Here I Stand

When the Reformer, Martin Luther, stood at the Castle Church doors in Wittenburg, Germany posting his 95 Theses about abuses by the Roman Catholic Church, it began a long process that culminated in his trial as a heretic (not to mention the Reformation). At the end of that trial in 1521, as he concluded his own defense, Luther is alleged to have said: "Here I stand, I can do no other." It was a profound theological and moral moment for Luther in which he was risking not simply his professional career but also his very life.

I thought o f Luther's, "Here I stand," when reflecting upon the recent Michael Dunn trial in Florida. Dunn, who is white, used the "Stand Your Ground" self-defense law to justify shooting four unarmed black teenagers, killing one, 17 year-old Jordan Davis. "Stand Your Ground" provides no profound theological or moral moment; it does not seek to solve the pandemic racism that confronts our nation. Instead, the case can be made, that "Stand Your Ground" offers a legal channel through which one can literally shoot off suspicions, prejudices, mistrusts, and fears - and ask questions later. These "Stand Your Ground" attacks and subsequent trials painfully raise again and again Rodney King's 22 year old question, "Can't we all just get along?" The answer, unfortunately, continues to be, "no."

During this month when we celebrate and observe the richness of black history, we must remember another Martin Luther - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the exhortation he received to Stand Up! In what has become known as the "Kitchen Conversion," King received divine reassurance that he was not alone. King was a young man and new to his first parish when he was elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association. Soon thereafter, the bus boycott began. As a result, King began to receive many threatening phone calls at home. He was worried, he was exhausted, and he was afraid when he sat at his kitchen table after midnight. Then, in the midst of his anguished prayer, "It seemed as though I could hear the quiet assurance of an inner voice saying: 'Martin Luther, stand up for righteousness. Stand up for justice. Stand up for truth. And lo, I will be with you. Even until the end of the world.'"

Moving us from "Stand Your Ground" to "Here I Stand" and "Stand Up for Justice" is at the heart of our church work where we are called upon to stand and create a gospel counter-narrative of love and justice to the dominant culture narrative of suspicion and fear. To that end, the Michigan Conference of the United Church of Christ is offering a wide-variety of resources in the coming months that help local churches to promote congregational health and vitality, further the work of justice and anti-racism, and celebrate the good news of Jesus Christ.

On March 1, Vitality Day will be held at East Congregational, UCC in Grand Rapids. 

(Vitality Day)

On March 4, clergy and laity are invited to gather in Lansing to participate in a Truth and Justice Tuesday - witnessing on behalf of compassion, love and justice among those elected to serve the Common Good. (Truth and Justice Tuesdays) (UCC's - March Fourth)

Boundary Training for Volunteers will be held on March 15 at First/Park UCC in Grand Rapids. This event helps to make our church volunteers more aware of Safe Sanctuary guidelines on behalf of the children and youth of our communities. (BT for Volunteers)

On March 28 and 29 the Detroit Metropolitan Association and the Eastern Association will co-sponsor with the Disciples of Christ an Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation workshop. This is an opportunity to gather at St. Paul UCC in Warren to undertake the important work of identifying racism in our midst and working on strategies to combat it. 

(Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation Workshop)

On April 26th, the Michigan Conference, UCC and the Michigan Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will gather at Edgewood United Church, UCC in East Lansing for a grand Festival of Faith. This Easter-tide gathering is being held to celebrate the resurrection and be nourished for our shared work as we explore resources for Worship in the 21st Century. Registration begins on March 1. (Festival of Faith)

The Festival of Faith will also be the commissioning for this year's Michigan 2x2 that we will observe jointly with our Disciples of Christ brothers and sisters. Michigan 2x2 will culminate the weekend of June 7th and 8th in Detroit with a shared work project with Motown Mission. Each church is encouraged to begin thinking about their 2x2 mission partner or justice event.

May all who are able please stand up for righteousness, stand up for justice, and stand up for truth!

With you on the journey,

Campbell Lovett