Towards Full Partnership: The Election of Elizabeth Eaton as Presiding Bishop of the ELCA

After the first round of synodical elections after the formation of the “New” Lutheran church in January of 1988, there were no women Lutheran bishops. I was one of three speakers at the first Conference of Bishops and told those 65 men having only male bishops was dangerous. Slowly, oh, so slowly things have changed. And yesterday, we moved one more step toward the full partnership of women and men in our church body at the biennial churchwide assembly. We saw standing together current Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson and Presiding Bishop Elect Elizabeth Eaton after her election and we heard in their statements immediately following collegiality beyond competition. And we saw mutual affection and respect when Bishop Hanson introduced Bishop Eaton at her news conference later that day.

Wartburg is represented at the churchwide assembly by President Stan Olson, faculty member Prof. Sam Giere and by a significant number of students who are voting members as well as by alumni and friends.  President Olson immediately informed the Wartburg community electronically of the election: “Pr. Elizabeth Eaton, Bishop of the Northeastern Ohio Synod, is the Presiding Bishop Elect for the ELCA. Let us give thanks for her servant leadership to come and give thanks for the servant leadership of Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson.”

Elected on the fifth ballot, Eaton received 600 votes, Hanson 287; 445 votes were needed of the 889 cast. Dr. Giere commented: “The final ballot went decidedly in her favor (approx. 2/3) It hasn't gone unobserved among us at the seminary representatives' table that the theme ‘Always Being Made New’ is being blown into reality by the Spirit.  In her acceptance she acknowledged the witness and work of those women who came before her including in particular April Ulring Larson as the first female bishop in the ELCA. . . . It is important to note the image of the assembly's work since the preparation for the third ballot when candidates began to address the gathering: three women and one man.  Not to suggest that all things are equal in this church, but there is a profound symbolism in the final four candidates for presiding bishop standing together with the names Ann, Mark, Jessica, and Elizabeth.  Last (for now) but not least, ELCA vice-president, Carlos Peña, announced the election of our new presiding bishop.”

Presiding Bishop Elect Elizabeth A. Eaton said, “We are a church that is overwhelmingly European in a culture that is increasingly pluralistic. We need to welcome the gifts of those who come from different places, that is a conversation we need to have as a church.”

Prior to becoming a bishop. Eaton served as pastor in Ohio. She has a M.Div. degree from Harvard Divinity School.

Representational principles adopted at the time the ELCA began in 1988, 25 years ago, assured equal representation of women and men on boards and commissions and at synodical and churchwide assemblies, changing the nature of such gatherings tremendously.

Things had already changed at Wartburg Seminary and by 1990 Professor Elizabeth Leeper was installed as Assistant Professor of Church History, bringing the number of women professors at Wartburg to four (the other three being Norma Cook Everist, Anne Marie Neuchterlein, and Patti Jung), plus two more serving as instructors in biblical language (May Persaud and Cindy Smith).

Changes in the path toward male and female partnership in regard to bishops as recorded in our Wartburg Seminary Persistent Voice networking newsletter:

Spring 1992 The Persistent Voice (PV): “Marie Jesper, 47-year-old minister in Hamburg, Germany has become the first woman ever elected a Lutheran bishop. When she was consecrated as spiritual leader of the 950,000 Lutherans who make up 60% of the population of Hamburg and more than 90% of the Protestants, she said, “I read and interpret the Bible with my experience as a woman. I want to be a sister among sisters and brothers.”

Summer 1992 PV: “Bishop-Elect April Ulring Larson will be installed October 11 in LaCrosse, WI, as bishop of the LaCrosse Area Synod of the ELCA. Rev. Larson, a 1977 graduate of Wartburg Seminary, was elected June 12 on the fifth ballot, the first woman elected bishop in the ELCA.” PV: “She will bring to the office a quiet wisdom, compassion and ability to listen. She has a strong commitment to justice and good skills in helping congregations resolve conflict.”

Summer 1995 PV: “The Rev. Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl will be installed as bishop of the South Dakota Synod of the ELCA Sept. 24 on the campus of Augustana College. She was elected June 2 on the third ballot. In a phone interview she said, ‘God has worked such a miracle in my heart and life by this experience.’” Although she had been a candidate in Western North Dakota before, this was the first time South Dakota had a woman as a candidate. She is a 1977 graduate of Wartburg Seminary.

One might have thought the rate of change would then increase; however according to The Lutheran (August 2013) from 1988-2012, the total number of female bishops among all the 65 synods over the 25 years had been only 12.

Spring, 2008 PV covered the story of the election of Rev. Susan Johnson as the new National Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), September 29, 2007, in Winnipeg. Because two of the five synodical bishops at that time were women, that brought the total to ½ male and ½ female. Bishop Johnson said in an interview with PV, “I think we take a fair amount of pride in that accomplishment.  Does it mean we have conquered all gender issues? No, but it’s a visible witness to people that we are committed to full equality in the church.”

(One thing National Bishop Johnson and Bishop Eaton have in common, besides their gender? Susan was a high school music teacher before she entered seminary and Elizabeth’s undergraduate degree is in music education.)

At the press conference, following the churchwide election August 14 Bishop Hanson introduced Bishop Eaton as “My Colleague,” and Bishop Eaton said that all of Bishop Hanson’s work toward making the ELCA a more inclusive church had led to this moment of her election. She gave thanks for his leadership over the past 12 tumultuous years in the ELCA, referring in part to the 2009 churchwide decision on sexuality, noting also that no bishop resigned after that decision.

Bishop Eaton emphasized that the ELCA is a place where people hear the Gospel, “upon which we can all agree,” which has made this an inclusive church.

Ann Rogers of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette asked, “During your remarks you stated the importance of including the voices of those who had difficulty with 2009 decisions. How do you propose going about this?” Bp. Eaton: “This is one of the geniuses of the Lutheran movement—we thrive on paradox. As long as we agree on the cross of Christ, we can live together. If people believe they are being heard and there is a place for them, we will be OK.”

She was questioned by another reporter about the relationship going forward with the two break-away new Lutheran church groups. (NALC and LCMC) Bishop Eaton responded, “In baptism we are brothers and sisters in Christ,” but added that much work will need to be done before we can have a dialog because there has been much pain. “We will do what we can through God’s grace.”

