What I learned in Santa Fe, NM

In mid June, my work sent me to the United Methodist Institute of Higher Education: Educating Moral Leaders in a World of Poverty (held in Santa Fe, NM) and although we are not Methodist, I think the lessons I learned from this conference can apply to our UCC work and to progressive Christians everywhere. Our first speaker was the Rev. Larry Ward, Adjunct Professor at Claremont Graduate University and Director of the Lotus Institute. His opening speech was inspiring and hopeful. It reminded us of the importance of our work to engage youth on important issues and to create social change. Rev. Ward also reminded us to take care of ourselves while doing this vital work.
Nuggets of Wisdom:

• Events that happen inside of us flow outside of us. The inside events impact the world more than the events outside of us.
• In Buddhism, there are three poisons. The three poisons are afflictions in the heart, mind and soul that create suffering. They are: 1.) Grasping or the tendency of attraction; aka: greed. The collateral damage of this affliction is poverty. 2.) Aversion or hatred. We must practice compassion and trust if we want to have an impact on poverty. 3.) Ignorance. Our nation today is very much dissociated with the larger community and we lack ownership of our community. It is too easy for individuals to be dissociated with those in poverty and therefore not take ownership for the issue or the solution.
• All the Earth belongs to all the people- sorrow, gifts and wisdom.
• Exposing our youth to the community and its issues is extremely important. Why? Because they will be able to apply learning objectives, practice self-healing, and have the opportunity to have a profound experience and make a profound impact.
• In Chinese, the word busy translates to “heart killing.” It is important to take time to reflect and stay focused on the here and now—the wonder of the moment.
  

The second speaker was John Hill, Director for Economic and Environmental Justice, General Board of Church and Society, the United Methodist Church. His speech placed an emphasis on the response of the faith community to poverty and was especially useful for our efforts to become a mission driven church.
Nuggets of Wisdom:

• We must equip the next generation to ask questions and challenge the status quo.
• Effective ministry is relational.
• If we want to start talking about poverty then we must stop attacking the poor (i.e. homes not handcuffs).
• The poor are NOT mission projects, but children of God, our brothers and sisters who have fallen on hard times. The scriptures demand and ask us to take care of our brothers and sisters. We are called to see the world through the eyes of the marginalized.
• It is time for the Church to be in relationship with those on the margin. It is time for face-to-face relationships. Churches must co-build ways out of poverty. We cannot be “drive-by social justice activists.”
  

Clearly, these speakers struck a chord with me, but I truly feel that their “nuggets of wisdom” are helpful in a time when it is so easy to suffer from the three poisons and forget to think about the world just outside our own door or even the church door.
Posted by the Hanna W.