Black History Month

Our final Black History Month devotional is written by Rev. Marcus Jones, Pastor of the UTA Wesley Foundation. Our students were blessed to have Marcus speak at their Winter Retreat. We’re thankful for Rev. Jones and the perspective he brings to the United Methodist Church and the Central Texas Conference.

He has told you, human one, what is good and what the Lord requires from you: to do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God. - Micah 6:8

Micah 6:8 is a powerful verse that provides guidance for our lives as we seek to live out our faith. As we reflect on this verse in the context of Black history, we can see that these commands are particularly relevant for those seeking to pursue justice and equity.

Throughout history, Black Americans have faced systemic injustice and oppression. From slavery to Jim Crow laws to ongoing issues of racism and discrimination, the struggle for justice and equality continues. In this context, Micah 6:8 takes on even greater significance.

To do justice means to actively work to dismantle systems of oppression and to advocate for change. Throughout Black history, there have been countless individuals and organizations who have fought for justice, from the abolitionists to the civil rights activists of the 1960s to those leading the Black Lives Matter movement today.

To love kindness means to show love and compassion to others, particularly those who have been marginalized and oppressed. In the face of discrimination and violence, Black Americans have demonstrated incredible resilience and compassion towards one another, building strong communities and supporting one another through difficult times.

To walk humbly with God means to acknowledge our own limitations and to seek God's guidance in all we do. Black Americans have often turned to their faith in times of struggle, finding strength and comfort in their relationship with God. Many have also used their faith as a basis for social justice activism, drawing on the teachings of Jesus to advocate for change.

As we reflect on Micah 6:8 in the context of Black history, we are reminded of the ongoing struggle for justice and equity. We are also reminded of the power of compassion, community, and faith in times of struggle. Let us pray for God's guidance and strength as we seek to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with Him in all we do. And may we be inspired by the example of those who have gone before us, who have fought for justice and equality with courage, determination, and love.

By: Rev. Marcus Jones, Pastor of the UTA Wesley Foundation

Black History Month

“I’m not praying only for them but also for those who believe in me because of their word. I pray they will be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. I pray that they also will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me. I’ve given them the glory that you gave me so that they can be one just as we are one. I’m in them and you are in me so that they will be made perfectly one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you have loved them just as you loved me.

John 17:20-23 (CEB)

During Children’s Time in Rooted Worship the past couple of weeks we’ve shared stories of significant Black Methodists in recognition of Black History Month. We will continue that practice for the next two weeks as well. After this past Sunday, our children and adults alike now know a little bit about Richard Allen, the founder and first Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church who, along with Absolom Jones, led a walkout of Black worshipers at St. George Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia after having their full dignity denied too often and too long by their White counterparts who refused to afford them the same rights and privileges that they themselves enjoyed. Allen, Jones, and the rest would not remain in a space hostile to their existence and chose to live a more full life. They were not unfaithful to the Methodist Episcopal Church, they were faithful to God, themselves, and the people God had given them.

Much of Methodist history in America, like American history in general, can be viewed through the lens of race. Later, in 1844 the larger denomination split into the MEC and MEC, South over race-based slavery before reuniting in 1939. But that reunion came with a stipulation for racial segregation to appease White southerners. In 1968, when the United Methodist Church was formed, official structural segregation was abolished. But yet, here we are in 2023 sharing the history of segregation with a primarily White congregation.

We imagine that the victims of these stories of discrimination and division to be our Black sisters and brothers. That is true, but not the full truth. Those of us who are White are victims as well. We are not victims of what would be justified retaliation or what some call reverse racism, but rather victims of our own sin and the sin of our ancestors. We still live with the consequences of being separated from one another. We are less than we could be because our ancestors saw our Black sisters and brothers as less than themselves. Ironically, though we White folks are the cause of our separation, we often put the responsibility of reconciliation on the shoulders of Black folks expecting them to leave their Black spaces to join our White spaces.

In their song, Wildfire, the band, Watchhouse, shares this lyric, “It should have been different. It could have been easy. But pride has a way of holding too firm to history.” It is true that we can’t change what happened, so let’s focus on what we can do. We can be honest about what happened and is happening. We can repent. We can carry the burden of reconciliation. We can decide who we want to be in the future and let it change the way we live today. We can not only pray to be one, but also seek to live as one.

by Nick Scott

Who I Am - Black History Month

“Who am I ” by Jenny Spidell

When I was asked to write a devotional for Black History Month, my first response was, “Sure!”

