For a recent worship service at Growing Hope United Methodist Church, I wrote the following message on behalf of our church’s Racial and Environmental Justice Commission to accompany the lighting of our Social Justice Candle (an 18-inch white candle wrapped in “barbed wire” that sits near the altar in our church):

I am encouraged to know that we light this ‘justice candle’ as part of our worship service. It testifies that our good deeds are lighting the world:

—we are lighting the world by standing up for justice and compassion by educating us about the cruel injustices and exploitations inflicted on indigenous people and by advocating to restore the dignity of indigenous peoples and their sacred lands.

—we are lighting the world by standing up for justice and compassion by peaceful protests to protect the dignity of ALL sojourners in our land, so that ALL truly means ALL!

—we are lighting the world by standing up for environmental justice and compassion by ending air and noise pollution in neighborhoods affected by heavy traffic and airports; and

—we are lighting the world by standing up for racial and ethnic justice, and for compassion, by donating to the Black College Fund.

The Racial and Environmental Justice Commission encourages EVERYONE to light the world by standing up for justice and compassion!

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Why should we stand up for justice and compassion?

How have you stood up for justice and compassion? Why?

How will you stand up for justice and compassion? Why?

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For related ideas, please read my blogs “Spilling Coffee”, “Jesus Climbs the Temple Mount”, “Alcatraz: Escaping by Using ‘Countervailing Powers’ Wisely”, “Faith That Wins a ‘Super Bowl Ring’”, “Individuals and Systems, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable”, “How Do We Build a Civilization That Is Good—That Is Very Good?”, and “The 500-Year Marathon To Overcome Racism”.