Showing posts with label Thanksgiving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thanksgiving. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday, December 6, 2013
Reflections on the Death of Nelson Mandela
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From the Rev. Jessica Crist, Bishop of the Montana Synod of the ELCA:
Reflections
on the Death of Nelson Mandela
Nelson
Mandela died yesterday at age 95. He had spent 27 years of his life as a
political prisoner on Robben Island. After his release he was elected President
of South Africa, the first black president of the post-Apartheid South Africa.
It was an historic day in 1994 when black people were allowed to vote for the
first time. I remember seeing photos of lines over a mile long of people
waiting to vote for the first time in their lives.
White
South Africa was not sure what would happen when there was majority rule. Many
feared that there would be a terrible backlash, a kind of eye-for-an-eye system
of revenge. But instead, Mandela invited black and white and mixed race into
his government. And, with the assistance of Bishop Desmond Tutu, he channeled
the emotions of a nation recovering from decades of violence into the Truth and
Reconciliation Process. It was a bit like Confession and Forgiveness, with
which we are so familiar. Truth and Reconciliation was designed to give people
an opportunity to speak of the atrocities, speak of the losses, learn what
happened in all its shocking detail, and then to move on.
And
South Africa has moved on. Not that there are not problems. Official Apartheid
is over, but economic apartheid is alive and well. But South Africa did not
explode into the kind of violence and genocide that everybody expected, and
that happens so frequently when there is a change of government, such as in
Rwanda. South Africa did not become a bloodbath, and for that we can thank God
for Nelson Mandela.
The
Montana Synod has a companion synod relationship with the Cape Orange Diocese
in South Africa. Over the years many people from our Synod have visited South
Africa and met our partners there who went through the Apartheid years. We have
heard the stories of oppression, of racism, of violence. And we have seen the
role of the Church in South Africa. The last time a group from our Synod
visited, it was the 20th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's release from Robben Island
prison. We were able to tour the prison, with a former prisoner as our guide.
Everyone we met on that visit to South Africa had a story of how they had been
affected personally by Apartheid and its aftermath. We were struck again and
again with the resilience of the people, and with the prevalence of hope.
Many
of you may recall that Bishop Bill Bowles and Mr. Joe Jongolo visited our Synod
last summer from the Cape Orange Diocese. This morning I sent a letter of
condolence to the Diocese on behalf of the Montana Synod. I expressed our
sympathy at the death of Nelson Mandela.
In
this season of Advent I am reminded of the vision from Isaiah, of what is often
referred to as "The Peaceable Kingdom," from Isaiah 11: 16-18 (this
Sunday's text.)
"The
wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the
calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the
lion shall eat straw like the ox."
In
this piece of prophecy, the improbable becomes reality, the impossible becomes
the norm. This passage from Isaiah was the basis for Quaker artist Edward
Hicks' series of painting of "The Peaceable Kingdom." You may have
seen them on Christmas cards-lovely depictions of predator and prey in perfect
harmony. Some of the pictures that Hicks painted have some human beings in them
in the background. If you look closely you can see William Penn with the Lenne
Lenape Indians, negotiating a peace between the two cultures.
Nelson
Mandela spent his life resisting injustice. And when the tables turned and he
became President, he did not choose revenge. He did not seek retaliation.
Instead he led a country full of wolves and lambs, of bears and cows, and
showed them a better way. And the world is a better place because of it.
May
he rest in peace. And may South Africa come together in his honor.
Bishop Jessica
CristDecember 6,
2013
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Happy Thanksgiving! And Thanksgiving Eve!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Thanksgiving Eve Worship & Pie-Luck
The annual Thanksgiving Eve service is Wednesday, November 23rd at 7:00pm. The pie-luck (like a pot luck, only with dessert!!) begins following the service.
All are welcome!
This is a great time to invite friends and family to join you!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Turkeys for the Food Bank
Did you see this article in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle yesterday? The Gallatin Valley Food Bank is in need of A LOT of turkeys. They estimate that they'll give out close to 2500 Thanksgiving food boxes this year, substantially more than last year. If you're out and about and buying a turkey for your family, consider buying one for the food bank, too!
Another great way to support the food bank this month is Huffing for Stuffing on Thanksgiving Day. There will be a Kid's Run at 8:10am, a 10K beginning at 9:00am and a 5K starting at 9:15am. All of the races start and finish at the Museum of the Rockies, and all of the proceeds from the events benefit the food bank ($21,600 was donated last year). Even if you don't want to run or walk, they need volunteers. Check it out!
Of course you can always give to the food bank through the congregation, with donated food or with funds (you can write a check to CtK and put food bank in the memo line and we'll make sure the $$ gets to the food bank for you).
Together we make a difference in the lives of hungry people!
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