 Getty Images / Walker Center Illustration Hi there.
There’s still time to vote today, and so I have a very brief message for those who consider themselves faith leaders in the US. (Now before you say, “Well, I’m not a rabbi, minister, imam, or priest - so that doesn’t include me…” please know that we define “faith leader” here very broadly. And we need to do so, today. We need teachers, musicians, artists, social workers, nurses and doctors, human rights activists, prison reform advocates, and all friends of the poor, the forgotten, and the dying… if they claim a faith tradition, to see themselves as a present or future leader in their faith communities or families.) (And if you’re a person who does not claim a religious tradition, or sits in-between traditions in some way, but who still strives to act in such a way that makes love shine brightly in the world, living in the faith that love births more love, and that sharing love is the best way to live in this universe… then if you’ll allow me, I might consider you a potential faith leader, too.) My message is simply this: Do not forget that love, at the center of who you are and what you do, at the center of all things and all people -- when you go to the polls today, and AFTER. Continue to take that love with you, and let it guide you. Remember to not allow your vocation, your heart, and your politics to become separated. They cannot be. Remember that the people who vote differently than you are also human beings, who are living in a country that is being actively radicalized towards hatred. Valerie Kaur reminds us that hate comes from a sense of threat - whether real or imagined. If you still have not voted and are going in person, do not forget to look your voting officials in the eye, to see them giving their time and energy when they didn’t have to be there. (I myself failed at this one this morning, I’ll be honest.) Then, vote. Vote for the candidates who strive to serve and protect those who are not simply lining their pocketbooks, but who simply want to be free to live their best possible lives. Vote for candidates who will not tolerate hate crimes nor hateful speech, whether it comes from the White House or is found spray-painted on the sides of synagogues or mosques. Vote for those who promote justice for all, instead of violence. And then, go back to what you do - and keep fighting each day for this kind of love. Peace, Josh P.S. Thanks for standing for love. P.P.S. Want to develop more skills, or discover new resources, for activating this love and galvanizing your community? Take our faith leader survey and give us your feedback. P.P.P.S. - Want to see two INCREDIBLE faith leaders provide a message of hope in the wake of last week’s horrors at Tree of Life? Here’s Rabbi Angela Buchdahl and Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis on the Today show last week.  Memorials for the dead, outside Tree of Life. (From https://wamu.org, 10/29/2018. Credits: Matt Rourke / AP) A woman in her 90s. An 88 year old jokester. A family doctor. Two “inseparable” brothers who faced mental challenges and were unwavering volunteers. A couple married at Tree of Life over 60 years’ ago. A researcher at Pitt’s Learning Research and Development Center. A dentist and runner. A youth coach. These eleven lives were taken from Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life community, indeed from all of us, on Saturday. Add this to the 57% increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. in 2017 (following a 34% increase in 2016), mostly on school and college campuses – and it is clear that we are well beyond the point now of ever attempting to categorize what happened on Saturday as an isolated, apolitical incident. The last statements of the shooter make clear that he was only the latest violent example of the online-supported nationalist radicalization that has infiltrated our lives and our entire globe. This radicalization, despite the times where it co-opts the language of faith, is antithetical to the definition of faith that we uphold at Walker Center: a spiritual connection and commitment to the Divine, to our world, and to our fellow humanity, that finds concrete expression and through various religious traditions—and which must therefore shape our practices towards the common good, and our political (i.e., for the sake of the polis) aspirations towards justice and equality. For the eleven people above, and all who were injured and scarred by Saturday's attack, faith was and is an important part of their lives. Faith contributed to their community becoming a target of violence. Tree of Life is a spiritual home, where people live out their commitment to the G_d of the Torah and to their neighbors, through the love and life they share. Even if they do not all believe the same things, in a world full of hatred faith still brought them together, and provided a place where their love could be activated and their hope renewed. Such love and hope threaten hate. Rabbi Yosef Itkin, of the Baal Shem Tov Shul congregation in the same Squirrel Hill neighborhood as Tree of Life, reportedly told a writer for The Atlantic on Sunday, “‘You can’t chase away darkness with a broom. You have to chase away darkness with light.’” Right now, I don’t know if any of us have a foolproof plan on how to combat the world-wide nationalist fervor that is feeding some of our nation’s darkest legacies (of Anti-Semitism, anti-immigrant, anti-black, anti-LGBTQ, anti-indigenous, etc.) and encouraging them out of the shadows. All I know is that, as the rabbi says, we have to chase such darkness away with light – the all-embracing light of faith. We must commit to greater study and understanding, and to more direct action, in order to fight these dangerous trends. Through it all, we must commit to each other, to our own spiritual homes, and to our interfaith sisters and brothers. We must continue to gather together to pray, learn, sing, and love – to find our bread for the journey. Here, our prayers and thoughts will remain with Tree of Life, long after the news outlets have moved on. And to all the faith and interfaith communities who call Walker a spiritual home away from home, who in spite of the landscape continue to chase darkness away with light -- we send you all our heartfelt gratitude and love today. Keep fighting, and keep shining.  A Pop of color! (Photo taken in 2015). Every fall, the Walker Center campus maple trees signal the start of autumn, the season of change, the preparation for something new. Three years ago, Amy and I began our journey with the Walker Center, and since then we have seen some amazing changes already! We hope that we have honored the past of those who have come before us well, while also helping to ensure that the Walker Center is ready for the future. We did a website overhaul last summer in order to prepare for this future - and we have just updated the website again! Come see what we've been working on:
There's more to share about the changes ahead ... in the meantime, go check these things out - and be sure to share the Survey and the Fundraising Page with others!
