722 N. 145th St. | Shoreline, WA 98133

Strength for the Journey

At the Epiphany we celebrate the light of Christ and in my Epiphany sermon I talked about the ways that we seek that light. The light is, of course, a metaphor for a quality of life that gives us hope and strength. Light is salvation when we are in the darkness. Light is hope when we are lost. Light reveals beauty. Light shows us the path, the way.

I was discussing the Epiphany with my mentor, the Rev. Hollis Williams, on Tuesday morning and he shared an interesting reflection. In his youth he was deeply involved in the civil rights movement and in his ministry, he encountered many people who devoted their lives to that cause. Some who threw themselves into the cause of civil rights became disillusioned and burned out, despairing that change would ever happen. There were others who seemed to be able to keep going and even drew strength from the work. The difference was faith.

When we abide in God’s love, we can change the world. The civil rights activists who attended Hollis’ church would share their struggles, tell their stories, cry together about their failures, and celebrate their successes. In the context of a faith community, they were able to continue to work towards a vision that seems impossibly distant, for a cause that can seem hopeless, and against opposition that is relentless. It was their faith, and the support of their faith community that gave them strength to continue.

We certainly face similar challenges today. We struggle with deep political divisions in our country and intractable problems, including racism, unjust immigration policies, wealth disparity, climate change, homelessness, and food insecurity. Here, at the Church that Feeds People, we believe that we are called to make a difference in our local neighborhoods. We are called to feed people who are hungry and do what we can to help with homelessness. All of this is inspired by our faith. It is our love of God and gratitude for the gift of Jesus that gives us strength for the journey.

Yours in Christ,
David+