T&J Edition 9: God's Love & Voting

Over the last growing number of years, I (Nichelle) have been learning what it means to be a member of a community. To be one of many, to see the whole rather than the individual parts, to be the Church and the Body of Christ rather than just one member of the church. It has been one way to de-center myself from the story, and to develop eyes to see that while I am loved by Christ, so is everyone in the Body, the community, the city, the world. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16. I am not the focus of God's love story, but WE are. Together. 

The community that I am part of is bigger than Union, my neighborhood, or even Seattle. It crosses boundaries, country and state lines, skin color, and economic, education, and racial demographics. I am part of a community that is grieving the unjust deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd (and the continual miscarriages of justice refusing to hold officers accountable), a community that is seeking refuge and a safe harbor from political and social terrors, a community that is experiencing the devastation of climate change, and I am part of a community that perpetuates oppression and a community that suffers under that same oppression. Their pain is my pain, for in Christ we are One Body. "For God so loved the world..."

As this election season looms before us, I am repeatedly reminding myself of this. This community is diverse. It is made up of Democrats and Republicans, Black, brown, and white people, Christians and non-Christians, Mid-Westerners, Southerners, East Coasters, and Pacific Northwesterners. There are as many different ideas as there are people in this community, but we, together, are loved by a God that was willing to give His one and only Son so that we would not perish but have eternal life. If He loves us that much, how can I show love for us? "For God so loved the world..."

At the start of Luke 4, Jesus is in the wilderness for 40 days where he is tempted by the devil with power. Jesus withstands the devil's temptation, and in the following story, Jesus returns to Galilee "in the power of the Spirit" where we next see him preaching at the synagogue in Nazareth. Having just been tempted to have all the power and authority in the world, the next teaching by Jesus is this:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to set the oppressed free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Jesus shows us that power and authority is irrelevant to the heart of God, rather God is concerned with justice for the poor and oppressed, healing and restoration for those that have endured pain and marginalization, and proclaiming hope. The world that He so loved includes us all, especially the people often relegated to the margins, ostracized from society for various reasons, living without a security net. Looking at this passage through the lenses of 2020, I wonder what would be the good news to the poor today? Affordable healthcare? Mental health services, affordable housing, a living wage? What would freedom for the prisoners look like? A criminal justice system that seeks reformation rather than perpetuates mass incarceration? Eliminating the inequitable bail system that disproportionately impacts the poor and people of color? And who are the oppressed and how could we set them free? Could it be the Black and Native American communities, who have experienced oppression from the inception of the United States? Communities that are crying out, asking to be seen, heard and believed when they share their daily existence with racism, violence, and economic disadvantages? Could freedom for the oppressed look like reducing over-policing, eliminating the school-to-prison pipeline, confronting the implicit bias that says Black people are dangerous, and ensuring that every person has the right to vote? "For God so loved the world..."

How we love our community and world will look different for each of us. But Jesus provides us the lens and the foundation on which we can view building relationships, advocating, marching, volunteering, and voting. In this current moment, voting is so important. PLEASE VOTE. It is a privilege and right that we are granted to speak into our community, to clarify who and what is important, and to participate in making our society a more just place.  Jesus has shown us who is important to the heart of God. Let us vote through the lens that He provides, voting for the poor, the prisoner, the blind, and the oppressed. "For God so loved the world..."

* * *

Things to consider when voting with a community lens:

• Do the people being voted into power represent the diverse community they are representing? Voting for a person of color or woman will create space for diversity, and provide opportunities to shape policies that fit communities better.

• Study the candidates’ positions and viewpoints on issues of social justice (to include voting rights, climate change, immigration reform, gender equity, school-to-prison pipeline, justice reform, etc.)

• When voting on a community referendum, consider the impact of that bill on the families living in South Seattle. Talk to people that look different from you and hear their opinion, and/or read up on the subject in the South Sound Emerald.

• Do you feel confused about terminology like "defund the police"?  Learn more about it (here is a video), and listen to people from communities of color talk about why this is important (listen to this podcast, Seattle Now: Trusting the Police).

