Simon’s Says
Clergy of the UCC’s Southern New England Conference received a pastoral letter from Executive Minister Rev. Darrell Goodwin yesterday. It contains words of counsel, encouragement and hope that are not, I think, exclusive to our clergy in these fraught days, and I want to share some of it with you. Darrell writes,
- Pray deeply and unceasingly: Lift up those grieving, those protesting, those frightened, and those in positions of power. Pray that God’s justice, peace, and reconciliation prevail.
- Lament with courage: Biblical lamentation gives voice to our outrage and sorrow, while anchoring us in hope that God hears and will act even when we cannot yet see how.
- Stand with the vulnerable: Whether at the borders, in urban streets, or in neighborhoods of fear, we uphold Christ’s call to love our neighbors and to bear one another’s burdens.
- Prepare wisely and faithfully: As clergy in New Hampshire have urged and as thoughtful leaders across traditions have affirmed, we do well to be ready not only in our wills and affairs but in our souls and congregations for what faithful discipleship increasingly demands; courage, compassion, and prophetic witness in the face of fear.
Beloved, the Church… is justice’s home. Jesus walked the margins, crossed divides, and lifted the voices of those overlooked and oppressed. In our day, we follow Him not by succumbing to despair nor by embracing hostility, but by being rooted in prayer, sustained by hope, and committed to peace with justice (Psalm 85:10).
As we move forward, let our communities be places of shelter and strength, incubators of courage, centers of healing, and beacons that testify to the love that surpasses fear.
May the peace of Christ, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in these days and in all days to come.
I pray you find in his words the same strength, resolve and succor that I do.
Links to Sunday’s bulletin and service are here: