Sustaining Hope for a Better Future through Relationships
We are living in a time of significant tension. It feels on a nearly daily basis that our deepest, shared values of inclusion and abundance are offended by an act of violence, cowardice, or division. Even some of our own sanctuaries have not felt safe from real attacks. We are facing the challenge of working toward a Minnesota where all people have a home while the federal government moves toward criminalizing homelessness and dismantling programs that are proven to be effective solutions.
I know we are all absorbing this news day by day –– but it needs to be named because this is not normal and should not become normal. We are resisting the attacks on affordable and supportive housing through our policy work, such as our recent work to fight back against enormous cuts to HUD’s Continuum of Care program.
It’s tempting to get stuck in despair. We so easily get drawn into conversations or social media interactions that reinforce our loss of hope and fear for the future. But the great gift of faith communities in a time of social change like this is: we focus on relationships and take a long view. We do not give up on people.
Focus on the “why”
I recently had the chance to join a webinar featuring a panel of inspiring organizers across the country, including Marshall Ganz, a senior lecturer in Leadership, Organizing, and Civil Society at the Kennedy School of Government. He spoke to the uncertainty that people working toward justice in many areas are feeling, reminding us there is no road map for the struggles we are facing. Ganz said, “It is time to get on the path of discovery and learning, time to focus on building relationships.” When we orient ourselves humbly toward the purpose of our collective actions, the path emerges. Ganz added, “If you focus on the why, you will find your way.”
Across many intersecting movements, this moment should inspire a season of connection that helps grow our base stronger than before, and larger than we have previously imagined. We are offering several opportunities for learning and relationship building on our winter event calendar –– please join us and invite a friend!
Find hope
We must hold fast to hope these days. One of my favorite reflections on hope is from the late Jane Goodall, who connected faith and action in a deeply spiritual way: “Hope is not merely passive wishful thinking but a crucial survival trait.” May our work together bring out the best in us, reflect the wisdom of our diverse faith traditions, and sustain our hope for a better future.