* * *

LEARN

• Learn about the impact that COVID and systemic racism are having on food insecurity here in Seattle "Food Insecurity spikes sharply among Black and Hispanic families" 

• Join Foxy and Jason Davison in their Love Not Fear discussion group, October 17th @ 3PM, where they will be taking a deeper dive into incarceration through a panel with three youth who are overcoming incarceration. Register here. 

ADVOCATE

• With many kids attending school virtually this year, we need to advocate to the USDA to ensure kids have access to healthy meals throughout the school year 2020-21. Take action here. 

ACT

• Register to vote! You must be registered by October 26th, register here. Vote early to make sure your voice counts.

• Join Union tomorrow, Saturday September 26th at 10AM, for a time to pray for our community and particularly for justice to reign. Zoom link here.

• Donate to the CD Housing Project / Barbara Jean Foundation, and help to provide affordable housing for families in the Central District by off-setting their housing costs for rent and utilities.

• Food insecurity is only increasing! Please donate your time or money to your local food bank, or join the Union burrito-rolling team on Saturdays. Contact Adrienne for additional details. 

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Truth & Justice Studio MISSION STATEMENT :: Truth & Justice creates space to educate and mobilize people by lifting up marginalized voices as catalyst for social change. We are a community within Union Church in Seattle, WA. 

Eco-Act 021: Simplicity

Over the course of the last six months, most of us have had to think about organizing our lives differently.

Whether our calendars have been full or empty on Zoom or in other physically distanced social settings, for the most part we’ve become less busy. Working from home — and really doing everything from home — has made for a slower pace of life in a lot of ways. Less commute time, more time with those we live with (for better or worse…mostly for better we think!!), more time to be present to each moment in the form of a meal without scrolling or a prayerful morning cup of coffee. There’s a certain re-balancing and peace that has been found in this period of reorienting and reframing.

This time at home has also made it evident that we don’t really need all the stuff that we’ve accumulated. Clothes, junk drawers, shoes, and furniture have been cleaned out (for some, multiple times). We’ve down-sized our stuff and passed it on to find a loving home elsewhere. Hopefully, by trying Ridwell, donating to your local Goodwill, or even redistributing your goods to some community organizations (see our current list here), we have also reduced waste. The circular economy does seem to be alive and well as more of us are at home.

emptying

to find life

Though the last six months have been difficult, there have been some bright spots…living simply being one of them! Though somewhat of an inevitable in quarantine, this principle is one thing that has also been held as one of the positives that many of us hope will stick around after COVID is over. And it’s got spiritual significance too. From the desert mothers and fathers, to St. Francis of Assisi, to even the Amish today, there is precedence for Christians to empty of themselves (kenōsis…see Phil. 2:7) of their “own power and desire on behalf of the other” — very Christ-like and incarnational indeed (Introducing Eco-Theology, 194). We would argue too, that we become more ourselves — more of who God calls us to be — when there are less clutter and distractions, and more love for God and our Beloved Community.

Here are some ideas to practice more simplicity:

• Reflect — breathe and contemplate this Richard Rohr reflection on Wendell Berry…also, check out Fr. Rohr’s series on Simplicity here.

• Relationality is key — in this time of physical distance, check in on neighbors, friends, and family that you haven’t connected with in a while. Phone calls and snail mail are encouraged!

• Take a sabbath — including from screens!

• De-clutter — go through your stuff and find items new homes.

• Support your neighborhood — frequent your local school, butcher, coffee shop, gas station, etc…and invest in relationships there.

• Mindful movement — take a walk outside or do some gentle stretches to simply be present to all that is around you.

So what are some ways you’ve been living more simply, especially in these last six months? We’d love to hear in the comments below!

Eco-Act 020: Combatting future fires and smoke, now

Most people see the link between climate change and the dangerous, tragic wildfires that have engulfed the West Coast this season. The King County Strategic Climate Action Plan (SCAP) specifically names the increased potential for wildfires, along with heavier rains, hotter summers, reduced snowpack, increased flooding and rising sea levels, as climate change features that will impact all of us. Denying this or failing to act aggressively now all but guarantees disastrous consequences for our individual and collective futures.