With wisdom and wit, Bishop Eaton gave brief, clear answers to the questions of reporters both in the room in Pittsburgh and connected on the web. A reporter from the Chicago Tribune, who had covered the papal election, posed a question relating Eaton’s election to the election of the new pope in Rome, asking if she had a “room of tears” as the new pope had. Eaton said with a slight smile on her face, “Oh, this was just like that.”  She went on, “We have nothing like that, no frescoes. I did weep at worship this morning.” The reporter had asked about her family. Bishop Eaton noted the presence of her husband, the Rev. Conrad Selnick, an Episcopalian priest, and spoke of their two daughters, now in their 20’s.

Asked what she thought the ELCA would look like in 5 or 6 years, she answered, “God only knows,” adding that we need to make space for those coming in while continuing to honor our heritage. She ended the press conference eloquently speaking about the need for the distinctive voice of the ELCA and Lutheranism in the current American religious landscape, not to be subsumed under Christian Protestantism or deism or the religion of popular culture, but a faith of the cross and resurrection in which true joy and freedom can be found.

One Teacher, One Book, One Pen, Can Change the World

The Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot by the Taliban for attending classes, July 12 addressed hundreds of young people at the United Nations, urging them and world leaders to work towards free education for all girls and boys in every nation in the world.  She spoke in the name of the world’s religions calling for peace, education, and equality.

“Let us pick up our books and our pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One teacher, one book, one pen, can change the world,” Ms. Yousafzai said, in an impassioned address.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had named July 12 – Ms. Yousafzai’s 16th birthday – ‘Malala Day’ in honor of her heroic stand to ensure education for all. The meeting, which featured nearly 1,000 youth leaders, was addressed by former United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in his capacity as UN Special Envoy for Global Education.

 One teacher, one book, one pen, can change the world.

Malala, who was shot in the forehead and face, told the gathering that the Taliban’s attack on her nine months ago changed nothing in her life, except that “weakness, fear and hopelessness died.”

“The extremists were, and they are, afraid of books and pens,” she said. “The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women.” She urged worldwide action against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism.

This call to action was delivered just as the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization (UNESCO) Education for All Global Monitoring Report, launched a new policy paper spotlighting that globally, the number of children not allowed or able to attend school has fallen from 60 million in 2008 to 57 million in 2011. However, 28 million children out of school live in the world’s conflict zones, and more than half of those are women and girls.

Watch the video of her inspiring speech at this U.N. website:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=45395&Cr=education&Cr1=#.UeGuF74o6M8

The Assault of Rampant Anti-Abortion Legislation and the ELCA Social Statement

The North Carolina state Senate voted on the Eve of July 4th on a measure that would add more restrictions on abortions. The anti-abortion measures were tacked onto a Sharia law ban even though there is no Sharia Law in the United States. Fear upon fear for the Fourth of July.

“They’re doing it quietly on 4th of July weekend because they’ve seen what’s going on in Texas and know that women will turn out,” Melissa Reed, VP of Public Policy for Planned Parenthood Health Systems said.

The bill requires abortion clinics to meet standards for licensure of ambulatory surgical centers. The bill would also require doctors to be present when women take the oral drug RU486 that can terminate a pregnancy preventing the attachment of a fertilized ovum to the uterine wall.

In Ohio Gov. John Kasich flanked by six men, signed stringent abortion restrictions into law as part of the state's new budget Sunday night. There were no women involved in the final part of the budget process.

The new abortion provisions will make it harder for family planning groups like Planned Parenthood to receive federal funding. The bill requires doctors to perform ultrasounds whether medically needed or not.

One provision prevents abortion clinics from having written transfer agreements with public hospitals. Ohio requires surgical abortion providers to have such transfer agreements so that the clinic can easily transport a patient to the closest hospital if needed. By preventing clinics from having those agreements, the bill would effectively force many to close.  

Ohio's new abortion restrictions came just days after state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Texas, successfully filibustered proposed anti-abortion regulations in her state. But those regulations were back on the table this week as Texas began a special legislative session, and Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas, has vowed that this time, "it will become law." He is determined to win! Five other states, Alabama, Indiana, Mississippi, Kansas and South Dakota, have quietly passed GOP-sponsored abortion legislation that takes effect this week.

So what does the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Social Statement on Abortion say? (It was adopted by more than a two-thirds majority vote at the second biennial Churchwide Assembly in 1991.)

“Because of our conviction that both the life of the woman and the life in her womb must be respected by law, this church opposes:

• the total lack of regulation of abortion;
• legislation that would outlaw abortion in all circumstances;
• laws that prevent access to information about all options available to women faced with unintended pregnancies;
• laws that deny access to safe and affordable services for morally justifiable abortions;
• mandatory or coerced abortion or sterilization;
• laws that prevent couples from practicing contraception;
• laws that are primarily intended to harass those contemplating or deciding for an abortion.”

This relentless battle advancing like wild fire in legislatures across the states is fueled by fear. One man said, “Abortion is a stain on the fabric of our nation. Our country can be healed. … In God’s timing, it will happen if we remain faithful.” This relentless “battle” seems to have less and less to do with children, or even with birth. The entanglement of faith and freedom and fear on this Fourth of July rings with emotion.  But what is the fear? And where is the concern for hungry children? And gun violence? And a nation that imprisons more of its people than any other? The ELCA’s  Social Statement does not see abortion as the highest or only sin on which we should focus: “Sin is evident in the many ways human lives are not given equal respect or treated with high value, but are subject to abuse, violence, and neglect by individuals, groups, and entire societies.”

No woman seeks to have an abortion because it’s a great experience. ELCA Social Statement: “Abortion ought to be an option only of last resort. Therefore, as a church we seek to reduce the need to turn to abortion as the answer to unintended pregnancies. Abortion ought to be an option only of last resort. Therefore, as a church we seek to reduce the need to turn to abortion as the answer to unintended pregnancies.”

The ELCA Statement also says, “The concern for both the life of the woman and the developing life in her womb expresses a common commitment to life. This requires that we move beyond the usual "pro-life" versus "pro-choice" language in discussing abortion.”

And, “We are moved particularly by the anguish of women who face unwanted pregnancies alone. The panic and isolation of such pregnancies, even in the best of circumstances, can be traumatic. Poverty, lack of supportive relationships, immaturity, oppressive social realities, sexism, and racism can intensify her sense of powerlessness.”

