Friday, September 25, 2020

Beauty in the midst of Challenge

 Beauty in a tree just outside our deck. Remembrance of a creating and recreating God in the midst of climate change crisis, justice inequality, a continuing pandemic, threats to our democracy and peaceful transfer of power. Courage, my friends for such a time as this!


Saturday, September 19, 2020

Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Commitment to Equal Justice

 I watched as first a handful and then hundreds gathered at the U.S. Supreme Court building to honor Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Her loss is devastating. She worked her entire life to overcome sexism and to work for equality and justice for all. Her death, Sept. 18, coincided with the anniversary of my ordination to pastoral ministry at Yale 43 years ago, which brought back so many memories of discrimination and the need to persist.

Experiencing exclusion as a student, Ruth worked diligently and persisted to become a brilliant lawyer and the first woman tenured law professor at Columbia University. Ruth argued cases before the Supreme Court against discrimination, opening doors for women, and therefore also freedom for men. Her husband supported her, as has mine.

Ruth’s work as a judge and then a Supreme Court Justice will live on. Her commitment to the Court and the Constitution and her diligence in the face of her own illnesses is an inspiration. We must honor her life and her death-bed wishes. I give thanks for her, in more ways than I can say.

Friday, September 4, 2020

ELCA Church In Kenosha in Public Ministry

Grace Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Kenosha, WI, held an outdoor gathering and prayer service for community people of all races and religions on Wednesday "to address the fear, power, and powerlessness, confusion, anger, and the need for healing." ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod Bishop Paul Erikson addressed the people in attendance (all wearing masks). Grace Lutheran also was the setting for Joe Bidden, to listen to a broad range of Kenosha leaders on Sept. 3. https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/in-photos-elca-community-gathering-in-kenosha/collection_050acd93-d4c2-561f-8d17-6e5d510c6642.html#2