Minister’s Message

Unitarian Universalist minister, the Rev. Victoria Safford wrote, “The goal [of Beloved Community] is reconciliation, not to destroy your opponent, nor cast them out, but to stay in the struggle till love wins.” It is important to remember that we are not all equal in the struggle. Those who live with marginalized identities can become too battered and weary to persist in the struggle, especially when those of us who live without or with less marginalization are not in the struggle at all.

As those of us with more privilege struggle to create Beloved Community, as we try to make Beloved Community real instead of simply a lovely slogan, let us learn to name truly the systems and institutions that do oppress, as well as the ways of thinking that lead to oppression. Let us look clearly at this reality, within and beyond ourselves, but without hating those who refuse to let go of oppression power or who express thoughts that belittle and disparage the diversity of our human beingness. For hating does not help. It only perpetuates oppression. Yet pretending that some views and actions are not oppressive will not serve our ends either.

May we work for real justice, co-creating the Beloved Community with all who see its promise not yet fulfilled, with clarity about the truth of inequity and with open-heartedness to heal ourselves if not our neighbors and family with whom we actively and necessarily disagree. And may we find the strength and the drive to build Beloved Community in all the ways we can as you remember, today and every day, that you are loved, you are worthy, you are welcome, and you are needed. May you feel it so, and may it be so.

Blessings, Rev. Rita (she/hers)