Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

    “Once to ev'ry man and nation
     Comes the moment to decide,
    In the strife of truth and falsehood,
     For the good or evil side;

    Some great cause, some great decision,
    Off'ring each the bloom or blight,
    And the choice goes by forever
    'Twixt that darkness and that light.”

This great old hymn was written in 1845 by New England poet, noted abolitionist, and Harvard Law School graduate James Russell Lowell, about the national debate over slavery and the impending war with Mexico.

It has stood the test of time because it tells the truth about what it means to stand as a witness to the work of God’s Kingdom and the difficult place persons of faith find themselves in standing up to evil.  And that does happen every generation. Every. Single. Generation.

In this generation, today, we continue to be stunned and saddened by acts of violence against faith communities in our country and in the world.  In the United States, we are very aware of religious discriminatory attacks with the burning of black churches and the attacks against synagogues.  There has been a 99% increase in attacks on Jewish houses of worship since 2015.

We cannot stand by.  That is why in May we issued an invitation to worship with our neighbors at Temple House of Israel during their lay-lead worship on May 10^th, and on the service led by their part-time interim, Rabbi Grumbacher on May 17^th.  If you missed these opportunities, the Temple would welcome you as a guest any Friday at 7:30 pm.

In addition, First Presbyterian will be hosting the Rabbi to come and talk to us and invited guests about his father’s experiences as a survivor of the Dachau concentration camp and service in the US Army. His talk is entitled, “Sharing the Silence: The Child of a Survivor Tells His Father’s Story,” which he has delivered all around the country. That event will take place on Thursday, June 6 at 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary, followed by refreshments in the Fellowship Hall.

Another way we are equipping ourselves for greater mindfulness in this time is by participating in the Presbytery’s Big Read, “Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race.”  We already have 8 people starting the book, and will plan discussion groups around everybody’s availability this summer.  If you did not make it on the first go-round of ordering this book, please contact me and I will make sure you get one.

    By the light of burning martyrs,
    Christ, Thy bleeding feet we track, 
    Toiling up new Calv'ries ever 
    With the cross that turns not back;
    New occasions teach new duties, 
    Ancient values test our youth;
    They must upward still and onward, 
    Who would keep abreast of truth. 

Your Sister in the Journey,

Pastor Karen