A Few Thoughts on Why Serve
Why Serve has ended and I failed to post at any point during it--not for lack of desire but as result of scarce energy (and hours for sleeping). Add on to that two plane rides of intensive conversation (one with former NBC reporter Dan Molina), an unexpected overnight in Dallas, and two sabbath days (from blogging at least) and suddenly you have the following Wednesday. I won't try to digest here the entire program as I'm hoping to do that on the Why Serve website, but I'd like to offer a few more personal and vocational learnings and reflections.
I received so much energy and inspiration being with these folks. Gathered from Hawaii, Arizona, Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota, Florida, DC, Boston, Colombia, the Virgin Islands, California, New Jersey, New York, Idaho and probably a few other places I'm forgetting, these young adults entered the weekend with great hope, great enthusiasm, and incredible faith. It was truly a privilege to simply be in their presence.
Young adults are not a huge demographic in our church. That is no surprise, but add on to that the further qualifier "of color" and you end up with a very small minority. This was the first time for most of us, including myself, to be in a community comprised almost entirely of Episcopalian young adults of color and to explore what that identity could and does mean. The result was profound as these young adults opened themselves to each other and as result further opened themselves to the movement of the holy spirit in their midst and in their lives.
We spent some time (though by no means enough) sharing stories, experiences, concerns, frustrations and joys. We spent some time reflecting in prayer, song and silence on our pasts. JR, a young Filipino- Hawaiian man, played the ukulele. Garrick played the guitar. Jabriel recounted the history of slavery in this country. Meng spat some spoken word. Goretti and her sister Vashti laid bare some stereotypes before helping lead us all in the Electric Slide in a moment of pure chaos, laughter and relief. Exhausted we retreated to our rooms every night while a good number ran the halls til all hours of the morning.
There is a vocation here. A vocation of supporting a raising up these young people who by necessity will imagine and build a church different than that which currently exists. There is a need here. A need for spaces where they can be recognized, challenged, and supported in their life in Christ in the fullness of their being and identity. And there is a danger here. A danger of avoiding all the necessary questions that their presence raises about a problematic history of racism, colonialism, and elitism in and around our beloved church, their beloved church.
I invite and encourage us not to shy from these. The path is difficult but the travelers who will blaze these trails are more than ready to do so, and I'm so excited to facilitate their doing this in community.
I received so much energy and inspiration being with these folks. Gathered from Hawaii, Arizona, Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota, Florida, DC, Boston, Colombia, the Virgin Islands, California, New Jersey, New York, Idaho and probably a few other places I'm forgetting, these young adults entered the weekend with great hope, great enthusiasm, and incredible faith. It was truly a privilege to simply be in their presence.
Young adults are not a huge demographic in our church. That is no surprise, but add on to that the further qualifier "of color" and you end up with a very small minority. This was the first time for most of us, including myself, to be in a community comprised almost entirely of Episcopalian young adults of color and to explore what that identity could and does mean. The result was profound as these young adults opened themselves to each other and as result further opened themselves to the movement of the holy spirit in their midst and in their lives.
We spent some time (though by no means enough) sharing stories, experiences, concerns, frustrations and joys. We spent some time reflecting in prayer, song and silence on our pasts. JR, a young Filipino- Hawaiian man, played the ukulele. Garrick played the guitar. Jabriel recounted the history of slavery in this country. Meng spat some spoken word. Goretti and her sister Vashti laid bare some stereotypes before helping lead us all in the Electric Slide in a moment of pure chaos, laughter and relief. Exhausted we retreated to our rooms every night while a good number ran the halls til all hours of the morning.
There is a vocation here. A vocation of supporting a raising up these young people who by necessity will imagine and build a church different than that which currently exists. There is a need here. A need for spaces where they can be recognized, challenged, and supported in their life in Christ in the fullness of their being and identity. And there is a danger here. A danger of avoiding all the necessary questions that their presence raises about a problematic history of racism, colonialism, and elitism in and around our beloved church, their beloved church.
I invite and encourage us not to shy from these. The path is difficult but the travelers who will blaze these trails are more than ready to do so, and I'm so excited to facilitate their doing this in community.
posted by Jason Sierra at 1:53 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home