Experiencing the Parliament of The World's Religions in Toronto

A handful of folks from New Mexico attended the Parliament of The World's Religions in Toronto on Nov. 1-7, 2018, including Carolyn Good, Charlotte Smith, Justin Remer-Thaemert, Donna Kangeter, Grandmother FlordeMayo. These are just the folks we know were at this gathering. There were probably others. Here is an account from Donna Kangeter.

By Donna Kangeter

My introduction to the Parliament of The World's Religions came from an unlikely source. I had been reading Sri Ramakrishna’s work and found his ideas, based on his own experience very affirming and comforting. Although he was an advanced practitioner of the Vedic tradition, he had had direct, unitive experiences in other spiritual traditions.

Based on his firsthand experience, Sri Ramakrishna taught his students that all religious paths lead to the One, God. That all paths are valid and worthy of respect. In 1893 Sri Ramakrishna sent his student, Vivekananda, to the first Parliament of World Religions in Chicago. Here are a couple of statements from Vivekananda’s speech to the Parliament on 09/11/1893.

“I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.”

And…

“I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death – knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.”

I found Sri Ramakrishna’s work compelling. It confirmed what I had been learning over time. The Parliament of World Religions presented an opportunity to meet and learn from people from the world’s religions who held similar convictions: to respectfully acknowledge our diversity, and see that diversity as a strength in pursing universal goals.

The Path to Toronto
Here it is nearly ten years later. I learned in early spring 2018 that the Parliament of World Religions would meet in Toronto, in November. I found myself wondering how I would manage to attend, this the 125th Anniversary of the Parliament.


During an event held at the Baha’i Center here in Albuquerque, I happened to mention my interest in attending this year’s Parliament to my friend, Charlotte Smith. Charlotte had attended the last Parliament in Salt Lake City and suggested we go as volunteers. We applied and were accepted; it reduced our registration cost from $300-$400 to $60. $10 for background check, $50 for registration!

Charlotte and I arrived on Oct. 31, in Toronto, a day early to get settled into our airbnb. The following day, Thursday, November 1st the Parliament officially opened. This year’s theme was, “The Promise of Inclusion, The Power of Love: Pursuing Global Understanding, Reconciliation, and Change. It was held in the Metro Toronto Convention Center (MTCC), a huge facility, 600,000 sq. ft. spread over 2 buildings connected by an indoor bridge.

Grandmother Flordemayo's Facebook page

Encountering a Curandera from Estancia
On Thursday while Charlotte went off to meet the Baha’i community in a neighborhood home, I took the two subway lines (half-an-hour trip) to the MTCC. A tour of the facility was planned for the volunteers. Following lunch, with a fellow volunteer from Iran, Narges and I went to the Indigenous Peoples opening ceremony, outdoors, in the rain. (Interestingly, Grandmother Flordemayo, a Curandera from Estancia, N.M., was at the airport luggage claim the day before as I waited to grab my suitcase. She sat in a dry place under the tent during this opening ceremony).

While the sessions and individual panels would not begin until Friday, there were plenty of interesting exhibits and installations to take in along the halls and walkways of the MTCC.

One highlight was the Quilt of Belonging



Other compelling exhibits included The Climate Ribbon Tree: A Ritual Space for Hope and Healing; 117 Million “Missing” Woman; (this was an exhibit of 11,700 pairs of baby booties, each representing 10,000 “missing” (dead) women and girls displayed in a floor to ceiling maze filling 2,000 sq. ft.; Divine Women Protectors; large banners of feminine Deity: Kuan Yin, Kali, Durga, Sarasvati and others; and large placards on the wall between the North and South buildings delineating the tenets of the world’s Religions. These are only a few of the many exhibits and installations that were scattered throughout the MTCC.

A full venue of films played throughout the Parliament as well. On Wings of Fire: The Prophet Zarathushtra and a Brief History of Zoroastrianism was the only film I attended.

