We are saddened and angered by the news of yet another crime committed against humanity and the single most violent terrorist attack against Jewish Americans in the history of the United States. As members of the Faith in Texas Clergy Steering Committee, we firmly stand against anti-Semitism, and acts of violence and hatred. We mourn with the entire Jewish community. In addition to the eleven lives lost at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, we grieve the two Black Americans who were killed in the Kentucky grocery store shooting. Enough is enough! We are tired of planning funerals for family members taken from us by violence. We must stand up and speak out against those that believe the appropriate response to their fears is to take the life of another. We read in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” We can no longer tolerate elected officials who sow animosity and pander to corporations while avoiding common sense laws that would prevent deadly weapons from falling into the wrong hands. Ending gun violence in our country is a responsibility that we all must bear. That so little has been done to protect our communities is a disgrace and a moral failure. Some elected officials tell us we must “protect” our borders from immigrants under the guise of safety, yet have ignored the fact that most of the terror plaguing our nation is the result of homegrown injustice, greed, and racism. For too long, White Christian supremacy has masqueraded as faith. Supremacy has no place in faith, for all people are created in the image of God and are inherently worthy of equality, dignity, and care. Isaiah 60:18 reads, “No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.” We stand in unity with all people of faith and good will who affirm that we are better and stronger together. We recognize that the sweeping change our nation so desperately needs starts with us. We are people of resilient faith and we will not be deterred in our struggle to disarm hate. This Shabbat will be a continental Solidarity Shabbat with the Jewish community of Pittsburgh. At synagogues, community centers and homes across the country, we will come together as one people in prayer, compassion and unity. If you are in the DFW area, you can find more information via our partner congregations Temple Emanu-El and Beth El Binah. Or, find solidarity in an area near you. On behalf of Faith in Texas, we commit to the entire Jewish community, and all those affected by terror and violence, that you will have more than our thoughts and prayers. You will have our hands to help rebuild, our feet to walk alongside you, and our votes to create change in every arena of power. Shalom. Faith in Texas Clergy Steering Committee Rev. Manda Adams, Pastor, First Community Church UCC Rev. Dr. Mike Gregg, Pastor, Royal Lane Baptist Church Rabbi Kimberly Herzog Cohen, Temple Emanu-El Dr. Ray Jordan, Pastor, Central Congregational UCC Rev. Dr. Jaime Kowlessar, Senior Pastor, City Temple SDA
Justice Team Spotlight: Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church
Recreation, beaches, and vacations are the highlight of most people’s summer break. This year, Faith in Texas’s covenant partner, Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church in Carrollton, TX, replaced a part of their summer relaxation with justice participation and added “making history” to their list. It began when the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) decided to become official sponsors for the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call of Moral Revival (PPC), a movement designed to continue Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s 1968 campaign for economic justice. Lead by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II and Rev. Liz Theoharis, the agenda focused on actions to address systematic racism, poverty and inequality, ecological devastation, war economy and militarism, and national morality. Horizon UU recognized the opportunity to be strong allies in the strides toward equity and justice which are a part of the core UU principles. Pastor Lora Brandis and Justice Team members like captain Bunny Summerlin knew their participation would be a powerful way to walk out their belief in “the inherent worth and dignity of every person.” In April 2018, this dynamic team began to work with the Dallas chapter of PPC. The group learned more about the campaign, connected with directly impacted individuals, and learned about civil disobedience. On May 14th and June 4th, tens of thousands of PPC chapters across the nation kicked off sessions of direct action and marched. Joined by other chapters from major cities in Texas, Horizon UU and the committed partners of the Dallas PPC chapter met on the steps of the Texas Capitol with the PPC’s list of demands. During the marches, Horizon UU members helped to lead the crowd in song. Back home, the team shared their experience with the rest of their congregation, teaching them songs and emphasizing the great importance of continuing the work of faith-based community organizing to ensure that harmful laws and policies are changed. Congratulations Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church for work well done! You deserve a spotlight for being leading examples as allies in the fight for justice.
