and had to have hard conversations with one another, stay with our discomfort and continue to seek relationship over being right. As we journeyed together, we sought to find truth that transcends our personal piety and to practice loving our neighbor even when we didn’t understand our neighbor. These experiences of relationships across culture and tradition, change us.

I’m reminded that in 1935, Howard Thurman, one of the most influential religious thinkers of the twentieth century, made a “Pilgrimage of Friendship” to India that would forever change him – and that would ultimately shape the course of the civil rights movement in the United States. When Thurman became one of the first African Americans to meet with Mahatma Gandhi, he found himself called upon to create a new version of American Christianity, one that eschewed self-imposed racial and religious boundaries and equipped itself to confront the enormous social injustices that plagued the United States during this period. Gandhi’s philosophy and practice of satyagraha, or “soul force,” would have a momentous impact on Thurman, showing him the effectiveness of nonviolent resistance. After the journey to India, Thurman’s distinctly American translation of satyagraha into a Black Christian context became one of the key inspirations for the civil rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr. later wrote that non-violence

and agape love were the foundation of Beloved Community. He wrote. “Agape does not begin by discriminating between worthy and unworthy people…It begins by loving others for their sakes” and “makes no distinction between a friend and enemy; it is directed toward both…Agape is love seeking to preserve and create community.”

I think as we live into our commitment as a church to Becoming Beloved Community, it is important for us to realize that Beloved Community transcends race, religion, nationality, culture and social class. It is a call to authentic community or “common ground” as Thurman described the root of our shared humanity and spiritual nature. Howard Thurman went on to found the first interfaith and inter-racial congregation in the U.S., the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples. This was an attempt to discover that meaningful experiences of spiritual unity could compel people toward a different future.

In February, we gathered with 30 leaders from around the diocese to begin learning together what Becoming Beloved Community might mean for us, and for our engagement in our neighborhoods, relationships, and common life. We are discovering that it is both challenging and joy-filled and requires us to make commitments to a kind of inner spiritual journey that will change us.

The work of Becoming Beloved Community is not a program, but a way of being human. It is in these experiences, where we move beyond our own culture and way of life, that we can begin to see glimpses of God’s dream. Like Thurman’s encounter with Ghandi, we realize that none of us has the whole truth, but each of us has something to offer and something to learn. We discover authentic community and the possibility of a new world emerging. I hope this issue of Connections points to the ways that beloved community is emerging in our time and that you hear a call to you to find opportunities to commit to this journey in your life.

The Rev. Canon Jane Gerdsen serves as Missioner for Fresh Expressions and Praxis Communities in the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Connect with her at jgerdsen@diosohio.org.

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What does Beloved Community look like? On our

Understanding the

VISION

of Beloved Community

2

Theologian and civil rights leader, Howard Thurman

pilgrimage to Israel this fall, Gary, our guide, a devout Jewish man, put on his tefellin as we were sitting amidst the stones of the Temple and he shared stories about his children’s bar mitzvahs and the meaning of his religious practices. We had just wandered around the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock and felt the mystery of these religions woven together, just as our spiritual experiences and longings began to be interwoven with Gary’s. On another day, we shared a simple meal with Daoud Nassar and his family at the Tent of Nations, where they shared their faith and commitment to building bridges across the conflicts of the Holy Land. As we spent time with rabbis and Palestinian Christians, we heard truths that didn’t fit together and had to have hard conversations with one another, stay with our discomfort and continue to seek relationship over being right. As we journeyed together, we sought to find truth that transcends our personal piety and to practice loving our neighbor even when we didn’t understand our neighbor. These experiences of relationships across culture and tradition, change us.

I’m reminded that in 1935, Howard Thurman, one of the most influential religious thinkers of the twentieth century, made a “Pilgrimage of Friendship” to India that would forever change him – and that would ultimately shape the course of the civil rights movement in the United States. When Thurman became one of the first African Americans to meet with Mahatma Gandhi, he found himself called upon to create a new version of American Christianity, one that eschewed self-imposed racial and religious boundaries and equipped itself to confront the enormous social injustices that plagued the United States during this period. Gandhi’s philosophy and practice of satyagraha, or “soul force,” would have a momentous impact on Thurman, showing him the effectiveness of nonviolent resistance. After the journey to India, Thurman’s distinctly American translation of satyagraha into a Black Christian context became one of the key inspirations for the civil rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr. later wrote that non-violence

and agape love were the foundation of Beloved Community. He wrote. “Agape does not begin by discriminating between worthy and unworthy people…It begins by loving others for their sakes” and “makes no distinction between a friend and enemy; it is directed toward both…Agape is love seeking to preserve and create community.”

I think as we live into our commitment as a church to Becoming Beloved Community, it is important for us to realize that Beloved Community transcends race, religion, nationality, culture and social class. It is a call to authentic community or “common ground” as Thurman described the root of our shared humanity and spiritual nature. Howard Thurman went on to found the first interfaith and inter-racial congregation in the U.S., the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples. This was an attempt to discover that meaningful experiences of spiritual unity could compel people toward a different future.

In February, we gathered with 30 leaders from around the diocese to begin learning together what Becoming Beloved Community might mean for us, and for our engagement in our neighborhoods, relationships, and common life. We are discovering that it is both challenging and joy-filled and requires us to make commitments to a kind of inner spiritual journey that will change us.

The work of Becoming Beloved Community is not a program, but a way of being human. It is in these experiences, where we move beyond our own culture and way of life, that we can begin to see glimpses of God’s dream. Like Thurman’s encounter with Ghandi, we realize that none of us has the whole truth, but each of us has something to offer and something to learn. We discover authentic community and the possibility of a new world emerging. I hope this issue of Connections points to the ways that beloved community is emerging in our time and that you hear a call to you to find opportunities to commit to this journey in your life.

The Rev. Canon Jane Gerdsen serves as Missioner for Fresh Expressions and Praxis Communities in the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Connect with her at jgerdsen@diosohio.org.

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The one who loves all intensely begins perceiving in all living beings a part of himself.

He becomes a lover of all, a part and parcel of the Universal Joy. He flows with the stream of happiness, and is enriched by each soul.

(YAJUR VEDA, HINDUISM)

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HELPING TO FORM THE VISION

In February 2017, The Episcopal Church’s officers approved a comprehensive strategic vision titled, Becoming Beloved Community: The Episcopal Church’s Long-term Commitment to Racial Healing, Reconciliation, and Justice. Proudly, our diocese’s Organization on Procedural Justice (OPJ) was listed in partnership with the Presiding Officers in the in the acknowledgments of the organizations and persons deeply committed to this work. (The acknowledgments can be found on page 4 of the document.)

The release of the strategic vision was the culmination of a year of listening, learning and discerning following the passage of Resolution C019 (Establish Response to Systemic Injustice) at the 78th General Convention and an allocation of $2 million to fund the ministry.

The vision included, as example, a citation from theologian and author Charles Marsh’s book entitled The Beloved Community: How Faith Shapes Justice, from the Civil Rights Movement to Today.

The introduction to this book is titled “Souls on Fire” and speaks about the December 1956 boycott in Montgomery, Alabama where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminds the attendees that the boycott is not an end unto itself.

“The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the Beloved Community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opponents into friends. ... It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.”

The Episcopal Church’s Becoming Beloved Community vision cites “widespread hostility to immigrants from Latin America; the deportation of millions and ripped families apart; structural poverty in indigenous communities, the detention and killing of unarmed black men, women, and children by the state,” and more. “Across the United States and into Europe, people from the Middle East…profiled as terrorists and enemies of ‘Western’ values. And human trafficking enslaves the most vulnerable in Asia, the Americas, and Europe...”