Plenary: Inclusion and Love
Charlotte and I arranged to meet later Thursday afternoon at the MTCC. That evening we attended the opening Plenary session: The Promise of Inclusion, the Power of Love. Although there were eight presenters scheduled to speak, interspersed with performances, we listened to three. Wande Abimbola, President/Founder of the IFA Heritage Institute, Nigeria; Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of the NGO and magazine, Sojourner; and Dr. Simran Jeet Singh, Religious scholar, activist and educator; Senior Religion Fellow for the Sikh Coalition. The performers included Ernie Toller with the Unity in Diversity Choir and Move The World Dance Group. As Charlotte and I had a half hour commute to our airbnb, we usually left the evening Plenaries early.

The next three days, Friday, Saturday and Sunday I “worked” as a room monitor. Basically I kept presenters and panelist on time, so the next session would begin as scheduled. I began at 12 noon, and finished my shift at 4PM. Here are a few of the sessions I monitored. Wicca As A Global Religion: Entering the Next Generation; Autistic Inclusion in Religious Environments; A Jain Approach to Inclusive and Sustainable Solutions to Intercultural and Inter Religious Conflict; The Hizmet Movement: Inclusion, Love, Global Understanding and Change. This last panel was of special interest to me, as I had never heard of the Hizmet movement. “Hizmet” means service in Turkish. All the members on this panel had come to Canada seeking asylum from a tyrannical government leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. When I returned to Albuquerque, I confirmed my hunch; the Raindrop Foundation is associated with the Hizmet movement. 

After I finished my shift at 4PM and all day Monday and Tuesday, I was free to choose from the 30 to 40 panels and sessions that were scheduled simultaneously, in addition to films, or performances. The Dances of Universal Peace gathered twice daily in the open spaces on the second floor, the communication hub of the Parliament or next to the escalators on the 4th floor. Musicians and dancers would commence, while many looked on as they rode the escalator. Late in the Parliament I visited the Red Tent. It was a peaceful oasis for women to enter into quiet reflection or simply to rest. There were plush rugs and pillows, a few comfortable chairs inside this women only tent space.

Karen Armstrong

Other Prominent Speakers
On Saturday, I attended the evening Plenary: The Understanding Plenary. There I got to hear my long time hero, Karen Armstrong (Creator of the Charter for Compassion, religious historian and author) speak. Additionally, Dr. Weiming Tu, (Founding Director of the Institute of Advanced Humanistic Studies, Peking University) and Rev. Elijah Brown (General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance) also presented during this Plenary. There were three others slated to speak, however Charlotte and I left after hearing the first three speakers.

I thought I would list a few of the sessions I chose to attend in my free time here: The 2015 Inaugural Women’s Assembly of Major Speakers Legacy Session. It was moderated by Phyllis Curott; Wiccan Priest, Lawyer and co-founder of the Parliament’s Woman’s Task Force. Grandmother Flordemayo prayed over the assembled group of women, panelists and a few men. Panelists included Dr. Vandana Shiva, Enviornmentalist; Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen, Psychiatrist; Bishop Barbara Lewis King, Founding Minister /World Spiritual Leader of the Hillside International Truth Center, Inc.; Mother Maya Tiwari, Ayurvedic pioneer. I left the session early to meet up with Charlotte. After grabbing some dinner, we went to the evening Plenary.

In addition to the Assembly, I attended: The Global Interfaith Movement for Human Rights of LGBTI People; Multiple Religious Belonging: Promises and Perils; Shades of the Divine: A Divine Mystical Understanding of the Vibration of Race and How to Transform It Into Unified, Peaceful Harmony; and Gender Fluidity in Gurbani: An Exploration of the Female Voice in Sikh Scripture.

Justin's Award
As most folks know by now, Justin Remer -Thamert received the PoWR Justice award at the Parliament during the Reconciliation Plenary. It was an exciting moment! Larry Greenfield, Executive Director of the Parliament, presented the award. Unfortunately, time was short, and Justin was not permitted to share his acceptance speech he had worked on for hours. Justin received a standing ovation in spite of not having an opportunity to speak!

Reviewing my experiences of the Parliament of World Religions has been a bitter sweet experience. As I went through the program, I saw so many sessions, panels and events I would have loved to attend. There was so much happening. Even so, attending the Parliament was a rich experience; exhilarating and exhausting, emotionally and spiritually challenging, irresistibly engaging.

