A Word From David

What We Remember

Next Monday is Memorial Day. It’s a day that some of us sometimes struggle with in the church. We don’t want to valorize war, but we do want to acknowledge the sacrifices made by warriors who have done their work, and done it in our names. 

The day begs questions: what do we remember, and how do we choose to remember it? What do we put back together that has been rent asunder, dismembered, in our names? How might we remember in a way that calls us toward a more just and peaceful future, in all of our names?

It is not enough simply to sing God Bless America. We don’t need more blessings. We need more honesty, and, if we manage to own up to our faults and failings as a nation, we will see clearly that what we need most of all is exactly what God promises: grace, in unlimited measure.

Grace is what empowers us to begin again. It does not clean the slate and erase the past. We will remember. We should remember. We should give thanks, and allow the remembering to reshape us. 

So I am giving thanks for those who have given the last measure of their devotion, as President Lincoln put it, and praying for the grace to seek and pursue a more just and peaceful future.

Doing so requires change. 

My question for us all this week is simply this: what are you willing to change in response to your encounter with the gospel? What change does the story compel? 

Here are a couple of small changes coming our way soon.

First, as Elder Susie Farr will explain in a piece in next week’s email, Western is flying a new flag with more to come. Through the end of June, you’ll notice a rainbow Pride flag (or two). It was time to say good-bye to the Black Lives Matter banner. Not the sentiment, for certain, but the tattered-beyond-repair banner has been retired. See Susie’s piece for much more.

Second, Memorial Day is the traditional beginning of summer. Another new thing for summer: we are not changing worship start time this year. We will be doing a lot of things with our friends from Church of the Pilgrims, and they have never changed start times. To avoid confusion, Western’s session decided to forego the time change this summer. See you Sundays at 11:00!

PS: We’re going to be planning for summer worship with Pilgrims on Wednesday, June 4, at 7:00 p.m. at Pilgrims. Join us!