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. 

I’ve made my way back over to the Slavic languages this time around: Slovenian. The verb vedriti means ‘to take shelter from the rain’, be it literally or figuratively.