And then, pretty immediately, the weight of the task struck me. What do I, a white woman of privilege, have to say to her church about Black History Month? Who am I to speak about justice and racial reconciliation as if I have the solutions to today’s crises in my back pocket? I follow Black influencers on social media, I try to shop at Black-owned businesses whenever I can, I read books on racism and racial reconciliation, and I’ve got the “Black Lives Matter” stickers on my coffee tumblers. All of those things feel like steps in the right direction, but if racism is the iceberg and our country is the Titanic, it feels like I’m trying to divert the water coming on board with a Dixie cup. Will any action ever feel like it’s enough? What difference can I, a white woman of privilege, actually make? Who am I that God has called me into ministry with and for all of God’s children in the midst of such a fractured world? Have you felt the same?

After letting the weight of this devotional assignment wash over me, I found myself standing next to Moses in the desert. Face to face with the burning bush:

3:1 Moses was taking care of the flock for his father-in-law Jethro, Midian’s priest. He led his flock out to the edge of the desert, and he came to God’s mountain called Horeb. 2 The Lord’s messenger appeared to him in a flame of fire in the middle of a bush. Moses saw that the bush was in flames, but it didn’t burn up. 3 Then Moses said to himself, Let me check out this amazing sight and find out why the bush isn’t burning up. 4 When the Lord saw that he was coming to look, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” Moses said, “I’m here.” 5 Then the Lord said, “Don’t come any closer! Take off your sandals, because you are standing on holy ground.” 6 He continued, “I am the God of your father, Abraham’s God, Isaac’s God, and Jacob’s God.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. 7 Then the Lord said, “I’ve clearly seen my people oppressed in Egypt. I’ve heard their cry of injustice because of their slave masters. I know about their pain. 8 I’ve come down to rescue them from the Egyptians in order to take them out of that land and bring them to a good and broad land, a land that’s full of milk and honey, a place where the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites all live. 9 Now the Israelites’ cries of injustice have reached me. I’ve seen just how much the Egyptians have oppressed them. 10 So get going. I’m sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I to go to Pharaoh and to bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 God said, “I’ll be with you. And this will show you that I’m the one who sent you. After you bring the people out of Egypt, you will come back here and worship God on this mountain.” (Exodus 3:1–12, Common English Bible)

I am 100% sure that God would have found another way to call Moses into ministry had he ignored the bush, or if Moses had been too consumed with his task to notice it - but he wasn’t. Moses saw the bush, stopped what he was doing, and turned with curiosity to see what was happening.

One of today’s burning bushes is racial injustice. Everyday, beloved children of God are suffering, and the flames of the bush continue to grow, calling out to any who will listen. Too many people walk right past the bush, going about their business. Have you stopped? Have you turned aside to try to figure out what is going on? Out of the bush do you hear God calling your name, saying, “I have heard the cries of my children, and I am sending you”?

Any and all actions of anti-racism, steps to educate yourself on Black history, purchases at Black-owned businesses, and “Black Lives Matter” stickers are all steps in the right direction. But don’t stop there. Continue to let the burning bush draw you in, so that God can reinvigorate your soul for the work of going out to do the work of justice for your siblings of color. If you find yourself comfortable with the way things are, it’s time to revisit God in the bush.

Probably none of us feels adequately prepared to challenge racism in our world, so we reply to God, “Who am I that I should challenge the norms, and bring my siblings of color out from under the foot of White privilege?” Here’s the kicker—God does not say, “it will be fine.” Nor does God say, “it will be easy,” or that “you will soon have all the answers and know exactly what you’re doing”... God says,

“I will be with you.”

The work of racial justice is hard, and oh so holy. I hope you will consider taking off your sandals and spending some time with God this month, specifically asking for clarity on what it is that God has equipped you - yes, you - for in the work of racial justice.

God of all ages, nations, and races—hear my plea for guidance and accept my apology for ignoring the cries of your children. I have seen and heard you in the bush of racial injustice and have been paralyzed by fear and feelings of inadequacy. Open my eyes and my ears to the experiences of my siblings of color; may my heart be moved to empathy as I dwell with them in their grief. Mobilize my hands and my feet so that “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” may actually come to fruition. May my love for my siblings of color be as radical as your love for all of creation, and may I never grow satisfied with the way things are until true justice is accomplished for all. Lord, in your mercy, amen.

Siblings

“And so I am sure confident that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it on until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus.”

