We are living in a time when faith is often talked about, but not always lived in ways that reflect the heart of Jesus. Too often, Christianity is used to divide, exclude, or harm. But the way of Jesus is different. Love Out Loud is a path for our congregation to meaningfully live their faith out loud and publicly in a broken world. It will take place over five sessions beginning Sunday, September 27. Learn more and RSVP here.
by Dan Vogel
I was too young to participate in the Civil Rights movement, although I remember hearing of the four young girls who were murdered in the 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963. They were my age.
I was old enough (barely) to participate in the Vietnam War protests, though. I attended the 1968 mobilization of the Clergy and Laity Concerned about Vietnam. It was the largest ecumenical anti-war organization in America. Many ministers spoke—Rev. William Sloane Coffin, Rabbi Abraham Heschel, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—and they led us in a march through Arlington Cemetery. I still have my American flag from that march. Christian public discipleship was just what was expected of us at that time.
Recently, the US Department of Justice sent observers to 15 counties across the country to monitor this coming primary and general elections. Ramsey and Hennepin are two of them. This concerns me. Minnesota community organizing group ISAIAH is also concerned, and on August 4, over 100 citizens met with our Ramsey County Commissioners. A surprised but welcoming Commissioner Ortega met with us for a few minutes. He heard our concerns and said that the Commissioners were aware of the situation and were taking steps to address it, and for security reasons he could not tell us what those steps are.
Cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” St. John’s has shown this to be true over and over. I have seen that many times in my work with the Creation Care team.
For example, when we needed to come up with a Land Acknowledgment, we did it with input from the parish community. 44 of us went on a Local Indigenous Sacred Sites Tour led by the Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs. We posted multiple drafts of our Land Acknowledgement in the parish hall to get input and encourage conversations. We incorporated that input into the statement, which we say at the beginning of our monthly Racial Healing Eucharists. When the Rev. Mike Kinman led his workshop on “Racial Conciliation” at St. John’s back in January, he mentioned our Land Acknowledgment is one of the most well-written (in terms of being actually effective in the work of racial justice) that he has seen at a church.
Another example is when one of our St. John’s parishioners had an idea to hold an electric vehicle show. They brought it to the Creation Care team, and it quickly spread from there to become EcoFair on Summit, a joint event with five other local congregations. Now we have held two annual EcoFairs with over 500 people attending the latest one, and many parishioners volunteering. I am excited to see what St. John’s can do in these troubling times that we are currently living in.
26 years before the Declaration of Independence, the Rev. Jonathan Mayhew wrote the sermon “Concerning Unlimited Submission.” Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin, having read the sermon, proposed a motto for the great seal: “Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.” That proved to be too extreme for the other founding fathers, so it did not make the final design. But it still goes to show that progressive Christians were there even before the beginning of this country. You never know what your words can lead to.
The Right Rev. Mariann Budde delivered a sermon on January 21, 2025 calling the country to come together and invoking mercy; expressing the values that Jesus expressed; and honoring the dignity of all, honesty in our dialogue, and humility in ourselves. Bishop Budde offered an author conversation on her book We Can Be Brave: How We Learn to Be Brave in Life’s Decisive Moments adapted for youth with Brian Bliss here at St. John’s sanctuary last year. With over 200 people in attendance, it drew attendees from across the Twin Cities, most of them not members of our faith community.
The Civil Rights movement showed that education and training are a necessary component to success. This is why at St. John’s we will be using a course, created by ISAIAH, which has 5 sessions: Why, How, What, Action, and Celebration. The first session will be on September 27 after the 10 am Eucharist. (Learn more and RSVP here.) We have named the course Love Out Loud to reflect St. John’s values. Participants will plan, and then bring to fruition, a real action that they will take together, grounded in our Christian faith, that is powerful, has stakes and meaning for the world around us.
When Marjorie Grevious preached on the Sunday before the November 2024 election, she reminded us: “As Christian people of faith, disciples of Christ and as the church or body of Christ that we were being called to a time such as this. …As Christians, we are called to love our neighbor … Not just for the people we like. Not just for those who are just like us. Not just for the people who believe as we do. But we are here to help all people without exception. This call does not hinge on us getting our way politically or otherwise.”
The day before Marjorie’s sermon, my men’s group had studied the life of St. Martin de Porres, the first saint from the Americas who was not white. Born in Peru, he was prevented from pursuing Holy Orders because of his race. After years of service he was allowed to become a Dominican lay brother.
If you read his life story, he followed just what Marjorie preached a Christian should do. Now coincidently (or as I look at it, an act of the Holy Spirit) the Episcopal Church commemorates his feast day on November 3 — Election Day this year. Perhaps we could celebrate with a memorial service for him at 8pm in the Ramsey County Elections Plato Building parking lot.
But that’s just one idea. I’m sure we can come up with something even better. There are so many inspiring parishioners among us—a.k.a., angels. I know I have run into them. Maybe you have too? Maybe you are one?