June 2023 Newsletter
Synod Assembly sermon
The Rev. Erin Jones, Pastor of Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community preached at the SWPA Synod Assembly on June 17, 2023. The sermon is based on Ruth 1:10-18.
Dear siblings, grace and peace to you from our Savior Jesus Christ, who calls us to listen and walk in solidarity with one another, wherever the road might lead. Amen.
Ruth and Naomi (and Orpah) are in the midst of their world shattering around them. They are grieving the loss not only of husbands and sons, but of livelihoods, homes, and survival. The systems around them will not let the death of these two men simply be a time of grief, but one that will continually hurt and punish the women who are left. And so Naomi offers her dear daughters-in-law a way out, a way to care for themselves in this heartbreaking and life-altering time, even if it means leaving her to walk on her own.
And Orpah does, more than understandably, take that opportunity - no shade on her. But Ruth chooses a different way. She chooses in this moment to not let death and separation and broken systems have the last word, but rather intimately ties herself to Naomi. “Where you go, I will go, your people will be my people, and your God my God.” These famous words of love and solidarity have provided inspiration for relationships of mothers and daughters-in-law, friends, marriages, and all sorts of configurations of human relationships.
They are also a model for us as we seek to be good allies and siblings in Christ wherever we see the pain of heartbreak and the shattering of lives caused by systems of death and violence. 8 years ago on this day, Dylan Roof entered Mother Emanuel AME in Charleston, as a member of an ELCA church, and chose to kill the 9 people who had welcomed him with scripture, prayer, and fellowship. The ripples of grief that one action caused not only the Charleston community, not only the AME community, but in the entire Body of Christ, making us feel our hearts and lives shattered around us. In the time of grief, we could have turned away from others to care for ourselves, but the ELCA chose a different way.
We chose the way of Ruth, to stand in solidarity, to do our work of repenting of the sin of white supremacy and Christian nationalism that deals in death and violence, and to walk where our AME siblings went, to call their people our people, and to remember we worship and serve the same God.
In this synod we took those words even more deeply to heart. We were not content to let the declaration of this day as a day of commemoration and repentance be all that there was to do, but to walk even further into the unknown of building relationships with our AME siblings. That led to meeting the Rev. Dale Snyder, and the people of Bethel AME right at a time when they were remembering the grief of their ancestors, torn from their citadel of hope in the name of eminent domain and “urban redevelopment” that was never intended to benefit them. As we literally walked around Highland Park with Rev. Snyder and heard the story of Bethel, we heard echoes of the call of Ruth - to go where they go, to have their people be our people, and together serve a God of justice.
That literal walking together has led to two years of working, speaking, advocating, teaching, and listening together. We have successfully advocated for the return of land to the people of Bethel, with support from systems like the Penguins, the URA, and the City of Pittsburgh. We have assured that the story of Bethel will not be one defined by death at the hands of white supremacist system, but will be one of hope and of God’s active and reconciling work in the world.
And beyond the success of land and money reparations, what is most meaningful in this work to me is that the people of Bethel have truly become “my people.” Rev. Snyder and I did a pulpit swap just a few weeks ago in celebration of Pentecost, where we each were welcomed with open arms by communities we have walked with, across vast cultural and ecclesiastical differences. We embodied the Ruth spirit of deep love and care across boundaries. May we as a Church, a Synod, and the whole Body of Christ continue to live into that spirit of solidarity and love, even when the way seems hopeless and overrun by death. May we know that together in the One who redeems and reconciles and is resurrected we are not only better, we can make the world better too. Amen.
Reflections on Pride Month
by Pastor Ryan Pusch, Perry Highway Lutheran Church, Wexford
In my preaching this month, I’ve been talking a lot about Pride, since I am the pastor of a Reconciling in Christ congregation, which means we’re dedicated to welcoming and celebrating all different kinds of folks, especially those who belong to the LGBTQIA+ community. One of the ways I connect Pride month to Jesus’ gospel of liberating justice is by talking about what Jesus came to liberate us from: sin, death, the devil, and the power of shame.