A Baha'i-Muslim Collaboration to Feed Hungry People in #ABQ

By Caroline Hess

Alláh’u’abhá,

On October 14, I presented at the World Food Day commemoration sponsored by the Interfaith Hunger Coalition, New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light and others. After the event, Imam Abdur Rauf from The Lighthouse of New Mexico invited the Bahá’ís to join their efforts to feed the homeless once a week.

In a small room of their center on Thursday, four Muslims (one, a JR Youth), two other women and myself assembled bags with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fresh fruit, a juice box, snacks, and water. Another woman made a hot dish that was also given to the people. After that,  we drove around and gave the bags to those who didn’t get into a shelter for the night.The people knew the Muslims and the they knew many of the people by name. We fed about 90 people last night.

We knew that we were not making a dent in the problem but that it is about community coming together. The hope is with a interfaith connection, this effort can expand to Friday.

You Can Help
If you want to help with the assembling and/or distribution of food on Thursday afternoons, send message e-mail to The Lighthouse of New Mexico via its home page (scroll down), send an e-mail to admin@thelighthousenm.org or call 505-750-7806  

There is also a donation box outside the community building, 3420 Constitution Ave. NE, Suite C, to drop off your non-perishable foods and other items.  

Here is a needs list:

• individual cookies and chips
• water
• 100% juice boxes or pouches
• disposable gloves (to make the sandwichs with)
• jelly
• peanut butter
• bread
• ziplock sandwich bags
• snack individually wrapped
• fresh fruit
• socks
• jackets
• gloves
• sweat pants
• baseball caps
• blankets

Funding Comes Through for New Mexico-Grown Produce for Schools

By Pam Roy

It is with great excitement that we announce that Governor Martinez signed a $6.3 billion budget on Wednesday. The budget will begin in July. Included in the final budget is the NM Grown Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for School Meals totaling $425,000, more than the original legislative request to restore funding to the program (HB 62 and SB 106.) 

Thank you to our sponsors Representative Jimmie Hall and Speaker Egolf, and Senators Howie Morales, Woods and Campos. We also want to thank our originating sponsor, former Senator Dede Feldman for her vision. 

In addition, the goal to create a permanent program within the NM Public Education Department (PED) is about to be realized with support from the NM School Nutrition Association, Farm to Table, the NM Food and Ag Policy Council, CPLC New Mexico, COPE, the NM Public Education Dept., the NM Dept. of Agriculture, and NM Dept. of Health. 

Future plans include expanding the program to include farm to school education related programs and exploring how to add New Mexico’s beef to the school lunch plate. Messages to the Governor and Legislators from across New Mexico and the Navajo Nation were heard!

We want to thank all who supported the priorities of the NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council, NM School Nutrition Association and partner organizations and agencies. We appreciate all who participated in the NM Food and Farms Day and School Nutrition Day at the Legislature – an incredible turnout, organized efforts, and incredible enthusiasm and support. It truly takes us all to create change and support important programs. We look forward to our continued collective work ahead!

(*The author is coordinator of the New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council and executive director of Farm to Table)

Hurricane Harvey's Long Reach

This tragic disaster is a reminder that the whole world is now tied together in a way that cannot be unwound, no matter the rhetoric of politicians the world over. As a citizen of the world, and a Fair Trade business owner, my vision is to help cement those ties in a way that no one "drowns" (physically or metaphorically) when disaster strikes anywhere in the world.

 By Rikki Quintana

Right now, I'm sitting in a hotel room in Anaheim, California, contemplating the global impact of what seems like only a local disaster, even if one of epic proportions for the modern US:Hurricane Harvey, in southeast Texas and Louisiana. The regional economic impact is expected to be in the tens of billions of dollars. But even that can't really be evaluated yet, because Harvey is still dumping rain in its painfully slow travel route, the waters are still rising in much of Southeast Texas and Louisiana, and more rainfall is expected to fall next week.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Entire towns are under water, and it will take days, if not weeks, for the waters to recede. It is now estimated that this storm has produced more local rain over its life than any other storm in recorded US history (over 50 inches in many parts of Houston). Tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of homes will probably be entirely lost, and many homeowners are not covered by insurance, since the flood has extended well beyond the recognized and insurable "flood zones." The loss of life is small so far (11 people), but may grow, and the emotional and economic impact on the individual people of the region will be unfathomable.

