From St. Paul’s Sacred Ground in Action Ministry:
This Lent, two of St Paul’s Adult Formation book studies – The Nonviolent God by J. Denny Weaver, led by Rev. Carol Worthing; and So That We and Our Children May Live by Sarah Augustine and Sheri Hostetler, led by Simpler Living and Creation Care Community members and friends – offered another way of looking at our common assumptions, shook up our sense of the way we navigate our world, and gave us some Spirit-filled tools to advocate for “the change we wish to see in the world.”
When we share wonderful resources such as these AND THEN commit to taking action together, we can begin to build the Beloved Community, an alternative to the discord and disharmony in today’s world.
Here are a few thoughts from these books:
- The Nonviolent God by J. Denny Weaver:
- As people of the Resurrection, we are called “to confront suffering that manifests itself in many ways [racism, tax policies that favor the wealthy and oppress the poor, national political policies that lead to war…, environmental policies that desecrate God’s good creation] in our society.”
- “To be ‘in Christ’ is to live with the faith to struggle against suffering and injustice.”
- How will ’the agents of love’ go out in new ways, to accomplish new creative takes, to celebrate and extend the glory of [God’s] love?
- So That We and Our Children May Live by Sarah Augustine and Sheri Hostetler:
- “Collaboration, acknowledgment of mutual dependance, and humility…can [help us to] engage in conciliation with Indigenous siblings that leads us to a place of mutual acknowledgment and respect, to each other and to the Earth.”
- “My job on this earth is not to be successful, it is to be faithful.”
May we listen to wisdom, be prepared for new thought, and work together for Holy change!
