Thursday, March 24, 2011

Sometimes we understand God’s hand at work just because of the confluence of events. I started this blog to get out the “message” of Evergreen Association’s Leader Retreat. As I neared the “end” of the report, I realized I had started something that was just too good to abandon. I was scared about what that would mean, but continued to plow ahead and have easily found things to lift up.

            Last night, one of my colleagues from Tuesday’s cultural competency training event reminded me that we had agreed to go to Pacific Lutheran University to hear Tim Wise, an author and activist. What a treat! There were many lessons to take away from that 2 hour event, but the primary one that I shared with Stacy on our ride north was that I must “tell the story.” The story of Evergreen needs to be told, and perhaps the best way to begin telling it will be in these blogs.

            As it happened, when I came into the office this morning (yes, I’m finally getting myself into the office, rather than working out of my condo—thank goodness for healing bodies, especially feet!), I picked up an old Christian Century that hadn’t made it to my condo. In it was an article on preaching by William H. Willamon, in which he said, “Preaching is so difficult that no one can do it without being summoned. Few of us preachers mount a pulpit on Sunday morning because we are naturally good at it and enjoy mouthing off before a crowd. We got put there.” (Christian Century, February 8, 2011, page 11).  I want to say amen to that and that I feel the same way about telling the Evergreen Story, mostly because in my opinion it is a story with many voices and I am only one. However, one thing I learned last night, is that (whether I like it or not) I have been called to tell the story. I can more easily name some of the past wrongs by my culture (white, middle class, American Baptist), although I’m also bound to miss some (the culture is my lens), and I can invite other voices in and will on occasion even quote others. I am summoned to this task.

            So the Evergreen Story, by Marcia Patton starts with this apology, not a good way to start, but where I must start. I am surprised more often than not that I am in this position, doing the work I’m doing. I was raised in Temperance, Michigan - a white, Anglo-Saxon protestant community. Really, no kidding!  A Catholic Church did not come to Temperance until I was in high school!  And, if there were non-Christians in Temperance, they kept such a low profile I was totally unaware of them. There certainly were not people of color. I saw people of color every now and then when we drove the 5 miles or so to Toledo Ohio to shop.  But usually we shopped at the nearest shopping center; we rarely went downtown shopping where we’d be more likely to meet people of color. So, I am not one that can say my childhood friend led me to this place. My best friend as a child was a Catholic!  And she had a small hand in leading me where I am by her own faith and actions, but I can’t claim any childhood proclivity to the work today. I did not have to overcome, I was raised in privilege. It has taken too long for me to acknowledge that. I have 3 brothers and 2 sisters; my Dad worked swing shifts at the coal-burning power plant, he held a job with that company until he retired at age 62; and my Mom stayed home. She eventually went to work around the time I went to college. Mind you, my family didn’t have a lot of money, but my parents were buying our home and I never remember being hungry. I do remember eating a lot of homemade bread and hating the powdered milk of the days my Dad was on strike one year, but hunger, no. We had land for a garden and froze vegetables that I still yearn for occasionally today. I am privileged. I am a straight woman, never married. I sometimes say that the single life is more confusing to folks than even homosexual marriage.  But I know that while the single life is misunderstood by some, it has not caused me the hurt and pain that many gay, lesbian, transgendered, and bisexual people experience. I am privileged.

            I will in subsequent blogs tell the Evergreen story, through my understanding and my lens. I am determined to do it justice and will with God’s grace and yours.  This is the longest blog so far, I’m sure there will be more to come. Please respond as you are led and able.

Marcia