In summer worship (June 22-August 31, 10am in Willett Hall), we hear from one another about “how we learn to be brave,” (based on a book by the same name here). Bravery is something we begin learning when we’re young and continue strengthening throughout our lifetimes, figuring out how to stand up for what is right, what is good, what is worth defending.
One of the great things about Brookline is that in a town of 60,000 or so, we boast 69 nationalities and 44 languages. I love walking through Coolidge Corner and hearing an array of languages and seeing a variety of skin tones and cultural styles. I can’t help but wonder about the image of God amid so much diversity.
One of the joys of being a pastor here is the interfaith culture. Our local clergy group has a variety of mainline Christians, occasional Pentecostals and Evangelicals, Muslim moms, Bahai, Unitarian Universalists and plenty of rabbis. It’s also a joy being a part of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) where we have 60+ communities representing a similar diversity, all working for greater justice in our metro area.
We love this. AND I wonder how many of us are having heart-to-heart conversations with any of our interfaith neighbors about how they’re experiencing and handling bigotry, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism. How are the tectonic shifts in our national politics affecting them? What do they think about Israel and Gaza, beyond the headlines and op-ed pieces?
On Sunday, we welcome one of our Muslim neighbors, Marwan, to share his perspective on being brave right now. He already knows our United Parish community well. I encourage you to come and get to know him better. I already know he’s going to bring a lot of honesty, complexity, appreciation, and grief. He’ll share about his love of his family and faith. His draft has already brought tears to my eyes.
In faith,
Kent
How We Learn To Be Brave series
June 29: Adam S. — taking a leap of faith with vocational change
July 6: Amy Norton-Benfield — loving bravely
July 13: Miriam C. — defending others
July 20: Wendy W. — helping immigrants
July 27: Koinonia M-P — standing in our power
August 3: Bob C. and Deb S. — facing dementia
August 10: Marwan H. — resilient bravery, being Muslim
August 17: Nathan D. — finding God amid life’s sorrows
August 24: Peter R. — rescuing a stranger, telling the story
August 31: DJ H. — finding bravery in trusting again