Leadership Transition Q&A
Faith in Texas Leadership Transition Q&A Q: Why did this happen? A: The success of Faith in Texas depends, above all, on having a clear, singular vision reinforced by an actionable mission. To that end, it became necessary to reevaluate and reorganize to make sure that we are operating as effectively as possible. We learn from scripture that “every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” Q: Are your jobs stable? A: At this time, we have no reason to believe that any member of the Faith in Texas team is at risk of losing their job. It is the priority of the board and our national affiliate, Faith in Action, to keep our organization sustained during this transition. Q: So, who’s steering the ship now? A: Akilah S. Wallace was previously our director of development; she played a large role in securing our funding. The board has appointed her Interim Executive Director and they are very confident in her ability to keep the organization moving forward during this transition. She is open and available for any questions and concerns you may have. She can be reached via email ([email protected]) or phone/text (972-689-7763). Q: Was this about money? Is Faith in Texas financially stable? A: At this time, we have no reason to believe that Faith in Texas is in any financial trouble. Q: Does this transition affect funding? A: We’ve been in direct contact with our major funders to inform them of the leadership change and are setting up meetings as necessary. Our national affiliate, Faith in Action, is committed to ensuring there are no gaps as we go through this transition. Our goal is to make this as seamless as possible and, although we can’t guarantee it, we do not anticipate any major funding impact. Q: Will this transition impede our current work? A: We should proceed with business as usual. We have no reason to believe the leadership transition will result in any major changes to our organizing actions, plans or the commitments of our congregations and leaders. The Faith in Texas team is working closely with our external support advisors and teams to do our best to ensure that there is no significant impact on the work already in motion. This is a critical season in Texas and we are just as committed and focused as always on the work to achieve our vision of just, equitable, inclusive and faithful communities. Q: How does this transition affect covenant renewals? A: We are grateful for each congregation that has chosen to work with us and want every partnership to continue to grow and thrive. The Faith in Texas Board and Clergy Steering Committee are in discussions and covenant partnership renewal agreements will be available by the end of October. Q: When will we be provided with a more formal update? A: We are still planning to have our annual meeting in December. At that time, we will be able to share some of our initial key learnings and provide a more detailed plan of action for moving forward. In the meantime, we will be sending communications as needed to keep everyone as informed as possible as we progress. Q: How can we help? A: Keep doing what you’re doing! Your commitment to justice and to Faith in Texas is welcome and needed. As we reimagine our organization, we will have many more opportunities to lift up our leaders and lean into your unique gifts so please let us know if you have any particular professional skills and talents that you think will be a benefit. We’re blessed to have a supportive, resilient network and look forward to stronger partnerships with all of you. Stay connected, stay engaged, and stay committed to the work, because that’s what’s most important. We’re in this together. Q: Will Edwin and Lydia be involved in any of our efforts going forward? A: While our focus now is reinforcing the foundation upon which we will rebuild the organization, we understand that Faith in Texas would not be what it is today without the tremendous efforts of Dr. Lydia Bean and Rev. Edwin Robinson. We are genuinely and undeniably grateful for their hard work in establishing this organization and shepherding Faith in Texas to the level of success and growth that it has seen in such a short time. We are all comrades in the work of faithful justice and you should interact with them personally as you see fit. Q: Where do we go from here? A: We go forward. We need the next few weeks to begin a deep dive into our organizational review to identify gaps and key opportunities for improvement and begin to lay out plans to address them. It is of utmost importance to us that we take this period of internal team healing and rebuilding to ensure that we are serving our communities with our best selves and in the best way possible. As we continue to work toward our vision of just, faithful, inclusive communities, we want to approach this new beginning with fresh strategies, clearer focus, renewed energy and rejuvenated faith. We hope you’ll join us!