This ELCA Social Statement, adopted over 20 years ago is as valid today as then, and valuable, needed, in the public conversation, particularly given the assault of anti-abortion legislation sweeping across the nation from state to state. What is the fear? Why is Governor Perry determined to “win”? Do the primarily white male legislators fear losing control? Losing political contributions? Do men fear losing out to women who really do need freedom for health care of their own bodies?

 The radical nature of forced vaginal ultrasounds becomes a weapon to “win a war.” But what war? And who is the enemy? I am a woman of faith who cherishes birth and children and this nation. And I am afraid of the fear that would violate and victimize women and children.

There have been a few legislative initiatives to require equal restrictions upon men’s bodies and sexual freedoms, but most have been received in jest. Seriously, conception needs both sperm and egg.  What if across this nation, state by state, we worked together for responsible, loving, caring conception?  Instead, deeply rooted fear has manifest itself in erroneous information that a woman’s body somehow “takes care of the situation” in the case of rape. Legislation rules to punish the incest and rape victim with little mention of legislation to punish those who rape or perpetrate incest.  Men who have sex outside of monogamous marriage are also a danger. Where are the advertisements with that warning alongside those that boost testosterone?

The ELCA Social Statement on Abortion: “A woman should not be morally obligated to carry the resulting pregnancy to term if the pregnancy occurs when both parties do not participate willingly in sexual intercourse. This is especially true in cases of rape and incest. This can also be the case in some situations in which women are so dominated and oppressed that they have no choice regarding sexual intercourse and little access to contraceptives. Some conceptions occur under dehumanizing conditions that are contrary to God's purposes.”

What would it mean to promote sex education for young men and women that is accurate and positive and includes the faith foundations of all, not just some people on the religious right?

The ELCA Social Statement on Abortion: “Marriage is the appropriate context for sexual intercourse. This continues to be the position of this church. We affirm that the goodness of sexual intercourse goes beyond its procreative purpose. Whenever sexual intercourse occurs apart from the intent to conceive, the use of contraceptives is the responsibility of the man and of the woman”.

And: “Our congregations and church schools ought to provide sex education in the context of the Christian faith. Such education, beginning in the elementary years, needs to emphasize values such as responsibility, mutuality, and abstinence from sexual intercourse outside of marriage. Parents should also be prepared to teach sexual responsibility to their children in the home. It is especially important that young men and young women be taught to exercise their sexuality responsibly.

And: “Because this church recognizes parenthood as a vocation that women and men share, we should encourage and educate males, from an early age, to assume more responsibility for raising children. Congregations should provide parenting classes and support groups for fathers and for mothers.”


And, “Greater social responsibility for the care, welfare, and education of children and families is needed through such measures as access to quality, affordable health care, child care, and housing. Sufficient income support for family’s needs to be provided by employers, or, in the case of the unemployed, through government assistance. As a society we need to provide increased support for education, nutrition, and services that protect children from abuse and neglect.”

And, “Because parenthood is a vocation that women and men share, this church supports public and private initiatives to provide adequate maternity and paternity leaves, greater flexibility in the work place, and efforts to correct the disparity between the incomes of men and women.”

The Supreme Court Rulings handed down last week were diverse in content and outcome; however one could find a connecting theme of freedom and fear in them as well. Striking down the heart of the Voting Rights Bill of the Civil Rights Movement has huge implications.  Voter Suppression is on the rise. Why fear the freedom of all to vote?

Concerning Marriage Equality, there was the fear that marriage of LGBT people would diminish marriages of heterosexual people.  Heterosexual people do not need to be afraid of Gay and Lesbian people.

So what is the fear on this Fourth of July? Fear that if all people, of every color, ethnicity and creed vote, Caucasians will have less power? Fear that if women have access to health care and choice and become full partners with men, men will somehow have less control, less power?

Freedom for some needs to mean freedom for all. Of that we need not be afraid. Planned Parenthood, planned partnership. Freedom from fear.

The Seasons Change: Control and Climate Change

The summer solstice arrives and it is very green here in Dubuque.  The seasons change; we cannot control the rotation of the earth or its revolution around the sun.  Climate changes; we have been agents of that change, often thereby controlling other people’s lives.

I love the long days.  My friends in Namibia and Australia have the darkest days of the year now.

I love the green where I live, but why is it so green here and not elsewhere and at whose expense is my enjoyment and prosperity? Am I simply “more blessed” because I live where land is fertile and water is plenty, at least most years?  Oh, we live with danger here in the Upper Midwestern United States, too. We had a drought last year. And a week ago Wednesday evening we went to our “safe place” twice at the sound of the tornado warning sirens. But my question this beautiful green, long summer day is, “What do I think and believe about who changes the seasons and about our responsibility in regard to the control of change we do have?” And how does that compel me to act?

Mother Nature: I don’t know who this “Mother Nature” is today. Historically and pre-historically images of mother and goddess focused on the life-giving aspects of nature. Today the concept is more elusive and “she” is more often blamed than respected.

“Luck”:  Likewise I don’t know who “Luck” is, but an awful lot of people believe in it.  For some, it is their only guide and compass.  But a chancy guide at best.  Belief in Luck may help some people give reason to the unfathomable, but it fails to lead to responsible action of planning and prevention in regard to the needs of the earth.

A God of Personal Protection:  “The Lord protected me.”  And not my neighbor?  Immediate feelings of relief are understandable and gratitude toward one’s God wonderful, but concern for the welfare of the neighbor is also at the heart Christianity and the other major world religions as well.  When one rests one’s belief on a God who “protects (only) me,” survivor guilt can set in. What do we do with the reality that one is taken and another spared? And when one’s family or house was not protected? Does one  blame or turn away from God?  And what about the need for the protection of the earth itself and the role we play in that? Religious leaders and faith communities are called to help their members dig deeper into the profound meanings of having a Protector God.

Studies of religions, anthropology and history reveal many stories of the origin of the earth and humankind. These stories shape one’s own and a whole people’s view of how one’s cares for, cherishes and honors the earth, or dominates, disregards and abuses it. For those of us whose creation story rests in Genesis, the interpretation of Scripture is crucial, (and not just how long a “day” was). 

Creation for Domination: Some Christians interpret Scripture believing that human beings were created as special among all the creatures of the earth, with a calling to dominate the earth.  This interpretation can lead to a presumptive attitude that it is, “our God-given right” to do what serves human beings, even to use up the earth because heaven awaits as a “better place.”