What I have learned is that the words ‘beloved’ (inferring extraordinary and intense love) and ‘community’ (which may infer a notion as broad as ‘humanity’ or as exclusive as ‘private club’) when linked together as “Beloved Community” go beyond exclusivity.

You can find the 23-page Becoming Beloved Community strategic vision at https:// www.episcopalchurch.org/beloved-community Dr. Merelyn Bates-Mims is the founding chair of the Organization on Procedural Justice and a member of Christ Church Cathedral.

The Organization on Procedural Justice also worked to craft this resolution to the 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church, which passed in both houses.

D013 Eliminate the Provision for Legal Slavery in the U.S. Constitution Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That this 79th General Convention affirm the dignity of every human being created in the image of God and is therefore against all human slavery at any time, in any form, under any circumstance; and be it further Resolved, That this 79th General Convention urge the Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies to appoint a task force for the next Triennium of twelve people, consisting of theologians, constitutional law experts, litigators, legislative procedure experts, leaders and representatives from civil rights organizations, returning citizens, and criminal justice scholars knowledgeable of the history, content and lingering effects of Transatlantic slavery; and be it further Resolved, That the task force develop strategies to remove the loophole language of Amendment XIII to the U.S. Constitution authorizing legal slavery past 1865; that reads, “Neither slavery nor indentured servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction…”; and be it further Resolved, That the task force work with the Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations to collaborate with the Episcopal ecumenical/interfaith partners to support efforts in offering new constitutional language ending slavery ‘without exception’; and be it further Resolved, That the General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to consider a budget allocation of $30,000 for the implementation of this resolution.

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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. began publicly advocating the concept of the “Beloved Community” in 1956. Speaking to the First Annual Institute on Non-Violence and Social Change in Montgomery, the young social activist explained for the first time how the idea of a “Beloved Community” was inextricably linked to a non-violent approach to societal change.

King told his listeners that he was deeply impressed by the theme the organizers selected for that First Annual Institute: “Freedom and Justice through Love.” This theme, King observed, could serve as a roadmap that would lead humankind toward the establishment of the “Beloved Community.” In other words, love was the pathway that would literally bring about social justice and the redemption of civilization. Although the basic purpose of non-violent resistance to injustice and oppression was to “awaken a sense of shame within the oppressor” and challenge the perpetrator’s “false sense of superiority,” the ultimate objective of non-violent protest on behalf of social change was, King declared, “reconciliation,” “redemption,” and “the creation of the beloved community.”

According to King, the actualization of the “Beloved Community” required an unflagging commitment to the power of universal love. He believed that only true, pure, and genuine love could bring salvation to the world. This conviction was anchored in King’s religious faith – his belief in the Christian concept of salvific “love.” Yet to properly understand Dr. King’s notion of the “Beloved Community,” one must remember that King’s thinking about the redemptive power of love was profoundly influenced by insights he gleaned from the teachings Martin Luther of faiths and philosophies beyond Christianity.

King, Jr. Courtesy From Gandhi, a Hindu, King learned about the concept of satyagraha of Wikimedia (love-force or truth-force). From Buddhism he developed his deeply felt Commons. commitment to the “interconnectedness of all beings.” From the Greeks, King acquired his profound commitment to agape, which he understood to mean the power of transcendent love. From the principled stand taken by Socrates, King learned the transcendent power of civil disobedience.

Many people are unaware of King’s interest in and appreciation for spiritual lessons emanating from non-Christian religious teachings. King, a Baptist minister, possessed a rare ability to appreciate the wisdom that flowed from religious faiths other than his own. Moreover, he gathered these teachings together into a bouquet which he presented to the world in his writings, his sermons, and his public addresses. The ultimate lesson he sought to impart – the teaching he referred to as “the order of the day” was the urgent need to establish the “Beloved Community.”

In his last volume, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? (1967), King wrote: “A genuine revolution of values means in the final analysis that our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Every nation must now develop an overriding loyalty to mankind as a whole in order to preserve the best in their individual societies . . . We can no longer afford to worship the God of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation . . . the first hope in our inventory must be the hope that love is going to have the last word.”

King’s unique and remarkable universal spirit – his “overriding loyalty to mankind as a whole” is vividly documented in an inspiriting exchange of letters preserved at the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, located on the historic Cincinnati campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. On January 20, 1962, Dr. Samuel Newman (1891-1980) of Danville, Virginia wrote a letter to Dr.

UNIVERSAL LOVE and the upbuilding of the Beloved Community

King. Born in Warsaw, Poland, Newman was 19 years old when he immigrated to the U.S. in 1910, one of the millions of Eastern European Jews who fled the cruel bigotry of the Old World in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With grit and brilliance, Newman educated himself, and eventually became a highly respected pediatrician who served underprivileged children in his adopted town.

Newman began his letter by explaining that he “sympathized” with Dr. King’s advocacy for social change because “there is a striking similarity between the struggle of the Negro for justice and equality and the struggle of the Jew through the centuries for emancipation, which, as yet, has not been fully realized.” Newman noted that Dr. King derived “strength and idealism” from his deep Christian faith, “the essence of which you regard as love.” After this introduction, Newman reveals the primary purpose of his letter. He wanted to pose a very pointed question to Dr. King: “I am asking your frank opinion whether you approve of the statement in the enclosed pamphlet issued by the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention: ‘At present there are more than 5,500,000 Jews in America. Our Baptist theology teaches us that they are lost without hope, without Jesus Christ as their Saviour.’”

King responded to Newman without a particle of equivocation: “My theological position has always led me to believe that God reveals himself in all of the great religions of the world, and no religion has an absolute monopoly on truth. One day, all Christians must come to see that ‘God has other sheep that are not of this fold’” – which, in this context means the Christian fold.

The Beloved Community about which King repeatedly spoke was a world wherein three interlocking “evils” – poverty, racism, and militarism – had been eradicated through a radical process of social change. The fuel that powered the entire process of social change was universal love. This is what King meant when he wrote: “this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opponents into friends . . . It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.”

In the middle of the Torah – the Five Books of Moses – we come across one of the best-known aphorisms in all of our sacred literature: v’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha – “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Leviticus 18:19). The Torah’s message is very clear: we must learn to love and value all humankind just as we love and value our own lives. In order to achieve this objective, we must bear in mind – as Dr. King wrote to Dr. Newman – that “God [is revealed] in all of the great religions of the world, and no religion has an absolute monopoly on truth.”

One of the greatest sages in Jewish history, Rabbi Akiva, a scholar who lived in the 2nd century C.E., famously taught that the verse “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” was Judaism’s foundational teaching. For Jews, this is also our pathway to the establishment of the “Beloved Community” – through a universal spirit of love. No doubt Rabbi Akiva would concur with the Reverend King’s conviction that universal love is “the type of love that can transform opponents into friends . . . It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.”

Rabbi Gary Phillip Zola, Ph.D. serves as Executive Director at the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, and as Edward M. Ackerman Family Distinguished Professor of the American Jewish Experience and Reform Jewish History at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati. Connect with him at gzola@huc.edu.

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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. began publicly advocating the concept of the “Beloved Community” in 1956. Speaking to the First Annual Institute on Non-Violence and Social Change in Montgomery, the young social activist explained for the first time how the idea of a “Beloved Community” was inextricably linked to a non-violent approach to societal change.

