TAKING STEPS

Newsletter of The Way Forward

October 2023

The Way Forward advocates for the people of St. John's to explore and live into their Baptismal Covenant. We meet the third Wednesday of the month. Our next meeting will be October 18, 6:30-8 p.m., in room 204/205.

Ring the bells that still can ring,

forget your perfect offering,

there is a crack, a crack in everything,

that's how the light gets in.

~ from Leonard Cohen's song, Anthem

Taking Steps at STJE

Taking Steps in Our Community

Save the date! November 21

A community-wide Interfaith Thanksgiving Service will be held Tuesday, November 21, 7-9 p.m., at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3115 Providence Rd., Charlotte, NC 28211.

Last year, several STJE members attended and we'd love to have more join us this year.

If interested, please reach out to Jackie John for carpool info.

Save the date! October 26

Isabel Wilkerson, Pulitzer Prize winner and National Humanities Medal Recipient, is the author of "Caste" and "The Warmth of Other Suns." Wilkerson writes and talks of the universal human story of migration, reinvention and the search for the American dream. She gives voice to demonstrating how history can help us understand ourselves, our country and our current era of upheaval.

Presented by The Learning Society at Queens University.

The event is at 7 p.m.

Tickets & Information

Pride Parade

"We were very proud to participate in this celebration of the diversity of our community. It was a joyful day!" said Susan Shield, who was one of about 35 STJE parishioners to attend Charlotte's 2023 Pride Parade held on August 19.

If it's not about LOVE, it's not about GOD.

Taking Steps On Our Own

Hear from others about various social topics that may open our eyes, ears, minds and hearts.

In "Black Folk, The Roots of the Black Working Class," UNC historian Blair LM Kelley writes compellingly about generations of Black workers -- including some of her own family members. Her account of Pullman porters, domestic laborers, USPS workers and COVID-19 essential workers provides detailed profiles that present powerful counterpoints to more familiar stories/notions of the American class.

Fresh Air Interview, June 19, 2023

YouTube interview via the Free Library of Philadelphia, June 26, 2023

Try one small step this month to be more inclusive!

Be curious -- Schedule coffee or lunch with someone whose background is different than yours.

Assess your words -- Could the words you use alienate others? (e.g., the word "lame" may be used to mean "boring," but originally was used to define a disability.)