Creation for Stewardship:  The interpretation I and the church body to which I belong holds, places the emphases on being stewards of the earth. We are called to care for creation, preserving the earth for all its creatures, vegetation, land and waters, not just for human beings, including not only for this generation but for all generations to come.

American Exceptionalism: This, too, is a belief system, a powerful one, that contends the United States is the “greatest nation on earth,” and also “exceptional,” with special rights and privileges.  This thinking, explicitly or implicitly, states that this country can expect others to conserve resources while at the same time using way more than our share.

Regional exceptionalism:  “I have a right to my good life where I live, but you do not.” This results in a blame-the-victim scenario.  After a large flood, sympathy pours out for a few days, followed shortly by, “They should change where they live: not so close to a river.” When tornados struck Oklahoma City twice in two weeks, dramatic pictures or heroic rescue awed America the first time, but the second time one could hear words of chastisement.   Fill in the blanks for those who live on a sea-shore or in a forested area.

The truth is everyone lives in some danger of some natural disaster at some time.  Climate change has raised the danger for us all, and for some, who have few choices, the increase in danger is much greater. Blaming another or expecting the other to change so I won’t have to, or won’t have to feel bad, avoids collective responsibility.  We are not in complete control but we are agents of change.  It is important for each of us to examine our goals and our gods to see how they shape us and compel or impede our mutual accountability and care for our common earth.

The seasons turn for us all.  

Common Service: A Queen, a Nun, and all of Us

"I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great Imperial family. God help me to keep my vow," said Queen Elizabeth II on her first official state visit so many years ago. This week, 2000 people filled Westminster Abbey in London to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of her coronation June 2, 1953.

A week ago, in East Dubuque, Illinois, population a little less than 2000, Sr. Mary Owen Haggerty was remembered for her years of faithful service. Born in 1927, just a year after Queen Elizabeth, the Sister also served for some sixty years, as part of the Dominican Order of Sinsinawa, WI, within sight of East Dubuque. Hundreds gathered to share memories the night before her funeral, not just nuns, but nieces and nephews and all sorts of people from the Tri-States of Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin and as far away as Colorado and Connecticut.

Queen Elizabeth served the Commonwealth.  Sister Mary Owen served the common health. The Queen has served faithfully, consistently, responsibly, day after day, year after year, with modest warmth and wisdom.  So did the Sister. And the world changed around them both.

Sister Mary Owen took her vows before Vatican II. Her church, her religious order, its form of governance, her garb all changed. But her arenas of service only grew. About 25 years ago, in her early 60’s, while attending a Rural Ministry Conference here at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Sr. Mary Owen approached Pastor Burton Everist of Grace Lutheran Church in East Dubuque and asked him if she could be his parish health nurse.  She writes in the book Ordinary Ministry: Extraordinary Challenge, (Everist, Abingdon, 2000) that she had offered her services two different times to Roman Catholic churches in the area. “I thought I was making them an offer they couldn’t afford to pass up, but they did.”

Pastor Burton Everist did accept and she was called to be parish health minister at Grace Lutheran, where she served for many years. Three years later Wesley Methodist Church in East Dubuque invited her to be their parish health minister, too. She visited people in the hospital, health care facilities and in their homes, providing consultation, support, a listening ear, care, friendship, prayer, and often a piece of Sinsinawa home-made pie. The Lutherans and Methodists would ask if she would stop by and see their Roman Catholic friends (the majority faith group in the area), and so Sister became the de facto parish health minister for all of East Dubuque.  She wrote that she sometimes served as "'minister-in-the-cracks' to those people who are between churches, because I have become acquainted with them in their time of need."

Sister Mary Owen had at one time been nursing director at Rosary College (now Dominican University) in River Forest, Illinois, had served with Hospice of Spokane, Spokane, Washington, and loved her frequent trips to offer health care in Jamaica.

And across the river in Dubuque, Iowa? Here, too, the sister simply served—bread.  One saw her every Saturday morning at the Dubuque Farmers’ Market, (in continuing existence since 1836), selling Sinsinawa bread, and simply talking with people. One might see her when the market opened in the spring asking an elderly man how he was doing, and then taking him aside to talk when he told her his wife had died during the winter. And so she served, day by day, faithfully into her 86^th year. The card with her picture each of us held as we told stories in the Gathering Room at Sinsinawa quoted Meister Eckart, OP: “There’s no such thing as my bread; all bread is ours, and is given through me and to me through others.”

Common health of a community.  A Commonwealth of nations.  Of course one cannot push the comparison too far. But I keep seeing the common faces of these two women and that strengthens me because of what they have “in common,” a deep, faithful commitment to service.  

I know, Elizabeth II is no commoner, but she does now pay taxes like any other British citizen. She took her vow: “The things which I have here before promised, I will perform, and keep,” before many British colonies became independent nations. Her nation, the constitutional monarchy, her church, her garb, her arenas of service have changed, and, if one thinks of power in terms of well-being, I think her service has grown.  

People ask, “Can women have it all?” That is an imposed question which seems to fit neither the queen nor the nun. I think rather the question should be, “Do we have a call?”  And that’s a question for me, too. 

Perhaps these two women touch me in particular because June 5, 1960, 53 years ago this week, I was consecrated as a Lutheran deaconess, vowing a life of faith and service to Christ. Across these decades my life, too, has changed beyond imagining.  Marriage and ministry now possible together. Ordination. Becoming a pastor and then a professor and writer. But the commitment to faith and service remains the same, just with broader arenas.

The Queen and the nun: Service, commitment.  In each of their lives and ours there are pressures and challenges, suffering, and joy, all of it, yes, all of it. The calling takes us further and further out into the world, whether across oceans or the Mississippi River, to reach out across borders and boundaries and to be drawn close by those we love.

God Doesn't Say, "See You Next Fall"

“See you next fall,” one church member says to another at the end of May.  After all, the summer season is beginning.  The expectation is that many pews will be empty as people leave for vacation.  People often live down to our expectations.

Not unlike expecting a half-full church the week after Christmas or Easter.  Perhaps it is not the same in Judaism or Islam the week after a high holy day or during the summer season.  I cannot authoritatively speak to that. But I do know that in none of the world’s great religions do I hear of God taking the summer off.  So why do we?