King told his listeners that he was deeply impressed by the theme the organizers selected for that First Annual Institute: “Freedom and Justice through Love.” This theme, King observed, could serve as a roadmap that would lead humankind toward the establishment of the “Beloved Community.” In other words, love was the pathway that would literally bring about social justice and the redemption of civilization. Although the basic purpose of non-violent resistance to injustice and oppression was to “awaken a sense of shame within the oppressor” and challenge the perpetrator’s “false sense of superiority,” the ultimate objective of non-violent protest on behalf of social change was, King declared, “reconciliation,” “redemption,” and “the creation of the beloved community.”

According to King, the actualization of the “Beloved Community” required an unflagging commitment to the power of universal love. He believed that only true, pure, and genuine love could bring salvation to the world. This conviction was anchored in King’s religious faith – his belief in the Christian concept of salvific “love.” Yet to properly understand Dr. King’s notion of the “Beloved Community,” one must remember that King’s thinking about the redemptive power of love was profoundly influenced by insights he gleaned from the teachings Martin Luther of faiths and philosophies beyond Christianity.

King, Jr. Courtesy From Gandhi, a Hindu, King learned about the concept of satyagraha of Wikimedia (love-force or truth-force). From Buddhism he developed his deeply felt Commons. commitment to the “interconnectedness of all beings.” From the Greeks, King acquired his profound commitment to agape, which he understood to mean the power of transcendent love. From the principled stand taken by Socrates, King learned the transcendent power of civil disobedience.

Many people are unaware of King’s interest in and appreciation for spiritual lessons emanating from non-Christian religious teachings. King, a Baptist minister, possessed a rare ability to appreciate the wisdom that flowed from religious faiths other than his own. Moreover, he gathered these teachings together into a bouquet which he presented to the world in his writings, his sermons, and his public addresses. The ultimate lesson he sought to impart – the teaching he referred to as “the order of the day” was the urgent need to establish the “Beloved Community.”

In his last volume, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? (1967), King wrote: “A genuine revolution of values means in the final analysis that our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Every nation must now develop an overriding loyalty to mankind as a whole in order to preserve the best in their individual societies . . . We can no longer afford to worship the God of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation . . . the first hope in our inventory must be the hope that love is going to have the last word.”

King’s unique and remarkable universal spirit – his “overriding loyalty to mankind as a whole” is vividly documented in an inspiriting exchange of letters preserved at the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, located on the historic Cincinnati campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. On January 20, 1962, Dr. Samuel Newman (1891-1980) of Danville, Virginia wrote a letter to Dr.

UNIVERSAL LOVE and the upbuilding of the Beloved Community

King. Born in Warsaw, Poland, Newman was 19 years old when he immigrated to the U.S. in 1910, one of the millions of Eastern European Jews who fled the cruel bigotry of the Old World in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With grit and brilliance, Newman educated himself, and eventually became a highly respected pediatrician who served underprivileged children in his adopted town.

Newman began his letter by explaining that he “sympathized” with Dr. King’s advocacy for social change because “there is a striking similarity between the struggle of the Negro for justice and equality and the struggle of the Jew through the centuries for emancipation, which, as yet, has not been fully realized.” Newman noted that Dr. King derived “strength and idealism” from his deep Christian faith, “the essence of which you regard as love.” After this introduction, Newman reveals the primary purpose of his letter. He wanted to pose a very pointed question to Dr. King: “I am asking your frank opinion whether you approve of the statement in the enclosed pamphlet issued by the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention: ‘At present there are more than 5,500,000 Jews in America. Our Baptist theology teaches us that they are lost without hope, without Jesus Christ as their Saviour.’”

King responded to Newman without a particle of equivocation: “My theological position has always led me to believe that God reveals himself in all of the great religions of the world, and no religion has an absolute monopoly on truth. One day, all Christians must come to see that ‘God has other sheep that are not of this fold’” – which, in this context means the Christian fold.

The Beloved Community about which King repeatedly spoke was a world wherein three interlocking “evils” – poverty, racism, and militarism – had been eradicated through a radical process of social change. The fuel that powered the entire process of social change was universal love. This is what King meant when he wrote: “this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opponents into friends . . . It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.”

In the middle of the Torah – the Five Books of Moses – we come across one of the best-known aphorisms in all of our sacred literature: v’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha – “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Leviticus 18:19). The Torah’s message is very clear: we must learn to love and value all humankind just as we love and value our own lives. In order to achieve this objective, we must bear in mind – as Dr. King wrote to Dr. Newman – that “God [is revealed] in all of the great religions of the world, and no religion has an absolute monopoly on truth.”

One of the greatest sages in Jewish history, Rabbi Akiva, a scholar who lived in the 2nd century C.E., famously taught that the verse “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” was Judaism’s foundational teaching. For Jews, this is also our pathway to the establishment of the “Beloved Community” – through a universal spirit of love. No doubt Rabbi Akiva would concur with the Reverend King’s conviction that universal love is “the type of love that can transform opponents into friends . . . It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.”

Rabbi Gary Phillip Zola, Ph.D. serves as Executive Director at the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, and as Edward M. Ackerman Family Distinguished Professor of the American Jewish Experience and Reform Jewish History at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati. Connect with him at gzola@huc.edu.

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Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world.

By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.

The Buddha (The Dhammapada)

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noun 1 any noun

process of change.

2 . any any change processinvolving of change.realization of 1 potentialities, as a movement from the change realization lower level involving of potentiality to theofhigher 2 . any potentialities, as a movement from the level of actuality. lower level of potentiality to the higher level of actuality.

Dictionary.com Dictionary.com

Bahá’í Beloved Community

As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King says in “Justice without Violence,” to achieve Beloved Community is not about defeating opponents but winning their friendship.”

Further he said the pillars of Beloved Community are economic and social justice, fueled by brotherly love.

In order to describe how a Bahá’í would strive to create Beloved Community, it’s necessary to explain a little about organization in the Bahá’í Faith. Bahá’u’lláh (“The Glory of God”), revealer of the Bahá’í message, teaches that all things derive from one Point –God’s Will – so that all things are imbued with spirit. He advises that diversities of nationality, gender, ethnicity, race, and thought were provided by God who is in charge. He has proclaimed that humankind comprises one family whose members are united in spirit and that religions are part of a single progressively unfolding faith. Indeed, Bahá’u’lláh declared that if two people argue about religion, both are wrong.

His social teachings include that all people must become educated, extremes of wealth and poverty must be eliminated by applying spiritual solutions, equality among races, nations, men and women must be upheld, and a universal auxiliary language must be established. He also declared that because religion and science are two different ways to understand reality, both avenues should be used and both must agree.

Bahá’u’lláh established an order through which the spirit of his teachings can flow.

Bahá’í communities are organized without clergy and are overseen by elected bodies, (called Assemblies) of nine individuals in each locality anywhere in the world where at least nine adult Bahá’ís reside. Any adult Bahá’í in the jurisdiction is eligible. Elections are by secret ballot without electioneering or nominations and occur similarly for national assemblies as well as for the international governing body.

Communities gather on the first day of each 19-day month to pray, consult and socialize. Issues of community concern are decided by consensus during a process of consultation whose aim is to uncover the truth in any situation. In this age of the maturation of humanity Baha’u’llah

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advises us to individually determine relative truths especially through prayer, meditation and studying our sacred texts. At the base of Bahá’í consultation is the covenant we make to obey God, so the decision process generally begins with prayer, with the goal of identifying the spiritual principles involved in any issue. Successful consultation requires elimination of all prejudice and quelling of egos.

All expressed ideas immediately belong to the group, not to any individual. One hundred percent consensus is the goal.

Once a decision is reached, all must support it and attempt to carry it out and look at the results before requesting that the decision be reconsidered. The nineteen monthly meetings, called feasts, are gatherings where the entire community consults. Everyone has an equal voice and all voices can be heard. Assemblies deliberate on the resulting suggestions from the community and create ways for them to become realized.

