TheDareofSaintFrancis

forSiskiyouCounty(DonnaMathwig),HoodRiver,OR(AndyWade),andMidtown
Sacramento,CA(JeffRichards)

curatedbyRebeccaJoySumner
andEverettChristianChurch(everettchristianchurch.org)

Lord,Makeusinstrumentsofyourpeace
Lord,makemeaninstrumentofyourpeaceinSiskiyouCounty
MakemeaninstrumentofyourpeaceinHoodRiverandtheGorgeCommunity
MakemeaninstrumentofyourpeaceinMidtownSacramento

Wherethereishatred,letussowlove
Wherelocalsmallbusinesseswithdeepeconomicneeddespise
intentional/unintentionalcamperswhohangoutsidepotentiallyintimidatingcustomers:
letusbegintolistentooneanothersvulnerabilitiesanddreams,andcollaborateforthe
goodofall.
Wherepolitical,racial,andeconomicprejudicescloudourthinkingandskewour
conversations,helpustorecognizeourdifferences,invitehealthyconversation,anddig
deeptounveiltheunderlyingfearandanxietysothatwecanworktogetherforhealing.
Wherethosewhoworkhardandliveincraftsmanstylehomescantstandthegreedy,
dirtyhouselesswholitterquietstreetsandriverbeds,mayweseethemasfellow
brothersandsistersmissingcommunity,withneedslikeourown.

Wherethereisinjury,letussowpardon
Wheretherearethosesellingtheirbodiesforsurvival,and/orthosetrappedinmeth,
heroin,and/oralcoholabuse:mayeachfindthecouragetolovethemselvesandsee
themselvesasworthyofhopeandlife.
Wherehomelesscampsandpropertyaredestroyed,letuscultivateforgivenessand
understanding.

Wherefolksfeeltrappedinlowwagejobsandpricedoutofthiscommunitywhichhas
changedsoquicklyfromagriculturaltoentertainment,letusinvitethoseonthemargins
tohelpcreaterealsolutionstotheneedstheyexperienceratherthantheneedswe
perceive.
Andwhereourhistoryhasleftdeepfracturesthetakingoflandanddevastationto
cultureofNativebrothersandsisterswhofirstsetupcommunityhere,theconfiscation
oforchards,homes,andlandfromourJapaneseAmericanneighborsduringWWIIand
ourxenophobicexclusionofthemoncetheyreturned,andourneglectinrecognizing
theessentialcontributionimmigrants,bothlegalandillegal,havemadetoour
community,helpusrecognizeourongoingcomplicityinexcludinganddemeaning
others.Helpusnottorelegatetheseinjusticetothepagesofhistorybutrathercontinue
toworkforhealingandjusticeforeveryonewholiveshere.
Whenaneighborofferschangeorahotcupofcoffeetoahomelesslookingperson
andischastisedbyothersonsocialmediaoutletsforit,mayweseetheyarecaringfor
themandofferingaquick,friendlyexchangeletusforgiveoneanother.

Wherethereisdoubt,letussowfaith
Wherethefaithfulloutsidethewallsofthetraditionalchurchfeelisolatedandunheard:
maytheyleanintotheirpassions,callings,andgiftsfortheworld,knowingthatGodis
withandforthem.
Forneighborswhoavoidthechurchandquestionwhytherearesomanychurchesin
suchasmallcommunity,maywereturntooursourceofunity,ChristJesus,and
embraceboththosewhoworshipdifferentlyfromourselvesandthosewhochoosenot
toworshipatall.Helpustocultivateafaiththatembracesdiversity,encourages
difficultyquestions,evendoubt,andlovesunconditionally.
Whereneighborhoodchurchesinfancyoldchurchbuildingsleadneighborstobelieve
Goddoesntcareaboutthethingsthatmattertothem,maythosechurches,pastorsand
ourselvesbandtogethertocareaboutracism,theenvironment,andeconomicjustice,
aswellastheirliteralneighborsdownthestreet.


Wherethereisdespair,letussowhope
Forfamilies,singleparentsandchildrenexperiencingextremepoverty,toomanyclosed
doors,andmountingstressorsinthefaceofjoblessnessthatleadstoaddiction,partner
abuse,childabuse&neglect,andfortoomany,suicide:letusbenoticersofneed,
openandwelcomingtositwith,acknowledgeandsufferwith,towardestablishing
relationshipsofcompassionthatleadstohopeforward.
Forundocumentedworkerswhodailyfearbeingtornfromfamilyanddeported,for
newlyreleasedprisonersstrugglingtofindhousing,work,andtorebuildrelationships
whilebeinghauntedbypastoffenses,forfamilyandneighborsstrugglingwithmental
illness,shreddedrelationships,andaddictions,forthosetrappedinpoverty,both
housedandunhousedHelpustocreatespacetobetrulypresent:tolisten,tolove
withoutjudgment,andtowalkalongsideasfriendswhowillnotabandonthem.
Forneighborsconcernedabouttherisingcostoflivingbecausethecitygivesrich
businessownersbreaks,andlandlordsandrealtorsseedollarsigns,mayneighbors
includingthecitycouncilandthoserentingorsellinghomesseekafterthegoodofall,
continuingto,asthelocalsayinggoes,KeepMidtownJanky.

Wherethereisdarkness,letussowlight
Wherelonghistoriesofeconomicrecessionhavetakenroot,seepingdeepintothe
hearts:maywecraftvisionthatplaceswealthandprovisionbeyondmonetary
constraints,inreconstructingafreshsustainablestoryline,enmeshingourselvesinthe
richesofcollaborativecommunity.
Whereeconomicdiversitybecomesanexcusetoembraceindustriesthatcreate
weaponsforwar,Wherewe'reindifferenttocoalandoiltrainstravelingalongour
waterwaysandthroughourfarms,helpustorejectquickfixesandshortterm
economicgainandinsteadcultivatesustainablealternativesthatbuildhealthy,localand
globallivesandcommunities.
Wherethereisviolenceandcrimeoutsideofbarsandclubs,letusfillourstreetswith
loveandplay,sharingallmanneroflifeamongneighborsacrosscutoffneighborhoods.

Wherethereissadness,letussowjoy
Wherethereissadnessinthedevastatinglossof150homesandstructuresinthe
BolesFireintheruralcityofWeed,CAinSeptember,2014,maytruecommunity
coincidewiththerebuildingofphysicalstructures.
Forthosewhoarelonely,thosemourningthelossofalovedone,ajob,orsignificant
relationship,helpussowseedsofcommunity.Helpusmovebeyondourown
discomfortatanotherssadnessbybeingfullypresentasfriendsandneighbors.Help
usavoidquickadvicebyenteringintotheirsadnessasonewhogrievesalongwith
them,bringingjoybycreatingspacetomournandprocessinthewaythatsuitsthem
best,deeplycultivatingthesoilofshalom.
NeartheolddumpandnewerconcretewastesiteattheAmericanRiverAccessat
SuttersLanding,maywecontinueeffortstojoinwithnatureandneighbortoprovide
morespaceforallGodscreaturestoflourishandenjoyrecreation,includingsolitude
andsilence.

ODivineMaster,Grantthatwemaynotsomuchseektobeconsoled,astoconsole
Tobeunderstood,astounderstand
Tobeloved,astolove.
Foritisingivingthatwereceive
Itisinpardoningthatwearepardoned
Anditisindyingthatweareborntoeternallife.Amen