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I just want to be honest, the time to simply be woke is over, that ship has sailed. There are too many of our black brothers and sisters that are sleeping now [biblical metaphor] for us to be just waking up or awake.
This is particularly to my white brothers and sisters, this is a follow up to my post about obedience in reference to justice...

Tuesday I got to spend more time with Pastor Benny Custodio, as we continue to talk about how my work might help Immanuel UMC in our neighborhood. I am excited for more to hear his story and passion at Locked in Solidarity in February. Tuesday night, I was at the NY Rescue Mission for their chapel training, WOW. They have organized their speakers and chapel around their priorities of providing, quality, Jesus-centered, trauma informed spiritual care. I came away more grateful for their work and wanting all pastors, ministry leaders and chaplains to go through their excellent material. You can contact Yvette if you want to know more. You’ll be glad you did. I had spent a couple of years going once a month to speak at their chapel and look forward to getting back into the rotation and being with the dear folks they love and serve so well.

Those at the bottom rung of any society often function as canaries in a mineshaft [coal mine canaries warning of gases in the mines] - barometers measuring whether the system [or society, community] is safe

This description of shalom is also so helpful in recognizing that not everyone will be on the same page about the goal and mission of the work. Relationship building, listen and learning play vital roles in helping individuals and organizations understand and then move towards this mission of shalom and making things right.

As I enter a busy spring, I’m inviting new donors to consider supporting the work I do here in Brooklyn of helping communities work better together to address criminal, economic and racial injustice

With that, I’m asking 16 new people to consider monthly giving

• 4 to give $100/month

• 4 to give $50/month

• 8 to give $25/month[You can also give more or less, or even make a one-time contribution. Every dollar matters, so thank you!]

Your support helps me educate, advocate and organize for the good of our city

As we think about the many injustices going on in our world, our communities and even our school, we come at the issues from very different angles and are affected by them in very different ways. With this in view, we need to learn how we can move closer together and be more on the same page as we address these injustices around us.  From my work and study over the last few years, these are some of things I think that can help us be better together

He offers peace, because He offers Himself and through Him we have access to and relationship with not just a king, but the Creator of the Universe, we are children not just of the one who rules the nation, but the One who made the rocks. We are known, accepted, forgiven, welcomed, loved not because of what we do or don’t do, because of what we do or don’t have, because of how strong or talented or successful we are, we are loved because He made us and we trust in Jesus, what He did, what He gave.