So, what does that have to do with a business like HoonArts Fair Trade, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico (many hundreds of miles away and safely dry)? How could it possibly impact artisans living in Central Asia on the other side of the globe?

I am scheduled to be an exhibitor at the Houston International Quilt Festival the first week of November, a short 2 months away. This event was anticipated to be our biggest show of the year, and probably our biggest show ever, since the show normally draws 55,000 to 60,000 people.

Right now, the downtown Convention Center where the Festival is scheduled to be held is atemporary shelter occupied by over 10,000 people who had to evacuate their homes due to life-threatening flooding. There is no estimate of when the Convention Center will be back in operation hosting events. Right now, all highways into the city are closed, and rescue and recovery vehicles will probably be occupying those highways for a long time after they become passable.

We don't know the status of the hotel where I have reserved a room. We don't know how long it will take the local airports to become operational again. Even if the Quilt Festival does go forward, we don't know how many local people will be able to attend, given the new economic reality of the area. Orhow many out-of-towners will brave the unknown, so soon after a disaster of this magnitude.

I have purchased inventory (and ordered more) in anticipation of the Festival. I can't predict today whether I'll be able to sell that inventory, whether or not the Festival goes forward. If I can't sell the inventory, that means my ability to purchase more inventory from our small artisan groups in Central Asia will suffer dramatically. It also means that other plans, like new product design, and possibly hiring a professional designer/pattern maker to help with new designs, will be put on hold. The potential cascade impact on our artisans is obvious.

Other Fair Trade businesses are also affected, no matter where they are located. For example, Albuquerque-based Baskets of Africa receives many of its shipments from Africa through the Houston port. No one knows yet when the port will be fully operational again. And no one is in a position yet to evaluate the cascade of impacts that will have on businesses at either end of the supply chain. Businesses all over the world will be affected.

While the direct impact of Harvey on HoonArts Fair Trade is something I can expect to weather over the coming year, the impact on artisans who already live very close to the margin is exponentially more difficult. This tragic disaster is a reminder that the whole world is now tied together in a way that cannot be unwound, no matter the rhetoric of politicians the world over.

As a citizen of the world, and a Fair Trade business owner, my vision is to help cement those ties in a way that no one "drowns" (physically or metaphorically) when disaster strikes anywhere in the world.We really are one, and we must all do what we can to build ever stronger ties.

 I'll keep you posted on Quilt Festival updates. Maybe by next month, we'll have a better idea about the immediate future.

(The author is owner and CEO of HoonArts Fair Trade and editor of the Beyond Tourism and Fair Trade Caravan blogs)

Lauds

Thou,
Holiness,
One,
in morning stillness
I walk among you.
From dark earth beneath
you branch out above me.
From dark space beyond
you shine down among us.
In darkness hidden deep
your invisible angels
of bug and fungus fashion glory,
working their feast of rot and fermentation,
your millioned resurrections.

Your trees and I breathe each other,
in and out.
They branch out in me.
I breathe in them,
each breath a hymn.

I move through you,
the holy space between us;
the air of you is charged
with light, with birds, with praise.

Our flights are song,
our greenness is praise,
even our stones,
  being,
      praise,
their silence your purest praise.
I waken to my belonging.
How could we
     — even I—
ever stop
     — even in death—
praising you?

-Steve Garnaas-Holmes
from Unfolding Light blog

'People of Faith Must Work Together to Improve Systems'

(This Faith and Values column appeared in Aug. 4 edition of The Indianapolis Star. The article is available only in the print edition, but not online. This version is reprinted with permission from the author. David Miner  is a long-time anti-hunger advocate in Indianapolis via Bread for the World, the Interfaith Hunger Initiative and other community activities).

By David Miner

“Dropped again” I mutter in anger. My cell phone carrier’s system has dropped my call once again. I pay them a substantial amount of money each month and I expect that they will provide a better system.

Jesus too paid attention to the systems of his day. “Stand up!” he said to the man with the withered hand in the story recorded in Mark 3. A withered hand was a serious detriment for a man of that time, guaranteeing a life of poverty, but it was the Sabbath and the law forbade healing on the Sabbath. Jesus could have told the man to meet him the next day, but he didn’t. Mark reports that Jesus looked around at the crowd in anger. He healed the man in the synagogue, standing up right in the middle of the political and religious leaders of his day. He knew the law needed changing.

