Early morning walk

 Early Morning walk in East Park, Mason City, Iowa 

Lift Every Voice

 In the midst of voter suppression, threats to our democracy and deep divisions in our country, I was encouraged when I experienced choirs singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" (known as the black national anthem) during the fireworks display in NYC and Washington D.C. It signaled hope in the midst of suffering, and inclusion of oppressed people.  We must continue to work on this democracy. 

July 1 in Canada and the Netherlands

 Today, July 1, is Canada Day (fete du Canada). This national day celebrate the anniversary of Canadian Confederation July 1, 1867. When living in Detroit we and Windsor, Ontario, across the river, would celebrate July - July 4 together with fireworks over the river. We watched from Gethsemane church tower.

July 1 is Day of Freedom in the Netherlands (Dag der Vrijheden). It marks the day when slavery was legally abolished in the Dutch colonies in 1863.  However, enslaved people in Surname and the Dutch Antilles would not be fully free until 1873 after a mandatory 10-year transition period during which time slaves were required to work on the plantations.  I and my friend, Duncan, originally from Suriname, now a religious educator in the Hague, recently talked about the delay in freedom for Dutch slaves and the delay of full emancipation in the United States (Juneteenth).

Juneteenth Conversation

 Juneteenth!  Parades and celebrations across the country. Here in my small city my husband Burton and I went to a gathering at Monroe Park.  It was small.  Mason City is small.  But no matter.  What I will remember the most is the three of us, Burton, Reginald, an African American man, and I sitting on a park bench together in the shade and talking. We had not met before, but we talked about Juneteenth and our lives and, well, a wide range of topics and issues.  We listened and learned from one another.

Between Juneteenth and July 4, I can just imagine what it might mean for each person in this country to have such a meeting and conversation, with one other person we had not met before of a different race or ethnicity.  Can you just imagine, 300 million such one-on-one conversations?  

Birth Stories

 Oldest son Mark's birthday was Saturday, June 12. Each of our three sons has a story.  Mark was born in 1963; We adopted him the day I graduated from seminary in 1964. Joel, was 10 two weeks late, born in 1967 the summer of the Detroit "riots" (Rebellion) He wasn't sure he wanted to come into this world of fire and guns. Kirk was born in 1969, the day the U.S. astronauts came back from their first trip to the moon. What are you stories? 

Mark with daughter Aimee

Joel and Kirk with Dad.

Joel with son Jackson and me

Kirk and me.

Mark and Dad Burton

 

Urgent Choices

 Insurrection                                                   Voter Suppression

Rioters running through the Capitol.             Voting Restrictions running through Rep. Legislatures

Priority? Keep people not like us from voting.  Priority? Ensure everyone's voice heard to preserve                                                                                                       democracy

The "Big Lie" lives on                                 Unless we tell the truth.

Girls Killed in Afghanistan; More guns in U.S.

 There have been at least 191 mass shootings in the U.S. since the beginning of the year. In Afghanistan over the weekend over 50 people were killed and over 100 injured in a bomb attack...mostly school girls. In Iowa as of July 1 anyone can carry a gun in public places, e.g. grocery stores, malls, without safety training or a permit. How many more people will have to die? We, too, are a killing culture. How do we live in the image of the Creating, Reconciling, Life-giving God? 

Witnesses to Truth

 Initial Milwaukee Police Department report: "Man dies after medical incident during police interaction." That would have been it after George Floyd's death, except for 17-year-old Darnella Frazier's camera witness to the world.

By-standers became witnesses to the truth, including the 9-year-old who said to the police, "Get off of him." And thanks be to the witness and work of Keith Ellison, and his team.  And thanks to . . . .

We are called to be witnesses to truth and to now work beyond accountability to systemic change.

Marigolds and the Climate Crisis

 

Marigolds! I planted marigolds in the city. Earth Day is this Thursday, April 22. Decades ago, at the time of the first Earth Day, we were living in the inner city of Detroit. Then we moved to the inner city of New Haven, CT.  Planting flowers in the city is not easy. They are easily uprooted, trodden down.  No roses. No fragile or tender plants.  So I planted Marigolds.  The more children picked them, the more they flourished. I love the varied colors, each flower unique.

And then we began to recycle cans, and then paper. (As a child we did save paper for wartime paper drives.) 

But now?  Climate Change!  I prefer calling it a Climate Crisis because it is, and we know it.  In fact, we know that doing things to steward the earth is already too late. I applaud Pres. Biden having the United States rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, the international accord designed to avert catastrophic global warming. Too late? It's never too late, to be serious, and to work boldly together in every way possible. . . and to plant some more Marigolds.

The United States in February this year  formally rejoined the Paris climate agreement, the international accord designed to avert catastrophic global warming.

 St. George's Chapel: Remembering Prince Philip.

Dignity, respect, loyalty, responsibility, love, companionship.  With family procession, the Queen walked alone. She will carry on.  The worship was calm, 30 people masked, distanced, and yet so much together. Beautiful music and prayer and the Word of God: "Your brother will rise again. . . I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they died, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" 

And they left.  And we in this country turn again to our challenges: guns and division, fear and barbed wire. Will we have the courage to carry on with love and responsibility and respect? Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

We Need Everyone to be Able to Vote

 Today, Sunday, March 7, is the 56th anniversary of the march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama. John Lewis, having died last summer, is not with us this year.  The attack on the marchers by state troopers on "Bloody Sunday" 1965 awakened a nation then. The sweeping Voters Rights Act was passed later that year.

Today over 40 states are trying to pass--and many succeeding--voter suppression laws.  The U.S. House of Representatives this week passed HR 1, a voting rights bill, so essential now. But it faces fierce opposition in the Senate.  

The nation has gone through a bloody year of brutality against African Americans. Are we as a nation awakened? Can we care enough, work hard enough, to reject voter suppression bills this year?  Can we care enough, work hard enough to secure voting rights for all this year?

Oh, To Sing Again!

 With masks on, and being so very careful, Mason City High School Choral Music performed the 73rd Annual Follies last evening. What a joy! Grandchildren Jennaya, a junior, and Jackson, a freshman sang and danced and acted in skits.  Their mother, Rachel, played the piano wonderfully, for all the performers.  Son Joel has been choral director for over 25 years here in Mason City, Iowa.  The theme this year was the "Fifties" which brought back memories of when I sang in Mason City High School Follies from 1953-56, yes, 68 years ago. 

Mason City schools began the year with hybrid learning and recently went to full days.  Students, educators and parents have been very responsible in keeping people well.  We are thankful. The Follies this year could not be held at the local Community College where usually 1000 people each night for three nights fill the auditorium.  Changing plans and being creative in how to perform this year, the show was held in the FEMA room a the high school (Yes, built for a place to go during a tornado.) Only 199 people could come for each performance, and we sat with two empty seats between everyone, even family groups. Each student had two tickets for people who could attend. The crowd cheered, as though there were 1000 people present.

This is a public community school.  Joel and Rachel seek to build community through music.  What did we like best?  Everything!  But perhaps what I appreciated most was that Joel met with the student musicians before hand--as they do every year--this time in the large cafeteria, and had students tell each other what they personally appreciated about one another.