Resistance: Our Antidote to Not Normal Times
This season in our national history is a disorienting one. I find myself saying often to our staff, "Remember that this is not business as usual." In other words, there's a reason that many of us feel burdened, decisions seem harder, or we find ourselves anxious or getting distracted. It's because this is not normal. We're not just continuing with a regular fall or sending our kids back to a normal school year - we're living through a profoundly de-stabilizing time where our national conversation, media, and exercise of government all continue to layer confusion, injustice, dehumanizing rhetoric, and violent actions one on top of the other. If you feel tired, confused, or not sure where to land, that makes sense; together we can name this, come together, and practice resistant together.
First, I want to name that I also feel the heaviness; and I have to remind myself to recognize there is extra work being called forth right now. (Remember how during COVID we had to shift to accepting that this might be awhile, and that we were working through lots of unknowns and grief? I think this is similar.) I remind myself each day that I/we can't let the temptation to fear, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, or without voice take over - because that is part of the design of authoritarian systems. Each time we resist shutting down or giving up, and instead stay energized enough to get up again and learn, speak, lament, pray, and act, that itself is building a necessary muscle for our times.
Second, this will likely be a season that continues to be challenging for some time - think less sprint, more a marathon. We will likely need to learn new skills around organizing, federal and state and city laws and policies, and discern together which actions, protests, boycotts, letters, and more will make a difference and where. We will also need to pay attention to the most vulnerable - migrants, Black and Brown and Asian and immigrant folks, unhoused folks, and potentially those of other marginalized identities. At times we will have to be nimble and respond, and other times we'll have to wait and try again, but we'll always keep moving forward, with others, and with hope in mind. We'll be sharing ongoing info in the days ahead and here are some first steps:
1. Visit our actions page for a starting place where we're gathering timely resources on actions and info for Chicago residents.
2. Join our actions group on Church Center if you want more regular updates, emails, etc. on timely news or actions that may happen.
Anyone in need of immediate support, please reach out by phone to a pastor or the church office.
Third, we know there is a deep spiritual component to this fight we're in, and it will share our worship, lament, and prayer. This fall we will be walking through a series on the "Foundations of Faith" together - what grounds us, what is underneath what we say we believe, what do we fall back on instead of feeling disoriented? I also want to share a few reminders for this week:
Remember we are not alone - God is with us, we have our community and congregation with us, and we're more similar and connected then we are being led to think. One goal of unhealthy empires is to pit people against one another and create fear and a feeling of scarcity between groups - resist this.
Assert truth daily - pray or speak over yourself daily, "I am beloved, I am not alone, God is with me, God is with the most vulnerable, I have a voice and a purpose," - whatever you most need to remember is true. The more you physically use your voice the more practiced you will be to say that to others when needed - resist the feeling that your voice doesn't matter.
Notice language that you and those around you use - dehumanizing language in the news tries to reshape how we see one another ("illegals" versus humans all made in the image of God), try to course-correct when you hear it instead of letting dehumanizing language slide - resist dehumanizing language anywhere it occurs.
Take care of your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health - limit or take breaks from the news, social media, etc.; seek out people and practices that are life-giving to you; slow down and give yourself space to process, grieve, rest, have emotions, etc. Resist burnout.
Check in on each other, especially those most vulnerable in this climate - anyone in process of getting documentation or with an international background, folks of color who are being targeted whether citizens or not, those relying on medicaid or SNAP or other benefits being cut, those who live alone or may be struggling with anxiety, etc. We can connect one another to mutual aid, community, and hope faster than any program or news network can - resist isolation and individualism.
Each day choose hope, and breathe, focus, and try again - as we exercise this muscle of hope, it's both a decision and hard fought. Hope is not empty or light work, but it pulls us toward trust in God and faith in what we can't see up ahead, which can give us energy for today. We can do this, and we have in our midst stories of those before us who taught us hope! We come from a story of faith as the people of God, the legacy of taking on trouble in an urban Chicago area, the resilience of the Black Church, the strength and innovation of the immigrant church, the stories of resistance and liberation from women, men, the queer community, etc. Resist overwhelm - our foundation rests on hope!
Church, starting as early as this coming weekend, and in the weeks ahead, we may need to learn, speak, act, and stand up in new ways. Our city may be the target of national guard troops or other "immigration enforcement." LaSalle is full of amazing folks who can keep learning, seeing what's going on in our nation, have the courage and wisdom to take action, and the faith to support one another doing it. Let's move forward, day by day, in all the different ways that we can, with faith, hope, and love - that's the real resistance to hate, and the real antidote.
Take courage - resist - reach out - and hang onto hope!