Abound in Hope

Today marks the third anniversary of the launching of the Baltimore-Washington Conference's Initiative to Address Violence in Baltimore and of Hope for the City, the Conference's strategic plan for ministry in Baltimore. In 2007, over 300 United Methodists and others from across the Baltimore region gathered to pray for the city and for those who had been victimized by violence during that year. In that year, there were 278 people murdered in Baltimore. This year, the number of people murdered in Baltimore has again exceeded 200, with 10 of those persons being children. Let us recommit ourselves to doing all that we can to being the change that we want for the city. In the book of Romans (15:13), the apostle Paul offers a prayer of encouragement for those in that city who were facing the adversity of their day: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." In the days ahead, let us abound in the hope that God will continue to work through the church to bring forth healing and transformation.

Haiti Mission Team

Please be in prayer for the Baltimore United methodist Regional team going to Haiti, Dec. 9-17, 2010. This team of 6, led by Rev. Gayle Annis-Forder, pastor of Loch Raven UMC, reports that they feel blessed to have this opportunity to serve during Advent, to embody incarnation by serving in the name of Jesus. Knowing of the harsh conditions endured by Haitians, beginning with extreme poverty, followed by an earthquake, a hurricane, cholera and unrest following recent elections, the team seeks your prayers for them and the people they will be privileged to serve.

The Church Lights the Way

"The Church Lights the Way" HIV/AIDS Conference was held yesterday, Saturday, November 13th at Grace UMC in Baltimore. Sponsored by the Baltimore Hope for the City Initiative and the AIDS Task Force of Grace United Methodist Church, the purpose of the conference was to afford an opportunity for people in local faith communities to learn, network and share resources pertaining to HIV/AIDS as it continues to impact our churches and communities. It was a excellent time of learning and sharing, with HIV/AIDS testing also made available for conference attendees and others wishing to be tested. In her closing address, Ms. Linda Bales Todd from the United Methodist Church's General Board of Church and Society, encouraged each of us to be like pesky mosquitos and to commit to doing something to help address the HIV/AIDS pandemic that affects us all. A reminder for all of us is that World AIDS Day is December 1st. Prayerfully, each of us will find a way to do something to help raise consciousness and move toward eradicating AIDS in our midst.

Suggestions on Becoming a Positive Deviant

In the final section of his book, "Better", Dr. Atul Gawande offers five suggestions for how we might make a worthy difference, or in other words how we might become "positive deviant." These are:
(1) Ask an unscripted question. Seek to learn something about others by asking questions.
(2) Don't complain. We all have plenty to carp about, but resist the temptation to complain.
(3) Count something. One should be a scientist in one's world. Whatever that world is, one should count something.
(4) Write something. It makes no diffrence whether you write five paragraphs for a blog, a paper for a professional journal, or a poem for a reading group. Just write.
(5) Change. Make yourself an early adopter. Look for the opportunity to change.

The Difference between Good and Great

One of the books that I had the chance to read during my Sabbath Leave this past summer was a book entitled "Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance" by Dr. Atul Gawande. One of the things that Gawande shares in the book is that the difference between being good and great is that great is being consistently good.

Record Improvements in Baltimore Graduation and Dropout Rates Reported

The record, three-year gains Baltimore City Public Schools reported in its dropout and graduation rates earlier this month were largely driven by the academic progress of its African American male students, new data show. City Schools’ overall dropout rate is down 56 percent and its graduation rate is up 10 percent in the last three years. According to district analysis, the gains for African American male students during this time outpaced the district rates: Their dropout rate is down 59 percent, and their graduation rate is up 12.4 percent. Local leaders and national education experts are hailing the Baltimore findings as an important exception to what have been troubling national trends for this group of students.

The number of African American male dropouts in City Schools decreased from 1,439 in 2006-07 to 593 in 2009-10. At the same time, the number of African American male graduates increased from 1,537 in 2006-07 to 1,724 in 2009-10. The bottom line: In 2006-07, City Schools had nearly equal numbers of African American male dropouts and graduates; by 2009-10 the district had nearly three times as many graduates as dropouts among African American males.

(Excerpt from Press Release issued by Baltimore City Public Schools (10/20/10))

Martin Luther King, Jr. on the Church

But despite these notable exceptions, I must honestly reiterate that I have been disappointed with the church. I do not say this as one of those negative critics who can always find something wrong with the church. I say this as a minister of the gospel, who loves the church; who was nurtured in its bosom; who has been sustained by its spiritual blessings and who will remain true to it as long as the cord of life shall lengthen.


Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Tea Party Report

Recently, the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights (IREHR) released a report which documents specific examples of Tea Party leaders and Tea Party-associated organizations providing platforms for racists, and religious and other bigots.

The report serves as a reminder of the very real and active presence of racism and other forms of discrimination in America's public sphere, and that there are significant threats to moving forward and effecting real change in American life.

Please take a moment to read more from the report:

http://action.naacp.org/TeaPartyReport

Battered by the Storm

Check out the recent study by the Institute for Policy Studies on the the effects of the current economic crisis, "Battered by the Storm: How the Safety Net Is Failing Americans and How to Fix It" at http://www.ips-dc.org/reports/battered-by-the-storm.

A Bold Plan to Combat Poverty

U.S. Census data released today shows the burden of the Great Recession has fallen mostly on those at the bottom. The data reveals that the U.S. in 2009 had the largest number of Americans living in poverty in the 51 years that poverty has been measured, 43.6 million people, and the highest poverty rate, 14.3% since 1998.

Institue for Policy Studies Fellow Karen Dolan, urges policymakers and those concerned about growing poverty to read the recommendations in IPS's report "Battered by the Storm," which warned about these massive increases in poverty and put forth common-sense solutions to alleviate it.

Dolan says, "This new data reveals our nation's inability to respond to the profound needs of a growing number of Americans falling precipitously through a badly tattered safety net. We must act quickly to stop the devastation that will affect generations to come."

To read more, go to the website for the Institue for Policy Studies at http://www.ips-dc.org/

Hope for the City - Pathways to Restoration

This weekend, over 100 church and community leaders and seminarians gathered at the Maritime Institute of Technology in Linthicum, MD for the Baltimore Region's second annual Hope for the City Urban Ministry Convocation. Our focus was on exploring ways to expand capcity in collaboration and partnership in urban ministry, as we seek to restore the proverbial village that is the city. Dr. Robert Franklin, in his latest book "Crisis in the Village", offers that several strategic steps must be employed in order for the village to be renewed and restored. These steps are:
(1) Focused Conversation
(2) Collaborative Leadership
(3) Vision and Planning
(4) Accountability and Action
(5) Sustaining and Fundraising
(6) Documenting and Celebrating Progress.

