June 2020 In Review

JUNE 2020  |  IN REVIEW
READ  |  WRITE  |  DISCUSS  |  PRAY  |  SERVE  |  REFLECT

Even in Cambridge

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Read

The New Jim Crow

Back in high school I was asked to view two photos, one of a white man and one of a Black man, and identify which was the criminal.  Even back then I was aware of my own bias.  But what should I do about it?  After digging into Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow and learning how the creation of the image of Black people as criminals has led to the crisis of mass incarceration of today, I walked away with ideas for how to elevate the Black image from this injustice.

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Write

Is this for real?

I’m sure we are all familiar with compassion fatigue by now.  Even in places that have been hit hard.  But to insist that things return to normal is to turn a blind eye to suffering.  Consider my experience in Cambridge.  Then consider that trusting in God in this moment might not be asking for protection for yourself; it might look like asking for softening of your heart towards those still in the fray.

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Discuss

Dear Mrs. Bird

We enjoyed escaping into this story, even though we found some key elements a little contrived.  We marveled at the English fortitude to maintain a stiff upper lip and forge ahead with life amidst the bombs dropping around them.  We compared their altered world to our current pandemic and our challenge to live our lives despite not knowing where our invisible enemy will strike next.

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Pray

What is your church doing about this?

One of the silver linings of the coronavirus pandemic has been the frequency with which my friends and neighbors have asked me how my church is responding.  I have felt more freedom to talk about my church in my community than ever before.  And yet, when they didn’t ask me what my church is doing about systemic racism, I felt ashamed.  Today, I want to say: Hold the church accountable.  We need to be a part of this too.

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Serve

Let’s hear from the Black community

One of my pastors says that the first way we can serve others is to listen, and then to keep listening.  This month I listened in on three panel discussions led by School Committee Vice Chair Manikka Bowman and former Cambridge mayor and sitting City Councillor Denise Simmons as they explored challenges facing the Black community during the coronavirus pandemic as well as another recently declared public health emergency, systemic racism.  Catch the entire series on Cambridge Community Television.

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Reflect

Reflect

Check out the reflect button on the homepage where you can view this and all monthly newsletters.

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VISIT THE SITE

Looking forward to reading & discussing with you!

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