Lest I be misunderstood, I have nothing against vacations! Everyone, including clergy, paid and volunteer staff, needs vacation time. We have a God of Sabbath rest.  And a God of the mountains, lakes and sky.  The Creator God re-creates us through recreation.

But God doesn’t say, “See you next fall.”  And thank God for that, because although people need a break from routine, think what it would be like to have a God absent from our lives, from the world, for three months.  During the summer, people will have joys to share with their faith community, discernments to make, suffering to endure, grief to bear.    Babies will be born and people will die, perhaps some suddenly, shockingly.  We will need each other. We need to worship together, to hear words from a holy book, places to talk about the ordinary and unimaginable happenings in the world, a faith community with whom to pray.

Many congregations provide creative ways to carry out education and worship: alternative times of the week, outdoor services, family vacation Bible Schools, multigenerational learning opportunities, service trips, mission projects.   I trust these alternatives will be offered not out of frustration, but joyful expectation. We need to expect each other to come. And someone might just come for the first time.

Kevin, a single father, brought his three-year-old daughter to church one summer Sunday.  Although unaccustomed to weekly worship, she participated fully in listening, singing, and praying.  Kevin asked afterwards about Christian education for her. He was told to come back in the fall when things would start again.  

I need to see you this summer.  You need to see me.  Company in town? Bring them along! Our joy will be complete.  God doesn’t take a vacation from us.  Thank God.

Pentecost, Power and the Invisible War

It is hard to relinquish power once you have it, particularly when it is unlimited and unquestioned power.  President Obama Thursday acknowledged both the helpfulness, even necessity, of having the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) law. He also questioned it, noting the danger of continuing to have a law with such unlimited and far-reaching power.

On the other hand, having unlimited power and license to rape within the military system until recently was not questioned. The sexual crime of rape is all about power. The Independent Lens film, “The Invisible War,” shows the culture of privilege, power and impunity within the U.S. military. The U.S. Department of Defense in its recently released 2012 report showed that 26,000 women and men were sexually assaulted last year, a 35% increase from 2011.  It is not about men and women in close proximity or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is about domination, the unquestioned right of some men to dominate and overpower women and men they assume they can. And it is about being able to retain that power.  Rape and war have long been intrinsically intertwined.

Strange, isn’t it, that women entering the military, particularly in combat zones, was projected as being a danger to military men’s morale and ability to fight.  Likewise, fighting side by side with gays would supposedly weaken the strength of what was thought to be a heterosexual male military. It turns out women were not dangerous. They were in danger of being sexually assaulted by the very men they were told they would demoralize. And the real danger was to LGBT people themselves.  And the silent torture of thousands of straight men has been that they, too, have been sexually assaulted.  It is all about domination.

On Memorial Day weekend we honor those who have died in war. How do we honor them without glorifying war itself? We honor them by remembering their lives, their dedication, and their service.  And we honor them by being honorable ourselves and by helping contribute to creating and sustaining our military culture as an honorable place to serve, a place where people honor each other’s personhood and body.

President Obama addressed difficult topics in his major policy speech on Thursday including terrorism, the use of drones and closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay. The latter is an elusive goal, complicated by Congress. As expected, however, disproportionate news coverage was given to the one woman in the crowd who called out her passionate views on Gitmo. Reports said things like, “Protestors repeatedly interrupted. . . .” (there was one person and one incident) or, “President is speechless for 30 seconds when. .  . .” Actually President Obama remained in calm control without being drawn into either anger or argument. He was patient, not powerless, and then simply went off-script to give an even a finer explanation of his position.

Obama did not so much defend his use of drones on the basis of his power to do so, as deliver rubrics in their use. He said it is clear their use is effective and legal. But, he added, their use must also be wise and moral. 

Think about those words in terms of any use of power. In terms of the invisible war within the military, sexual assault and rape is effective in retaining male dominance, and in keeping power within the hands of the most powerful.  And it has mostly not been judged illegal. Changing that will be a huge challenge, but one taken on by  Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) whose  bipartisan legislation has the support of Senators Barbara Boxer (D-California) and Susan Collins (R-Maine). It places the reporting and decision making for cases of sexual assault in the hands of a trained military prosecutor instead of with the commanding officer.

What about wisdom and morality? Victims of rape in the military have been continually victimized after the assaults. They have no power, most often receive no justice, and are often denied medical treatment. They have faced loss of their careers, PTSD, even suicide.  They, even if single, were accused of adultery, while their married assailants were not.

“The Invisible War” documentary stated that 33% of servicewomen did not report their rape because the person to whom they had to report was a friend of the rapist.  Twenty-five percent did not report because the person to whom they had to report was their rapist.

When interviewed, a person higher in the chain of command said they had alternatives such as to go to their congressional representative, to which a victim responded, “Who in the civilian culture when raped is told to go to their congressperson?”

Of the victims interviewed, their assailants retained careers and license to continue to perpetrate sexual domination. One was promoted to lieutenant. Another was named “Airman of the Year” during the time his victim’s rape was being investigated. Another is now a supervisor in a major U.S. corporation and there sexually assaulted a female employee.

It is hard to relinquish power once you have it.

The season of Pentecost has just begun. The Christ who relinquished power on the cross now lives eternally. Christianity is about morality, but also so much more.  It is about becoming again the Body of Christ in the world during this Pentecost Season.

On Memorial Day Weekend we honor bodies who have died and honor the bodies of women and men who live. We respect sexuality and see Jesus in one another, not that we might dominate and abuse, but so that we might respect, love and live together in all kinds of service.

We are not God. Only God has unlimited power. Christ chose to empty himself, taking the form of a servant, relinquishing power.  The Spirit’s power is unlimited. When you have more, I do not have less. Together we each have more, for the sake of peace and justice.  I do not need to kill, dominate or abuse you. The Holy Spirit empowers us all to claim resurrection power in order to share it.

When Help Is Not Just a Phone Call Away

“We're going to send them [the police] as soon as we get a car open,” said the dispatcher.  Amanda Berry replied, “No, I need them now before he gets back.” Of all the courage and strength it took to survive and to escape, one small phrase signaled to me Amanda Berry had not lost her sense of identity in context when she talked with 911: “No, I need them now.”