The Power of Partnership

“How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)

Some of the most significant aspects and opportunities that we share in ministry are found in the ways that we engage in partnership, collaboration, and teamwork.

In ancient Greek literature there is a story that shows the power of working together.

“An aged, dying father called his seven sons around him. He gave each one a stick and told them to break it. Each son easily broke his separate stick. The old father then bound seven sticks together, and gave the bundle to his eldest son and told him to break the bundle. The eldest son could not break it. Then the second son was commanded to try. He could not break it. Nor could any of the rest. “So is it to be of you,” said the father. “Alone you are weak, but together you are strong.”

This is the nature of synergism. It is derived from the Greek word “synergos” meaning “working together.” Synergism means that by joining with others, common objectives can be more easily and effectively accomplished. There is strength in numbers when we multiply our efforts through working with others.

Hurricane Katrina and Urban Poverty

Today marks the 5th anniversary of Hurricanes Katrina, which devastated the Gulf Coast region and left over 1,800 persons dead in several states. Over 1,400 of those who died were from New Orelans with the majority being from the Lower 9th Ward. Among other things, Hurricane Katrina shed light on the dimensions of urban poverty. One of the poorest areas of New Orleans, persons in the lower 9th Ward were disproporionately affected by the Hurricane. Today, many remain dispplaced or continue to live in temporary trailors.

The Meaning of King's Dream

Yesterday, August 28, 2010, marked the 47th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's the now-famous "I Have a Dream" speech rendered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. On yesterday, two rallies were held in Washington, led by persons with very obvious competing interests and interpretations of King's message in 1963 and throughout his life. One of the rallies was organized and led by Glen Beck (conservative talk-show host) and Sarah Palin (former candidate for vice president and a leader of the "tea party" movement) - with the theme "Restoring Honor." The other, with theme, "Reclaiming the Dream", was organized and led by progressive activist, Rev. Al Sharpton. This beckons us to reflect upon the meaning of King's Dream for us today. One of the speakers at Sharpton's rally was Christian social ethicist, Dr. Robert Franklin, now the president of Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA where Dr. King completed his undergraduate studies. Dr. Franklin shared in his remarks that all of those who are interested in King's dream (including Mr. Beck, Ms. Palin and members of the "tea party") might do well to visit Morehouse College where many of the spiritual and intellectual foundations of King's dream were shaped and molded. At its very foundation, King's dream (and his life's work) was rooted in justice - which is both social and political. He stated on more than one occasion that the "arc of the universe is wide - and it always bends toward justice." For King, justice pertains to the moral order of the universe, and is God's divine intent for all humanity. Justice is intended to be pervasive, and involves economic justice (which addresses poverty, inequality and exploitation), racial justice, gender justice, justice for children, justice for those without health care, and just peacemaking (as an alternative to war). Forty-seven years after King heeded the encouragement of Ms. Mahalia Jackson and told us his dream, perhaps yesterday's gatherings should give each of us the impetus to pause and reflect upon the real meaning of King's dream for us - and how after reading his dream and studying his life, each of us might seek to live out justice in our midst.

Hate Crime in the City

Recently, there has been a rise in the incidence of violent crimes directed toward Hispanic men in Baltimore - including the murder of two men in East Baltimore. Police offcials have determined that one of the murders appears to have been a hate crime. We are reminded again that hatred and violence anywhere is a threat to love and peace everywhere.

Hate Crime in the City

Two days ago, numnerous swastikas were found painted on six vans in the Park Heights community of Baltimore. We are reminded that hatred anywhere is a threat to love everywhere. Let us remain prayerful that acts of hatred such as this will be eradicated in our midst.

Black Youth Violence

Homicide is the leading cause of death for African-Americans ages 10-24. In a 2007 nationwide survey, 36 percent of high school students reported being in a physical fight during the past 12 months, and 6 percent reported taking a gun, knife or club to school in the past 30 days. (Ebony Magazine, September 2010)

High School Dropout

President Barack Obama called the high school dropout rate a "crisis" that the nation cannot accept or ignore. Nationwide, three out of 10 students never graduate. In some inner-city schools, only three out of 10 do. What's disturbing about these numbers is that 12 percent of the schools produce 50 percent of America's dropout rates. (Ebony Magazine, September 2010)

Gangs

A recent report indicates that today there are over 28,000 identifiable gangs in America with over 770,000 gang members. These gangs operate in urban, suburban and rural communities across the country, and represent various ethnic groups - whites (and white supremicists), blacks, Hispanics and Asians.

The Church's Challenge

It is in order now at last to raise the question: Is the witness of the church in our society the unfolding of such an idea as we see manifested in the religious experience and the life of Jesus? Whatever may be the deliminitng character of the historical development of the church, the simple fact remains that at the present moment in our society, as an institution, the church is divisive and discriminating, even within its fellowship. It is divided into dozens of splinters. This would indicate that it is essentially sectarian in character. As an institution there is no such thing as the church. There has to be some kind of church...

Howard Thurman - "The Creative Encounter", 1954

Confronting Crime in Baltimore

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has posted infomation regarding city efforts to confront crime under the Rawlings-Blake Rewiew #26-Confronting Crime. For more infomation go to http://www.baltimorecity.gov/.

Broken Windows

I teach an Urban Ministry course in Baltimore, where one of the exercises that students are asked to complete is to walk the neighborhood around the their church and count the number of broken windows and boarded up buildings. It's always interesting to here of the students' findings as it pertains to the correlation between broken windows/boarded buildings and the quality of life in their communities. This brings to mind Wilson and Kelling's piece on the Broken Window's theory. To read more go to: (http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1982/03/broken-windows/4465/).

When Violence Abounds

The murder of Stephen Pitcairn, age 23, on Sunday, July 25, 2010 in the Charles Village section of Baltimore points to the pervasive nature of the violence afflicting the city. Pitcarin was a promising researcher at Johns Hopkins University, and an aspiring physician. We are reminded again of the culture of violence that seems to know no socio-economic bounds, and reminded also that violence anywhere is a threat to safety everywhere. May we be renewed in our resolve to create a culture of peace in the city.

