“Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and God will say: Here am I.
If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.”
Isaiah 58:9-10
Dear church,
As this hits your inboxes, I am flying back from nearly a week in Memphis at the United Church of Christ’s Next Generation Leadership Initiative, or NGLI. I have been blessed to learn alongside a cohort of 13 other ministers in their 20s and 30s this week. We’ve spent time talking about ministry that accesses our whole brains (dreaming, planning, data-driven, and relationship-centered); we’ve shared wisdom from across the country and across different ministry settings; and we made a pilgrimage to the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.
We began our sacred conversations on race and racism with this scripture, and it grounded us into an experience of truth-telling, accountability, and trust-building. In reflecting on the museum as a whole and individual lives of leaders and activists whose experiences inspired us, facilitators led us through a journey of lament, confession, and hope for the future. We recognized the need for individual, communal, and spiritual transformation.
We were all incredibly moved by the experience, and I’m certain I’ll be bringing more reflections to you in the weeks to come. What’s more, I will spend two weeks a year with this cohort engaging in professional development for the next four years. I am grateful for the congregation’s and staff’s support for this vital learning time, and am excited to continue to learn, grow, and share with you all as I do so.
Peace,
Megan
Past Posts
- From Our Pastors: November 10, 2023Pastor Megan
November 10, 2023 One of our beloved saints, Janet Holly, who died just over a year ago, is continuing to take care of this church, even after she has gone to be with God. Learn More - From Our Pastors: October 27, 2023Pastor Megan
October 29, 2023 I have found myself officiating at a lot of friends’ weddings in the last few years (as many young clergy do), and somehow, they are all interfaith, intercultural, or otherwise marriages between two people with differing backgrounds, beliefs, and practices. Learn More - From Our Pastors – October 20Pastor Megan
October 20, 2023 Many of you are familiar with this prayer, though perhaps not its source in the Psalms. I and many other pastors offer it at the start of each sermon, praying that what we share might not be for our own glory but pleasing to our God whom we serve, and useful for those gathered. Learn More - From Our Pastors – October 13Pastor Amy
October 13, 2023 Beloved, I had another reflection planned for today, but it has been hard for me, as I’m sure it has been for you, to turn my heart and mind away from the heartbreak of the war in Israel and Palestine. My prayers have been especially with my Jewish family, Learn More