Reflections from our Co-Pastors
June 29, 2020
Fr. Teri Harroun’s daily meditation from yesterday, Sunday, caught me right in the chest. My heart was deeply affected. It took a while to sink in and then my tears came. I cried for my sisters and brothers who are alive now on this planet. Our G-d is Compassion and cries with them.
Home
, by Warsan Shire (British-Somali poet)
no one leaves home
unless home
is the mouth of a shark.
you only run for the border
when you see the whole city
running as well.
your neighbours running faster than you,
the boy you went to school with
who kissed you dizzy
behind the old tin factory
is holding a gun bigger than his body,
you only leave home
when home won't let you stay.
no one would leave home
unless home chased you,
fire under feet,
hot blood in your belly.
it's not something you ever thought about doing,
and so when you did -
you carried the anthem under your breath,
waiting until the airport toilet
to tear up the passport and swallow,
each mouthful of paper
making it clear that you would not be going back.
you have to understand,
no one puts their children in a boat
unless the water is safer than the land.
who would choose to spend days and nights
in the stomach of a truck
unless the miles travelled
meant something more than journey.
no one would choose to crawl under fences,
be beaten until your shadow leaves you,
raped,
then drowned,
forced to the bottom of the boat because you are darker,
be sold,
starved,
shot at the border like a sick animal,
be pitied,
lose your name,
lose your family,
make a refugee camp a home for a year or two or ten,
stripped and searched,
find prison everywhere
and if you survive
and you are greeted on the other side with go home blacks,
refugees dirty immigrants,
asylum seekers sucking our country dry of milk,
dark,
with their hands out smell strange,
savage - look what they've done to their own countries,
what will they do to ours?
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the dirty looks in the street softer than a limb torn off,
the indignity of everyday life
more tender than fourteen men who look like your father,
between your legs,
insults easier to swallow than rubble,
than your child's body in pieces -
for now, forget about pride your survival is more important.
i want to go home,
but home is the mouth of a shark home
is the barrel of the gun
and no one would leave home
unless home chased you to the shore
unless home tells you to leave
what you could not behind,
even if it was human.
no one leaves home until
home is a damp voice in your ear saying leave,
run now,
i don't know what i've become.
Permission for use of poem
granted by Fr. Teri.
It used to be, so I thought, that immigrants and refugees were seeking a better life. Now, it is more urgent; they need to just survive. If they stay where ‘home’ is, they are unequivocally, surely and simply dead.
So here I am, professing that I truly believe that we are all connected through a never-ending G-d creation and my heart breaks for them and for me. If I allow myself to touch, in some small way, their pain as I perceive it, my cry to G-d deepens.
Still, I sense that I am diminished by such an egregious offense against a wonderous creation and against the Creator! How complicit am I in their pain? Where is my complicity in their suffering that extends beyond them?
The last line of Sunday’s Gospel, Matt 10:37, “The truth is, whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of these lowly ones just for being a disciple will not lack reward” points to Matthew where the Son of Man says to the righteous, "I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink" (25:35), and "truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me" (25:40).
Our para-liturgy yesterday spoke to equality, justice and mercy. Let’s move forward, embracing the day as Bearers of the Light as we pray to Sophia for guidance:
God of Compassion, your Wisdom, Sophia, resides within us. We acknowledge her life throughout us. You are the core of our being. Help us remain close to you. Help us live as you have called us, as your disciples, working toward the equality, justice, and mercy that you seek.
We ask this through the Universal One, Amen.
In Christ's love - your Co-Pastors
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Warsan Shire FRSL is a British writer, poet, editor and teacher, who was born to Somali parents in Kenya. In 2013 she was awarded the inaugural Brunel University African Poetry Prize, chosen from a shortlist of six candidates out of a total 655 entries.
Wikipedia
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A Short Video from the Ordination of Jane Reina
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Join in to celebrate the ordination of Jane Reina. A video (1 1/2 min) was shown before our service yesterday.
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Soul Care - Join Us this Wednesday
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Soul Care, Wednesday at 10:00am
Join in conversation, prayer and connection in this weekly video chat with Reverend Jane
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Zoom Phone Link
+1 253 215 8782 / Meeting ID:
930 8604 8248
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Come join us for our second Town Hall in an intentional conversation about whiteness, white supremacy, and white privilege.
We truly believe we are better together. With a posture of humility, a growth mindset, and a dedication to the work of unity and equality in Northern Colorado, we look forward to seeing you at the this second session of our Town Hall series.
Thursday, July 2, 9:00 am
Meeting ID: 838 7196 5059
Password: 558304
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Ordination Service Recordings
The ordination service for Jane Reina in its entirety is available now for
viewing. You can also view the
homily from Bishop Frances, and the
highlights of the ordination.
(Special thanks to Tom Moos for his video editing skills!!)
Other Recordings
Sunday June 28th service
recording will be available tomorrow, Tuesday, June 30 along with the text and video of the homily.
Here is
printed version of the service.
For all bulletins, reflections, Sunday recordings during our hiatus from celebrating together, visit our
webpage
and other videos are located
here.
Please contact us with questions, concerns and ideas for
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Community Prayer Requests
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Please pray for -
The continued recovery of Linda Joyce from a recent accident. The Kent family whose Mother Teri (community member) and Father recently passed.
Kris, wife of Scott Jenkins (retired regional ECC priest). Dona Bosse - community member. Joanne Gallagher, community member who has
as
ked that prayers on her behalf be prayed to Mary, our Mother, as she recovers from surgery.
Julie Schoenbauer and family for the passing of her father and for the family of Edwin White, brother-in-law of Deacon Jane.
For the peaceful repose of the souls of Bill, Greg, and Calvin - friends of Deacon Rosean. For the continued recovery of Father Don Sutton - ECC Priest
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For Rosemary - Fr Michael's mother. For Dani - Niece of the Cloyds. Mary Crosby – parishioner. For Chris Bachman, friend of Lisa Jones and Ruth Parker, sister of Dori Carroll. For Lynne Barnes and family.
John Nystrom and family. The Dunn Family. Leo Six – father of Michael Six, Mike Gudim, Margie Weitz, Suzanne King, Robert Browell.
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Call is automatically forwarded to a real person!
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