Our Lives Together

A few months ago, Dr. Paul Dodd called and asked if I'd be interested in participating in a service to remember the 10th anniversary of the hate killing of Matthew Shepard. I was glad to have the opportunity to take part in what I thought to be an important event.

At our initial planning meeting, someone mentioned that it was also the 10th anniversary of the hate killing of James Byrd, Jr. All of us present quickly agreed that the event should be expanded to include Mr. Byrd's death as well.

What has evolved is an event that I think is significant for all of Austin, an event called Hope Not Hate. I am proud that MCC Austin, through our diversity ministry (AADM), is a co-sponsor of this event along with University Baptist Church, Equality Texas, Soulforce, and Church of the Savior. Our participation signals once again that we are committed to being a radically inclusive community--a church without walls! We are committed to reaching beyond all types of "isms" that separate people from one another--especially beyond racism and heterosexism.

Please invite your friends to Hope Not Hate on Sunday, Oct. 12, at 5:00 at University Baptist Church, 2130 Guadalupe. The keynote speaker for the gathering will be Rev. Dr. Stephen Sprinkle, Associate Professor of Practical Theology at TCU's Brite Divinity School. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo and a representative from the Travis County Sheriff's Department will also offer their remarks. Childcare will be provided and the evening will be ASL interpreted.

It is important that we not let our lasting images of these two men, James Byrd, Jr. and Matthew Shepard, be images of them as the victims of hate. Rather, we are called by their memories to do all we can to ensure that hate will never be the final word. We are called to join our hope for a more just, fair, and compassionate world with our actions in a way that brings about true and lasting change.

Always in Hope...

International Day of Peace

Two years ago, MCC Austin dedicated our own "Peace Pole" near the entrance to our sanctuary. The Peace Pole is a hand crafted pole that has the words "May peace prevail on earth" in eight different languages. Our Peace Pole is one of over 200,000 in a total of 180 countries around the world.

It seems that day by day our world moves further away from peace. Wars of words and weapons wreak havoc upon the people and the planet. Sometimes it's hard to remember, much less embrace, the promise of Christ in John's Gospel that "in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

One of our members sent the staff a card this week that helped me regain some perspective. It reads:

peace.
it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work.
it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. unknown

This is the lens that I needed to help me regain my perspective on Christ's promise of peace. Our God has not promised the absence of chaos, pain, tribulation, grief, or any of the things that swirl around us and disrupt the peace. Our God has promised to stand with us in the chaos, and ultimately, to bring order to it again.

I invite you to come and worship with us this weekend and allow the love of God and Christian community to help you regain your perspective on peace if, like me, you sometimes lose it.


May Peace Find You...