From Your Synod Associate Executive for Racial Justice

“God doesn’t just appreciate, tolerate, or approve of justice and righteousness. God loves them” (The Bible Project).

Every week the Synod’s staff engages in devotions during our weekly meetings. Psalm 33 was the subject of reflection on some weeks in the month of July. Themes of steadfast love, justice, and righteousness were highlighted. On a particular week we meditated on verse 5 that reads, “God loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord” (Psalms 33:5, NRSV). For this writing, I invite us to think of the word righteousness as a call from God to do what is healthy, sustainable, uplifting and enriching before God and with one another.

The work of justice and racial justice is one that demands all of ourselves. Unfortunately, we have succumbed to the comfort of believing that the work of justice is something we do or add on to our already overloaded schedules. I believe the Psalm invites us to think of justice as a call embedded in and since our baptism. As people of God, we are connected to and with one another. When you hear, read, or see patterns, acts, and behavior that communicates violence, animosity, and harm, how do you feel? Does it stir a need for action within you? What is your choice? What do you decide?

As the new member of the Synod of the Covenant’s staff team and the broader community, I have been tasked to partner, resource, facilitate, listen, converse, and engage with all of you on matters related to racial justice. Throughout my two months of ministering within the Synod I have met and listened to many of you. I have been inspired and given hope by your commitment to justice and righteousness through the various events, committees, small groups, workshops, and educational materials I have interacted with. Your energy towards progressing forward fuels us to not give up.  I have witnessed the love, commitment, compassion, and more than tolerance towards justice and righteousness.

Yet, the work is not complete. I listened to your concerns, questions, and desires to do more, to effect change, to eradicate systems of oppressions, to learn, and to organize to bring about a healthier way of life and convivencia (living together). There are forces actively working on selling us the lie that worth, value, dignity, and humanity are conditional. There are many of us who remain complicit in perpetuating the systems that impede all of God’s creation to fully be who God created them to be.

Rev. Bruce Klunder was a presbyterian minister who participated in the civil rights movements. His solidarity with suffering and those who suffer afforded him the comprehension of the insidious ways in which structural and systemic racism affects all, not just some. His involvement, commitment, and understanding of the reality of the sin of racism unfolded a series of events. He was not the only one and we should not worship him or his sacrifice. Rev. Klunder among the thousands of people who engage in the work of racial justice are examples of our call since our baptism to “love righteousness and justice” (Psalm 33:5), not simply “appreciate, tolerate, or approve of justice and righteousness” (The Bible Project).

Rev. Klunder’s sermon reminds us that the work of solidarity with suffering and racial justice is one that elicits choice and decision-making.

To understand suffering and to make it your own will not dictate a particular strategy of action, but it will throw you into the battle to make your own decisions as a follower of him who suffered all that we might be one. Our Lord is risen! In him we have peace and life. Amen” (Klunder, 1963).

In the spirit of living out our call as people of God to love one another, to seek the well-being of each other, and to bring about the kin-dom of God earth-side, I invite you to join us Tuesday, October 7, at 4:30 p.m. for a virtual conversation and storytelling with Michele Minter, vice provost for institutional equity and diversity at Princeton University, where her works involves community building and institutional history, to learn more about Rev. Bruce Klunder, the city of Cleveland, OH, and the impact that structural racism historically had and still has on education, housing, and the ways in which decide and choose to be in community with one another.  Watch this space for registration information and other details to come!

Paz y bendiciones (peace and blessings)!

Rev. Ruth-Aimée Belonni-Rosario

Associate Executive for Racial Justice

ruthaimee@synodofthecovenant.org

248-752-3697