Haiti: Navigating a Landscape of Hope

In the link below is a letter from the Rev. Cynthia Harvey on the work of Unied Methodist Commitee on Relief (UMCOR)in Haiti. Rev. Harvey, director of the relief agency, takes a comprehensive look at accomplishments, challenges, and possibilities in Haiti in the wake of the January earthquake.

The document is at:

http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/newsroom/releases/archives2010/landscapeofhope

Baltimore Poised for Change

It's a rare opportunity for a denomination to be able to transform its presence in a city as large as Baltimore, but a variety of circumstances have come together to make such a transformation both possible and necessary for the United Methodist congregations in the city. In May, members from many of the United Methodist churches in Baltimore gathered for a Summit on the City, the first step in designing a road map that will provide a path forward. To view the full article and details, visit www.bwcumc.org/baltimorechange.

Urban Youth the New Social Justice

"I wonder if addressing concerns of urban youth is not the new social justice frontier in urban ministry. Churches are organizing around issues of education and health care for children. Intervention programs for so-called “at risk” youth, such as “Uth Turn” in New York City are manifestations of a deeper realization that caring for the well-being of youth is a justice issue, to say nothing of taking care that the church will survive for another generation."

Dale T. Irvin, Ph.D.
Pesident, New York Theological Seminary

Prayer for our Cities

An article in the USA Today last week highlighted the rising levels of violent crime in many of our cities during the summer months. Cities across the nation continue to confront this troubling reality. In Batlimore, over the Memorial Day weekend, there were ten shootings in the city. This past weekend, John Crowder, a very promising young high school basketball player was murdered in East Baltimore. Let us all see this violence as our shared concern, and remain in prayer for our cities, the people and each of our leaders.

Prayer for the Nation

"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom." Martin Luther King, Jr.

As we have celebrated our nation's independence this past weekend, let us continue to be in prayer for the nation and our leaders.

A CALL TO ACTION

"God gives ear to the despairing words of our nation's 13.3 million poor children. God heeds the sighs of our nation's more than 200,000 children who are homeless each night. God hears the cries of our nation's nearly 9 million children without heath insurance who may not ne able to see a doctor or dentist when they need to. Isn't it time for us, God's people, to do the same? Dr. David Davis pastor of Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey, preached about the ritual of baptism, "We should never be able to dip our hands in the water without hearing the cries...not the cry of the baby being baptized... but of the forgotten ones.""

- Dr. Marian Wright Edelman

A CALL TO ACTION

"SILENCE IN THE FACE OF EVIL IS ITSELF EVIL; GOD WILL NOT HOLD US GUILTLESS. NOT TO SPEAK IS TO SPEAK. NOT TO ACT IS TO ACT."
- DIETRICH BONHOEFFER

Baltimore Interfaith Coalition - Declaration Against Violence

On Thursday, May 27 about 50 religious and community leaders representing the Baltimore Interfaith Coalition gathered at the New Huntington Baptist Church to unveil the group’s Declaration Against Violence and launched a “Fifth Sunday: Violence to Virtue” program.

The declaration was another bold step by the coalition, which was formed in 2009, and seeks to address the "culture of violence" in Baltimore. The declaration looks to shake up the status quo in Baltimore, which the coalition said has “become ensnared in a covenant with death.”

“The evil inflicted upon our community can be overcome by the faith, morality and spiritual vision that are our heritage to be reclaimed,” the declaration said. “The time has come for a renewed effort to recognize the truth of our situation, to be brutally honest in studying its causes, and to forge a new community-wide commitment to a more creative and effective response.”

For more information on the Baltimore Interfaith Coalition, visit the website at www.baltimoreinterfaithcoalition.com/.

The goal of the “Fifth Sunday” program is to partner faith communities with the state’s attorney’s office to stress the importance of values in teaching children how to build community.

Churches, synagogues and mosques across the city are asked to collect funds at each fifth Sunday service of a month, which occurs four times this year. The money will support youth-oriented activities in partneship with the state’s attorney’s Office of Juvenile Justice forums.

For more information on the Baltimore Interfaith Coalition, visit the website at www.baltimoreinterfaithcoalition.com/.

Baltimore Summit on the City

On Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at Grace United Methodist Church in Baltimore, more than 70 clergy and laity from churches in the city gathered for the first Baltimore Summit on the City. We gathered to worship and to share information on the state of the 46 United Methodist Churches in Baltimore, and look at where we are going over the next few years. These are exciting times as we continue to explore ways to transform churches and communities across the city.

Toward these ends, at the Summit we shared that since 2008 through Hope for the City, the strategic initiative for ministry in Baltimore, some of what has been accomplished is the establishment 9 new Communities of Shalom in the city, the initiation of Camp Life to offer support to youth affected by violence in the city, and launching of It Takes A Village, designed to help persons in churches more effectively partner with the schools in their communities.

Indeed these are hopeful times, and we look forward to what God will continue to do in our midst.

Arizona and Immigration - A Personal Account

I beleive that I'm not alone in that myy first reading of the recent signing of legislation by the Governor of Arizona which targets and profiles immigrants in that state, and seems to threaten the freedom of many law abiding persons. I received word a few days ago that one of my nieces – a U.S. citizen, born, raised and educated as a part of a a multicultural American family, and traveling “legally” to and from Guatemala for her job, upon returning was retained for a very long period of time in an airport Arizona – apparently because she looked like an “immigrant.”

The fact of the matter is that we should all be reminded that that there are very few of us in America - other than our Native American sisters adn brothers - who don't have family root's planted in another land. We are all - in some way - sojourners.

I pray that as we think and talk about persons who are so-called "illegal" or "undocumented", we realize that we are all affected by the strictures that we as a society place on one another.

Common Ground - Tackling Homelessness

This week, I had the opportunity to travel with a group of colleagues to New York City to visit two sites that the orgainzation Common Ground is using to provide transitional and peramnent housing for homeless persons in that city. We learned that more than 120,000 persons continue to be homeless across the nation. It's interesting to note that although many of these persons are in cities, many are also in what would be considered suburban areas. Common Ground's apporach to addrssing the problem of homelessness is unique in that the focus is not on providng temporary shelter, but on moving the most cronically homeless toward more permament dwelling and self-sufficiency. I, and many of my colleagues, left New York excited about this appooach and hopeful that it might be replcated in Baltmore. For more information on Common Ground, go to www.commonground.org.

