“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” MLK, Jr. As I look at what is happening today, I return to lessons learned from a speech by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that is as appropriate now as it was some 50 years ago. Rev. Dr. King was way ahead of the curve when he warned us of the “deadly triplets” that Rabbi Arthur Waskow of the Shalom Center cites are alive and well today: racism, militarism, and materialism. The triplets live on while Rev. Dr. King was assassinated a year after that speech.

At this “Sankofa” moment, from the West African tradition, we must take the time to look back, so that we can be rooted in the task at hand, understand the present, and then re-shape the future. “Woe is me” is old. The “days of lamentation” better be over. Our perpetuation of ignorance coupled with good intentions is stale. It’s time to get real. We can better understand what got us to this “reality show” in which we find ourselves by doing our homework so that we will effectively shape that Beloved Community that we still long for, and dream of, despite the harsh realities of the day.

I urge you to read Dr. King’s stellar “Speech to Clergy and Laity Concerned About Vietnam” shared at Riverside Church, NY some 50 years ago. http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45a/058.html . I urge you to review the resources cited below from the UUA Program and Strategy Outreach Office that give insight to this critical Week of Action January 14-21, 2017. I urge you to study the “Show the Love” resources listed on the UUA website.

Unitarian Universalists embody the Living Tradition. Rev. Dr. King’s legacy lives on through each of us. Let’s find our voices. It’s time to GET BUSY!!!

Yours, HOPE

Rev. Dr. Hope Johnson
UUA Congregational Life Consultant
Central East Region

• The UUA has gathered events that "Show the Love" and stand up for our values on their webpage, Show the Love. Congregations and groups are invited to add their events to the map and list.
• If you are particularly interested in activities this week, check the Show the Love updates page created by our UUA staff to help individuals find events and activities they can participate in at home or in Washington or anyplace in between.
• And if you are looking for resources to help you and your congregation learn more, the Show the Love resources page can help with that including how to prep your greeters for the increase in visitors we are currently seeing and ways to partner with other organizations.