Bringing In the Love

Newsletter May 8, 2023 Together, we're #keepingitsacred...

Hate groups often liken themselves to storms. I can think of several groups and publishing venues that use some form of this moniker (but I won't publish them here because of the way internet algorithms work). Let's just say that naming the perennial villains in the Star Wars franchise as "stormtroopers" is fitting. Storms blow in, clouding skies, ruining bright, sunny days, and warm weather. Storms ruin picnics. They ruin our sense of joy and safety. Worse, storms push out love and bring him a void leaving only the coldness of hate.

This week, a community I know and love was targeted by hate. The storm blew in and chilled us to our core. The community targeted was our community covenantal community partner, All Saints Church in Pasadena. They received bomb scare and threat against their Rector Mike Kinman for their righteous and love-filled LGBTQ+ community work. He shared information about the threats HERE.

So, what can we do? As The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. urged, in 1957, "Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."

So, it seems, our task is to fill the cold void left by the storm, and bring in the love. In Judaism, this is answering the pushing out of God, with bringing in Divine Love. After all, in Jewish numerology, known as gematria, the name of God (the tetragrammaton), is numerically equivalent to the word for love (ahavah). So, God =Love. God IS Love.

Hearing of the threat against our friends, early the next morning I rose to bring two baskets of roses with heart shaped balloons attached on behalf of all of us. The message I wrote:

"To the ASC Community,

We love you. And love always wins.

In deep partnership and solidarity,

Keeping It Sacred"

And I placed the flowers and balloons on either side of their entrance doors. Right under their still-displayed giant pride flag. Bringing in the love. That is how we respond. (Also: when I snapped this unedited photo of our love offering - see above- my iPhone captured this beautiful ray of light and emanating rainbow, showing the abiding presence of the Divine there).

And this offering preceded a rally organized by our other partners, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE-LA) which brought dozens of religious figures from various faith communities to the courtyard of the church. Again, to bring in the love.

And then, inside on Sunday morning, Rector Mike Kinman preached, sharing his and the church's unwavering love for the LGBTQ+ community, and the importance of bringing in a Higher Love. He even encouraged the community to get up and dance joyfully to the Steve Winwood song sung by Whitney Houston remixed by Kygo called "Higher Love." (Hear it HERE).

We will, together, push back the storm, and bring in the warmth of love. The joy of community. And not only will we do this reactively but we will continue to proactively affirm and promote the values of love and inclusion and, well, God.

If you would like to write a message of love for me to send to the All Saints Community, please email it to me at rabbimiller@keepingitsacred.com, and I will send it with lots of love.

This is how together, we’re #keepingitsacred….

Rabbi Heather Miller

Founder, Keeping It Sacred

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The above is an excerpt from a Keeping It Sacred newsletter. If you want to read the entire newsletter or any from our archives, please head over to: keepingitsacred.com/news 

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Thanks for your interest, and thanks for #keepingitsacred...