ALT “...God, teach us to pause in this moment, to tuck ourselves into the curve of your slow arm, that we may know the miracle of now, the gift of this moment: you beside and beyond us, welcoming us outside of all we measure, and standing with us in it. May we see the goodness of our still hours and days, sunrises, sunsets, and the darkness where our rest is found. Order us, that we may stand within time holding your hand. That we may know we are enough, not because of what we make of these hours, but because within these hours—with you—we are being made.” A Prayer Against Efficiency by Micha Boyett from A Rhythm of Prayer
ALT CCDA practitioners gathered in front of a colorful mural, smiling and holding conference bags to promote a networking event encouraging connection and belonging — "Connect with other CCD practitioners this month."
ALT Anabaptist Community Development Network — Nov 11, 11 AM CT; poster showing a diverse group linking arms and inviting Anabaptist practitioners to root community development work in the Anabaptist faith while engaging the CCD philosophy.
ALT OKC Local Network quarterly gathering — community members seated at round tables in a hotel banquet room sharing a meal, networking, and listening to a speaker; event announced for November 12 at 12 PM CT.
ALT Promotional flyer for the Faith Innovation Group Network — announces November 12, 7 PM CT — shows a large, diverse group seated at round tables in a conference room listening to a presenter, highlighting community developers collaborating to solve problems.
ALT "...this is one of my dreams: that my descendants will one day live in a land where people are quick to confess their wrongdoing and forgive the wrongdoing of others and are eager to build something beautiful together." Dr. John M. Perkins in Dream with Me: Race, Love, and the Struggle We Must Win
ALT "God who sees, You saw Hagar in the wilderness, and You see every neighbor standing in line today. Give courage to the afraid and rest to the weary. Give poll workers clear minds and kind hands. Give us churches with folding chairs and open doors. Where the breach is wide, make us repairers. Where the road is long, make us company. And when the results come in, whatever they are, keep us on the bus, singing, until everybody gets to the courthouse. Amen." Prayer by Rev. Dr. Hanna R. Broome in Eighteen on a Bus: Election Day Reflections
ALT Eighteen on a Bus: Election Day Reflections By Rev. Dr. Hanna R. Broome
ALT The church that walks to the polls on Tuesday is the same church drafting a plan for its block on Wednesday. Civic engagement and community development are not two ministries. They are one body. ccda.org/blog
ALT A Prayer Of Indigenous Peoples, Refugees, Immigrants, & Pilgrims By Mark Charles
ALT Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we come before you as many parts of a single body, people drawn from every tribe, every nation, every language; some indigenous—peoples of the land; some refugees, immigrants, pilgrims—people on the move; some hosts, some guests, some both hosts and guests; all of us searching for an eternal place where we can belong.
ALT Creator, forgive us. The earth is yours and everything that is in it. But we forget. In our arrogance we think we own it. In our greed we think we can steal it. In our ignorance we worship it. In our thoughtlessness we destroy it. We forget that you created the earth to bring praise and joy to you. That you gave it as a gift for us to steward, for us to enjoy, for us to see more clearly your beauty and your majesty.
ALT Jesus, save us. We wait for your kingdom. We long for your throne. We hunger for your reconciliation, for that day where people from every tribe and every tongue will gather around you and sing your praises. Holy Spirit, teach us. Help us to remember that the body is made up of many parts, each one unique and every one necessary.
ALT "We choose to walk in faith when we help our neighbors navigate their pain, giving them space to process and mourn. Together as a community, we identify the lies we have been told by empire. And we replace those lies with the truth that God deeply loves us and delights in who God has created us to be. We remind Brown children and adults alike that their presence in our community is a blessing and that they are altogether valued and needed to help our communities thrive." Bethany Rivera Molinar in Voices of Lament: Reflections on Brokenness and Hope in a World Longing for Justice
