Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, and especially the hearts of the people of this land, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dear Friends,

This Sunday, we will hear the parable of the persistent widow (and the unjust judge) from the Gospel of Luke. Jesus says the example is given to encourage us not to let up with our prayers and not to let faith falter. In these perilous times, the story encourages to persist in witnessing and working for a world of justice, love, and true freedom.

On Saturday, protests are planned for cities and communities across the country. The stated goal of the organizers is to mobilize millions of Americans to declare “America has no Kings,” and that “power belongs to the people.”

As Christians, we can heartily concur with such a message and take it, for ourselves, a step further: to say that we have no king but Jesus, whose power is love, whose reign is justice, and whose way brings true freedom to all who are oppressed. In this conviction, we can stand together as siblings with all who are in danger or vulnerable, and with all who seek to serve the common good: shoulder-to-shoulder with others who will rise up to bear witness.

I will be in Salem with delegates and other clergy for Diocesan Convention this weekend. With the Bishop’s encouragement, many of us will join the Salem protest during our lunch hour outside the convention center.

In Portland, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon invites people and communities of faith to meet together and bear witness as they walk to the rally at Waterfront Park.

If you will be on the streets this weekend, please go together with others, and be filled with the Spirit to speak boldly of God’s dream for this world and the whole human family.

With you,

Scott+

The Rev. R. Scott Painter, Rector

Email: mailto:ScottP@stmaa.org