With Wild Mountain Thyme in the background, I wrote for a friend:
Peace to you this day,
grace to you this day,
faith to you this day,
courage to you this day,
hope to you this day,
love to you this day,
peace to you this day
and every day.
11 December 2011
Shire on the Hudson
Filed under Poem
Will you write a letter to save a life?
I will.
Tonight I signed up to participate in Amnesty International’s Write for Rights Global Write-a-thon.
Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world will take part in the Write for Rights Global Write-a-thon; Amnesty International calls it the world’s largest human rights event:
Through letters, cards and more, we take action to demand that the human rights of individuals are respected, protected and fulfilled. We show solidarity with those suffering human rights abuses, and work to bring about positive change in people’s lives.
Words carry great power. Amnesty International helps us put our words to use in the cause of human rights. Our words can bring hope to a prisoner. They can expose the corners of torture chambers. They can offer courage to those who defend human rights. They can challenge the powers that be. They can set the oppressed free. They can save lives.
Sign up now to Write for Rights!
I will post about my writing. I invite you to let me know what you write.
And I will see you along the Trail.
Filed under Human Rights
Thanks be to God for the life, the love, the faith, the courage, the grace, the hope, the witness of the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth! Well done, good and faithful servant! Rest in peace.
Fred Shuttlesworth, Civil Rights Leader, Dies at 89
Birmingham Mayor William Bell orders city flags lowered in honor of the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth
The honors are deserved.
I wonder if the Rev. Shuttlesworth might suggest that appropriate ways to honor him are to love (truly love both in actions and in how we structure our lives) one another, to seek justice for all, and to work to build, nurture, and strengthen community among the diverse peoples of our country and the world. The struggle continues.
What will you do? What will I do?
See you along the Trail.
Filed under Current Events
Simple ribbons.
Many colors.
Bright colors.
With words of
remembrance and
faith and
love and
hope.
Ribbons of Hope were made in New York and around the world as part of the observance of the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001. Ribbons were made at St. James Presbyterian Church on September 11, during a seminar with participants from the Presbytery of West Virginia, and at a chapel service at the Church Center for the United Nations.
Prepare New York reports that more than 20,000 people participated in Ribbons of Hope. The ribbons adorn 12 nine-foot panels. “These tapestries, where ribbons of different colors, textures, shapes and sizes can be found side-by-side, symbolize the strength and vibrancy of our diversity and serve as an important witness to peace and reconciliation. The plan is to continue to display them across the city throughout the full tenth anniversary year. They will travel each month from one prominent location to another. Ribbons will be added as they go, making this an expanding, interactive expression of community art.”
Moving, maintaining and organizing this project takes money; friends of Prepare New York can make a tax deductible gift of $25. Your gift will help keep this powerful symbol of hope and healing alive for a full year. Your name will be added as a “friend” of Ribbons of Hope.
Did you add a ribbon to the Ribbons of Hope panels and want to know where your ribbon is now? Use Ribbons Map to track all the panels as they move from place to place. Find out where your ribbon has been and where it’s going next. See photos from the Ribbons of Hope weekend. Read Robert Chase’s recent blog: Reflections on Ribbons and 9/11.
Ribbons of Hope panels are scheduled to be at the chapel in the Church Center for the United Nations next week. Watch for pictures.
See you along the Trail.
Filed under Current Events, New York
Suspended between
birth
and
death
hope
and
despair
faith
and
doubt
sorrow
and
joy
indifference
and
love
we make our way,
we journey,
we live.
25 September 2011
Shire on the Hudson
Filed under Poem
When
replaces if
in words written
and words said
with some facility.
When
replaces if
not as a certainty
nor as a guarantee,
no fait accompli.
When
replaces if
as a sign of hope
a challenge,
a possibility.
But when,
oh when,
will when
replace if
in reality.
