So this week I've picked a word from a rather obscure (but fun!) language: Euskara, or Basque. This language is spoken in Basque Country, a region that covers adjacent parts of Spain and France. (Fun fact, it's also what's called a language isolate; it is, to the current knowledge of linguists, unrelated to any other living language. It is the only remaining language isolate in Europe, despite periods of attempted eradication by European governments, and is thought to have developed before the arrival of Indo-European languages in Europe - i.e. the Romans and friends bringing Latin, etc., with them)

You may or may not have known that the Bishops of the Northcentral Jurisdiction called for a virtual special session of the Jurisdictional Conference for Nov 10-11, 2021. Because we could not take care of ‘usual’ business without General Conference meeting first, we had the opportunity to do something different. As a result we engaged in honest conversation about the future of the Jurisdiction, and covenanted to work towards ‘becoming beloved community’ by committing to the work of anti-racism. The whole covenant is framed around our baptismal covenant.

Last week I shared how advocating for the Home Birth Safety Act was a radicalizing turning point in my life. My child, Joy, was just a baby when that happened. Joy's early years were all radicalizing for me, partly because I was a single mother. I was unable to find work outside of the home that would pay enough for childcare plus living expenses, so I nannied for a living. Seeing how hard this was, raising other people's children alongside my own, on my own, was very radicalizing.