Jesus continued the tradition of Old Testament prophets like Isaiah and Amos who spoke truth to the powerful of their day. In Isaiah 10 the prophet said: “Woe to those who make unjust laws, To those who issue oppressive decrees, To deprive the poor of their rights”.

Our Challenge
There’s an apocryphal story about a person encountering a baby floating down a river. Naturally the good-hearted person grabs the baby out of the swirling river and cares for them. Then another baby comes down the river, and another and another. Finally, someone is dispatched up the river to find out how the babies came to be in the river in the first place.

This is our challenge too, to not only help individuals in need but also to change the systems. Systems that keep a person from healing, or even more importantly systems that contribute to their need in the first place. Some of these systems arose inadvertently and some were sinfully crafted to fleece the vulnerable and less fortunate, but regardless they need fixing. It’s hard work and slow, but it can yield improvements that are deep, wide, just and sustainable.

There are lots of systems that need improvement. My particular focus is to end hunger. I work with churches, food pantries, food banks, and food rescue non-profits. I also work with Bread for the World to change federal policy and programs so that our government plays its part.

I was volunteer executive director for the Interfaith Hunger Initiative. IHI was led by a wonderful group of people of diverse faith traditions, Christian pastors, Jewish Rabbis, a Pakistani Muslim, a Tibetan Buddhist in his long robes and more. We did events and raised money. Over a six-year period we raised $750,000 and were providing a daily school lunch for 3,000 AIDS orphans in Kenya.

Then came devastating news, not from Kenya but from DC. While we were doing all this work there was one vote in Congress – a single act of Congress – that took $800 million out of an international school lunch program. We helped 3 thousand kids, but lunch was lost for 3 million kids! Ouch!

When people of faith work together to improve the systems, we can impact 10’s or even 100’s of thousands of lives. We can even end hunger altogether.

Leavened

The realm of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed in
with three bushels of flour
until all of it was leavened.
—Matthew 13.33

In this moment
light is hidden.
In the person before me
even as words rise from bed
and look for their clothes
already an ancient blessing abides,
a story of grace seeks its form.
In every suffering,
infected with light,
a dawn unfolds,
a great flowing forth.
Even the greatest injustice
is leavened with grace.
The things of this world are brittle,
but light is always becoming.
Its beginning was before the mind
and there is no end to it.

 -Steve Garnaas-Holmes 
from Unfolding Light blog

If You Can't Attend Lobby Day in Washington...Visit the Local Offices

Back: Gilbert Gallegos (staff), Harvey Sternheim, Carlos Navarro, Larry Buelow, Ellen Buelow:  Front: Rachel Sternheim, Terri Christiansen, Terese Rand Bridges, Brenda Sinfield, Joy DInaro

By Joy E.C. Dinaro
On Friday, June 16, 2017, several Albuquerque residents involved with Bread for the World met with representatives of Senator Tom Udall, Senator Martin Heinrich, and Albuquerque area’s Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham.

Carlos Navarro, Bread’s volunteer state coordinator for New Mexico, organized the visits to be in conjunction with Bread for the World’s Lobby Day which took place in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, June 13, 2017. Ellen and Larry Buelow, parishioners at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Community, even arrived back in time from Capitol Hill to join us on Friday for our Albuquerque lobby visits. (Thank you, Ellen and Larry for representing New Mexico Bread for the World in D.C.!)

Samuel Chu, synagogue organizer for MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, also arrived directly from the airport to be with us that afternoon. He flew in from Southern California to work with Congregation Albert this weekend in their local efforts to end hunger at the Erev Shabbat later that evening and again on Saturday for a strategy session.

Meeting at Sen. Martin Heinrich's office

Two members of Congregation Albert, Rachel and Harvey Sternheim, joined local Bread members Terese Bridges, of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, Terri Christiansen of St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church, Brenda Sinfield of First Presbyterian Church, and Joy Dinaro of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. The group met with Bill Woldman at Senator Udall’s office, Miguel Negrete at Senator Heinrich’s office, and Gilbert Gallegos at Representative Lujan Grisham’s office.

