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Alliance Family,
In just a few weeks, we will be entering into a brand new year. I’m sure, just like me, you are making plans for 2023 already—what bad habits you’re going to break, what relationships you are going to work on, or even what dessert you are going to kick to the curb (because we all know you can’t let ALL of them go). As I was sitting thinking about next year, I heard God say “don’t forget about this year.” What did God mean by that though? Doesn’t God know that this year is just about over? The answer is yes, but I believe God was challenging me to not be in such a rush to move ahead to get to 2023 that I neglect to focus on how far I’ve come in 2022.
I want to give us the same challenge. As we look ahead to all that we want to accomplish in 2023, let us thank God during this Advent season for how far we have come in these past 12 months. This past year, the Alliance:
- Celebrated 35 years of working towards creating more inclusive and diverse spaces. This includes having a strong emphasis on providing more robust resources and support to Black, women, and LGBTQ+ clergy.
- Launched our first “Love Not Labels” campaign in which we shared the coming out stories of our Executive Committee.
- Gathered for our first in-person gathering in more than two years in Montgomery, Alabama, in an effort to excavate our roots.
- Raised over $35,000 during our November Excavating Our Roots campaign.
So as we reflect throughout this Advent season, I want to let you know that I have hope, and that hope is even more energized because I’ve seen how much progress we’ve made. Hope that we will continue to do the necessary work of becoming an antiracist organization. Hope that we will continue to support and create space for churches that are opening their doors to the very people religion says we should exclude. Hope for a brighter tomorrow. It is through that level of expectation and the hard work we put in that the Alliance will continue to be the best that we can be. Thank you for not only hoping with us this year, but for partnering with us as well. Continue in this effort by making a gift today as we continue to hope, as we stand in expectation, and as we dream.
With hope,
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