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A Few Words from Pastor Bryan...
...and Cameron Trimble
I shared the piece you'll find here written by my friend Cameron Trimble (yes she's a pilot as well as a minister) with our Morning Devotional Group this past week, and I wanted the rest of you to have a chance to read this as well. I found it meaningful and encouraging.
As you'll see, Cameron does not in any way hide the fact that she is not in favor of what President Trump and his team have been doing since taking office. And that made me ask myself--is it being somehow "partisan" to share this perspective with you? And my response is an easy "no."
I've been here over 6 years now. You all know that I am very committed to honoring the appropriate principle of "separation of church and state." I believe in the principle. And that means primarily that you will never hear me telling you to vote for. And you don't have to worry that I will always be focusing on social issues and especially not on merely political (in the sense of party politics) issues. I won't be doing that--but if and when I get into what's going on in the public sphere, it will be in an attempt to help us connect our faith with issues that are impacting the well-being of people and the earth. You can count on me talking most about God and our spiritual journeys and what it means to live out our faith with integrity, commitment, and passion.
But it is also a vital and essential part of the Church's "prophetic tradition" to stand for the Love and Justice and Compassion at the heart of the biblical tradition and to speak out against injustice, corruption, lawlessness, and dominating power that hurts the most vulnerable people among us. So in that sense what is going on in the public sphere will always be part of our faith journey and church life together. God cares about everything that impacts the earth and the well-being of everyone. And God wants us to as well. God also calls us to kindness and humility. That's why we "speak Truth to power IN LOVE."
So I hope you'll trust me with the balance of all of these things. I won't always hold the tension perfectly, but I will hold it prayerfully, with and open mind and heart, and with a deep desire to be faithful. Always feel free to challenge me, disagree with me, or question my perspective. We all benefit when we have open and honest conversation about the things that matter most--even if and when we don't agree.
And don't worry--Cameron's words below aren't very "political." She's just being honest about not feeling good about what's happening now, and then she takes us into the heart of Scripture. We've all heard about God "parting the Red Sea," but most of us don't realize that the miracle didn't happen until someone first risked stepping into the water--all the way up to his chest--or as one person from our Morning Devotional Group named Will Hensel put it--the water had to get to where his heart was, and then something inexplicable and wonder-full happened.
Hope to see you Sunday,
Pastor B
Cameron Trimble—Wading In
So, a couple of weeks into the second Trump presidency, how are you holding up? I have moments of absolute dismay (I’ve been watching FOX News to witness how they are sanitizing the coup unfolding before us…it’s amazing). Then I have moments of such deep sadness for all of us, for the planet, for our grandchildren. Then I get angry, then I feel paralyzed, then I want to protest and then I think, “we are so screwed,” and then I fix hot tea and read Octavia Butler, this time with a big yellow highlighter.
Clearly, I am doing fine, except for this eye twitch. That is new.
My head knows that in times of great upheaval, it is easy to feel powerless. When we look at the state of the world—deep divisions, unchecked corruption, a government in turmoil—it’s tempting to believe that nothing we do will make a difference. The weight of it all can be paralyzing.
Spiritual traditions across time teach us that even the smallest actions, taken with courage and consistency, have the power to create lasting change. In the Book of Numbers in the Torah there is a story of Nachshon, a leader of the tribe of Judah. As the Israelites stood at the edge of the Red Sea, Pharaoh’s army closing in behind them, panic set in. Some prayed, some argued, some froze in fear. But Nachshon? He stepped into the water.
The story tells us that the sea did not part all at once. It wasn’t until Nachshon waded in—first up to his ankles, then his knees, then his chest—that the waters finally made way. His faith was not in waiting for the perfect moment but in stepping forward, even when the path was uncertain.
We are standing in turbulent waters (maybe a tsunami). It is tempting to wait for a savior to part the sea for us, to fix what is broken. I fear we will be waiting a long time. It is becoming clear that the way forward is made not by waiting, but by stepping in. Even the smallest acts—mobilizing our communities, showing up for those in need, resisting the erosion of justice—matter.
Rabbi Tarfon taught, “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” Let us take heart: the work of justice and healing (and stopping a coup) is never done by one person alone. Like Nachshon, we step in. And like the waters before him, the world will begin to shift.
In the meantime, take good care of yourselves, friends.
We are in this together.
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