Reading poetry is one of the ways some of us nourish our faith, a way we set or reset our inner compass and stay focused on the big picture, on the spiritual journey. I know that is true for me. In this monthly column, ‘Setting the Inner Compass’ I share some of the poems I find nourishing to the soul. Last month I read a poem and said a few words at a benefit for a NY musician who had a stroke. It was at a club, The CUTTING ROOM, on 33rd Street. Some of my favorite musicians and old friends were on the stage behind me. I ended my comments with the benediction that was the catalyst for the poem I am sharing this month, a poem I wrote. I don’t usually share my own poems but want to offer this one to those who read this column. When I left the stage at the benefit I was humbled and surprised by how many people approached me and thanked me for the reminder about kindness and love. That response is one reason I am sharing the poem here.
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June is approaching fast which means that Pride month will be upon us soon. Queer and Trans folk all over the country will prepare for parades, dances, drag shows, teaching moments and so much more. But in the last few years, Pride has taken a turn into more capitalistic ventures while anti-queer and anti-trans bills are consuming state legislatures. This year, it is more important than ever to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community and here are just 6 ways to celebrate Pride month!
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The call to live out our values in the world is nothing new to the members of The First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York. Our church was instrumental in the nomination of the first Black moderator of our General Assembly in 1960. Our members participated in protests against the Vietnam War in the 1970s. We have been early and steadfast supporters of the LGBTQIA+ community. Harry Emerson Fosdick’s sermon, Shall the Fundamentalists Win?, was delivered from our church’s pulpit more than 100 years ago. Arguably the most famous sermon of the 20th century, Fosdick’s sermon exemplifies the open-minded, science-friendly, and tolerant leadership to which we still aspire today.
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We are living amid an existential and devastating climate crisis, demanding a moral and theological response across global institutions. The urgency of this crisis has only escalated since fossil fuel divestment was first introduced at the General Assembly in 2014. At that time and in the years since, there is one thing that Fossil Free PCUSA (FFPCUSA) and the Committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) have agreed upon: the gravity of the crisis requires an urgent and robust response.
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