As individuals, Bahá’ís recite a daily obligatory prayer and participate in an annual 19-day fast; are encouraged to study Bahá’u’lláh’s writings and refer to his teachings to uncover the spiritual principles defining any situation.

Baha’is are encouraged to voluntarily contribute to a fund in an amount of their choosing and to attend the monthly feast. Bahá’ís around the world are engaged individually as well as collectively to find spiritual solutions to material problems.

Within this framework, Bahá’ís assess their own individual and collective realities to find ways to resolve internal issues. They also work with those in the larger community to address challenges facing humankind, with the goal of carrying forward an ever-advancing civilization. Of course, the strength of the Bahá’í framework depends entirely on individuals’ efforts to embody spiritual teachings and their sensitivity to local issues. Surely this has always been, and will be, the case in all faiths.

Deborah Vance, Ph.D. (Howard U.), is a retired professor of Communication and Culture, now living in Cincinnati.

adjective adjaective 1. dearly loved.

noun 1. a much loved person.

Just as pain is not agreeable to you, it is so with others. Knowing this principle of equality, treat others with respect and compassion.

JINENDRA VARNI (JAINISM)

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noun 1.

1.

noun a group

of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in a group of people living in the same place 1. common. or having a particular characteristic in a feeling of fellowship with others, as a common. result of sharing common attitudes, 1. a feeling fellowship with others, as a 2. interests, and of goals result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals Google Dictionary.com Google Dictionary.com

Convocation 2019: Becoming Beloved Community When? Saturday, May 11, 2019 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where? Procter Center 11235 State Route 38 SE London, Ohio Sign up! Don't delay - registration will end on April 26.

DSOBeloved.org www.dsoepiscopal.org/2019-convocation-registration/

On May 11, our diocese will have the opportunity to come together in fellowship for a day-long celebration of our Becoming Beloved Community vision at Convocation 2019: Becoming Beloved Community Together.

This free intergenerational day of celebration will invite us to respond to the call to follow Jesus and seek ways to discover the image of God in all our neighbors. This gathering will be an opportunity to spend time building relationships and learning how to work toward Beloved Community in your parish and community.

The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers, the Presiding Bishop’s Canon for Evangelism, Reconciliation and Creation, will kick off the celebration. She will be calling us into Becoming Beloved Community and speaking to why this call is essential for us to engage in the work of healing, reconciliation, and justice.

This presentation will be followed by a series of workshops on a variety of topics such as: • Storytelling and the Way of Love • Engaging in Latino Ministry • Mission Shaped Church • Asset Based Community Development • Music and Worship • Much more There will also be activities designed for children of all ages and a special tent just for youth leaders engaged in the work of building beloved community.

We will close the day in a diocesan-wide Eucharist and Confirmation service.

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Convocation 2019: Becoming Beloved Community When? Saturday, May 11, 2019 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where? Procter Center 11235 State Route 38 SE London, Ohio Sign up! Don't delay - registration will end on April 26.

DSOBeloved.org www.dsoepiscopal.org/2019-convocation-registration/

On May 11, our diocese will have the opportunity to come together in fellowship for a day-long celebration of our Becoming Beloved Community vision at Convocation 2019: Becoming Beloved Community Together.

This free intergenerational day of celebration will invite us to respond to the call to follow Jesus and seek ways to discover the image of God in all our neighbors. This gathering will be an opportunity to spend time building relationships and learning how to work toward Beloved Community in your parish and community.

The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers, the Presiding Bishop’s Canon for Evangelism, Reconciliation and Creation, will kick off the celebration. She will be calling us into Becoming Beloved Community and speaking to why this call is essential for us to engage in the work of healing, reconciliation, and justice.

This presentation will be followed by a series of workshops on a variety of topics such as: • Storytelling and the Way of Love • Engaging in Latino Ministry • Mission Shaped Church • Asset Based Community Development • Music and Worship • Much more There will also be activities designed for children of all ages and a special tent just for youth leaders engaged in the work of building beloved community.

We will close the day in a diocesan-wide Eucharist and Confirmation service.

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BE LIKE KING

The philosophy of nonviolence has great wisdom, even for those of us who are not pacifists.

In twenty years of writing and speaking about Martin Luther King Jr, I’ve generally stayed away from discussing King’s philosophy of nonviolence. That’s because I’m not a pacifist. I think if you are physically attacked – either as a person, a community or a nation – and you need to physically defend yourself, you ought to be able to. I think the defensive battles that the Prophet Muhammad engaged in with the Meccans who were looking to extinguish Islam were necessary.

I think the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and World War II were, broadly speaking, necessary. That doesn’t mean that I agree with every detail, or that I support violent aggression, but I don’t think you need to just stand there and get run over either.

In the Trump era, I am learning that there is a wisdom to the philosophy of nonviolence that even those of us who are not pacifists can embrace.

I saw the film Invictus recently, the second time for me, the first for my wife and family. It’s the story of Nelson Mandela in the early years of his Presidency.

Mandela was not a pacifist. In fact, he co-founded the armed wing of the African National Congress. But Mandela exemplified the ethos of nonviolence.

No matter what his jailers did to him, he treated them kindly. He took pains to learn the language they spoke, Afrikaans.

When he was released, he personally invited them to attend his inauguration as president of South Africa.

When Mandela took office, he did not fire the white staff in the South African government. He added white officers to his personal security detail, including ones who had been the enforcers of apartheid. He embraced the South African rugby team, wearing their uniform in public, even though rugby was viewed as a white sport and therefore symbolically representative of the past regime.

Many black South Africans resented these overtures. But Mandela was working a strategy that operated on two levels, personal and political.

16 On the personal level, Mandela was highlighting that each

of us controls our own psychology. As Victor Frankl before him recognized, the jailers may have your body, but you control whether you give them your mind. And the way you discipline your mind dictates the way you behave.

To put it simply, Mandela was not going to let the apartheid regime’s evil be at all reflected in his psychology or behavior.

He was not going to let the cruelty of his jailers transform him into a worse person.

There is a famous story about the Prophet Muhammad, in which he encounters a woman who insults and throws trash at him on the street. The Prophet is unfailingly kind to her.

When she is sick, he visits her. She becomes convinced of the truth of Islam through the Prophet’s decency, mercy and compassion.

This, in short, is Mandela’s political strategy. Neither Mandela nor the Prophet Muhammad were debasing themselves by acting with decency towards people who treated them with indignity. Nor were they putting on an empty morality play. Rather, they were strategically using the ugly behavior of their interlocutors to dramatize their own exceptional ethics.

And along the way, they were teaching, and converting.

Most human beings want to be better, at least over the long run. When the difference between the ethics of the gutter and the ethics of excellence are on clear display, it forces people to ask the question, ‘Who do I want to be?’, and choose a side.

Sometimes, the ones perpetrating the injustices change in dramatic fashion. The woman throwing trash comes to see the truth of Islam. The formerly apartheid-supporting white South African rugby team sings the new national anthem during the World Cup Championship.

Why am I referring to this as the spirit of nonviolence?

Because it is allowing someone else to act with hostility towards you without responding in kind. It is absorbing an indignity and responding with ethical excellence.

Why is it strategic? Because a winning strategy isn’t principally about defeating large groups of people, it is about converting them. And you convert people by attracting them with beauty and excellence, not by competing for ownership of the

South African president Nelson Mandela

dirtiest parts of the sewer.

As the civil rights activist Pauli Murray said, “I intend to destroy segregation by positive and embracing methods. When my brothers try to draw a circle to exclude me, I shall draw a larger circle to include them. Where they speak out for the privileges of a puny group, I shall shout for the rights of all mankind.”