Theology on the Ground

Last week, I was privileged to travel to Union Theological Seminairy in Richmond, VA to partiipate in the "Theology on the Ground" Urban Ministry Forum. I, along with Dr. Roger Gench, Pastor of New York Avenue Presbterian Church in Washington, DC and Rev. Ben Campbell, the Director of Richmond Hill, in Richmond, shared some of our experiences in seeking to engage in ministries that build community, empower the marginalized, and help people at their points of need. Dr. Gench shared what it’s like to be an urban parish minister and how collective action and relatonships among churches can accomplish change. Richmond Hill’s Campbell described how spirituality and prayer create ecumenical bonds which then forms concrete social action to help transform lives. And I discussed how the creaton of communities of shalom in Baltimore are transforming churches and communities. Union Seminary is to be commended for offering this important opportunity for persons in the seminary community and from across the city to gather to better understand that effective ministry means opening one’s doors, offering radical hospitality, and creating relationships to develop the ‘beloved community.’

Overcoming Hatred - Building Community

In the context of the current public debates on health care reform, immigration reform, economic recovery, war and terror (among others), it seems that one of the risks that we face is that of objectifying these debates to the point where they become impersonal and dehumanizing. In fact, these are issues that affect the lives of real people. Among the potential by-products of such impersonalization and de-humanization is a breeding of hatred among us that will serve to hinder real compassion, shared concern and true community.

Howard Thurman, in his 1953 book "Jesus and the Disinherited," wrote of the need to overcome hatred as a prerequisite for building community. His construct for understanding hatred begins in a situation where there is contact without fellowship. This is contact that is devoid of any of the primary overtures of warmth and fellow-feelings and genuineness. Secondly, Thurman points out that contacts without fellowship tend to express themselves in the kind of understanding that is strikingly unsympathetic. There is understanding of a kind, but it is without healing and reinforcement of personality. Thirdly, Thurman points out that unsympathetic understanding tends to express itself in the active functioning of ill-will.

To make this point, Thurman shared the story of once traveling from Chicago to Memphis, Tennessee. He found his seat on the train across from an elderly lady, who took immediate cognizance of his presence. When the conductor came along for the tickets, she said to him, pointing in Thurman’s direction, “What is that doing in this car?”

The conductor answered, with a touch of creative humor, “That has a ticket.”

For the next fifty miles, this lady talked for five or ten minutes to all who were seated in that coach, setting forth her philosophy of human relationships and the basis of her objection to Thurman’s presence in the car. Thurman said that he was able to see the atmosphere of the entire car shift from common indifference to active recognition of and, to some extent positive resentment of his presence in the car. He said, “An ill will spreading is like a contagious virus.”

Fourth, Thurman suggests that active ill-will, when dramatized in a human being, becomes hatred walking on earth.

Palm Sunday - March Madness

(I preached this sermon today during the Palm Sunday worship celebration at Old Otterein UMC in Baltimore, MD)

Luke 19:28-40

I am an unapologetic sports fan. Football, track and field and basketball are my favorites, although just about any sport will satisfy my appetite. I love the excitement of competition and the cheering of crowds. This is one of my favorite times of year because of what has come to be known as “March Madness” – the annual spring college basketball tournament where there seems to be a never-ending string of games leading to the championship in just a few days.

One of the key characteristics of “March Madness” is that it seems that the excitement builds as the number of teams that remain in the tournament dwindles – from 64 teams at the beginning, down to 32, to the sweet sixteen, to the elite eight, down to the final four, and finally the two that will play to be champions – the excitement builds.

My favorite team – Maryland – and my second favorite – Georgetown – have been eliminated from the tournament this year, but I still love March Madness.

Although there has been debate by scholars as to the exact time of the year that Jesus and the disciples went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival that we know to be the Lord’s last Passover festival – surely the atmosphere was one that was filled with excitement and anticipation as was always the case. It was customary for large numbers of believers to converge on the holy city – and a certain madness filled the air.

Jesus and his disciples were pressing their way to the holy festival, and at the same time pressing toward the Lord’s inevitable time of reckoning which would ultimately lead to his agonizing torture, crucifixion and death. Madness was in the air as Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem and the people in the crowd cut “branches from the trees and spread them in his path,” (Matthew 21:8) and laid down their cloaks (Luke 19:35), and the crowds cheered on the Lord’s arrival – praising God joyfully with shouts of “Hosanna – blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”

The madness of what we know as Palm Sunday in some respects can be found in paradox of those who would cheer the Lord on this day – and then jeer and cry crucify him in just a few days. Madness is seen in how so many could not understand the work of God in Christ who came not condemn the world – but that through him the world would be saved. Madness is evident in those who were considered his friends – his disciples – who would deny that they had any association with Christ.

These are days when we witness similar madness – and not just in the context of college basketball. We witness the madness of division around health care reform, and immigration reform – the madness of continued racism, classism and other “isms” that divide us – the madness of economic crisis and recession - the madness of abject poverty and too many murders in our city and others (there were 238 murders in Baltimore last year)- the madness of the wars in which our nation continues to engage.

If anything, Palm Sunday affords each of us an opportunity to reflect upon our own discipleship – the ways that we as Christians choose to follow Christ. How is our faith in Christ shaping the way we deal with the madness around us?

Amidst the madness of Palm Sunday, Jesus prepared in just a few days to share one last meal with his disciples – those he had spent many intimate and often dangerous moments with him over the past several years. As they would break bread and share wine together, they would be invited to remember their time together, and God’s mighty acts in Jesus.

What Christ beckons us to is a consistent acknowledgement of the power of his presence in our lives – not just for a season, not merely for the spring-time, but for a lifetime. Indeed it is easy for us to become consumed by the hoopla of the season, and even to be swept up by the madness around us – but what God reminds us of in Christ is that God’s grace abounds through all of life. Through passion, Passover, Palms – God’s grace abounds. With cheers and jeers – indeed God’s grace abounds. With betrayal, disappointment and denial – God’s grace abounds. Even in death on a cross – God’s grace abounds.

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the lamb was spilt.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.

A Day of Triumph and a Time of Tragedy

Sunday, March 21, 2010 will go down in American history as a day of triumph, and the days that have followed as a time of tragedy. It was a triumphant day as the House of Representatives passed a comprehensive health care bill that will afford access to health care to millions of Americans who have heretofore lacked access. This will have a profound impact on the poor in our cities and rural communities across the nation – the young and the old, children, women and men, black, brown, and white. It was an act of tremendous courage for those congresspersons who voted for the legislation in the face of the venomous, vicious verbal attacks and threats directed toward many. On Saturday, at the dawning of the historic vote, I was in Washington, DC and as I walked the city's streets near the Capitol, I witnessed those carrying signs espousing their support of the Tea Party and labeling President Barack Obama a “communist, socialist, Marxist, or all the above.” Again, in the tragic aftermath of the vote, in the face of the racial slurs reportedly directed toward members of congress, and of Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver, a fellow United Methodist clergyman, being spat upon, it leads us to wonder when the day will come when we are truly the “United” States of America, one nation under God. For as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us, the day must come when we will either live together as sisters and brothers, or die together as fools.

