Alka's Angle

We create many rituals in our lives. Rituals connect us with our own past and with the memories of our loved ones. Rituals connect us with one another -- not just with family of origin but also with the family of humanity. I know for some a specific scent may trigger a memory, while for others it could be a specific hymn/song/carol!

For those who were at church on Monday, November 11th for our Annual Church Conference, I am grateful to you. For those who were not able to make it, the reports are here on the website. You could also ask Alexia and she can email you a copy.

At church this past Sunday we talked about the story of the healing of Naaman. Instead of coming out to meet him when Naaman approaches Prophet Elisha’s home, he sent a messenger to Naaman instructing him to dip in the river Jordan seven times to be healed. Naaman gets upset with this treatment. He expected the prophet to come out and greet him for he was a person of power. Naaman would have missed the opportunity to be healed, if his attendants had not intervened and suggested he dip in the river as instructed by the prophet.

How often do we find ourselves in similar situations? In our limited view, biased approach or simple oversight even, we sometimes get caught in situations and thus miss the blessings that could be ours. 

Some of you may be aware of the vandalism experienced by the Wicker Park Lutheran Church recently (thank you Nick for bringing the story to our attention). The pride flags that were hung from their building were torn once and defaced the second time. The pastor of the church, Rev. Glombicki however is “determined not to let hate win. "That's what our faith teaches us," he said. "That it's not just about hate and what others do, it's about continuing to respond in love." 

This week is the 50th anniversary of The StoneWall Riot at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, against the police brutality towards the gay, lesbian, trans and queer community and a year later on June 28th 1970, to commemorate and remember the Stonewall riots, Pride Marches were organized in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago. Marsha ‘Pay It No Mind’ Johnson, was one of the activists who refused to allow the police brutality and stood for the rights of trans person and others. Since then a lot has changed and yet nothing seems to be different.