January 14, 2022

Beloved in Christ,

On Monday we will celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  He is one of very few people whose feast (day of remembrance) can be celebrated on either his birthday (January 15^th) or death date (April 4^th).  The United States choses to remember his birthday and made a federal holiday of it, which is why many schools and institutions are closed this coming Monday.  I encourage all who are available to participate in the Diocese of New Jersey’s Worship on Monday, January 17^th at 10 am via Zoom (you can register at https://dioceseofnj.org/know_your_story/online-worship-and-program-to-commemorate-mlk/).  The service can also be watched on the Diocesan YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/EpiscopalDioceseofNewJersey.

King was a prophet, calling the Church and Society to work together to form a community that recognizes the inherent worth of all people, no matter their ethnicity, culture, or creed.  I know some of you do not like the Church being "political," and I will never tell anyone how they can use their voice or vote.  I will offer my studied understanding of what Jesus Christ did in his time and how we can learn from what he said and did – including dying at the hands of an unjust society – and how we as people of faith need to learn from what history has taught us. Unfortunately, we see a pattern of behavior in our civil life that is the antithesis of loving our neighbors as ourselves.  I, too, need to remind myself that being humble is more important than being right.

On December 26, 2021, the Anglican Church and the world lost an incredible leader in Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa.  He, like King, was a prophet as he offered his ministry to dismantle the apartheid system in his country.  Tutu preached about ubuntu, an ancient Bantu word meaning 'humanity to others'. It is often described as reminding us that 'I am what I am because of who we all are.’ In all our interactions, we need to remember ubuntu and that we are all human, full of wonders and flaws.  In our social discourse – especially in the age of social media where there is a high level of separation – we need to remember that we not only need each other to live, we are required by God to love each other and abide in that love (John 15:9-17).

I pray we can honor the legacies of both King and Tutu by being both more loving toward each other and doing our part to create a more just society for all.

In Christ,

Rev. Valerie+