Doing Justice

This week, as a member of the Board of Directors of the General Commission on Religion and Race, I had a chance to attend the joint spring meeting of GCORR and the General Board of Church and Society in Crystal City, Virginia. These two agencies continue to be a prophetic voice for the United Methodist Church in helping us as people of faith engage in acts of racial, gender, economic, and environmental justice, among others. I am encouraged that each of us can be prophetic voices for the people in our churches and communities. I invite you and those of your congregation to visit the web sites of GCORR at www.gcorr.org, and GBSC at www.umc-gbcs.org, as together we heed the words of the prophet Micah and seek to “do justice, and love kindness and walk humbly with God.”

Live Simply

"Let us live simply so that others may simply live." (Mohandas K. Gandhi)

What we do to the "Least of These"

"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist." (the late Dom Hélder Câmara)

Gandhi's Seven Deadly Social Sins

1. Politics without principle
2. Wealth without work
3. Commerce without morality
4. Pleasure without conscience
5. Education without character
6. Science without humanity
7. Worship without sacrifice

Compton Cookout

Yesterday, while listening to NPR, I heard of the troubling events surrounding the so-called “Compton Cookout” at the University of California, San Diego this past February. The invitation, posted on Facebook, notes that February, typically observed as Black History Month, is very important. Members of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity who hosted the event invited guests to celebrate Black History Month by wearing their favorite urban clothing (such as white T’s, FUBU, Ecko, Rockawear and “stunner shades”), to speak loudly and to eat foods such as watermelon and chicken and drink Malt Liquor. The invitation goes on to describe “ghetto chicks” as those who “usually have gold teeth, start fights and drama and wear cheap clothes...” as well as people with very limited vocabulary. There is evidence that this event at UC San Diego is not an isolated incident as UC San Diego and other college campuses have recently experienced other incidents of racial intolerance and bigotry. Such bigoted, hate-filled and divisive rhetoric and behavior point to our common need to continue to teach and practice tolerance and deeper understanding across cultures. Perhaps all of our nation’s colleges and universities should find the opportunity to use the tragedy of the “Compton Cookout” as a way of teaching such tolerance and understanding among our young.

A Year After - Barack Obama and Holding onto Hope

Ohio University, Chillicothe, OH
February 26, 2010

C. Anthony Hunt, D.Min., Ph.D.

A little more than a year after the election and inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States, these continue to be days of tremendous change and challenge in our society. From the collapse of the economy that has affected all of us – to the wars that continue to be fought in at least two places in the Middle East – to the proliferation of violence that affects many of our urban communities - to the health care crisis that results in over 40 million Americans living without healthcare today, these are days of unprecedented change and challenge.

For many, Obama’s historic election as the first president of African descent renewed (or birthed) a sense of hope across the nation and the world. The election of Obama seemed to point - for many - to glimmers of hope that our society had somehow arrived at our ideals of “E Pluribus Unum” (out of many one), and the creed shared in our nation’s Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all (persons) are created equal.” Throughout his presidential campaign, Obama offered a framework for what he termed an audacity of hope amidst the challenges we face.

On November 1, 2008, three days prior to the election, I was invited by St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore to give a lecture dealing with the matter of the church, society and race relations over the past forty years, and I was invited to address the question of whether it is possible - or even desirable - for us to strive to become color-blind. In my reflections, I was drawn back to the recalling some of what was occurring in America in the late 1960’s. We recalled that it was a time of great racial tension in America. The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968 spawned a proliferation of violence in cities across the United States. In cities like Detroit, Washington, DC and Baltimore, in the aftermath of King’s death, we witnessed communities turn upon themselves in acts of violence and destruction. The images of large business corridors, residential communities and places of worship being looted and burned are still vivid in many of our memories.

In 1968, the Kerner Commission Report, which President Lyndon B. Johnson had requested in light of riots that had broken out in several cities across the United States, summarized the state of race relations in America by noting that “America is a nation of two societies, one black and one white, separate and unequal.”

The Kerner Commission report is to be viewed against the backdrop of the history of racism in America. In 1903, African-American sociologist W. E. B. DuBois pronounced that the problem of the 20th century would be the problem of the color-line (The Souls of Black Folk). In 1944, Swedish sociologist Gunnar Myrdal discussed the plight of African Americans within the context of what he referred to as an "American dilemma." (An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy).

Barack Obama’s historic election and his first year in office is also to be viewed against the backdrop of the history of racism in America. As for Barack Obama’s election, many seemed to sense (and hope) that it usher in an age of post-racism and post-racialism in America – and perhaps across the world. A year later, we discover that we as a nation are continuing to come to grips with the racial and racist realities that continue to afflict us.

In his book, The Audacity of Hope (2006), Obama in-fact, offered words of caution to America in thinking that we may have arrived at becoming “post racial” or that we already live in a color-blind society, and that we may be beyond the need for discourse and critical engagement as it regards racism and related forms of oppression and injustice. He wrote:

"To say that we are one people is not to suggest that race no longer matters – that the fight for equality has been won, or that the problems that minorities face in this country today are largely self-inflicted. We know the statistics: On almost every single socioeconomic indicator, from infant mortality to life expectancy to employment to home ownership, black and Latino Americans in particular lag far behind their white counterparts.[i]

We also recall, that Obama, in a major address entitled “A More Perfect Union” that he delivered during his presidential campaign, offered an analysis of the prevalence of racial tensions which continue to define the relationship between the black and white communities. Obama argued that to simply shelve anger 0r “wish it away” (the race problem in America) could prove to be completely detrimental. Unambiguously, Obama pointed to a belief that race factors into the opportunities provided to each American citizen.

To support his belief, he noted that the inferior school systems today are often the ones that we segregated fifty years ago. Obama shared that the history of racism in America is undeniably at the root of the lack of opportunities for African American today. In light of this, it is both achievable and necessary for all Americans to unite and battle racial prejudices. In order move to a more perfect union, people of all races must recognize the historically oppressive and tyrannical nature of racism and its impact on the black experience in America.