Back now to Martin Luther King Jr, who provides us with example after example of the ethic of nonviolence in action.

My single favorite example might be in the year 1966, in my home city of Chicago, where King had launched a campaign for Fair Housing. His 700 peaceful activists in the Marquette Park neighborhood of Chicago were met with several thousand people violently protesting their presence, shouting the ugliest racial slurs imaginable, throwing bottles and bricks, one of which bloodied King’s own head.

In the midst of one of these melees, King broke from his security detail, made his way to a group of white ethnic teenage boys with racist slurs frothing in their mouths, and said:

“You are all good looking and intelligent. Where did all that hate come from?”

This was not premeditated. This was a spur of the moment decision. King’s instinctive response to kids who are screaming racial slurs at him was to go up to them personally and say: I believe you are better than the way you are behaving. I see the angel in the stone. I want you to be that angel. I am building an America where both you and I can thrive.

And that is precisely why, in the long run, King wins.

Eboo Patel is the founder and president of the Interfaith Youth Core, an organization founded on the idea that religion should be a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. He is inspired to build this bridge by his identity as an American Muslim navigating a religiously diverse social landscape. This article originally appeared as a January 21, 2019 blog post on his Conversations on Diversity blog at insidehighered.com.

17

BE LIKE KING

The philosophy of nonviolence has great wisdom, even for those of us who are not pacifists.

In twenty years of writing and speaking about Martin Luther King Jr, I’ve generally stayed away from discussing King’s philosophy of nonviolence. That’s because I’m not a pacifist. I think if you are physically attacked – either as a person, a community or a nation – and you need to physically defend yourself, you ought to be able to. I think the defensive battles that the Prophet Muhammad engaged in with the Meccans who were looking to extinguish Islam were necessary.

I think the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and World War II were, broadly speaking, necessary. That doesn’t mean that I agree with every detail, or that I support violent aggression, but I don’t think you need to just stand there and get run over either.

In the Trump era, I am learning that there is a wisdom to the philosophy of nonviolence that even those of us who are not pacifists can embrace.

I saw the film Invictus recently, the second time for me, the first for my wife and family. It’s the story of Nelson Mandela in the early years of his Presidency.

Mandela was not a pacifist. In fact, he co-founded the armed wing of the African National Congress. But Mandela exemplified the ethos of nonviolence.

No matter what his jailers did to him, he treated them kindly. He took pains to learn the language they spoke, Afrikaans.

When he was released, he personally invited them to attend his inauguration as president of South Africa.

When Mandela took office, he did not fire the white staff in the South African government. He added white officers to his personal security detail, including ones who had been the enforcers of apartheid. He embraced the South African rugby team, wearing their uniform in public, even though rugby was viewed as a white sport and therefore symbolically representative of the past regime.

Many black South Africans resented these overtures. But Mandela was working a strategy that operated on two levels, personal and political.

16 On the personal level, Mandela was highlighting that each

of us controls our own psychology. As Victor Frankl before him recognized, the jailers may have your body, but you control whether you give them your mind. And the way you discipline your mind dictates the way you behave.

To put it simply, Mandela was not going to let the apartheid regime’s evil be at all reflected in his psychology or behavior.

He was not going to let the cruelty of his jailers transform him into a worse person.

There is a famous story about the Prophet Muhammad, in which he encounters a woman who insults and throws trash at him on the street. The Prophet is unfailingly kind to her.

When she is sick, he visits her. She becomes convinced of the truth of Islam through the Prophet’s decency, mercy and compassion.

This, in short, is Mandela’s political strategy. Neither Mandela nor the Prophet Muhammad were debasing themselves by acting with decency towards people who treated them with indignity. Nor were they putting on an empty morality play. Rather, they were strategically using the ugly behavior of their interlocutors to dramatize their own exceptional ethics.

And along the way, they were teaching, and converting.

Most human beings want to be better, at least over the long run. When the difference between the ethics of the gutter and the ethics of excellence are on clear display, it forces people to ask the question, ‘Who do I want to be?’, and choose a side.

Sometimes, the ones perpetrating the injustices change in dramatic fashion. The woman throwing trash comes to see the truth of Islam. The formerly apartheid-supporting white South African rugby team sings the new national anthem during the World Cup Championship.

Why am I referring to this as the spirit of nonviolence?

Because it is allowing someone else to act with hostility towards you without responding in kind. It is absorbing an indignity and responding with ethical excellence.

Why is it strategic? Because a winning strategy isn’t principally about defeating large groups of people, it is about converting them. And you convert people by attracting them with beauty and excellence, not by competing for ownership of the

South African president Nelson Mandela

dirtiest parts of the sewer.

As the civil rights activist Pauli Murray said, “I intend to destroy segregation by positive and embracing methods. When my brothers try to draw a circle to exclude me, I shall draw a larger circle to include them. Where they speak out for the privileges of a puny group, I shall shout for the rights of all mankind.”

Back now to Martin Luther King Jr, who provides us with example after example of the ethic of nonviolence in action.

My single favorite example might be in the year 1966, in my home city of Chicago, where King had launched a campaign for Fair Housing. His 700 peaceful activists in the Marquette Park neighborhood of Chicago were met with several thousand people violently protesting their presence, shouting the ugliest racial slurs imaginable, throwing bottles and bricks, one of which bloodied King’s own head.

In the midst of one of these melees, King broke from his security detail, made his way to a group of white ethnic teenage boys with racist slurs frothing in their mouths, and said:

“You are all good looking and intelligent. Where did all that hate come from?”

This was not premeditated. This was a spur of the moment decision. King’s instinctive response to kids who are screaming racial slurs at him was to go up to them personally and say: I believe you are better than the way you are behaving. I see the angel in the stone. I want you to be that angel. I am building an America where both you and I can thrive.

And that is precisely why, in the long run, King wins.

Eboo Patel is the founder and president of the Interfaith Youth Core, an organization founded on the idea that religion should be a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. He is inspired to build this bridge by his identity as an American Muslim navigating a religiously diverse social landscape. This article originally appeared as a January 21, 2019 blog post on his Conversations on Diversity blog at insidehighered.com.

17

18

STUMBLING STONES

On Wednesday, April 3, Wittenberg University will host (Un)Forgotten Neighbors: Holocaust Memorial Stones in a Well-Known German Small Town, a presentation on the Stolpersteine/Stumbling Stones Project and its impact on the town of Lutherstadt Wittenberg. The Stolpersteine, literally translated as stumbling stones, is a public art project of German artist Gunter Demnig that memorializes victims of the Holocaust by placing four-inch square brass markers in front of their former homes. As of October 2018, 70,000 Stolpersteine had been laid in 24 European countries, making the Stolpersteine the largest decentralized memorial in the world.

Presenters Mario Dittrich, a publisher, and Reinhard Pester, a child survivor of the Holocaust, co-founded Initiative Stolpersteine Wittenberg as a way of ensuring that the young people and visitors to Lutherstadt Wittenberg could learn the stories of the fate of the 30 Jewish inhabitants memorialized by the Stolpersteine in their town. Their April 3 presentation will take place at 6:15 p.m. in Shouvlin Hall, Room 105, on the campus of Wittenberg University in Springfield. A light dinner will be provided.

According to the artist, the Stolpersteine “tell the casual walker that in the house he or she is standing outside once lived people who were rounded up and taken away to be murdered because of their ethnicity, religion, politics or sexual persuasion.”

"I designed the stumble stones to bring back the names of Holocaust victims to where they had lived,” says Demnig. “In my opinion, existing memorials have failed to do that. Once a year, some official lays a wreath, but the average citizen can avoid the site very easily."