She had begun, “Help me. I'm Amanda Berry,” to which the dispatcher responded with the usual, “You need police, fire, ambulance?” Simply and straightforwardly Amanda replied, “I need police.” Most other people calling 911 would have thought, “Fine, they will send a police car.” Amanda knew, “when one is available” might be, well how long?  Ten minutes? An hour?  Three hours? Not at all?

When I heard those words I was drawn back in time to when I as a young women lived with my husband and three children in the inner city.  I am in no way comparing my situation to that of Amanda Berry, her daughter, Gina DeJesus or Michelle Knight.  But nonetheless I felt again the haunting reality of knowing that help might not be just a phone call away. 

Her words brought back images. When we lived in a poor neighborhood in an East Coast city, robberies were routine. We and our neighbors would call the police; however, noticing they were not writing down anything we said, we concluded they would not try to find the intruders. But when businesses needed protection, police took notice and went into action. We, the residents of the neighborhood, learned how to cope by ourselves and what help not to expect any time soon. We didn’t count. We were automatically devalued.  

This is not an indictment of any particular police department or individual, but of our system of values. Who and what is important? Who counts when someone goes missing? Rep. Marcia Fudge who represents Cleveland in the U.S. Congress said in an interview with Rev Al Sharpton that missing persons cases are not given the attention they should receive and that,  “There is even less attention given to young women who live in poor neighborhoods.”  When Michelle Knight was reported as missing, police told her family she had just walked away. Rep. Fudge said, “Had she been in another neighborhood, it is my belief the police would have handled it differently.”

All of us contribute to this un-equal system of values. When a pretty, blond young woman from a prominent, wealthy family goes missing, we follow the media stories of the search for months.  Neighborhoods that do not have such influence are invisible. So, how do we see?

How could no one have seen what was going on inside the house at 2207 Seymour Avenue in west Cleveland?  No one came. Some neighbors say they had noticed and called the police, but the police chief said, “We have no record of those calls coming in.”

It is true all sorts of people call 911 making foolish, even distracting calls. However, when someone calls out to 911, to the neighborhood, or to me, I need to be careful not to dismiss or judge, “They didn’t give information accurately enough,” or they did not speak clearly in my language or use professional English, syntax or grammar. Amanda did!  In the midst of possibly distracting questions about why she was calling from 2210 and not 2207, she said clearly, “I'm Amanda Berry. I've been on the news for the last 10 years.”

Amanda, Gina and Michelle have said they knew family and friends were waiting and searching.  How difficult that must have been.  To know and to be locked inside and not able to tell their families, “We’re here. We’re alive.”

And the joy in the neighborhood when those feared dead were found alive. What about our own neighborhoods? We formed neighborhood block clubs, not neighborhood “watches” with one race of people ready to stand their ground against others, but community groups which sought to know and include everyone, walking the streets together.  That is a way to gain courage, like Charles Ramsey and Angel Cordero who heard Amanda’s cries and (similar to people at the Boston Marathon finish line) walked toward the risk instead of away. Although this is a tragic, almost unbelievable, case, there are people in every neighborhood living in all kinds of bondage, crying out, some silenced, longing to be free.

Our family today lives in a place where we can safely walk the streets, even at night.  Not much danger here, and if there is, police come quickly. . . although there are more guns everywhere.  But I have not forgotten when we were living among boarded-up houses and dismissed as “those people.”  We cared for each other as neighbors there.  We need to know that in every neighborhood people are valued, even more valued when missing, and that we can count on each other to come now when called.

Humor is a Funny Thing. Or Not.

President Barack Obama, once a year dubbed the Comedian-in-Chief, knows how to use humor to uplift rather than to tear down. Oh, he’s funny enough. That’s not my point. What impressed me Saturday night at the White House Correspondents’ dinner was not just that he was again very cool, but that he really is comfortable with himself.  He doesn’t need to tear others down to make himself look good. 

Humor can be painful.  President Obama has been the brunt of more than his share of jokes, taken more than his share of ridicule, and been the target of out-right hate. Saturday night,  beginning with the traditional self-deprecating jokes, Obama acknowledged that he was expected to make fun of himself and to take himself down a few pegs, but added, “After 4 ½ years, how many pegs are left?”

Humor is a funny thing.  Or not. We live in a world so starved for genuine joy that our sit-coms have become nothing more than a series of put-down jokes.  No wonder our conversation mimics the comics, filled with bullying snide-remarks rather than the wit of wisdom. That is, if we have face-to-face conversation at all. It’s so much more convenient to make fun of people who “Friend” us electronically or to titter at our “Twitter.” We are sick from our own cynicism.

“Can’t you take a joke?”  I can, and I can tell a pretty good joke about you, too.  But maybe I choose not to.  Not when it’s all about power, either my having enough to humiliate you, or your having enough to take me down.  So often we use humor as bullets.  We shoot them randomly. And there is collateral damage.  A roast is unsuccessful if it does not demolish the enemy. Oh, did I say, “Enemy?” I was only joking.

I find humor best when it arises from community.  A group working together, enjoying each other, trusting each other. We do or say something in context that’s just plain funny, a you-have-to-have-been-there funny.  And we laugh, not at each other, but with each other.

Actually, the White House Correspondents’ Dinner came close to that Saturday night. Oh, there were some stingers, but not so many out-of-bounds remarks that we were all talking about them Sunday morning.  The hit was Barack trying to copy Michelle by adding bangs to his image.  Fun!  And the president issued some humorous remarks about the full range of news sources. Well taken! He added, “My job is to be president.  Their job is to keep my humble. Frankly I think I’m doing my job better.” Applause.  

The president reserved some humor for the Republicans. (Conan O’Brien had more.) Obama said that after the election all of the Republicans agreed they could do a better job of reaching out to minorities. He went on, “I can think of one minority they could start with.  ‘Hello!’”  suggesting they start with him and see how it goes.

Was Obama’s humor tough enough? He may have come closest when referring to people asking, “Why don’t you get a drink with Mitch McConnell?”  “Really?” Obama said, “Why don’t you get a drink with Mitch McConnell?”  Big laugh.  After which the president uttered, “ Sometimes I get frustrated.”   But he returned to his inclusive humor when kidding about  Marco Rubio considering running for president. “He  hasn’t finished a single term in the Senate and he thinks he’s ready to be president?  Kids, these days.”   