A year after President Obama’s historic election, several recent events have served to heighten awareness as to the ongoing problems of race and racism in America. Among these are the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Justice Sonia Sotomayor; the arrest of Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates at his home in Cambridge, MA; debate surrounding the president’s September speech to students returning to schools across the nation; the heckling by U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson (South Carolina) during a speech by President Obama to a joint session of the U.S. Congress; the ongoing debates surrounding the president’s efforts toward reforming our nation’s healthcare system; and the emergence of the Tea Party and other reactionary expressions toward so-called progressivism in the nation. During a visit – last summer - to the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery AL - I and others who were a part of the visit were informed that there were over 800 hate related groups identified in 2008, and that this number is on the rise since Obama’s election as president.

In 1992 philosopher Cornel West published an important book entitled Race Matters. The book was written against the backdrop of the Los Angeles riots of April 1992, which followed the acquittal of the police officers charged in the beating of Rodney King, and the ensuing racial tensions in that city. In the book, West pointed to what he referred to as the “nihilism of Black America” – where a certain nothingness, meaninglessness, lovelessness, and hopelessness seems to have pervaded and permeated much of our society – particularly in the urban context. According to West at the time, race matters in America.

In one of his later sermons, "The Meaning of Hope," Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. defined hope as that quality which is "necessary for life."[ii]

King asserted that hope was to be viewed as "animated and under girded by faith and love." In his mind, if you had hope, you had faith in something. Thus, hope shares the belief that "all reality hinges on moral foundations.”[iii]

For King, hope was the refusal to give up "despite overwhelming odds." This hope would beckon us to love everybody – both our enemies and allies. This hope would help us to see that we can resist giving up on one another because our lives together are animated by the belief that God is present in each and every one of us.

In his famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered in our Nation’s Capital in the summer of 1963, King shared that a part of his dream was that we would be able “to hew out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”

In his most recent book, Hope on a Tightrope (2008), Cornel West cautions against a false sense of security in hope, yet unborn. He points out that real hope is grounded in a particularly messy struggle and it can be betrayed by naïve projections of a better future that ignore the necessity of doing real work. For West, real hope is closely connected to attributes like courage, faith, freedom and wisdom. It comes out of a history of struggle, and points to a future filled with the possibilities of promise and progress.[iv]

A year after the historic election of President Barack Obama, it is evident that there remain significant challenges to the actualization of real hope in America. Further, it evident that race still matters in America, and that while we may be moving toward such real hope, it is a hope yet unborn in its fullness.


[i] Barack Obama, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2006), 232.

[ii] King, sermon delivered on December 10, 1967, see Garth Baker-Fletcher, Somebodyness: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Theory of Dignity, (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1993), 132.
[iii] Baker-Fletcher, 132.

[iv] Cornel West, Hope on a Tight Rope (New York: Smile Books, 2008), 6.

The Road Not Taken

Robert Frost, Mountain Interval, 1920

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down on as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

Ans both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

(This poem by Robert Frost has served to encourage and challenge me at some of the more important junctures of my life.)

Christians

By Maya Angelou

When I say… “I’m a Christian”
I’m not shouting “I’m clean livin’.”
I’m whispering ‘I was lost.
Now I’m found and forgiven.”

When I say… “I’m a Christian”
I don’t speak of this with pride.
I’m confessing that I stumble
And need Christ to be my guide.

When I say… “I’m a Christian”
I’m not trying to be strong.
I’m professing that I’m weak
And need His Strength to carry on.

When I say… “I’m a Christian”
I’m not bragging of success.
I’m admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say… “I’m a Christian”
I’m not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say… “I’m a Christian”
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say… “I’m a Christian”
I’m not holier than thou,
I’m just a simple sinner
Who received God’s good grace, somehow!

Beyond Afghanistan

Martin Luther King, Jr. and Reflections on the War and Peace

C. Anthony Hunt, Ph.D.

In this, the year of the 81st anniversary of the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr., we pause to reflect on state of our nation and world, and the prospects of peace among us. On December 1, 2009 President Barack Obama shared with the nation his decision to increase American troop levels in Afghanistan by 30,000 over the next six months, with plans for the withdrawal of American troops by the end of 2011. President Obama, whose presidential ambitions were launched by his opposition to the war in Iraq, indicated that the rationale for the escalation of the war in Afghanistan was based on an increased sense of urgency to conclude the war begun in the immediate aftermath of terrorist attacks on America on September 11, 2001.

What would Martin Luther King have to say about the current war in Afghanistan – and President Obama’s decision? Perhaps the best indicator can be found in King’s comments on the War in Vietnam. On April 4, 1967 at Riverside Church in New York City – in a sermon entitled, “Beyond Vietnam” – King expressed in very vehement terms his opposition to the war in Vietnam. He stated, "The bombs in Vietnam explode at home, they destroy the hopes and possibilities for a decent America… The war in Vietnam is but a symptom of a far deeper malady within the American spirit, and if we ignore this sobering reality, we will find ourselves organizing 'clergy and laymen concerned' for the next generation... Now it should be incandescently clear that no one who has any concern for the integrity and life of America today can ignore the present war. If America's soul becomes totally poisoned, part of the autopsy must read "Vietnam."

In “Beyond Vietnam,” King intimated that there are real spiritual, moral and social costs that are born as a result of war. He said, “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. America, the richest and most powerful nation in the world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values. There is nothing, except a tragic death wish, to prevent us from reordering our priorities, so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war. There is nothing to keep us from molding a recalcitrant status quo with bruised hands until we have fashioned it into a brotherhood."

In April 2003 I published an essay entitled, “Counting the Costs: Reflections on the Church and Just War,” on the brink of the decision of the Bush administration to engage in war with Iraq. I wrote that it seems appropriate for the church to continue to consider (and reconsider) the matter of the justice of war from both philosophical and Christian perspectives. In terms of the morality of war, those who have thought, written, and acted on such matters, have historically raised particular questions as to the determinants of when war might be justified. In the fifth century, St. Augustine, the Christian philosopher, was instrumental in the development of seven criteria for determining whether or not a war is “just.” First, there must exist a just cause. The war must confront an unquestioned danger. Second, competent authority must exist. The leader committing a nation to war must be acting on behalf of his/her people. Third, there should be right intention. The reasons set forth should be the actual objectives, and retaliation must not be the aim. Fourth, war should be the last resort. All peaceful alternatives must have been exhausted. Fifth, there needs to be the probability of success. Sixth, discrimination requires the immunity of noncombatants from direct attack. And seventh, the good that will be achieved by war cannot be outweighed by the harm that is done.

