06-01-23

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 1, 2023
Good morning to June 1, 2023. A new month with new opportunities. It is Pride Month for all those in the LGBTQ community and their allies. It is also the month for Alzheimer’s Awareness, Gun Violence, PSTD, and Immigrant Heritage. Now, all these groups and the concerns they raise should not be confined to a single month, but there is something about focusing attention and doing special education during a certain period of time. We do it within the Christian faith. We celebrate the birth of the Christ Child throughout the month of December (unless you are a retail store, in which case you begin a little before Halloween). Everything the Christ Child represents cannot be contained within the month of December, yet it is important to set aside a specific time of the year to learn, celebrate, and reconnect to the core message.

Howard Thurman wrote a poem entitled: The Work of Christmas…

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.

During June, we will learn a bit more about these groups seeking to grow community awareness. We celebrate where it is appropriate to celebrate, and we will feel more compassion where it is needed. But on July 1, the real work will need to begin again as we seek justice, healing, and transformation for those most impacted.

​For all the special needs and concerns within our community and world, we seek awareness and knowledge. O God, you hear the cries of the oppressed, those who are hurting and afraid, and the victims of violence. You feel the pain of your beloved, and you call upon the faithful to be your hands and feet. Make us aware, and then call us once again to the good work of Christ’s love. Amen.