The president ended on a more serious note.  “These have been some very hard days for too many of our citizens: Boston, West Texas, families in the Midwest coping with terrible floods.”  He went on to raise up rather than tear down, saying that even in these days we have seen humanity at its best.  Everyday Americans  have been opening their  homes and their hearts to perfect strangers.  He said he had seen journalists at their best, chasing down leads to verify facts to inform and educate.  He commended first responders, law enforcement officers, volunteers and citizens who served not to be honored or celebrated but because of love of families, neighborhoods and country. He added that they should inspire all of us to do our jobs with the same fidelity and integrity rather than focusing on profits or ratings or polls that contribute to the cynicism so many people feel right now.  “We can do better, all of us,” he said.  Those of us with power, influence, all of us can strive to value those things that led us to do what we do in the first place.  We believe in service, and that we can have a lasting positive influence on those around us.   

Now that’s a reason to enjoy one another.

He said, "I ought to kill you."

The morning after Martin Luther King Jr. was killed forty-five years ago I walked around the block as usual to the home of my friend, Linda.  Our neighborhood Bible study group gathered each Friday morning.  We cherished our time together.  We knew this morning was different, dreadfully different, but we dared to gather together anyway.

You see, just the summer before our neighborhood in Detroit had been engulfed in flames in what the news reports then and history today calls, “The Riots.”  They were really the rebellions after decades of racial and economic discrimination.  Throughout the 1960’s we had been working together, marching, organizing, and making progress. But now our leader was dead.  He was gone and the temptation was to scatter into our isolated enclaves, or hide behind locked doors. Actually it might have been wiser for me, a white woman living in an inner city, “changing” neighborhood to not go out that morning. 

A friend of Linda’s was at the house, a man I knew. He was angry. We all were. He said to me, “Norma I ought to kill you.” I replied, “Yes, you should.” We both knew he wouldn’t.  But to say it, to acknowledge it, was essential in that moment. I stayed among my African-American friends and all of us talked.

Later that day, it did become too dangerous to go outside. The streets became eerily silent. But Linda sent her 12-year-old daughter, Angela, across the back way to our house with words of comfort written with crayon on a sheet of construction paper which we placed on our refrigerator. (They remained there for a long time.) And then the fires came again, all over the country; 110 cities experienced “civil unrest” and 60, including ours, had huge riots.  The fires next time were now.

Today, forty-five years later, where are we? For one thing, we have vastly more guns, in every neighborhood.  (As devastating and destructive as the riots were, deaths in cities were listed as 6 or a dozen.)  Today fear of the neighbors has intensified. Locked doors are everywhere and the only money some are willing to allocate for schools in need of teachers and resources is for more guns.  What we really need to is to dare to walk around the neighborhood together, unafraid, and unwilling to kill.

On the forty-fifth anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr. Connecticut’s governor signed into law sweeping new restrictions on weapons and ammunition magazines.  The state passed the gun laws in a non-partisan, comprehensive way.  Maryland’s General Assembly on Thursday passed measures on gun control which will become among the strictest in the nation. The bill was sent to the governor to sign.

On the anniversary of King’s death minimum wage earners in fast food restaurants dared to go outside in New York City with picket signs like those of Memphis sanitation workers when Martin Lutheran King Jr. was killed:  “I am a Man,” “I am a Woman.”  If you compare the minimum wage in 1968 to today, workers are making far less. They risk their jobs because they are non-union.  They ask for the right to organize without retaliation or intimidation.  The gap between rich and poor grows and the rights of people to strike have plummeted. We need to be able to go outside and walk together for fairness and justice.

The mindset of many Americans is to be afraid of the black man, but actually White Supremacy groups in the United States have multiplied in recent years.  They are in the news due to murders of officials in Colorado and Texas. On Tuesday, the day before the forty-fifth anniversary of King’s death, the assistant U.S. attorney in Houston who was to head the prosecution of a 2012 case involving 34 members of the Aryan brotherhood of Texas stepped aside citing security concerns. The Southern Poverty Law Center states that there are 1007 active hate groups in the U.S. The respected Center provides not only research but also resources such as “Teaching Tolerance.”  

We dared to walk outside that Friday morning forty five years ago in the quiet before the fires that we feared would come and did.   Today feels eerily similar. So what do we do?  It is not yet too late to call a Senator, call a Representative. In this killing culture we must pass tighter federal gun laws. It is not too late to reverse the trend of holding back fair wages for working people. 

The issues are not easy. Add in North Korea, Syria. . .  All reasons to hide behind locked doors and arm ourselves—to death, or to dare to face each other and say, “We won’t kill each other.” We cannot.

This Sunday our Gospel lesson, John 20: 19-31, tells of the disciples behind locked doors.  But they were together.  Christ appears in their midst. We no longer need to kill each other.  Go and tell, go and act. Do not be afraid.

                                                                                      

 

 

 

Holy Week Words from President Obama's Speech in Jerusalem

President Obama went to Israel as the celebration of Passover nears and as Holy Week begins for Christians. So quickly President Obama flew to the Middle East and back. Here are some excerpts from his speech in Jerusalem that deserve a longer look:

President Obama recalled the story from Hebrew Scriptures: It’s a story of centuries of slavery, and years of wandering in the desert; a story of perseverance amidst persecution, and faith in God and the Torah. It’s a story about finding freedom in your own land. But it’s also a story that holds within it the universal human experience, with all of its suffering, but also all of its salvation.

It’s a part of the three great religions -- Judaism, Christianity, and Islam-- that trace their origins to Abraham, and see Jerusalem as sacred. And it’s a story that’s inspired communities across the globe, including me and my fellow Americans. To African Americans, the story of the Exodus was perhaps the central story, the most powerful image about emerging from the grip of bondage to reach for liberty and human dignity -- a tale that was carried from slavery through the Civil Rights Movement into today.

On Shared Struggle: I bring with me the support of the American people -- and the friendship that binds us together.

We know that here on Earth we must bear our responsibilities in an imperfect world. That means accepting our measure of sacrifice and struggle. As Dr. Martin Luther King said on the day before he was killed, “I may not get there with you. But I want you to know that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.” So Just as Joshua carried on after Moses, the work goes on for all of you, the Joshua Generation, for justice and dignity; for opportunity and freedom.

For the Jewish people, the journey to the promise of the State of Israel wound through countless generations. That’s why I believe that Israel is rooted not just in history and tradition, but also in a simple and profound idea -- the idea that people deserve to be free in a land of their own.

