Messages on Activism & Justice (Page 6)
Conversations to Empower
Lay preacher Chris Groppe speaks with his friend and colleague Dr. Oscar Torres Jr. about his work as Director of Equity & Public Programs for the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District. conversations to empower START OF TRANSCRIPT[00:00:00] Speaker1The following is a message from WellSprings congregation.[00:00:05] Speaker2Welcome, it’s nice to see everybody and I am. My name is Chris Groppe, and I’m very excited this morning to be here with my goodfriend and colleague, Dr Oscar Torres Jr., whom I’ve known for 20 plus years. We…
Welcoming Newcomers
For this week’s message, Rev. Lee is joined by Nina Guzmán, Executive Director of Alianzas De Phoenixville & Rachel Rutter, Executive Director of Project Libertad. Welcoming Newcomers START OF TRANSCRIPT[00:00:00] Speaker1The following is a message from WellSprings congregation. Of all the things that have whoops. There you go. Of all the things thathave happened in these last. Two years. Learning that song is one of the silver linings for me. And it’s a good one for this month, thisvery long January that we’re in, I…
Thriving Together
In today’s message, Rev. Lee spends some time speaking with Nydea Graves (they/them), a community organizer and activist based out of Coatesville, PA. Nydea has been working for years to help support their community in a variety of ways, up to and including holding an elected office position. They have wisdom and advice to share for all of us seeking to make our communities stronger, safer, and equitable for all. Thriving Together START OF TRANSCRIPT[00:00:00] Speaker1The following is a message…
Faithful Neighbors
Beth begins by talking about the concept of neighbors. She shares a story about settling down into a home, and wondering what it would mean for both her and her husband to have neighbors. She also shares a prayer from Rabbi John from the Beth Isreal Congregation for the Day of Prayer. The Interfaith Action Community is planning a day of action, focusing on diversity and inclusion. This is important work, because it helps us to see the humanity in…
Exterminate All the Brutes Documentary
Rev. Ken begins this week’s Message with the President’s statement about the Armenian Genocide, along with the response from the Turkish government. Many of our historical stories are difficult to reckon with, but it’s important that we’re honest about what happened, even if it’s painful. If that pain opens up a productive gap between reality and our aspirations, there can be growth and healing. Ken also shares a quote from James Baldwin about how accepting the past doesn’t mean drowning…
Life of the World to Come*
This week, Rev. Ken talks about the Mountain Goats album “Life of the World to Come” and explains how it’s the inspiration for this message. He talks about the concept of “temporal distancing” and how it can be a useful tool in mindfulness practice. He tells us about a time when – quite unexpectedly – he experienced a profound change in perspective. Given this week’s events, Rev. Ken takes a moment to reflect on the George Floyd murder trial, before…
Break Your Heart
In this week’s message, Rev. Lee talks about the upcoming election, and admits that she’d gone back and forth on what kind of message to deliver this week: one where she reassures us that everything will be okay, and one that warns us that it won’t be. She remembers words Rev. Ken said to her at her ordination: “Let your ministry break your heart,” and tells us that out broken hearts are good enough. She concludes with a story about…
The Camden 28
Lay preacher Rodney Whittenberg shares a story of growing up Catholic, and his amazement at people who are able to be nonviolent in the face of adversity. His Spiritflix movie is The Camden 28 – a documentary about a group of devoted Catholics who planned to break into a federal building and destroy the draft cards of hundreds of young men. The Camden 28 START OF TRANSCRIPT[00:00:01]The following is a message from Wellspring’s congregation.[00:00:11]Good morning, everyone, welcome to this week’s…
13th
This week, Rev. Lee preaches about the Ava Duvernay documentary, “13th.” She begins by talking about her family’s experiences, both spoken and unspoken, which led to her growing up in the suburbs. It’s important to realize that the racist ideas that allowed slavery are still operating in our politics and criminal justice system today, but she reminds us that our actions have power, even if it doesn’t seem to “work” in the moment. 13th [00:00:00]The following is a message from…
I Am Not Your Negro
Rev. Ken continues our SpiritFlix series with the award winning documentary film, “I Am Not Your Negro.” He begins his message with a story about an uncomfortable moment at a baseball game, before getting into the subject matter of the film. This unfinished memoir by James Baldwin is about his relationships with slain civil rights leaders. Now, more than ever, this film and message offer us a chance to wake up to the realities of being black in America. I…
Do The Right Thing
Rev. Lee kicks off our summer SpiritFlix series by talking about the 1989 Spike Lee “Do The Right Thing.” Even though this movie is over 30 years old, it’s incredibly pertinent to the police brutality we’re still seeing today. This film shows us imperfect characters interacting over the course of a single day, and asks us to consider what it means to do the right thing – both in small ways and in larger, society-changing ways. Spiritflix – Do The…