Shame is the opposite of pride. Shame is a very heavy emotion, and different than guilt, which is when we feel bad about our own attitude or behavior. Shame implies a “nonmoral negative self-evaluation” or “perceived difference between our actual and ideal self” (Miceli and Castelfranchi, 2018). In other words, guilt is a bad feeling about what we’ve done, and shame is a bad feeling about who we are. In terms of the gospel, we believe that Jesus life, ministry, death, and resurrection are God’s way of freeing us from the power of shame to love ourselves the way God loves us - for who we actually are.
Shame prevents us from recognizing our own inherent worth and sense of belonging. Sadly, shame is a tool that our society at large, and the church, has used, and still uses to hurt people who don’t fit into the false “normality” framework of heteronormativity and white supremacy. This means that queer people, people of color, and especially trans folks of color at this moment in time, are hounded by enormous shaming forces by society and the church in particular to be silenced, rejected, rendered invisible, and subject to violence.
When shame is internalized, it makes us want to hide ourselves away, and hate ourselves for who we are - and if we look at the gospel stories, there was nothing Jesus wanted to do more than to bring those who were pushed out of society back into the center, and to love people for who they are, by casting out the power of shame.
Like we read in Jesus’ apostolic discourse this month: “So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows ” (Matthew 10:26-31).
As we continue on our path of discipleship, rejecting the power of shame inherent to homophobia and racism, let’s remember that in God’s beloved community, everyone has a place at the table.
Book Review - Staying Awake: The Gospel for Changemakers
by Amy Kelly, House of Prayer Lutheran Church, Aliquippa
Have you ever read something and thought, "I have to get this book into more people’s hands"? That's how I felt after reading Staying Awake: The Gospel for Changemakers by Tyler Sit. Sit is a UMC pastor and church planter of New City Church in Minneapolis as well as a queer person of color. Referring to the story of Jesus praying in Gethsemane and Jesus' ask for the disciples to stay awake, the book talks about what Christians can do to stay awake to things Jesus asks us to do. Sit breaks the book into eight categories for us to think over how Jesus calls us to pursue justice. Readers will explore topics like worship, centering marginalized voices, and prayer through Sit’s personal stories, biblical text, and reflection questions to help us all understand how to develop and focus our lens for justice, and to see how Jesus is calling us to this work in each of these topics.
One of things I appreciated about this book was how accessible it was. This book is a great resource for newer Christians as well as thought-provoking for those further along on their faith journey. Sit has written in a way to appeal to different types of learners; using comics and other graphics, poetry, guides, and more to help everyone absorb the content. Lastly, it is a great resource for small groups, and Sit provides a free discussion and action guide on his website. We used Staying Awake in the spring for a group in the Around the River Parish, and it was a wonderful way to strengthen our community and have important conversations in our context.
Antwon Rose II - Five Years
June 19 marked the fifth anniversary of the death of Antwon Rose II, a 17-year-old killed by an East Pittsburgh police officer. This episode of WESA's The Confluence discusses the social justice movement in the city and state in the years since Rose’s death.
Guests on the program include: Michelle Kenney, Antwon Rose II’s mother and a fellow with 1Hood Media; Chad Dion Lassiter, executive director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission; Keisha-Khan Y. Perry, the Presidential Penn Compact Associate Professor of Africana Studies; and Jasiri X, founder and CEO of 1Hood Media.
Racial Justice Training
The Region 8 Synods are offering Racial and Social Justice Trainings at United Lutheran Seminary, Gettysburg Campus (in-person or online) on August 29 or November 28, 10am-3pm. For more information, and to register, visit their website.
Looking ahead to July
July is Disability Pride Month, commemorating the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act and celebrating the disability community. Learn more here and check the July newsletter for further resources, including a prayer petition for use in worship.