Fortunately, the SCAP deals with climate change reality on three fronts: reducing greenhouse gases; working for equity across diverse neighborhoods; and realistically preparing for climate change impacts. The plan lays out specific government actions for doing so, including policy changes, tighter regulations, community engagement initiatives, and capital investments. But what can we as individuals do? How can we support the larger-scale efforts undertaken by the government, and for that matter, private business?

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which is shrouded by thick haze from wildfires in Washington and Oregon. (Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle Times).

We can start by carefully reviewing our current efforts to see if we’ve missed any opportunities, and then step up our game wherever and whenever possible. To aid this review, we can think through one or more frameworks:

• Daily/regular routines — methodical recycling, careful water use, and avoiding food waste, for example … is there any room for improvement in these or other areas? How about minimizing the plastic in our lives, and properly disposing of what’s unavoidable?

• Occasional, bigger-ticket expenditures — for upcoming major home improvements, can energy-efficient windows, EnergyStar appliances, and reclaimed wood, or “wood” made from plastic, be used? Can electric or solar power replace fossil fuel in the plan? Might the next vehicle be electric?

• Reduce-reuse-recycle — actually, is that next vehicle necessary at all? Can we drive less by biking, walking, taking public transport (when that’s safer again), and by combining multiple errands into a single trip? How about donating, swapping, or repurposing containers, fabrics, furniture, tools, books, … any opportunities here? Eliminating e-waste is another vital action.

• Avoid, reduce, replace, remove/sequester—this framework appears in the SCAP, and the frameworks above cover most of the same ground. What pops up in the SCAP scheme, however, is reforestation efforts and carbon sequestering, which we might contribute to through volunteer tree-planting projects and composting.

  • Other forestry work includes the movement to learn from Native peoples’ land management practices such as controlled burning, as well as allowing Native folks’ access to their land if it’s been taken away. Here are some WA Native perspectives from a Crosscut article from 2019, otherwise come chat about this with Kitchen Table Conversations on Tuesday nights!

Many or all the actions noted above and more have been covered in other of our Eco-Faith blog posts. What’s a little frustrating about all of them—and human-scale acts in general—is that they all feel so small, so futile, so laughably undersized compared to fires that consume millions of wooded acres, and smoke visible from space, blanketing whole states. How are we supposed to find hope and a sense of purpose in our tiny gestures? One way is to remember that we do not perform these acts alone. We merge them with the acts of a community that includes everyone touched by the fires and smoke, everyone capable of empathy, everyone concerned for our environment, and our neighbors first/most impacted by climate change (people who are unhoused, BIPOC communities, folks incarcerated, farmworkers). Our small individual actions on behalf of the environment become community acts of faith.

small acts

are communal

Collectively, could these actions yield a fire-and-smoke-free 2021? Not likely. But our actions performed intentionally and consistently in community, and in conjunction with government and business, might begin a process of correction and restoration. We need to do what we can, with hope. And really, whoever seriously thought that five loaves and two fish could feed five thousand people?

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Both art collages are by Miriam / @vientoxsol on Instagram (link to post by clicking on the photo). The second collage depicts a CDCR prisoner firefighter, flames, and butterflies. In the wake of the fires in CA, the state has been severely understaffed as a large number of their crews come from CA prisons that are currently battling COVID-19. As these crews are only paid $2-5 per day, many have called for rightful pay. Recently, CA Gov. Gavin Newsom overturned a law that barred prison firefighters from joining CALFIRE, even though they had direct experience in the field.

The top collage depicts the hands of farmworkers surrounded by tomato plants, flames, and butterflies. Farmworkers work throughout the seasons and have continued working even with fires nearby and smoke dampening air quality in CA and the PNW. Learn more from United Farm Workers.

Eco-Act 019: All about e-waste

As we continue our coverage around waste, there’s no way we could go on without breaking down electronic waste (e-waste). Of course alternatives to recycling e-waste include reduced consumption, repair, and reuse, however, we felt electronics are more and more a part of our lives and deserve thoughtful consideration for end of life disposal.