Becoming Beloved Community is about tuning our ears to stories and experiences that we’ve not been able to hear; about opening our eyes to the pain, challenges and tragedies that might happen right in front of our eyes without our noticing; about re-membering – putting back together in a more complete way – stories that have been broken, passed by or supposedly put to rest. The Stumbling Stones Project is an initiative that does all this on an international level: it puts a marker in real time and in a real place of those who might have otherwise disappeared without a physical trace.

One of the most powerful aspects of the Stumbling Stones is that they aren’t tucked away in a museum. Instead they are in the everyday places that people pass by in their everyday lives,

reminding all of us that the daily moments are themselves the building blocks for what we do, whether that is to build a beloved community or to destroy it. As such, the project is uplifting and convicting at the same time. I hope that you will join us for this compelling presentation.

The Rev. Jennifer Oldstone-Moore serves as Priest in charge of Christ Church, Xenia, and is a professor of religion and East Asian studies at Wittenberg University.

You can learn more about the Stolpersteine at http://www.stolpersteine.eu/en/home/

What we have left undone

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer, p. 360

For a lifelong Episcopalian, I have a fair amount of what my Roman friends call “Catholic guilt,” particularly around the weekly recitation of the Confession of Sin during Eucharist. In my sinful pride, I usually feel fairly confident that I didn’t do too many of those things I confess. It’s the part about what I have left undone where the guilt sinks in.

After each confession, a litany of missed opportunities runs through my mind. The call I didn’t return. The thank you note I keep meaning to write. The things I ignored or blew off or “forgot” to do. I promise to do better. Then a week goes by and here I am again, asking forgiveness, stuff still left undone.

Thankfully, God’s grace is endless.

Just about every major religion has some version of what we call the Great Commandment – loving God and our neighbor as ourselves. Treating others as we would like to be treated. So if in our sinful pride we believe that we are following this "Golden Rule," why is this work toward becoming beloved community that everyone is talking about necessary?

We tend to focus on doing all the right things. Treating others with kindness and respect? Check. Helping the homeless

and the hungry? Check. Visiting the sick and those in prison?

Check. Welcoming the stranger? Check. Loving God and our neighbor as ourselves, just like we’re supposed to. But it’s in those things left undone where our sin truly lies.

It’s in our refusal to acknowledge or understand the privilege and advantage that we benefit from solely based on the amount of melanin in our skin. It’s in not voicing our objection when someone we know or love makes a racist or homophobic joke or statement or Facebook post. It’s in not calling our political leaders to task for not looking out for the well-being of all humans. It’s in our continued support of products and corporations that do not pay a living wage to their workers or misuse the resources of our beautiful earth in the name of profit. It’s in these things left undone where the hard work of becoming beloved community lies.

No one wants to have difficult conversations. No one wants to alienate a friend or loved one over a seemingly harmless joke or Facebook meme. Speaking up may seem like widening the divide.

Buying a different brand or shopping at a different store may be inconvenient or more expensive. But each time we acknowledge and begin to take on those tasks previously left undone, we inch ever more closely toward that beloved community.

So as we hear all the talk about striving to become beloved community, may we all focus on these things left undone in our lives and in this place. May we all take on our missed opportunities and be truly sorry and humbly repent for those times when we don't. If we can do this, together, we'll get to that beloved community, someday. Because thankfully, God's grace is endless.

Connections editor Julie Murray serves as Associate Director of Communications for the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Connect with her at jmurray@diosohio.org.

Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.

THE QURAN 41.34

21

CONNECTING Presiding Bishop Michael Curry calls for Good Friday Offering to support ministry in Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East From The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs

“The Good Friday Offering of our Church is one way to help connect the love of Christ on the cross with our support of the ongoing ministry of love and compassion carried out by our Anglican sisters and brothers throughout the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East,” Presiding Bishop and Primate Michael Curry wrote to the bishops and clergy of The Episcopal Church.

“Whether funding a hospital in Gaza or the West Bank, or an eye clinic in Aden, or women’s programs, or summer camps and leadership training for young people, the Good Friday Offering is making a difference in the lives of so many.”

In his Good Friday letter, Presiding Bishop Curry asks each Bishop and congregation to consider providing assistance for the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

“I believe our partnership with those who keep the faith of Jesus alive in the region, where our Lord walked and began his movement, is a significant aspect of our work as part of the church catholic,” he wrote.

Information, including bulletin covers and bulletin inserts on the Good Friday Offering, is available at episcopalchurch.org/goodfriday-offering-resources.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I greet you in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I am writing to you as we look ahead to Holy Week, with its focus on our Lord’s sacrificial offering of love on the cross.

The Good Friday Offering of our Church is one way to help connect the love of Christ on the cross with our support of the ongoing ministry of love and compassion carried out by our Anglican sisters and brothers throughout the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

Whether funding a hospital in Gaza or the West Bank, or an eye clinic in Aden, or women’s programs, or summer camps and leadership training for young people, the Good Friday Offering is making a difference in the lives of so many. I have witnessed this Jesus-inspired compassion and commitment at work with my own eyes. I believe our partnership with those who keep the faith of Jesus alive in the region, where our Lord walked and began his movement, is a significant aspect of our work as part of the church catholic.

I hope you will participate in this effort. Please visit episcopalchurch.org/ good-friday-offering where you will find bulletin covers, bulletin inserts, and other helpful information. Any questions about this program may be directed to the Rev. Canon Robert Edmunds, our Middle East Partnership Officer. He can be reached at redmunds@episcopalchurch.org.

Thank you for considering this important witness to the love of Jesus across our Church. May God bless you and keep you always. I remain Your brother in Christ, The Most Rev. Michael Curry Presiding Bishop and Primate The Episcopal Church

CONNECTING Diocese well-represented at Formed to Proclaim Conference FORMA is the Episcopal Church’s Christian Formation network, providing ongoing support and professional development to children’s, youth, and adult formation leaders. Their annual conferences offer an opportunity for church leaders to join with their colleagues in ministry to tackle issues in the wider church and share and learn best practices in formation.

In January, eight lay and clergy members of our diocese gathered in Indianapolis with over 400 others, eager to soak up the wisdom and experience of Christian formation practitioners, learning more about what it means to become beloved community, gaining skills in introducing people of all ages to Jesus and facing our own discomfort with evangelism that reflects our deepest yearnings for beloved community. Those from our diocese who attended and are ready to share what they learned with you are Karen Peeler and Nancy Elkington, St. John’s, Worthington; the Rev. Mary Carson, St. James, Cincinnati; Brad Gough and Tommy Kirk, Redeemer, Cincinnati; Miriam McKenney, Forward Movement; Amy Howton, Becoming Beloved Community diocesan coordinator; and the Rev. Canon Lee Anne Reat, Canon for Formation.

This year’s conference, Conversations on Liturgy and Evangelism, opened with a charge from Dr. Catherine

The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers at the FORMA Conference in Indianapolis. Spellers will be the keynote speaker at our 2019 Convocation, scheduled for May 11 at Procter Center.

Meeks, a leader in Episcopal Church efforts to dismantle racism, to act, move, take risks and live our best lives now.

Meeks recalled the story of Joseph, the dreamer. “What does it mean to have a dream?” she asked, “What is at the core?” She went on to say that racial reconciliation is not possible because we do not have deep relationships across racial divides. But, she said, we can uncover the woundedness in our nation and open up the possibility for healing. This building of deeper relationships is the core of the work of our diocese’s Becoming Beloved Community initiative.

