Safe Spaces

A Message to Ponder

Today, I attended a service where the pastor drew connections between the book of Ephesians and our current political situation. Although he didn't specifically mention topics like immigration, ICE, or Greenland, (fill in the blank), he did highlight that in a fractured world, many people, both Christians and non-Christians, seek a sense of belonging and often emphasize identity markers such as political affiliation, gender, race, sexual orientation and more.

He further explained:

• If you are a believer, your most important identity is your Christian identity.

• One of the greatest powers you have, through Jesus, who is OUR peace, is reconciliation—finding ways to build relationships with those you disagree with. #gentilejewculture #breakingdownwalls

• Our aim is for others to know and recognize us as Christians by the way we love EVERYBODY.

The message was a great first step in fostering unity. It would have been awesome if it also included an invitation for monthly gatherings to discuss current events. Some of the division we observe is among Christians who have differing views on good, evil and biblical interpretation. The reality is that they might even be sitting in the same pew. We need to begin somewhere.

Separation of church and state.

I get it. People often mention the importance of separating church and state. However, with the current administration citing Christian principles to justify legislation and the removal of protections, the waters become really murky.

The church will occasionally address topics like homosexuality/gender identity and abortion, which are deeply connected to political agendas. From time to time, churches also discuss systemic racism, mental health, and addiction. However, I haven't observed the local churches I follow discussing immigration or social justice engagement (e.g., exploring who your neighbor is and what it means to love your neighbor in today's political climate), at least not recently. I'm not engaged with every church, so perhaps these discussions are taking place. I would genuinely appreciate hearing about messages or programs in your church or community that examine current issues from a faith perspective. #sendmealink Maybe it's just too risky.

Can we agree that it's possible to defend the marginalized and oppressed, even if you disagree with them? You know, like Jesus did:

Jesus to the crowd: "Go ahead, throw the first stone."

To the woman: "Go and sin no more."

The challenge is that too many people are quick to point out what they see as sin or misguided beliefs, rather than focusing on how they can offer compassion, mercy, and grace to those who need it, including federal agents, protestors, immigrants, lawmakers, and everyone else in between. Let's spend our time finding active, tangible ways to move forward in our efforts to be good humans. #unity #peace

Jesus and Paul

I have to believe that if Jesus physically walked among us, he'd be choosing a side and it wouldn't be Democrat or Republican. If Paul was around, he'd be writing a letter to tell us to get our act together. To me, it makes more sense for a church in this climate to provide a safe place to have messy conversations than it does to play it safe and not talk about it.

Wading a Little Deeper

You can display a video in one place, hold a call to prayer in another, organize a worship night here, and conduct a Bible study there. I know current issues are being discussed in community groups as side notes to the study or mentioned as prayer requests. These are all great ways to help people understand the world in relation to their faith.

What if we waded a little deeper into the water and made this work ongoing? For example, what if, once a month, some community groups (making it optional) discussed current events and wrestled with the issues? Or a once a month gathering was offered to anybody from the community that wanted to come. I genuinely believe we would find more common ground than differences which would go a long way in creating a sense of belonging in a fractured world. Or maybe no one is interested. What do you think?

Seriously, do you think people are open to having conversations other than on their social media posts?

*As a side note, we can not under estimate the desire of the next generation in using their voices and sharing their opinions when it comes to politics and/or social justice. They're engaged and they need a safe space to speak rather than be spoken to. I have honestly learned almost as much from my kids at our dining room table and in our phone conversations as I have navigating the news outlets.

At the very least can people of faith agree:

• when it comes to current events, media outlets and social media contain accurate information that can be fact checked and inaccurate information generated by AI, bots and/or biased commentators

• to pray for discernment before we post and to post in a way that invites others to either want to know more or to find common ground. The same holds true for our conversations.

• that we can disagree and still love someone.

All of these statements seem obvious, yet when you browse through the feeds of people you know through the faith community, it's quite revealing; not only what they say, but what they're not saying. I honestly don't know if I will change anyone's opinion by having conversations but I can guarantee, at the very least, I will find something we agree on.

In Minnesota

We have witnessed hundreds of clergy from various faiths, including some traveling from other states, participating in sit-ins at major corporations and facing arrest at the Minneapolis airport for protesting deportations. My niece, who lives in Minnesota, shared an Instagram video with me that showed Christians forming a protective barrier at the airport to allow Muslims to pray. #loveeverybody The urge to take a stand outweighed the need to separate church and state. The commitment to show compassion came at a cost, with many being arrested, but they would do it again.

The Church as a Beacon

Make no mistake. My life has been deeply impacted by the powerful messages I have heard in several churches. I'm not the same person I was before I listened to them. To be a pastor is a deeply profound calling and I am beyond grateful for those who have walked along side me.

There is so much the church does right. History has shown us that the church has often led the way in building faith and community, reaching out to the under resourced, in promoting social reforms and in healing those who are hurting. I'm not the only one on the struggle bus. I'm just hoping we can create safe places instead of playing it safe.

Wild, crazy, ramble bamble girl idea-- In the meantime, if I invited a bunch of people over for coffee, conversation and current events-- would you come?