I confess, my heart is heavy.
This has been an intense season of loss, both in our
conference and in our country, with the passing of our spiritual and moral
giants. Three civil rights leaders—Rev. Gil Caldwell, John Lewis, and Ruth
Bader Ginsburg—have fallen. These elders poured out their lives in pursuit of justice,
right relationship, and equality. And they didn’t stop as they aged or became
infirmed. They kept writing and witnessing for a better world.
Their work inspired us, taught us, and motivated us to keep
on keeping on. Their life stories showed us that the only thing that makes
something impossible is the lack of imagination and will. They showed us how
faith is an undergirding force that can carry us through opposition, injustice,
and oppression and help us achieve a God-preferred future for humankind.
It is easy, in the midst of grieving such loss, to fall into
a hopeless despair—there is a void where once stood inspired leaders. But our
faith teaches us that death is not an ending. God is more powerful than death
and will break it open so that new life can emerge.
We are the heirs to the wisdom, courage, and commitment of
these beloved ones. We are the ones who have been give the baton they once carried.
We now possess so many possibilities: will we simply cry our tears and shirk
from the responsibilities they have handed to us? Or will we, while eyes still
moist, rise up to continue the work they left unfinished? Can we allow
ourselves to let the Spirit empower us to carry on the creation of God’s Beloved
Community?
And if not us…if not you and me…then who?
Be well. Stay safe. Wear a mask.
With love,
Bishop Karen
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