In light of the general philosophical criteria outlined here, particular concerns exist as to how these can be applied to the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Specifically, have the alleged atrocities of Saddam Hussein (in Iraq) and the Taliban (in Afghanistan) warranted – over the past 8 years - the killing and maiming of countless innocent women, men and children? This is not to speak of the annihilation of an untold number of Iraqi and Afghani buildings, homes, shopping malls, factories, schools, and places of worship.

I wrote in 2003 that for those of us who are Christians, it seems that ours are not only philosophical concerns about whether or not a particular war is just, but our concerns center on what it means to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. And the matter of our attitudes and actions in Christ do not stop with asking the popular question, “What would Jesus do?” For it seems to be clear that Jesus did not - and would not - engage in such atrocities as the war in Iraq (or Afghanistan). The critical question for the church is also “What is Jesus doing in the lives of Christians today, and how does this lead us to respond?”

In the midst of the war in Vietnam, King stated in 1967 that, "The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, rather it is the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority."

And so in these times where war persists in our midst, it is my sense that King would call the church yet again to reclaim its prophetic voice, and remind us that “true peace is not merely the absence of tension, it is the presence of justice.”

Crisis and Opportunity

The Chinese symbol of crisis is also the symbol for opportunity. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. intimated that the true measure of a person is not how one acts in times of comfort and convenience, but how one acts in times of challenge and controversy. What are the opportunities and possibilities that you find in the crises and challlenges that you confront?

What Are You Afraid Of?

From Marianne Williamson in A Return to Love

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves,” Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? “ Actually, who are we not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Blog Alert on Community of Shalom in Haiti

Over 3 million people have been affected by the devastaing earthquake in Haiti. Communities of Shalom seeks to help with emergency needs while focusing on longer term rebuilding and community development in Mizak, Haiti. Once logistical challenges are met, we hope to see food security, temporary shelter and humanitarian aid flow and restore some community stability...so that the Shalom Zone Training for the long run can take place this summer. For more information, go to http://michael-christensen.blogspot.com/search/label/shalom%20zone.

What Martin Luther King Would Say About Haiti on His Birthday

Casey Gane-McCalla is a writer, editor, rapper, producer and actor. He is a Columbia University Graduate and previously worked in the non-profit sector.

January 15, 2010

Today is Martin Luther King's birthday. Today a horrific tragedy is going on in Haiti. While some men of the cloth are using the incident to spread their twisted world views, Martin surely would've used the occasion to spread wisdom and good will and encourage his fellow man to help out our Haitian brothers and sisters in need. But still what happened in Haiti is deeper than that.
For King, giving money to Haiti would not be enough. In order to be good citizens of the world, it is not good enough to just to give money, we must make sure to end the economic and social climate that led to the disaster. Here's an excerpt from his speech "Beyond Vietnam.

"A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our past and present policies. On the one hand we are called to play the good Samaritan on life's roadside; but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life's highway. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring. A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth. "

King goes on, addressing America's foreign policy and how it is destructive to the Third World.

"With righteous indignation, it will look across the seas and see individual capitalists of the West investing huge sums of money in Asia, Africa and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries, and say: "This is not just." It will look at our alliance with the landed gentry of Latin America and say: "This is not just." The Western arrogance of feeling that it has everything to teach others and nothing to learn from them is not just."

King also condemns countries that spend more money on wars than social program. The USA has pledged $100 million in aid to Haiti, while pledging upwards of $30 billion to add 30,000 troops in Afghanistan.

"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. America, the richest and most powerful nation in the world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values. There is nothing, except a tragic death wish, to prevent us from reordering our priorities, so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war. There is nothing to keep us from molding a recalcitrant status quo with bruised hands until we have fashioned it into a brotherhood."

So on Martin Luther King's birthday, let us reflect on our fellow human beings in Haiti. Let us help them out with our donations, but also let's fight so third world people do not have to suffer through the poverty that has inflamed this natural disaster. Let us be reminded of how what goes on in our own country affects the rest of the world.

[reprinted with out permission. If anyone has the author's contact information please pass it on to http://www.newurbanministry.blogspot.com/.]

Huge Interfaith Crowd Gathers for Baltimore Vigil against Violence

A crowd of over a thousand at Cathederal of Mary Our Queen. Photo by Elizabeth Suman

By FERN SHEN and ELIZABETH SUMAN, in Baltimore Brew

January 25, 2010

What can religion do to fight violence in Baltimore?

An interfaith group of well over a thousand people came together last night to answer that question — an array of religious leaders and citizens of all ages and races, wearing saris and sweatshirts, blowing the shofar and chanting Vedic calls, reading from the Bible and from the Koran.

The size and diversity of the crowd assembled in the cavernous Cathedral of Mary Our Queen for the Baltimore Interfaith Coalition’s “Vigil Against Violence” — among them mayor-to-be- Stephanie Rawlings-Blake — made the moment feel as historic as speakers said it was.

“We have not seen the likes of this size of interfaith gathering since the civil rights movement,” said Eugene Taylor Sutton, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland.

Crowd gathered at the interfaith "Vigil Against Violence" (Photo by Elizabeth Suman.)
The event was organized by the Baltimore Interfaith Coalition, a group of religious and civic leaders who joined forces in 2009, the program said, “to bring hope to a hurting city.” The latest homicide statistics bear witness to that pain.

Baltimore City reported 238 murders in 2009, upping the number of homicides by four since 2008. These numbers are below those reached regularly in the 1980s, when the death toll topped 300. Still, Baltimore’s current murder rate is the second-highest in the United States in a city with a population over 500,000, second only to Detroit.

Several of last night’s speakers said combatting violence must start with a change in attitudes. Rabbi Stephen Fink chastised Baltimoreans who live close to each other but don’t interact or feel a connection to each other. “Residents of crime-ridden neighborhoods are looked upon as statistics,” said Fink, Rabbi of Temple Oheb Shalom.

Sutton said complacency or resignation about Baltimore’s street violence has to end: “This is the year where Baltimore says ‘enough.’” “Anyone who has been killed is my brother,” Sutton said.
Other speakers stressed that people need to take action to stop violence, not just talk about it. As Heber M. Brown III, pastor of Pleasant Hope Baptist Church, put it: “Be a thermostat not a thermometer.”