The group’s talking points at each office included expressing gratitude because each of the three politicians, including Udall, Heinrich, and Lujan Grisham, has a strong track record of supporting initiatives to help those who are hungry here in New Mexico and in the U.S. as well as abroad.

Samuel Chu joined us for our meeting with Sen. Tom Udall's staff

First and foremost, the local Bread members asked that each continue to oppose any budget cuts that would increase hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world, especially when the 2018 federal budget comes up for a vote. They also asked that both domestic safety-net programs as well as international development programs that end hunger and poverty be fully funded. Domestic safety-net programs includes everything from SNAP (formally called food stamps) to Medicaid, refundable tax credits,WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) and others. During the discussion on preserving funding for foreign aid, the group alluded to statements from the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff advocating for continued U.S. funding of international development programs because those programs have a direct and positive impact on safety and security worldwide.

Lastly, the group stressed that no structural changes should be made (such as addition of block grants) that would change the amount and manner in which federal aid is given to those who are hungry across the country. On the international front, we talked about how international food aid should come from within the country in need whenever possible (as shipping food from the U.S. across the world is both more costly and less nutritious from utilizing local food sources).

The high temperature for the day approached 100 degrees, which made us glad that all three congressional offices were in the same building!

Ash Wednesday: Set Free from the Lie of 'Deserving'

Hope in the Desert Episcopal Church, Albuquerque

Today someone will smear mud on our face
and tell us we are dust,
and to dust we shall return, no escape.
We are forgiven,
set free from the lie of “deserving,”
free to live by the power of the Spirit alone.
Rather then wanting to escape, alone,
we return, dust and all, to God,
who holds us tenderly
and re-creates us each breath,
this grace our only security.

Steve Garnaas-Holmes 
from reflection entitled "Dust "in
Unfolding Light blog

Steve Garnaas-Holmes: We Won't Look Away from Injustice

Women's March in Albuquerque (Photo by Karen Navarro)

We marched to say we won’t look away from injustice, to say we will not exclude or demean anyone, that justice is for all.

We marched to pledge ourselves to live gently but out loud, to live with love and reverence, to heal and bless, to include the outcast and lift up the downtrodden, to speak truth, to work for justice and to be people of peace.

We marched in resolute hope, not anger.
We marched in wonder and gratitude for the power God gives us to resist evil, to love our neighbor and heal the world. We marched to surround ourselves with joy, beauty and hope.  It was not a protest; it was an affirmation.

(This an excerpt from March On, a reflection that Rev. Steve Garnaas-Holmes wrote about the Boston segment of the Women's March on Washington on January 21, 2017, published in his Unfolding Light blog)

A Prayer for the Eighth Day of Christmas and the First Day of 2017

 A blessed eighth day of Christmas to you.

I saw a new heaven and a new earth;
for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.
—Revelation 21.1

In the early church baptismal fonts were eight-sided
because your baptism is the eighth day of Creation:
God is creating you anew.
How apt that the eighth day of Christmas
is New Year’s Day.

Whether or not you have New Year’s resolutions,
be open to the mystery that God is creating you anew,
new each day,
created not by your effort but God’s grace,
not according to your desires but God’s.
In the darkness and chaos a voice calls out,
“Let there be light.”
You don’t have to work to re-invent yourself,
just let God create you,
give you life, give you purpose,
give you gifts.
Be mindful that God is creating you anew today,
and walk with joy, gratitude and trust
into the new world.

Rev. Steve Garnaas-Holmes
from Unfolding Light blog

Advent: God Presence from Beneath, from Within

Be watchful, for the Beloved
is coming at an unexpected hour.
—Matthew 24.44

It's dark. There is reason to worry.
It's so easy to assume
God is coming later, elsewhere.
But God comes in the desert of your despair,
in the midnight of your hopelessness.
Practice imaging that God is coming,
that God comes into this life,
not from high above, so far off,
but from beneath, from within,
infinitely within, like gravity.
Imagine this day, this moment,
even in its darkness, is shot with light.
This is the moment of God's arrival. This.
Stay in this moment, ready.
Come, O Savior, come.