Becoming Beloved Community remained the theme as the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers, who serves on the Presiding Bishop’s staff, posed the ques-

tion, “How do we reshape Episcopal culture to center on Jesus?” as she led us through The Way of Love: Practicing Jesus-Centered Living. We are excited to share that Canon Spellers will be the keynoter at our May 11 Convocation at Procter Center.

In addition to large group gatherings, a rich array of workshops was offered, including everything from music to spiritual nurture to discernment to creative worship. It really was a time for everyone who is engaged in Christian formation to learn together (and who, in the church, is not engaged in Christian formation?). The 2020 conference will be held in Atlanta in January. Watch Connections and e-Connections for details and plan to attend!

In addition to the annual conference and providing on-line resources, FORMA offers mentoring and certificate programs in Youth and Children’s Ministries, Leadership for Christina Formation, and Ministry Training and Mentoring for new formation ministers.

Go to www.forma.church for more information.

The Rev. Canon Lee Anne Reat serves as Canon for Formation for the Diocese of Southern Ohio.

Connect with her at lareat@diosohio.org.

23

CONNECTING

CONNECTING

MARCC: Faith-based advocacy in Cincinnati

24

Every Friday morning, I drive to downtown Cincinnati for an 8:30 a.m. standing meeting of the Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati (MARCC). Bishop Breidenthal asked me to serve as a diocesan representative to the MARCC board when I retired two years ago. Each Friday I squeeze into a small conference room with representatives of 15 other faiths. My regular seat is between the representatives of the Cincinnati Islamic Community Center and the Friends (Quakers). I joke about the weather or comment on editorials in the morning’s paper with the Methodist and Catholic representatives, who always arrive early.

The Diocese of Southern Ohio was one of the founding members of this interfaith coalition in 1968, a time of political turmoil and demands for racial justice. Religious leaders wanted a way for the religious community to speak in one voice to make compassion and reconciliation felt through constructive community action.

From the beginning, MARCC worked on local issues of social justice where it could have the greatest impact. We find that there is almost always a consensus among faith groups on issues of common human needs, such as quality education, immigration, affordable housing, healthcare and community/ police relations. If any one of the 15 faith groups dissents, or votes no, an issue will not be pursued. In the early Friday morning discussions of the board, occasionally a representative will say, “Wait a minute, I’m not sure that is something we can agree with.” It is rare, however, and a reminder for those of us used to talking only with people who agree with our perspectives.

MARCC takes a behind-the-scenes approach to advocacy.

We are the faith-based voice that stayed involved in the

development of a Collaborative Agreement to improve police/ community relations in Cincinnati after civil unrest followed the shooting of Timothy Thomas, an unarmed black man, in 2001. MARCC’s executive director was appointed to the City Manager’s Advisory Group to monitor implementation of the agreement and recently to oversee a Collaborative refresh process. When a University of Cincinnati police officer shot and killed Sam DuBose, another unarmed black man, during a traffic stop in 2015, MARCC was an active voice on a task group appointed by the university to review police procedures.

MARCC’s method of advocacy is different from those of faith-based social justice groups like AMOS in Cincinnati and BREAD in Columbus. Those groups use a community organizing model based on turning out church members and exercising power. MARCC is quieter, working directly with decision makers and building trust and respect so it is involved and heard as decisions are made. I have worked with both types of organizations over the years and understand that both are needed to effect change. Protests and calling out elected officials can catalyze and direct attention to an issue, but decision makers may feel under attack and defensive. After the wake-up call, the quieter faith-based voice of MARCC can be involved in working out complex details and ensuring that effective, sustainable policy change occurs.

The faith response to our current immigration crisis highlights the variety of approaches. Some congregations focus on supporting individual immigrant families. Others have been involved in protests and civil disobedience to shout their outrage at the injustice. A couple years ago, MARCC discussed how we could most effectively respond. In listening to local concerns, we learned that immigrants were being taken to jail

for minor offenses because they could not document their identity. Once in jail, they were picked up by immigration authorities and deported.

In response, MARCC worked with Catholic Charities locally to develop the MARCC ID card.

The social service agency took the lead on issuing the cards based on clear proof of identity, and MARCC took the lead on raising money to purchase equipment to produce the cards and negotiating agreements with local police departments to accept the card as valid ID. To date, about 1,800 people have been issued MARCC ID cards, mostly immigrants, but also people returning from prison or who are homeless and have lost identity documents. Stories are filtering back of arrests avoided because of the card, as well as it being accepted as identification to allow parents entrance to their child’s school, or to get a library card. Card holders now have access to all City of Cincinnati public services.

MARCC coalition members are judicatories, like the diocese, not individual congregations. But individuals and congregations can get involved in a couple ways. MARCC holds monthly delegate meetings, bringing in speakers on local policy issues. Attending these meetings is a good way to learn and take accurate information back to your congregation to support advocacy. Some congregations support the advocacy work of MARCC with a financial contribution through a special collection or a grant fund.

I am proud to represent our diocese on the MARCC board and enjoy (most Fridays) the early morning meetings with other faith representatives. Contact me if you would like additional information or would like to be added to an email list.

Elizabeth Brown is a member of Christ Church Cathedral. Connect with her at eaebrown49@gmail. com.

Bishops reaffirm call for end of death penalty in Ohio Bishop Breidenthal, along with the other five bishops from the dioceses of Southern Ohio and Ohio, sent a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine calling for the abolition of the death penalty in Ohio. The 78th General Convention (2015) and the 143rd Convention of the Diocese of Southern Ohio (2017) passed resolutions to “affirm publicly the Church’s longstanding call to put an end to the death penalty.”

In their letter, the bishops express their grief for the suffering of victims and their families as they stand opposed to the taking of one life in retribution for the loss of another. They also cite the potential for mistakes made in the criminal justice system as well as its history of racism or discrimination against those with mental illness as reasons to suspend the death penalty.

Nine executions are scheduled in Ohio in 2019. A task force addressing this issue will provide congregational resources for prayer and action as execution dates near. For more information contact Jake Cunliffe at jacnliffe@gmail.com or the Rev. Canon Lee Anne Reat at lareat@diosohio.org.

25

CONNECTING

CONNECTING

MARCC: Faith-based advocacy in Cincinnati

24

Every Friday morning, I drive to downtown Cincinnati for an 8:30 a.m. standing meeting of the Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati (MARCC). Bishop Breidenthal asked me to serve as a diocesan representative to the MARCC board when I retired two years ago. Each Friday I squeeze into a small conference room with representatives of 15 other faiths. My regular seat is between the representatives of the Cincinnati Islamic Community Center and the Friends (Quakers). I joke about the weather or comment on editorials in the morning’s paper with the Methodist and Catholic representatives, who always arrive early.

The Diocese of Southern Ohio was one of the founding members of this interfaith coalition in 1968, a time of political turmoil and demands for racial justice. Religious leaders wanted a way for the religious community to speak in one voice to make compassion and reconciliation felt through constructive community action.

From the beginning, MARCC worked on local issues of social justice where it could have the greatest impact. We find that there is almost always a consensus among faith groups on issues of common human needs, such as quality education, immigration, affordable housing, healthcare and community/ police relations. If any one of the 15 faith groups dissents, or votes no, an issue will not be pursued. In the early Friday morning discussions of the board, occasionally a representative will say, “Wait a minute, I’m not sure that is something we can agree with.” It is rare, however, and a reminder for those of us used to talking only with people who agree with our perspectives.

MARCC takes a behind-the-scenes approach to advocacy.

We are the faith-based voice that stayed involved in the

development of a Collaborative Agreement to improve police/ community relations in Cincinnati after civil unrest followed the shooting of Timothy Thomas, an unarmed black man, in 2001. MARCC’s executive director was appointed to the City Manager’s Advisory Group to monitor implementation of the agreement and recently to oversee a Collaborative refresh process. When a University of Cincinnati police officer shot and killed Sam DuBose, another unarmed black man, during a traffic stop in 2015, MARCC was an active voice on a task group appointed by the university to review police procedures.

