Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

“True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Stride Towards Freedom, 1957.

Sometimes it’s important to check in with our ancestors…ancestors in family, ancestors in faith

We know they left us a legacy; how are we spending it? What are we doing with the values they taught us, and how are we helping to unite the world in courage and in love? Are we? What actions can we take today to help move things in a more loving direction? How do we solve for kindness?

Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and it offers us a chance for reflection on the man, his words, and his actions. He’s been lionized in literature and media. His ministry was deeply impactful, but ultimately left him at odds with the powers that be and even his own faith and cultural communities. He was not perfect. He was very, very human. But he aimed for high ideals about how people were meant to care for and treasure one another.

As the news cycle offers less and less of love and hope, Pilgrim Church should aim toward these values, now more than ever.

When our children ask us how we left them a better world, what will our faith lives tell of us? Will we point to our actions and our words now, and claim our victory? How will we portray the values of patience and humility to a world that recognizes neither?

We should not resort to easy answers for these questions. But Rev. Dr. King wrestled with a lot of this, so I’ll be spending the month ahead in this space reflecting on some of his big ideas. I hope you’ll enjoy this time, and feel welcome to join us on Sunday mornings at 10 am as we seek to support and celebrate one another!