-Steve Garnaas Holmes
Author of Unfolding Light blog

Tweets from the Third #NMEndHunger Summit

The Third Annual End Hunger Summit was held in Albuquerque on Tuesday, Sept. 27.  As has been the case the last three years, the Non-MetroAreaAgency on Aging and the NorthCentralNewMexico EconomicDevelopmentDistrict were the main sponsors of the summit.

This year, the summit offered attendees the opportunity to participate in four round-table discussions on family and community, economic well-being, education and health issues related to poverty. The conclusions from the discussions were to be presented directly to Gov. Susana Martinez. However, she was unable to attend the summit at the last minute because she needed to plan for a special session with the State Legislature to discuss budget issues.

Here are some accounts of the summit via Twitter posts from Patty Keane, who was our eyes and ears at the summit.  The post also includes a couple of tweets from Ellen Teller and Alissa Barnes  We start with this tweet featuring a photo of (left to right) Louise Pocock of the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, Ellen Teller from the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) in Washington and Patty Keane from the UNM Prevention Research Center.

Thanks @Ellen_Teller from @fractweets for coming to #NMHungerSummit to encourage us to be courageous in our #NM #hunger fight. #EndNMHunger pic.twitter.com/4n81azTD2H

— Patty Keane, MS, RD (@PKeaneRD) September 27, 2016

Caitlin Smith talking about @NMAppleseed's work to bolster #NM child #nutrition program participation. #EndNMHunger #hunger #NMHungerSummit pic.twitter.com/VAAc2pm1pb

— Patty Keane, MS, RD (@PKeaneRD) September 27, 2016

Look who I found at the #NMHungerSummit! #NM #FarmersMarkets are doing great work to support NM families. #EndNMHunger #DoubleUpFoodBucks pic.twitter.com/tsT2SEbQ9u

— Patty Keane, MS, RD (@PKeaneRD) September 27, 2016

"We're not just there to give food...we need to focus on the holistic person"-Pastor John Hill ABQ Rescue Mission #EndNMHunger #NM #hunger pic.twitter.com/PoKU8Vx0nX

— Patty Keane, MS, RD (@PKeaneRD) September 27, 2016

"Think about: What value do I add to this movement?" - @Ellen_Teller of @fractweets #EndNMHunger #NMHungerSummit #HungerActionMonth #Hunger pic.twitter.com/5RBetDE1MQ

— Patty Keane, MS, RD (@PKeaneRD) September 27, 2016

NM Hunger Summit - everyone in this room has a unique role to play in ending hunger in NM!@NMVoices @NMAppleseed @fractweets @bread4theworld

— Ellen (@Ellen_Teller) September 27, 2016

#endhunger New Mexico. Hundreds gather to strategize and create the political will. @RoadrunnerFdBnk @NMAppleseed pic.twitter.com/bu1nPmS9zU

— Ellen (@Ellen_Teller) September 27, 2016

"Hunger affects an individual, food insecurity affects the whole household." #EndNMHunger #NMHungerSummit

— Alissa Barnes (@AjBarnes001) September 27, 2016

"In the upcoming (#NMleg) session, I wonder if #hunger will have a place at the table." -@terrybrunner #NMHungerSummit #EndNMHunger #NMpol

— Patty Keane, MS, RD (@PKeaneRD) September 27, 2016

Steve Garnaas-Holmes: Mercy

Your heart beats in my heart.
Your breath flows through me.
 
I breathe in the sorrow of the world. 
I breathe out mercy.

I breathe in the fear of the world. 
I breathe out mercy.
 
I breathe in the pain of the world. 
I breathe out mercy.

I breathe in the rage of the world. 
I breathe out mercy.

I enter the Great Wound, 
and I breathe mercy.

You breathe mercy in me,
breathe deep mercy in all of us.

-Rev. Steve Garnaas-Holmes 
From Unfolding Light blog

Steve Garnaas-Holmes: Pentecost Prayer

Holy Spirit,
River of love, divine delight,
flow through me.
Flame of sun, burn in me. Wind of heaven, breathe in me.
Tongues of strangers, speak in me.
Love of God, sing in me.

Lead me beyond myself,
to return to you in the other,
to love you in my stranger,
my foreigner, my enemy.

Burn with your fire in me,
that it may be mine.
Breathe yourself into my life,
that it may be yours.
I am your song, and your singing.
I am your candle; you are my flame.

