Trinity plus One

Trinity Sunday 2008, a call to begin a "Sacred Conversation on Race", some did, some didn't, some plan to begin sometime soon. But what difference did it make?

I heard from one clergy friend from New Jersey that his church (Christ Congregation, Princeton) held a "Conversation" last Sunday. Jeff wrote, "The sacred conversation went well last Sunday. We used some of the UCC resources for the call to worship and unison prayer. We had three speakers -- each spoke from a particular perspective (Black, Native American and WASP). We continued discussion in our adult education hour that followed coffee hour."

Plymouth Church, Syracuse conducted a Sunday morning Conversation during worship and afterward during their weekly adult forum time. In addition pastor Craig Schaub coordinated a community ecumenical dialogue on Monday night at the church. We had a panel discussion with Suzette Melendez, a Latina lawyer from the Syracuse University Law Clinic and a member of Plymouth; two African American pastors from other denominations, Collette Matthews and Kevin Agee; Beth Broadway, the director of the Community Wide Dialogue to End Racism program (white female) and UCCNY Conference Minister Geoffrey Black and I as co-facilitators. We also had small group discussions.

Such attempts at dialogue are important. It became clear to me that even if we have such a discussion in our own churches, there is also a need to have them between churches. A potential outcome that I personally hope to pursue is to encourage church to church dialogues that engage congregations from different ethnic and racial cultures and theologies. We'll see.

I am also aware that the "isms" that confront us and continually threaten to undo us transcend racism. If this current Presidential campaign didn't foster a debate on race, there would be one (and should be!) on gender. And, we could go on to talk about our feelings regarding Muslims, the poor, etc., etc.

So, what difference did a Sacred Conversation make? Maybe none. Maybe quite alot. It all depends on what we give to it and what we will take from it. Conversation -- respectful and honest -- is important. We don't do enough of it. We go to worship, spend some time at the coffee hour munching our goodies and passing time. But little by the way of meaningful conversation usually happens. We don't come to know each other. We don't talk about how our faith might address our anxieties and fears over high gas prices, war around the world, natural disasters, college tuitions, mortgages, kids, parents. Conversation is important.

Some News from the UCC

The IRS has vindicated the UCC in its investigation of potential violations to the tax code regarding non-profit organizations! Here is the link to the article from the UCC website: http://www.ucc.org/news/concluding-its-ucc-inquiry-irs-offers-complete-vindication.html.

News of the natural disasaters in Myanmar and the Peoples Republic of China are heartbreaking. Hundreds of thousands of people are either known dead or missing (and presumed dead). The Common Global Ministries website shared the lyrics and recording of a song written in the aftermath of the earthquake in China. Here is the link to the article, song lyrics and recording by actor Jackie Chan: http://www.globalministries.org/news/eap/song-after-the-earthquake-in.html.

A Personal Note of Thanksgiving on Memorial Day Weekend

This is the first year that I've experienced without my parents to call or visit on Memorial Day. My parents always delivered flowers to the graves of family members, especially my mother's parents and sister (and her family) in Plymouth, Massachusetts on this weekend. My wife, Susan, asked if I had thought about going to visit my parents' graves in Springfield. I admit that I had thought about it, though knew I couldn't.

As it happens, Providence (I do believe) would have it that I received a very important gift from my parents on Friday. No, it wasn't money or furniture or a photograph. I received a letter from a lawyer for the United Church Foundation saying that since my parents had both died, the money that they had invested for mission in the Foundation could now be distributed, and that it was my job to name the beneficiaries. So, I get to give money away.

It's the best memory of them (and it fills me with great pride): their great concern for missions, foreign and domestic. This passion is one of their greatest legacies to both my sister and me. So, where will I give the money, you may be asking? Well, after visiting a school for blind children in Ahmednagar, India in 1979, they carried on an extended relationship with Arvind and Sudhaseni Kasote, the directors of the school. So, the Comprehensive Rural Development Project will receive a large portion of the money that goes to foreign missions. Mom and Dad were also very involved with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Springfield.

So, I guess, the message of this posting is to remember to talk with and listen (!) to each other; and act upon the love and passion of God for the people whom God loves. This will be enough for us to do, I think,on this Trinity Sunday plus one (actually Pentecost 2!).

Blessings,

Rick Cowles