Here in the heart of Advent, your Session gathered last Wednesday evening to engage in some discernment. We'd like to invite you to join us.
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace, there is much violence and anger in the world. We are surrounded by expressions of fear that spawn hatred and bigotry. We are deeply concerned about the inflammatory rhetoric about refugees from around the world, as well as language that demonizes our Muslim brothers and sisters, who are part of the family of Abrahamic faiths.
The Session spent time speaking, listening, and praying together last week. We had a number of ideas about how we might faithfully respond and have further conversation with you all. But one thing was clear and resounding to us: as Christians, to do nothing and say nothing is unacceptable.
We think this discernment must begin in our own hearts. I John 4 tells us that God is love and that, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear." (I John 4:18) There are many things of which we are quite reasonably afraid. Followers of Jesus are called to engage those fears, and to listen even more to the God who comes to earth this season.
We want to personally challenge you to spend some time in relationship with your friends from different cultures or religious backgrounds, listening to how we Christians might be a part of the healing of the world. We don't invite you into this conversation as people who have it all figured out, but rather as disciples of Jesus Christ looking to struggle with other fellow travelers.
Our discernment centered on three areas for action:
- Education: We are beginning to gather a number of resources about Islam for you. We'll be adding to this list over the next few weeks. We are also working to plan a series of conversations, and, likely, a class in the spring on Christianity and Islam.
- Acts of service: We think it is important to work together for the betterment of our communities, especially offering support to our Muslim brothers and sisters. This might involve a collective service project of some sort; it might be sponsoring a refugee family. If you have an idea, we'd love to hear from you.
- Bearing witness: We think saying something matters. As we continue our discernment, we feel called to offer some additional demonstration of unity and solidarity. We might feel compelled to sign on to one of the many statements that are circulating; we might want to write something ourselves. We feel it is important for followers of Christ to speak out against the fear that grips too much of our world.
Scripture calls us to look to the "other," the alien, the widow and the orphan, the stranger and the exiled. The call to welcome the foreigner is, over and over in the Hebrew Scriptures, rooted in the reminder that the people of Israel were once foreigners in the land of Egypt, among other places (Exodus 22:21, Leviticus 19:33, Deuteronomy 10:19, Numbers 20:14-21). Jesus made a habit of engaging with dignity and love those whom society tends to defame and disregard.
We look forward to seeing you on Christmas Eve, when we'll light our candles and hold them high to proclaim our faith in the God who became flesh and dwelt among us in Jesus Christ. As you travel, as you gather around tables with family and friends, take time to pray for all of our neighbors around the world, that all might live in peace. We'll be back in touch again after the first of the year.
In Christ,
Reverends Chris Tuttle, Betty Berghaus, and Taylor Lewis Guthrie Hartman
Elders Rayner England Sr., Sarah Falkovic, Andy Finkle, Amy Simonson, Bill Whitt, Dave Mountain, Barbara Rynerson, Anne Vann, Doug Wellemeyer, Mike Bunch, Holly Cullen, Cindy Soloe, Jeremy Trantham, Sally Keener, clerk
