"So You Want to Talk About Race" Morphs into “Building Bridges”

Over the holiday break from the end of November to January, a number of emails connected our study group. Mostly these came from our leader/moderator/facilitator, Karen. I’ll just list them here; I have not read or listened to all of them.

 The Quiet Danger of McConnell’s Racist Policies

https://www.breachrepairers.org/blogs/2019/11/27/the-quiet-danger-of-mcconnells-racist-policies

160 books written by black women authors between 2000 and 2019

http://www.culturalfront.org/2019/08/160-novels-by-black-women-2000-2019.html?fbclid=IwAR09IeRZ5C8syHjpBTDBURDu5MUiBjsDGafp8BK7yZZZfdYkg0IgaBOX2WQ

During Hannukah

https://ajws.org/blog/8-nights-8-jewish-values-reflections-for-chanukah-on-the-jewish-obligation-to-build-a-better-world/

Letters from an American; Heather Cox Richardson is a professor of history at Boston University

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/december-26-2019?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo1Mjc0Nzk2LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoyMDY3NjMsIl8iOiI4SUNYbiIsImlhdCI6MTU3NzQ1NDAwMiwiZXhwIjoxNTc3NDU3NjAyLCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMjA1MzMiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.mfWKw6LO334UrQrLXiyctVxlCaLJ0ebYFe2Jpp4iZq0

Levar Burton videos, “This Is My Story”

https://thegrapevine.theroot.com/levar-burton-does-more-than-read-his-new-video-series-1840777410

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsGlBNDf64c

“Native Son” by Richard Wright was recommended (on sale at bookbub)

Here’s a review of Wright’s body of work (it is long)

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1992/07/20/the-hammer-and-the-nail

I also came across some quotes while reading for the Wednesday night Bible study at Grace; they may or may not be exactly relevant, but this is my blog entry, so I reserve the right to put in anything I want!

On Faith, Hope, Love:

We don't have to be "successful," only valuable. We don't have to make money, only a difference, and particularly in the lives society counts least and puts last.

From Credo by William Sloan Coffin

On Social Justice and Economic Rights:

Had I but one wish for the churches of America I think it would be that they come to see the difference between charity and justice. Charity is a matter of personal attributes; justice, a matter of public policy. Charity seeks to alleviate the effects of injustice; justice seeks to eliminate the causes of it. Charity in no way affects the status quo, while justice leads inevitably to political confrontation. Especially I would hope that Christians would see that the compassion that moved the Good Samaritan to act charitably—that same compassion prompted biblical prophets to confront injustice, to speak truth to power, as did Jesus, who, though more than a prophet, was certainly nothing less. 

Peace,

— Duncan Taylor

That's a Lot of Bread!

Because of the MLK holiday, the Flemington Food Pantry did not pick up the day-old bread and baked goods from ShopRite this past Monday. Fortunately, both William Taylor and Duncan Taylor were there for a run to the food pantries and kitchens in Whitehouse Station and Lambertville. They needed BOTH vehicles for the NINE grocery carts full of bread, as well as the usual cart full of produce.

Puerto Rico Mission Trip Update

We just left a church that is in the center of the area that was most severely hit by the earthquake. The fiberglass ceiling tiles and a lot of glass had fallen. The church had just recently finished repairing the damage from Maria.
Many local inhabitants will be able to sleep there now. They spoke of their fears. One elderly woman sat outside all day waiting for it to be cleaned. She told me she was in the bathroom when the quake hit and has flashbacks when she tries to go back in.

When we were done the pastor spoke beautifully of their thankfulness. We all sang “How Great Thou Art” - some in English some is Spanish. Not surprisingly there were tears. It has never had greater meaning to me.

I was also thankful that there was not another quake! As we were deciding whether we should go there we were told there will likely be another one magnitude 3 or above. Please send prayers.

If anyone wants to help the church we worked with has an amazing ongoing program which continues To help people ravaged by Maria.

— Marianne Fimble

Dispatch from Puerto Rico

If you’ve been reading Marianne Fimble’s facebook posts you’ll know that she, Selma, and I are in Puerto Rico on a mission trip. After the earthquake we lost power and have been without central power since Monday. A sister church of the church where we are based experienced some significant damage in the quake yesterday. The local leaders and pastor asked if we could change plans and go down to southern part of island where the church is. It is in the main area where the quakes have been centered. After some prayer and discussion we decided it was best to follow our hearts and go help. Some will stay and finish the roof and rest will travel south to help the church clean up the damage to their new sanctuary. They just had it remodeled after the hurricane.

Some are feeling a little anxious but still decided to go.

And the lord asked. “Who shall I send”?

Peace
- Mike Sisco

A note from Marianne:

And you would have been so proud to see Mike on the rafters of the house we worked on. The family who will live in it were so thankful. Now they will be able to fix the rest of the house and have their family together. Today as we drive toward the epicenter we stopped to get drinks. A man came up and insisted (with tears in his eyes) that he pay. I am truly receiving far more than I am giving.

PS I used a power saw for the first time!!! Very exciting!

-Marianne Fimble

Mike Sisco, Grace UCC Moderator, on a roof in Puerto Rico.