Juneteenth – reflecting and encouraging…

Juneteenth is a federal holiday now, offering a wonderful time to reflect on our past while encouraging a better future. The TedEd 6 minute video HERE shares background history to this holiday begun in 2021, including this note:

“Juneteenth holds profound significance as a celebration of the demise of slavery, the righteous pursuit of true freedom for all, and the continued pledge to remember the past and dream the future.“

While the practice of slavery is now illegal in the United States, we find many quasi-slaved by the behaviors of the past coupled with opinions sadly still voiced by too many in powerful positions. As compassionate people of faith seeking peace, we have opportunities to help those quasi-slaved with justice-filled actions. To quote Meister Eckhart, “Compassion is where peace and justice kiss.”

Ready to be additionally inspired? Spend 3 minutes HERE with Dr. Maya Angelou which includes her “child of God” commentary and encouragement to embrace positive opportunities.

PRAYER: Creator God, help us examine the natural beauty wherever we are, including with those children of God who may not be acting quite the way we’d like (nor in the way we think you’d like…) Power us to act in justice-filled ways. Amen

Enjoy your time, filled with the Spirit!

NOTE: CP is indebted to Matthew Fox and his post HERE, helping spur several of the references and commentary about Juneteenth above. That blog posting is well worth a full reading if you have time

P.S. Want to know more about Juneteenth? AP has a “beginner’s guide” HERE

unrecognizable man with bulb against sundown sky — Photo by Clement Eastwood on Pexels.com

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, June 25, 2023:

POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE

Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this? If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK

CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically

Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!