Dear Southminster Family and Friends,
As I suspect you were too, I was completely transfixed by poet Amanda Gorman, youngest poet ever to perform at the Inauguration, as I watched with pride and renewed hope for our country. She spoke with the power and wisdom of such poets as Robert Frost and Maya Angelou, yet she is only 22 years old. She spoke about reconciliation and how we cannot escape our past in forging our future – we must begin the hard task of unification and come together as one – reminiscent of our exploration of reconciliation this month. If you haven’t seen or heard the full poem, I encourage you to do so. Here is her closing refrain:
We will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one.
We will rise from the gold limbed hills of the West.
We will rise from the wind swept to Northeast where our forefathers first realized the revolution.
We will rise from the lake when cities of the middle Western States.
We will arise from the sun baked South.
We will rebuild, reconciled and recover and every known nook over a nation.
And every corner called our country.
Our people diverse and beautiful will emerge, battered and beautiful.
When day comes, we step out of the shade of flame and unafraid, the new dawn balloons, as we free it.
For there was always light.
If only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.
I look forward to seeing you in worship on Sunday – we will examine what it takes to become “Bridge Builders” as we bravely illuminate our lights for a new tomorrow.
Pastor Don