16 August 2012
SW 782 CLE-BWI
Filed under Poem
During today’s workshop on living our faith in the public life, participants were invited to name the saints who have gone before us – those who have witnessed in public life in a variety of names. After we had the page filled with names, facilitator Ryan reminded us that behind all those we named were many people whose lives they had touched – people who had also faithfully witnessed in the public life.
In the conversation that followed, Sam and Claire observed that the people we named were well known. They also observed that there are many, many, many other Saints of the Public Life: people who each day work in the public life for peace and justice faithfully, carefully, passionately, and constantly. They do so known only to a few – those who work with them, those who love them.
Tonight, I was reminded of one such saint – I remember and give thanks for Steve Brown.
We knew it was coming.
We had been warned – a number of times.
Yet still, the news, the final news, coming tonight, carried surprising force.
We met over thirty years ago.
Tricia, Sue, and I were students.
Steve a trailing spouse.
We played tennis. We laughed.
Steve was a patient, gentle, creative man.
He also had a deep commitment to peace and justice, a commitment he lived in many, many ways on issues ranging from nuclear disarmament to ending war to just immigration to access to health care – on the list could go. .
Steve, and Sue, put themselves into the struggle for full inclusion of GLBTQ people in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
For a number of years, Steve has faced illness.
Sometimes he seemed to gain – there were periods of remission.
But the struggle continued.
From time to time, the reports came – the illness was getting worse.
When his presbytery voted on the most recent initiative to include our GLBTQ sisters and brothers fully in the church, Steve made the effort to be there – his commitment to justice transcending his illness.
He voted, again, for inclusion. His presbytery did the same.
Tricia and I leave for Colorado tomorrow.
Our plans included a visit to see Steve and Sue.
A few days ago, we heard that the end was drawing near. We began to reconsider those plans – to perhaps go to Greeley sooner than we had intended.
Late last night (OK – early this morning – I don’t sleep much) – we heard more news: the end might come before our arrival.
We called Sue a couple hours ago – so we would know how to finalize our plans – and we heard the news – Steve died this morning.
I give thanks for Steve’s life and witness; I give thanks that his pain has ended; but the world seems a little bit less bright and my heart aches for Sue – we will figure out how to see her as she walks this shadowed valley.
See you along the Trail.
Filed under Photo, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Step by step, we march toward peace,
step by step, the march goes on.
No one steps every step;
each one steps but some.
We may not reach the journey’s end,
but without our steps,
however few, however small,
no one ever will.
Step on.
Step on.
Act by act, justice is done,
act by act, justice does grow.
No one takes every act;
each one takes but some.
We may not see full justice done,
but without our acts,
however few, however small,
no one ever will.
Act on.
Act on.
Note by note, we play our part,
note by note, the song goes on.
No one plays every note;
each one plays but some.
We may not hear the last coda,
but without our notes,
however many, however few,
no one ever will.
Play on.
Play on.
27 June 2011
Shire on the Hudson
Filed under Poem
And in the end
God gives a song.
When death has come,
and pain aches deep,
it’s all we have,
it is enough.
For in the end,
God gives a song.
And in the end,
God gives us hope.
When all seems lost,
despair runs high,
it’s all we have,
it is enough,
For in the end,
God gives us hope.
And in the end,
God gives us love,
when hate reigns strong,
when fear looms large,
it’s all we have,
it is enough.
For in the end,
God gives us love.
And in the end,
God gives justice.
When systems wound,
exclude, exploit,
it’s all we have,
it is enough.
For in the end,
God gives justice.
And in the end,
God gives us peace,
when wars rage hot,
violence strikes,
it’s all we have,
it is enough.
For in the end,
God gives us peace.
And in the end,
God gives us Christ,
when all is done,
and all is said,
Christ’s all we have,
Christ is enough.
Give thanks to God,
God gives us Christ.
25 May 2011
Jet Blue 868
KIN – JFK
Filed under Poem
Along the Graybeard Trail 