E-waste is created when items with a battery or plug (computers, phones, refrigerators, printers, TVs, etc) become obsolete. Often, e-waste has been collected and exported to overseas countries for disassembly and “recycling” of plastic, metal, and glass components. This work is done in formal or informal markets where regulations can be lacking for workers’ safety and health, as well as the earth’s. Such exposure to heavy metals and other chemicals can disrupt cognition and organ function, as well as leach into water and food systems, impacting already impoverished communities.

Some e-waste facts:

• Americans now own approximately 24 electronic products per household (Natl. Conference of State Legislators).

• Global e-waste has gone up 21% in 5 years according to the Global E-waste Monitor.

• The excessive amount of lead in e-waste, if released into the environment, could cause severe damage to human blood and kidneys, as well as central and peripheral nervous systems (Phys.org’s coverage of a study done by the Institute of Physics).

• Producing a computer along with its monitor takes at least 1.5 tons of water, 48 pounds of chemicals, and 530 pounds of fossil fuels (Francis O. Adeola).

• Recycling 1 million laptop computers can save enough energy to run 3,500 U.S. homes for a year (EPA).

e-waste

learning more & reducing our impact

We encourage you this week to read up and act on the state of e-waste today globally:

• You can check out The Global E-waste Monitor 2020 which provides up-to-date data on global e-waste, and how international progress fits into the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

• You might also watch “Manufactured Landscapes” as “photographer Edward Burtynsky travels the world observing changes in landscapes due to industrial work and manufacturing” (IMDb).

And locally:

• WA State Department of Ecology is doing a great job of providing free and accessible e-waste collection and recycling services. Click here for more info on what is accepted by the E-Cycle Washington program.

• Recyclers must meet performance standard guidelines and most recycling is done in the state, reducing the risk of exporting e-waste to less regulated countries.

• Only ~2% of e-waste in WA goes to the landfill (“mostly particle board from cabinet TVs”) according to their FAQ section.

• So far, WA has recycled 419,962,778 lbs of e-waste.

In being good local/global neighbors and living as people of the Way, we hope these resources are helpful for future education and action. Happy e-waste recycling!

Eco-Act 018: plans to give us hope and a future

Here’s some hopeful news: King County rolled out its 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan (SCAP) in August. This ambitious and extensive (329 pages) document sets out a broad range of urgent work to be completed, acknowledging the inevitability of some amount of climate change but identifying ways to work for a sustainable future for all of us. To be clear, the plan’s goals and performance measures apply countywide: reaching them requires countywide participation. We are interconnected, all of us.

SCAP Section I concentrates on six specific areas: 1) greenhouse gas emissions—targeting reductions of 50% by 2025 and 80% by 2050; 2) transportation and land use; 3) building and facilities energy—reducing energy use 25% and fossil fuel use 20% by 2030; 4) green building; 5) consumption of goods and materials; and 6) forests and agriculture. This week we’ll look at specific aspects of item 5.

Waste

& the county’s plan to reduce it

To address countywide consumption of goods and materials, the Strategic Climate Action Plan calls for a circular economy, discussed in our post 016. The specific goal: “Achieve a circular economy, whereby waste is minimized through prevention, reuse, and recycling, and materials stay in use longer through improved product design and shared responsibilities for end-of-use material management” [emphasis added to highlight the points where we can play a role].

SCAP writers identify food waste as a significant contributor to climate change. They estimate King County food waste from all sources at 136,000 tons in 2019 (a 20% reduction from 2015). They also note that when food is wasted, all the energy and water used to produce, package and transport it is also wasted. The net result? Only personal transportation accounts for more greenhouse gas emissions than the total attributable to food waste. Thus, plan writers see food waste as a key target and the SCAP pledges increased education, outreach, and other efforts across the county to reduce it.

Specific SCAP goals include zero edible food waste by 2030, to be achieved through food waste reduction strategies such as:

• Increased food donation—individual donations and collaborations with local food banks

• More mindful food shopping and meal planning

• Increased composting efforts—both at-home and municipal

So how might we react to King County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan? We could choose to be skeptical, observing that the County will fall short of 2020 goals stated in its 2015 plan…. We could note that achieving the goals in this plan will require buy-in from businesses and private individuals—players beyond the County’s direct control….

