Robust Community

Good Morning, Loved Ones,

Welcome to September! I give you Cinco today from the National New Sanctuary Movement Gathering at Riverside Church in NYC.

James 3:17-18 (The Message)

^17-18Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.


Thank you, Lord for . . .

. . . Pastor John Fife who started the Sanctuary Movement 30 years ago and had to leave us yesterday after his keynote to attend a court date in Arizona to defend himself against a charge of littering the desert. His group, "No More Deaths," puts water in the desert so that those who are crossing can survive the brutal passage. It is for this he is being prosecuted.
. . . The musical group Nueva Cosecha (New Harvest) who brought us the messages in song, "Don't Call Me Stranger" and "No Human Being Is Illegal."
. . . My friends, John, Ginny, Daniel and Laurie from IJAM (Immigrant Justice Advocacy Movement) who are here with me and listening, sharing and learning to help make a difference.
. . . Rabbi Michael, who yesterday reminded us that the Old Testament calls for us to "love our neighbor" once, but calls for us to "love the stranger" 36 times.
. . . The Personnel Committee of GPPC and the challenging work they have been doing over the last few months. I'm thankful that they listen well and embody the message from our brother, James, above.
. . . The people of Grandview Park Church are building a robust community by "getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor."
. . . This litle corner of NYC full of institutions of learning and faith, for Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University, Riverside Church . . . for a rich history of thoughtful discourse and positive conversations that have changed the course of history.

Woops! I did it again. 7.0 instead of 5.0. Oh well, you know how it is. Once you get started, it's hard to stop. We're all waiting to hear from you. Gimme Cinco!

Pastor Rick
http://gimmecinco.blogspot.com/