In This All Together
by Rev. Dr. Amy Chilton on 02/21/25
This past Sunday our congregation met on zoom
for the second week running. February seems to have an agenda to keep us close
to home as it refuses to release its icy grip! I, for one, am thankful for the
ways that technology enables us to still be together even when parking bans are
in effect.
I want to revisit a word of encouragement from this past Sunday’s Bible study - encouragement that we don’t isolate ourselves right now with all the turbulence that is taking place in our country. The author of the letter to the Hebrews encouraged their readers in the same way. They wrote,
And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25).
We are being flooded right now with various assaults on human and civil rights, including assaults on the rights and dignity of our trans and queer siblings, immigrants, women, and the poor. I have spoken to many people this past month who are afraid for people they love or for themselves and are unsure of what our collective future looks like. If this is you and your tendency is to isolate when you are afraid, let me encourage you to stay connected. Stay connected to this community or to other communities that give you life and help you remain hopeful.
Jesus and the early church lived through difficult times. Their country had been colonized by Rome, the masses were being impoverished through unfair taxation, the wealth disparity between the majority and the tiny wealthy class was profound, and the wealthy minority had undue influence on the faith communities. Humanity keeps circling back to this, don’t we?
But, we are not alone! We are surrounded by a community of faith, a cloud of witnesses, and the Holy Spirit. And, like all the people of faith before us who have walked through other difficult times, we will better navigate what God is calling us to now if we navigate it together. And what is God calling us to now? To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8).
Friends, we are in this all together - let us love one another and love this world, remembering that we don’t have to rely on our own strength to do so.
Blessings,
Pastor Amy
PS - I am going to share below a list of places from which I am finding support and seeing good work right now. If you want to help me expand this list, simply email a recommendation!
This past Sunday our congregation met on zoom for the second week running. February seems to have an agenda to keep us close to home as it refuses to release its icy grip! I, for one, am thankful for the ways that technology enables us to still be together even when parking bans are in effect.
I want to revisit a word of encouragement from
this past Sunday’s Bible study - encouragement that we don’t isolate ourselves
right now with all the turbulence that is taking place in our country. The
author of the letter to the Hebrews encouraged their readers in the same way.
They wrote,
And let us consider how to
provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting
to meet together, as
is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see
the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25).
We are being flooded right now with various
assaults on human and civil rights, including assaults on the rights and
dignity of our trans and queer siblings, immigrants, women, and the poor. I
have spoken to many people this past month who are afraid for people they love
or for themselves and are unsure of what our collective future looks like. If
this is you and your tendency is to isolate when you are afraid, let me
encourage you to stay connected. Stay
connected to this community or to other communities that give you life and help
you remain hopeful.
Jesus and the early church lived through
difficult times. Their country had been colonized by Rome, the masses were
being impoverished through unfair taxation, the wealth disparity between the
majority and the tiny wealthy class was profound, and the wealthy minority had
undue influence on the faith communities. Humanity keeps circling back to this,
don’t we?
But, we are not alone! We are surrounded by a
community of faith, a cloud of witnesses, and the Holy Spirit. And, like all
the people of faith before us who have walked through other difficult times, we
will better navigate what God is calling us to now if we navigate it together.
And what is God calling us to now? To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk
humbly with God (Micah 6:8).
Friends, we are in this all together - let us
love one another and love this world, remembering that we don’t have to rely on
our own strength to do so.
Blessings,
Pastor Amy
PS - I am going to share below a list of
places from which I am finding support and seeing good work right now. If you
want to help me expand this list, simply email a recommendation!
- The
Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. AWAB has a resource library, a blog, and a bi-weekly newsletter
they send out. These are invaluable resources for knowing how to best
support our LGBTQ siblings.
- The Trevor Project - The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis
intervention for LGBTQ+ young people.
- The Rhode Island State Council of Churches - The RISCC is a multi-faith advocacy organization that offers
invaluable resources on community justice work. They have some important
upcoming training events and publish a regular newsletter you can sign up.
- Dorcas International - Dorcas International offers wrap around services to refugees.
They also collect donations of volunteer time, goods, and money to support
the RI refugee community.
- Comprehensive Community Action Program (CCAP) - CCAP is a local, private, non-profit organization fighting
against poverty. We give food monthly to their foodbank and one of our
members runs the garden at the Cranston location (all garden produce goes
into the foodbank). There are opportunities for volunteering in the
foodbank and garden, and they offer a wide variety of wrap around services
for financially vulnerable folx.
The Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. AWAB has a resource library, a blog, and a bi-weekly newsletter they send out. These are invaluable resources for knowing how to best support our LGBTQ siblings.
- The Trevor Project - The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis
intervention for LGBTQ+ young people.
- The Rhode Island State Council of Churches - The RISCC is a multi-faith advocacy organization that offers
invaluable resources on community justice work. They have some important
upcoming training events and publish a regular newsletter you can sign up.
- Dorcas International - Dorcas International offers wrap around services to refugees.
They also collect donations of volunteer time, goods, and money to support
the RI refugee community.
- Comprehensive Community Action Program (CCAP) - CCAP is a local, private, non-profit organization fighting
against poverty. We give food monthly to their foodbank and one of our
members runs the garden at the Cranston location (all garden produce goes
into the foodbank). There are opportunities for volunteering in the
foodbank and garden, and they offer a wide variety of wrap around services
for financially vulnerable folx.
