“Civil liberties are under attack! What do we do? Rise up fight back!” These words and other variations of them are often shouted, call and response style, at marches, vigils, protests, and other events calling for some form of justice.

The nation is so divided that everywhere we turn, things we UUs value are under attack. Necessary legislation and safeguards to protect our Earth from rising temperatures, stall. Democracy is being undermined by voter suppression and elected officials who act more like reality TV characters than responsible adults engaged in the serious business of governing the people. Schenectady Council just paved the way for more police in our schools. Russia is attacking Ukraine.

And now, SCOTUS is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, putting millions of people, their partners, and their healthcare providers in danger. Meanwhile, COVID cases are climbing and people are still getting sick, some, even vaccinated folks, quite sick.

It can all be so overwhelming. Fascism takes hold when the people who care, stop caring; when the people who yearn for justice for all, stop calling for justice; when the people who are comfortable don’t realize that they are potentially next in line to lose liberties, or freedom, or some other precious thing.

We can not let that happen. It is time to rise up and strategize, organize, and mobilize to embolden Justice, to empower People, to manifest more Love. Come to church, get spiritually nourished, and go out into the world to bring more justice and joy into being.

In faith,

Rev. Wendy and Rev. Lynn