A New Old Quote for the Season

The dude in the picture is one of my nearby neighbors. I’m quite proud of him and the message he’s currently conveying to all passersby on the Moravian College section of Main Street, Bethlehem: “We are all citizens of one world, indeed…we are all equally human.” Amen to that!

The statement seems as current as a freshly scrawled protest sign—Sharpie on cardboard. But this can’t be the case since the person attached to the quote has not been alive since 1670! Who said it? Who could have been so far ahead of his time? J. A. C.

Looking a little bit like Darth Vader in this photo, but only because he is wearing an enormous mask and practicing social distancing, John Amos Comenius spoke these timeless words into a different existence, a different set of oppressions. An influential figure in the fabric of Moravian history, Comenius’ legacy of egalitarianism is woven into our church’s worldview. He did not address American racial injustice because the injustice he spoke out against festered in 17 ^th century Europe. But after knowing poverty, surviving war, undergoing exile, and experiencing persecution, Comenius’ resistance work in response to world ugliness was to lay the foundation for a better society.

He worked with renown in the field of education, and he worked with devotion as a Bishop in the Moravian Church, and along the way he sought to ensure that marginalized people—and especially women and girls—had access to opportunity. To learning. To growing and stretching and becoming. Comenius innovated tirelessly to create systems of learning that would allow all people to find fulfillment using their God given minds and all their senses. He removed inequality by removing barriers.

As I mentioned, the times were different. The context was different. But the motivation might have been similar. I wonder if J.A.C. might have been inspired by the very concept that has been replaying in my mind over these past few weeks:

God created humanity in God’s own image,
        in the divine image God created them,
            male and female God created them.

Genesis 1:27 (CEB)

It is not that some lives matter more or less to God. God’s fingerprints are all over all of us. As we are all inextricably linked to God the Creator, we are inextricably linked one to another. And so, when we become aware that the roots of racism in our country sink down to the bedrock; and when we become aware that the framework of our society is inherently unjust to People of Color; and when we become aware that those of us who are White are needed to reset the system, this is when we step up, like J.A.C., to shake out the inequality and work creatively toward something better.

Tomorrow, so I have heard, The Rev. Mark Breland will preach the message “My Life Matters: One Black Man’s Perspective.” Mark is on the pastoral staff of Lititz Moravian Church, and the worship service from Lititz will be broadcast via Moravian Church without Walls. The link is provided in the information section below.

Working for Justice that All May Live in Peace,

Pastor Chris

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Here’s how to find our online events for Sunday, June 14.

1 0:15 a.m. Virtual Fellowship Time

If you’ll be joining via computer, tablet, or smart phone, please use the link: 
  https://zoom.us/j/91671628972

To join by phone only, please dial +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) and use the meeting ID: 916 7162 8972

11:00 a.m. Moravian Church Without Walls Worship

 Zoom Link:     https://us02web.zoom.us/j/310492867

Tip 1: If you are a Facebook user, many of your friends are likely to be hosting “Watch Parties.” (Pastor Chris tries to do this when she can from her page: Christine Sobania Johnson.) This is an alternative way to wander into the same MCWW worship service and does not require the Zoom link.

Tip 2: To discover even further Moravian worship opportunities, please consult the updated list at  https://www.moravian.org/2020/04/online-worship-opportunities/  .

6:30 p.m. Zoom Prayers  — Praying together for one another, our community, our nation, and our world.

If you’ll be joining via computer, table, or laptop, use this link:   https://zoom.us/j/91961743369

To join by phone only, dial +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) and use Meeting ID 919 6174 3369

The Creative Worship Team from our own congregation is preparing to debut an online Summer Worship Series this coming Wednesday, June 17! Stay tuned for a midweek email to discover how you can connect with this exciting new venture!