My name
is Rev. Barbara Gilday. I am a member of the Black Lives Committee
and the recently created ABC’s – Actions for Beloved Community,
committee. Today I’m sharing the anti-racism moment.
I
recently came across a prayer given by
Rev. Dr. Randy Becker 9 years ago, at the 2012 GA. In
it, I heard the battle fatigue between good intentions, hard work and
outcomes. Today I’ll read Excerpts
from the prayer with my responses as a representative of our new
Actions for Beloved Community group.
Rev.
Randy said: The General Assembly has opened, and I
am waiting
–
listening
to past injustices
enduring
jingo-istic rhetoric about justice
hearing
historical songs about visionary struggles with oppression.
And
I Barbara, say: Out of the ashes of the past, the work of the many
faithful ones on the journey, and the continuing horrors we have
witnessed this past year, a new consciousness and broader
determination is evolving.
Randy
said. . . I am waiting
. . . for someone to say that our Universalist heritage calls upon us
all to a radical
vision:
trusting the whole of humanity and the earth to be of one creation
that transcends all humanly created systems of nations, people, and
cultures.
And
I say: out of our studies, our good intentions, our successes and
failures, comes a radical new vision for the future.
Randy
said: I am waiting . .
.for
us to
begin to be part of the creation of the future, by
proclaiming
more than repudiating,
by inviting
more than condemning, by
focusing on connections
more than differences- believing that compassion
is a greater force of transformation than pain, regret, or shame.
And we
in the ABC’s group are acting: With a vision of creating
educational initiatives and a mission of collaboration with Western
and other students for our mutual transformation. Currently, we have
2 projects:
First:
we are inspired by the 8th
principle and are discovering new ways to manifest radical visions
for racial and social justice. We are working cooperatively with
Western’s Woodring College and students in its social justice
minor, to develop a cooperative, transformational mentoring program
which will open doors in the desired careers of these young people
working for social and racial justice and transform us in the
process.
And
Second:
We are doing our own reparations with African Americans and other
people of color through the Call Me Mister mentoring program for
teachers. We are beginning supporting a couple of African American
students at Southern Florida University, throughout their studies to
allow them to graduate debt free. Our long range vision for this
project is to expand it, to invite greater numbers of UU
congregations to follow our lead in the future and thus grow the
numbers of teachers of color in our classrooms.
Randy
said: I am waiting . . .for a General Assembly
which is
filled with a spirit of vision, values, and hope
which
builds on a thoughtful and spirit-filled
theology
of possibility, inviting all the world and all her people to
a new
community -to a new unity.
And
we say: We are committed to being those people, working with one
another organically: listening, questioning, supporting and being
patient with one another. We are being awkward in the not knowing
places, brave enough to take first steps without knowing what next
steps will be and kind to each other, bringing the best out of each
of us. We are inspired in the knowing that together, we are enough to
create meaningful transformation, equally, in us and in those we are
companioning. This is the work that the new ABC’s – Actions for
Beloved Community, aspires to, to bring forth racial and social
justice with trust, vision and lived values.