Thanks for everyone who has supported and found a home here at Walker Center over the years. We can't wait to see what's next!  As a prelude to the Theopoetics Conference, the folks at ARC (ArtsReligionCulture) and The Sanctuaries are opening up a 4-hour Art for Activism training to the general public! Here's a blurb about it from the ARC newsletter courtesy of Callid Keefe-Perry:
The Sanctuaries from Washington will be with us and offering "Art for Activism" that you can register for here in advance or show up by 12:45 and pay at the door. It will run from 1 - 5pm and we've made it wildly affordable ($20 for 4 hours!) because we want folks to work with them: they're that amazing and this is a time for activists to be in full force. Spread the word. If the cost is an obstacle, please let me know. This is something everyone who wants to do should do. We couldn't agree more, and hope that as many of you as possible can take advantage of this great opportunity! Happy Holidays from WC! Check out our holiday office hours and (ICYMI) our end-of-year letter.12/19/2017 Happy holidays to everyone, from all of us here at Walker Center!!  WC back entrance, after the first (early) snow! Dec 2017. WC Holiday Office Hours: Thursday 12/21 10am - 7pm Friday 12/22 10am - 7pm Saturday 12/23 10am - 7pm Sunday 12/24 10am - 5pm, then on-call Monday 12/25 on-call all day. 12/26 thru 1/3 10am - 7pm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We have also recently sent out an end of year email letter; here it is in case you missed it! "Dear friend of the Walker Center, Happy holidays! In the midst of difficult times for those of us in the United States, and indeed around the globe, Walker Center continues onward into its 148th year of history, offering: A place of radical hospitality, which says “Come as you are, without condition. You are welcome here.” A space for respite and reflection, where organizers, faith leaders, activists and communities can dream together. A home away from home, for those seeking to grow and learn in community. This year has been exciting one at the Walker Center. In 2017, we have:
We have made significant progress this year, but we need your help keeping the momentum going. With your support, we can build on our new residency program, conduct research towards new pilot programs, continue updating our facilities, keep our conference and retreat rates affordable, and much more. Ways you can support Walker Center:
*** Be safe, brave, and full of hope this holiday season, Amy & Joshua Lunde-Whitler Executive Directors"  https://artsreligionculture.org/theopoetics-conference Walker Center is very proud to be the site for the 2018 Theopoetics Conference, from March 9th through March 11th!
This conference is a gathering time for students, scholars, artists, religious practitioners (clergy and non-clergy)--really just about anyone interested in exploring faith, religion, and justice, from a creative, holistic, artistic, playful, and/or embodied approach. ARC (ArtsReligionCulture) is the result of a brand new merger between the Association for Theopoetics Research and Embodiment (ATRE) and the Society for Art, Religion and Contemporary Culture (SARCC). Together they are exploring fresh ways to inspire new ways of being, knowing, and living out faith-seeking-justice, and we at WC couldn't be happier to support their efforts! Anyone reading this message is invited to register, and/or submit a proposal. Please click the link to learn more, or contact us or ARC for more information.  On behalf of our sister organization, the Community Chaplaincy Council (CCC), Walker Center is now collecting donations of funds as well as "hygiene kits," to help assist the survivors of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, as well as the earthquake in Mexico City.
While the Caribbean and Mexico may no longer be finding their way into the U.S. news cycles, the devastating impact of these events continue to persist. Puerto Rico is without power for the foreseeable future. Much of Dominica and the Virgin Islands have been destroyed. Hundreds are dead in Mexico's capital city. If you'd like to help, the CCC invites contributions in the following ways: "GIVE generously to support hurricane relief and recovery efforts. Monetary gifts may be made at your local UCC congregation or by checks made out to “Hurricane Relief” and brought to the Community Chaplaincy Council at Walker Center [Donations can be left at the Walker Center main office]. Donations may also be sent directly to United Church of Christ, Financial Services - 6th Floor, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115. "PREPARE a Hygiene Kit to be distributed by Church World Service. Bring the completed kit to the Community Chaplaincy Council at the Walker Center by Oct. 20, 2017. We will deliver them to CWS. Church World Service is a faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster... "For more information on Church World Service, see cwsglobal.org." For the full CCC statement, plus instructions on how to build a hygiene kit, click here.
 In a world of religious plurality, the hope is that our residents, many of whom are future faith leaders and scholars, will gain necessary resources and learn valuable practices to foster deeper interreligious partnership towards the common good. This learning is rooted in the deep (and messy) relationships that are fostered in community life.
The program is being led by resident Kelly Kossar, a 2nd-year rabbinical student at Hebrew College, who has been awarded a fellowship to lead the program for the entire school year. The Walker Center is pleased to venture together with the Miller Center in this endeavor, and we hope it is only the beginning of an enduring partnership that will be a transformative experience for our residents. If you are interested in learning more, or perhaps considering how you might be able to invest in the development of this program, please email us! |
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