We’re at a crossroads, we have two choices, Brown said, “you can pat yourself on the back for a nice quaint prayer vigil . . . or we can be headlights. . . and choose a better way.” Brown urged his audience to adopt a school or mentor a young person.

The call-to-action comes at a potent political juncture for Baltimore, as the new administration of City Council President Rawlings-Blake takes charge of the violence-plagued city. Rawlings-Blake, standing with police department brass, bowed her head as the crowd prayed for her and other civic leaders.

Among the civic and religious groups represented in the Coalition are: Johns Hopkins University, the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Baltimore Board of Rabbis, the Muslim Community Cultural Center of Baltimore and the Johns Hopkins Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence.
Everyone left on a rousing note, with the whole crowd holding hands and singing “We Shall Overcome.”

Meanwhile, outside, all their obstacles remained, including deep skepticism and cynicism from a crime-weary city.

EXTRAVAGANT GENEROSITY

The weekend of ROCK is one many of us look toward each year. For our youth and those of us who are older, this is always a wonderful time of celebration, connecting and sharing in the joy of Christ. With ROCK, it is easy to sense the hope that is the church, and the possibilities that we share.

As we gather each year in Ocean City at the end of January - among the many highlights of the weekend – the proclamation of the word, joyful praise, young people rushing to the front of the Convention Center, persons committing (and recommitting) their lives to Christ, sharing in communion – one that is always special is the offering that is taken at the final worship celebration. This year’s offering had particular significance as it is to go toward support the relief efforts of the United Methodist Committee on Relief in Haiti.

Over the past three weeks, people of faith have joined in prayer and support for the people of Haiti as they have dealt with the catastrophic earthquake that struck the country on January 12th. In this, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, the loss, grief and distress caused by this disaster adds to the tremendous forces of poverty with which the people already struggle.

This year, the offering received at ROCK totaled over $28,000, a sign of extravagant generosity. Acts of extravagant generosity continue as many of our churches continue to make contributions to UMCOR and other relief organizations, and prepare health kits to aid our sisters and brothers in need in Haiti. In these days of tremendous need for many among us, we continue to see signs of extravagant generosity in our midst.

The apostle Paul wrote to encourage the church at Corinth, “You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity.” (2 Cor. 9:11) Bishop Robert Schnase, his the book The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, shares that “extravagant generosity describes practices of sharing and giving that exceed all expectations and extend to unexpected measures. It describes lavish sharing, sacrifice, and giving in service to God and neighbor. “

Thanks be to God for our shared ministry, and the ways that we continue to engage in extravagant generosity both locally and globally

May the Lord, in whom we live and move and have our being, bless you in the days ahead, and may heaven’s face continue to shine upon us.

A Prayer for Haiti

by Taylor Burton-Edwards

The seas roar, the earth shakes,

buildings crumble, roofs toppleand walls turn to dust.

Have mercy on the people of Haiti, O God.
Nations watch, alarms sound,traffic halts,

utilities stop,and news is hard to verify.

Give us compassion to weep with those who weep, O God.
People die, families mourn,mountains split,

infrastructure and superstructure alike are gone.

Make us swift to help and persistent to rebuild,

not just things and structures, but lives, O God:
Through Christ, the solid Rock. Amen.

Health Kits for Haiti

Greetings Colleagues,

As we continue to pray and collect donations for the people of Haiti, here is yet another way that our churches and ministries can help. Visit http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/getconnected/supplies/health-kit/ to see complete instructions for assembling and shipping health kits for Haiti through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). These kits cost just $12 each to construct, and will be passed out to individuals who have been affected by the disaster.

Please follow the assembly and delivery instructions carefully. This is a great project for youth groups and other ministries to get involved with providing relief to our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

Blessings,

C. Anthony Hunt


Health Kit Items Value: $12 per kit
Place these items inside a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.
1 hand towel (15" x 25" up to 17" x 27", No kitchen towels)
1 washcloth
1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)
1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, No child-size brushes)
6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
$1.00 to purchase toothpaste (NOTE: UMCOR Sager Brown is now purchasing toothpaste in bulk to be added to health kits before shipping to ensure that the product does not expire before they are sent.)

Important Kit Assembly Information
All items included in kits must be NEW items.
All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items-nothing more.
Do NOT include any personal notes, money or additional materials in the kits. These things must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment.

Packing Kits
Box Weight. Each packed box cannot exceed 66 pounds.

Shipping Kits
1. Complete 2 packing lists-one for your records and one to put on the shipping box.
2. Paste the shipping label / packing list on the outside of each box you send. The shipping list helps the depot to quickly process kits.
3. Processing & Shipping Costs: Please enclose an envelope containing at least $1 for each kit you send. This donation enables kits to be sent without delay to areas in need. For Cleaning Buckets: $1.50.
Print Shipping Label & Packing List HTML PDF
Print ORM-D mark (JPG)Small Large

How to Turn Crisis into Opportunity in Haiti

How to turn a Crisis into an Opportunity in Haiti:
http://michael-christensen.blogspot.com/


Michael J. Christensen, Ph.D.National Director, Shalom Initiative

Help for Haiti

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

Greetings in the wonderful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I ask that you kindly join me in prayer for the people of Haiti as they deal with the catastrophic earthquake that struck the country on January 12th. In this, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, the loss, grief and distress caused by this disaster adds to the tremendous forces of poverty with which the people already struggle. I also ask that we join in prayer for our sisters and brothers in the Baltimore area who are concerned for loved ones in Haiti, as well as for those who will be traveling to provide direct support in Haiti in the coming days and weeks. Bishop John Schol has released a statement that can found on the Conference website at http://www.bwcumc.org/.

As we gather for worship on Sunday, I encourage you to lift prayers for the people of Haiti and also consider lifting a special offering in support of rescue and recovery efforts. Financial support can be made online through UMCOR. Checks can also be mailed the "Conference Treasurer" at 7178 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia, MD 21046. On the check, please note: Haiti Emergency, UMCOR Advance # 418325.

Below, please find additional web-links that can be helpful to your congregation:

A Prayer for the People of Haiti http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=48375

Haiti Cries… and We Cry with Them http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=48380 (Spanish translation available)

Prayers, Hymns, Sermons, and Resources for Times of Natural Disaster http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?loc_id=739,1112&act=nav_loc

Haiti Earthquake Response Resources http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?loc_id=739,1112,1198&act=nav_loc


Many Blessings and Thanks for Your Ministry,

Rev. Dr . C. Anthony Hunt
Superintendent
Baltimore Metropolitan District