MARCC’s method of advocacy is different from those of faith-based social justice groups like AMOS in Cincinnati and BREAD in Columbus. Those groups use a community organizing model based on turning out church members and exercising power. MARCC is quieter, working directly with decision makers and building trust and respect so it is involved and heard as decisions are made. I have worked with both types of organizations over the years and understand that both are needed to effect change. Protests and calling out elected officials can catalyze and direct attention to an issue, but decision makers may feel under attack and defensive. After the wake-up call, the quieter faith-based voice of MARCC can be involved in working out complex details and ensuring that effective, sustainable policy change occurs.

The faith response to our current immigration crisis highlights the variety of approaches. Some congregations focus on supporting individual immigrant families. Others have been involved in protests and civil disobedience to shout their outrage at the injustice. A couple years ago, MARCC discussed how we could most effectively respond. In listening to local concerns, we learned that immigrants were being taken to jail

for minor offenses because they could not document their identity. Once in jail, they were picked up by immigration authorities and deported.

In response, MARCC worked with Catholic Charities locally to develop the MARCC ID card.

The social service agency took the lead on issuing the cards based on clear proof of identity, and MARCC took the lead on raising money to purchase equipment to produce the cards and negotiating agreements with local police departments to accept the card as valid ID. To date, about 1,800 people have been issued MARCC ID cards, mostly immigrants, but also people returning from prison or who are homeless and have lost identity documents. Stories are filtering back of arrests avoided because of the card, as well as it being accepted as identification to allow parents entrance to their child’s school, or to get a library card. Card holders now have access to all City of Cincinnati public services.

MARCC coalition members are judicatories, like the diocese, not individual congregations. But individuals and congregations can get involved in a couple ways. MARCC holds monthly delegate meetings, bringing in speakers on local policy issues. Attending these meetings is a good way to learn and take accurate information back to your congregation to support advocacy. Some congregations support the advocacy work of MARCC with a financial contribution through a special collection or a grant fund.

I am proud to represent our diocese on the MARCC board and enjoy (most Fridays) the early morning meetings with other faith representatives. Contact me if you would like additional information or would like to be added to an email list.

Elizabeth Brown is a member of Christ Church Cathedral. Connect with her at eaebrown49@gmail. com.

Bishops reaffirm call for end of death penalty in Ohio Bishop Breidenthal, along with the other five bishops from the dioceses of Southern Ohio and Ohio, sent a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine calling for the abolition of the death penalty in Ohio. The 78th General Convention (2015) and the 143rd Convention of the Diocese of Southern Ohio (2017) passed resolutions to “affirm publicly the Church’s longstanding call to put an end to the death penalty.”

In their letter, the bishops express their grief for the suffering of victims and their families as they stand opposed to the taking of one life in retribution for the loss of another. They also cite the potential for mistakes made in the criminal justice system as well as its history of racism or discrimination against those with mental illness as reasons to suspend the death penalty.

Nine executions are scheduled in Ohio in 2019. A task force addressing this issue will provide congregational resources for prayer and action as execution dates near. For more information contact Jake Cunliffe at jacnliffe@gmail.com or the Rev. Canon Lee Anne Reat at lareat@diosohio.org.

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CONNECTING

All Saints celebrates bicentennial

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All Saints, Portsmouth, will celebrate their 200th anniversary in June, and many plans are being made ready.

A history of the parish, focusing on people and ministries rather than the buildings, is being crafted. On Saturday, June 8, the parish will hold a community picnic at the Kinney 1810 House on Waller Street in Portsmouth. One of the oldest homes in Portsmouth, Mr. Kinney was one of the founders of All Saints. The homestead contains many interesting items related to the church. There will also be tours of Greenlawn Cemetery to view Kinney Circle and to remember many founders of the parish who were laid to rest there.

On Sunday, June 16, worship services will be conducted as they would have been in 1819, using the 1789 Book of Common Prayer. That will be interesting!

Sunday, June 23, is the big day – the exact 200th anniversary of the founding of All Saints Church, June 23, 1819.

After the service, there will be a festive reception or luncheon in the Parish Hall. Bishop Breidenthal will be there to celebrate, as will many invited guests.

At our annual meeting on January 20, we unveiled a new logo to brighten the bicentennial year and the years ahead. Designed by Shawnee State University graphic design student Kaleb Kendall, the image is meant to express visually who we believe we are and long to be as a community of faith.

It graphically depicts the purpose statement emblazoned in our bulletin insert week by week: “The Purpose of All Saints’ Episcopal Church is to be an open, engaged and inclusive community, responding to God in our neighbors and ourselves with hope and service in Christ.”

Some facets of the logo: It has the words, “All Saints’ – serving Christ in Scioto County since 1819.” The font is energetic and contemporary as we live out our faith in our generation.

There is what looks like a “Conversation Bubble” depicting a congregation that values dialogue and learning from the presence of Christ in others. Over that bubble is a dynamic cross that also represents an open intersection. Because of the cross of Christ, All Saints’ identity is in part to be that place at the intersection of 4th and Court Streets – where an untold number of people have found hope: in worship, in service, and through the recovery communities that have had a home there for generations. The color version highlights the valued diversity that All Saints’ strives to embody: profoundly unique souls who value unity in sometimes challenging diversity.

More details about this milestone in the hills of Southeastern Ohio will be forthcoming. Come, celebrate with us!

Submitted by the Rev. Steve Cuff, rector of All Saints, Portsmouth

CONNECTING

Coming up next: Failure “I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 things that won’t work.” ~ Thomas A. Edison Ever failed at anything? What did you do about it? Pack up your toys and go home, or keep on trying? In the church and in life, we try lots of things and many of them fail. But what do we learn from those failures? Let’s talk about them! Share the best lessons you have learned from an epic failure.

The submission deadline for the May issue is April 1 (no fooling!) Submissions should be sent to communication@diosohio.org. Submissions must include a name, phone number and contact email for verification. We reserve the right to edit material submitted for publication. Submissions can be for either one page (approx. 600 words) or for two pages (approx. 1100 words.) Pictures must be high-resolution jpeg files (minimum 300 dpi) sent as separate attachments, not embedded in a document file.

Direct any further questions to editor Julie Murray at jmurray@diosohio.org.

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CONNECTIONS

The official publication of the Diocese of Southern Ohio www.diosohio.org

The Rt. Rev. Thomas E. Breidenthal, Publisher David Dreisbach, Art director Julie Murray, Editor Amy Svihlik, Designer Dave Caudill, Copy editor

Submissions: Connections encourages the submission of articles and pictures. We reserve the right to edit material offered for publication. All submissions must include name, phone and email address for verification.

Send submissions to communication@diosohio.org.

Next deadline: April 1

Connections (USPS 020933) is published bi-monthly by the Diocese of Southern Ohio, 412 Sycamore St., Cincinnati, OH 45202-4179. Periodical postage paid at Cincinnati, OH. This publication is sent to all members of Episcopal congregations in the Diocese of Southern Ohio and is funded by mission share payments to the diocesan operating budget. Other subscriptions are $10 annually.

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POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to Connections, 412 Sycamore St., Cincinnati, OH 45202-4179.

We are a people of connection. We kneel around the same table regardless of color, creed, gender, race or sexual orientation.

Connections is a publication of the Diocese of

Southern Ohio, designed to enhance these connections and help foster new ones – because we are continually looking for ways to widen our circle.

dsoConnections.org