“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yea! we wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there, they that carried us away captive, required of us a song; and they who wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth.”
Continue reading “The declaration we need”White churches in America and embedded racism
This is a story from NPR about the roots of racism in white churches in American history. (It has an audio story as well as an article worth reading.) Read this document (bottom of page 2 and top of page 3) to read a prayer of a white pastor thanking God for the “cradle of the Confederacy of our beloved Southland.”
You can also learn more, because we NEED to learn more, from the book Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby, or see his teaching series by the same name on Amazon Prime video.
Where we walk and stand affects our soul
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
and who meditates on his law day and night. (Ps. 1:1-3)
We MUST, as white American Christians, lean in and listen
This article in Christianity Today demonstrates the wide disparity held between white and black American Christians regarding policing.
“Do police officers generally treat black and white Americans alike?
White evangelicals are more likely to say ‘yes’ than any other major religious demographic in the United States. Black Protestants are most likely to disagree.”
Even after a long string of black men and women killed by police, we’re still not listening. Let us give up our pride and our self-assuredness to take up a position to hear our black brothers and sisters.
Leaving Babylon, Part 2
Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you by their martyrdom:
Grant that your Church, instructed by their teaching and example, and knit together in unity by your Spirit, may ever stand firm upon the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
June 29th Collect of the Day
St. Peter and St. Paul
A book worth your time
There has been a LOT of reading in this time of coronavirus. I was glad to be able to get an advance copy of Marlena Graves’ new book The Way Up is Down.
In this section she talks about the need for confession in our lives to deal with our sin and dwell humbly before the Lord. She makes the case for the return of the sacrament of confession in the Protestant Church:
“But the sacrament of confession involves confessing our sins to a representative of Christ’s church and receiving absolution. Confession is this traditional sense is of paramount importance. There is something mysteriously transformative in hearing the words of absolution: ‘In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.'”
We are called to work AND pray in the battle to overcome evil systems
I am working through one of my favorite chapters in the Bible: Acts 19. It has always drawn me and what I love about the study of Scripture is that each trip through a passage can yield new insights and nuances. This trip through has been no different.
Continue reading “We are called to work AND pray in the battle to overcome evil systems”Living in the destiny of God
For the privileged and the underprivileged alike, if the individual puts at the disposal of the Spirit the needful dedication and discipline, he can live effectively in the chaos of the present in the high destiny of a son of God. — Howard Thurman, Jesus and the Disinherited
The Anglican Church in North America speaks on the issue of racism in our nation
This address was from our Archbishop Foley Beach. It was given via Zoom since they couldn’t meet in person for the annual provincial meeting. I am thankful for the opportunity to be in this organization!