Or we could choose to be positive, noting that the consequences of failure are more clearly recognized today, that the tools required for success are continually improving, that perhaps we are in a moment when our need to cooperate and collaborate to get something important done is appreciated—and that we all can play a role. Who can know, until we try, if SCAP will work?

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

— Jeremiah 29:11

Let’s choose to be hopeful and get to work.

Matthew 11 Meditation

Here is a meditation I find helpful based on Matthew 11:30, the Message’s translations of Jesus’ words:

“Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

• Take a deep breath and allow yourself to embrace the gift of this moment and space as you “keep company with Jesus.”

• Say these words slowly: The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. In God we live and move and have our being.” (Job 33:4, Acts 17:28)

• Ask this question: What would you have me focus on today, Jesus? Imagine Jesus is sitting or walking beside you.

• Take time to write a letter to Jesus, either physically or mentally: “This is all or some that is on my heart and mind today, Jesus…”

• Take a deep breath and sit for a moment in silence, imagining Jesus is keeping company with you.

Eco-Act 017: Food Waste to Security

This week, it’s no surprise that we circle back to food waste in our wider coverage of waste. Food is so much a part of our everyday, tangible existence — which for many of us in quarantine, has looked like equal cycles of delight and dread as we cook homemade sourdough everythings, and/or really nothing at all (ordering take-out does help our local food industry & workers!).

Food is literally the foundation of our bodies, the building blocks of our cells. In terms of our faith, Jesus uses such mundane, everyday items (bread and wine, fish and loaves) to help us re-member and heal the fractures in ourselves, our communities, and the world, and make evident the miraculous abundance of the Kingdom (more on our food ministry here)

Food waste

to food security

This week, we invite you to learn about food insecurity by chewing on the Truth & Justice reflection written by Alysun Deckert, Studio 3 Elder and registered UW Medical Center dietician. As Alysun highlights the very real statistics behind food security, especially in a pandemic and especially among Black and Brown folks, there are ways we can continue to redirect food away from waste and towards security (while also lowering carbon emissions!) In addition to resources shared on her post, here are some more ideas:

• Increase food access through the University Food Bank by rescuing excess food and funneling it to folks who could use it. Union goes weekly and sends food directly to LUV & Compass House, along with using produce rescued in our 300+ weekly burrito roll.

  You as an individual or family can also rescue food there; rescuing food has low barriers and it can go far for yourself or if you’re cooking for others (Compass House & LUV included!). Email Adrienne to get in touch with a Food Bank staff member.

• Check out Civil Eats for great reads, inspiring stories, and news updates on what is happening across the country in the ways of food and politics.

• See the FAO (UN Food & Agricultural Organization) for the global perspective on food security, with special attention to their food loss indicators, and affirmation on shifting excess food to those who are hungry.

• Shift your household’s food waste. Before food is wasted, cook some homemade meals for Compass House, LUV, or other neighbors in need. More info here, otherwise email Adrienne if you have any questions! And consider buying Imperfect produce for “ugly” food that has already been reclaimed.

• As Kitchen Table Conversations talked about this week after listening to the 2nd episode of the Chief Seattle podcast, consider some of the health conditions of folks you are cooking for. Providing balanced meals low in sugar and high in protein, full of veggies, and with attention to common sensitivities (gluten, soy, nuts, dairy) can make a huge difference for folks who are diabetic or who have other food requirements.

As Christ affirms with his incarnation, bodies are good and the tangible, accessible food that nourishes our bodies is also good. Because of this, we cannot ignore the food injustices present in our communities, especially among communities of color as related to environmental injustices, systemic racism, histories of colonization, capitalism, and immigration rights — the powers and principalities that be.

Let us continue tending to the work of justice in our neighborhoods by leveling our food systems. We leave you with such images from Scripture as Mary sings in the Magnificat,

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…[God] has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; [God] has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.”

Luke 18:46-47, 52-53

And as Isaiah 40 proclaims:

A voice cries out:

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
    make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
    and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
    and the rough places a plain.
5 Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
    and all people shall see it together,
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”