- Philippians 1:6

When my wife and I became parents, we only considered two priorities most important, like most parents: 1. Keep them alive. 2. Squeeze them, kiss them and love them with all our hearts. Little did we know how they would develop, and with the addition of a sibling, be able to share that same love with each other that we poured into them.

The main thing I see going on between my boys (5 years old and 2 years old) is silly games which somehow lead to pushing, shoving and someone getting upset. However, the other night I witnessed something so special that was worth all the pushing, shoving and crying multiplied by ten. We had been working on the house all day and the boys were confused by our focus being in so many different areas that by bedtime they wanted to be with us, so we let them sleep in our bed. After some time, only my oldest son and I were still awake. I looked over at him and noticed he was staring at his sleeping brother’s face. This was no passing glance. He was studying him the way I know I have looked at their sleeping faces before. With so much love. I immediately said, “Hey, do you love your brother?”, and he looked at me and nodded so confidently that it left me speechless. The work God has been doing with their relationship had caught me off guard in the best way. As much as their mother and I try to teach them, there are values and cares they pick up when we are not around them that will only get stronger as they grow together under our roof.

I have witnessed other instances of this since that night, because I am looking for them I suppose. I like to think God is reminding me to keep up what we’re intentionally instilling in them, and to be ready for these nuggets of pure love that come from living your life devoted to other human beings. To share what Christ has done for us and to commit to a loving relationship with those around us is such a gift. I cherish the thought of the next instance I will get to witness.

Dear God, thank you for loving us and for allowing us to build relationships of love and kindness with others. It is a gift that continually fills our cups, and intensifies our joys as well as soothes our griefs.

Written By: Matt Morrison

Good Ones

“Truly I tell you, whatever you of the least of these, you did not do for me.”

- Matthew 25:45

My family loves sports. Football and baseball are our favorites. Sports has always been something that connects us. Both kids played sports and attended sporting events together is a family favorite. From the Texas Rangers, Dallas Cowboys, TCU, and the kids beloved Oklahoma State Cowboys - the Cordell’s can always be found watching sports.

There are so many good lessons you can learn from playing on a team. I have always loved finding the “good ones” as I like to call them. The athletes that have great sportsmanship, leadership and giving spirits are my favorites. Adrian Beltre, Peyton Manning, Jason Witten, Dirk Nowitzki, Dak Precott, Drew Brees and the list goes on and on.

On NFL Draft Day, we are all glued to the TV. This year there was one particular story that caught my attention. The story of Alabama running back Najee Harris. If you know Alabama football, then you know how impressive it is that Najee is the leading running back in Alabama history. He ended his college career with 3,843 rushing yards and 57 touchdowns. On Draft Day, Najee was the 24th draft pick in round one. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers and I am sure we are going to hear a lot more about Najee in the years to come, however, that is not the best part of his story.

Najee grew up in California in the Bay Area. His family (mom, dad, and four siblings) hit hard times and they had to live in the Greater Richmond Interfaith Homeless Shelter for many years.

They were able to finally move out, but they would move from home to home or apartment to apartment 8-10 times before Najee would graduate high school. Najee was given a great opportunity at Alabama and there he seized it and made the most of his time.

Now it was Draft Day and Najee was predicted to go early. Most young men who are predicted to go in round one dress up in their finest attire, throw lavish parties, attend the event in a chauffeured limousine, but not Najee. Najee would return to the homeless shelter where he once lived and there he threw an NFL Draft party for the residents. He ordered pizza, wings, soda, and cakes. He decorated the shelter in festive balloons and streamers and he himself put together goodie bags for all of the kids. He drove himself there in an old car he felt lucky to have and took pictures with everyone at the shelter including the pizza delivery guy. Najee sat with the children and told them that he was raised in the shelter and if he could achieve his dreams so could all of them.

What an incredible act of remembering where you came from and what happened in your life. Najee told reporters, “ You know there was a time when my family needed a helping hand and this place helped us get back on our feet….So, now it is my job to give back.”

Jesus said, “ Whenever you do it unto the least of these, you do it unto me.” There is a time in life when all of us need a helping hand. But when we get back on your feet, maybe it is our turn to offer that helping hand to someone else. And that is how we share the gift of God’s love and hope in the world. Maybe today, if you find that you are on your feet, go out and give a blessing to the least of these.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, There are many times when we feel down and defeated. Let us remember to accept those that extend a helping hand. Then, when things are going well, let us remember to be the helping hand to others. Amen!

Written By: Kim Cordell