Together, we share a commitment to security for our citizens and the stability of the Middle East and North Africa.

On Diversity: America is a nation of immigrants. America is strengthened by diversity. America is enriched by faith. We are governed not simply by men and women, but by laws. So in Israel, we see values that we share, even as we recognize what makes us different. That is an essential part of our bond.

I stand here mindful that for both our nations, these are complicated times. We have difficult issues to work through within our own countries, and we face dangers and upheaval around the world.

And that’s why Israel has a right to expect Hamas to renounce violence and recognize Israel’s right to exist. And today, I want to tell you -- particularly the young people -- so that there's no mistake here, so long as there is a United States of America -- Atem lo levad. You are not alone.

About Peace: First, peace is necessary.  I believe that peace is the only path to true security. The only way for Israel to endure and thrive as a Jewish and democratic state is through the realization of an independent and viable Palestine. That is true.

The only way to truly protect the Israeli people over the long term is through the absence of war. Peace will have to be made among peoples, not just governments.

Peace is also just. The Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, their right to justice, must also be recognized. Put yourself in their shoes. Look at the world through their eyes. Just as Israelis built a state in their homeland, Palestinians have a right to be a free people in their own land.

There is an opportunity; there’s a window. My third point: Peace is possible. I'm not saying it's guaranteed. I can't even say that it is more likely than not. I know it doesn’t seem that way. There are always going to be reasons to avoid risk. There are costs for failure. There will always be extremists who provide an excuse not to act.

I know there must be something exhausting about endless talks about talks. I'm sure there's a temptation just to say, “Ah, enough. Let me focus on my small corner of the world and my family and my job and what I can control.” But it's possible.

I ask you to think about what can be done to build trust between people. That's where peace begins -- not just in the plans of leaders, but in the hearts of people. Not just in some carefully designed process, but in the daily connections -- that sense of empathy that takes place among those who live together in this land and in this sacred city of Jerusalem. You must create the change that you want to see. Ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things.

Look to a future in which Jews and Muslims and Christians can all live in peace and greater prosperity in this Holy Land. I am hopeful that we can draw upon what’s best in ourselves to meet the challenges that will come; to win the battles for peace in the wake of so much war; and to do the work of repairing this world. That’s your job. That’s my job. That’s the task of all of us.

President Obama’s speech in Jerusalem needs to be remembered during holy seasons and beyond. Whether or not his trip was a “success” may depend upon his words taking root in the Holy Land and beyond.  A brief trip, but words at the airport brokering a telephone call, re-established diplomatic relationships between Israel and Turkey. Words have power.

Who Becomes Pope Matters to the Rest of Us

 Two years before Vatican II, I was consecrated a Lutheran deaconess. My uncle, a Roman Catholic, could not come to the service because he believed his church would not permit it. A week ago, I, now an ordained Lutheran pastor and seminary professor, was guest lecturer at a Roman Catholic University in Florida celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Vatican II.  How things have changed!  Vatican II helped usher in a time of ecumenical dialog with churches of the Reformation.

So why talk about Vatican II at a time when cardinals meet in Rome to choose a new pope? Because their choice matters to the rest of us. Oh, not the way news coverage often gives the impression: as though the pope of the Roman Catholic Church were the leader of all Christian church bodies.  He is not. Rather because the leadership of any faith body impacts the way all religions do or do not interact respectfully and productively for the common good of the world.

Our family lived in inner city New Haven, Ct. during the 1960’s where “living room dialogs” between Protestants and Roman Catholics on how to put faith into action led to establishing Christian Community Action, which to this day provides help, housing and hope to those who are poor in New Haven.

The Schools of Theology of Dubuque, including Acquinas Institute (Roman Catholic), the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary (Presbyterian) and Wartburg Theological Seminary (Lutheran), after students and faculty worked together to hold back the flooding waters of the Mississippi River, became one of the first ecumenical theological consortiums in the world.

Each October people walk for CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty), appreciating one another and the fact that we of many faiths can do much together to say “no” to the injustice of hunger. On Thanksgiving Eve people join together in Dubuque for an interfaith service. The offering supports PIN (People in Need).  

Dubuque Area Christians United is now Dubuque Area Congregations United, becoming interfaith.  The mission: “Through prayerful dependence on God and respectful cooperation with each other, we will make a difference in our world by fostering an awareness and understanding of human need.”

Change is not without resistance, however. Forces of fear push back. We Lutherans speak not just about the Reformation but about being an ongoing reforming church, particularly toward justice and peace.  And there are still promises of Vatican II to be realized. That historic three-year assembly (1962-1965) would change the way the Roman Catholic Church viewed themselves, their church and the rest of the world.

The Reformation and Vatican II breakthroughs provided radical new possibilities for all kinds of people to serve within the church and to make significant vocational contributions to society. There was a break from reliance on authority in a person’s determining what to think and what to do in the world. 

The restoration of unity among all Christians was one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council. Pope John XXIII said that the unity of the Church was the compelling motive for his calling the Council.

Today our challenge is not more narrow, but even more broad.  I often say, whether in the classroom, a faith community, a neighborhood, city, or the world itself, “How do we set and maintain trustworthy environments for us to be difference together?” How do we appreciate a healthy pluralism where leaders encourage and empower people of faith to become actors in the drama of being agents of change for the sake of the world?

Pope John XXIII said frequently that he convened the council because he thought it was time to open the windows and let in some fresh air. For some that became a gale force. The changes didn’t stop when the Mass ended. Women and men in religious orders started taking on causes. It hasn’t stopped. This summer Nuns on the Bus rolled across this country calling for just economic policies.

We live in a time when people in the public sphere both watch and reject religious leaders. The role of clerical leadership in the community has been redefined. Today the greatest gift leaders--parish pastors, diaconal ministers, bishops--can bring is a sense of God’s calling to serve our neighbors, working together with leaders of other faith communities, non-profit organizations and the network of civic leadership.

More challenges call. For example, the new group, a "Culture of Nonviolence Coalition," including people from a wide variety of Dubuque religious and community groups met for just the third time last Saturday, discerning which actions to take at the local, state and federal level to address our culture of violence.

What ecumenical and interfaith experiences are you part of today? What challenges lie before us as we are called to work together in a world in need of justice and healing?