Holy Spirit,
love the world
in me.

-Steve Garnaas-Holmes
from Unfolding Light blog

Groups Launch Campaign to Promote New Mexico-Grown Fresh Produce for School Meals

By Pam Roy

The New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council, Farm to Table and partners hosted a "New Mexico Grown Fresh Fruit and Vegetables for School Meals" Strategic Planning day to determine the potential of the program and commitments by partners to further develop the program over the next three years and beyond.

Close to 50 stakeholders from across the state reaffirmed their commitments and brought new ideas and energy to the program now being called "New Mexico Grown". The group created a NM Grown Three Year Vision and action plan with four priority areas:

1. values-driven public policy;
2. integrated community wellness;
3. asset based economic development; and
4. coordinated infrastructure.

Several committees were formed to implement the Action Plan. If you are interested in joining a Committee or want additional information, please call Pam Roy at 505-660-8403 for more information. Currently the Steering Committee is working on a USDA grant application with hope to bring resources to the program long-term. A full report of the session is forthcoming. The steering committee for New Mexico Grown is scheduled to meet twice this spring, on April 7 and on May 13. The New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council will also convene on May 13.

Many thanks to the New Mexico Department of Agriculture and USDA Farm to School Program for their support of the "New Mexico Grown" program!

(Pam Roy is executive director and co-founder of Farm to Table and convener of the New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council)

Peace Lutheran Church in Las Cruces Receives Advocacy Award

Peace Lutheran Church was presented the Haaland Award for Advocacy at the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM,... https://t.co/WRdRjIpf3a

— PeaceLutheranLC (@plc_lc) February 6, 2016

Picture (left to right): Rev. Ron Brooker (retired pastor, member of Peace Lutheran Church, and member of the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM policy committee), the Rev. Jared Carson (pastor of Peace Lutheran Church), Ellen Young (writer, member of Peace, and an advocate active in LAM-NM and Bread for the World). 

Display at Peace Lutheran

Judy Messal, chair of the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-New Mexico's policy committee (standing at the far right in the picture), offered these remarks at the ceremony where members of Peace Lutheran Church were honored for their advocacy work.  The award presentation was part of LAM-NM's annual bishop's luncheon in Santa Fe on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016.  (Peace Lutheran Church as been participating in Bread for the World's Offering of Letters.

(In 2016, members of the church wrote 87 letters to Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and Rep. Steve Pearce urging for the Child Nutrition Act to be reauthorized).

It is my great pleasure to speak about Peace Lutheran Church of Las Cruces: this year's recipient of the Chris and John Haaland Advocacy Award. The award was created to honor the Haalands, whose  passion for justice was instrumental in establishing our Lutheran Advocacy Ministry here in New Mexico.

Past recipients of the award have been the following:
• Ivan Westergaard, supporter of Lutheran advocacy, leader in Albuquerque Interfaith
• And Carlos Navarro, New Mexico Coordinator for Bread for the World.

Now, Peace Lutheran Church, we recognize the steadfast advocacy work you have done. Since the first year of Lutheran advocacy in New Mexico 1984, you have been involved—both your clergy and the people of your congregation have supported us.  

Members of Peace had been leaders in our statewide ministry. Throughout our 32 years, there has always been a member of Peace on our Policy Committee.  But you didn’t stop there. You have an active, even a model, Bread for the World ministry advocating just policies to alleviate hunger in the United States and abroad.

Your members also have been active advocates in your community on matters affecting homeless children, immigrants, and others.

I also want to mention the Border Service Corps, a program your congregation-- relatively small at the time--had the courage to establish in the 1990s. The program provides opportunities for young people of various faith backgrounds-- from the U.S. and even abroad--to serve people on the U.S./Mexico border. Living simply together, earning only small stipends, they work in daycare programs for homeless children, in health clinics and ACLU offices, in Catholic Charities legal services, in food pantries, in Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center and more.

And finally, as advocates, they work toward systemic change.

In all these ways, Peace Lutheran Church, your faithful advocacy inspires us.

Members of Albuquerque Synagogues Serve Meals at Homeless Shelters on Christmas Day

By Michelle Radden-Vogler

For the past four years, members of several Jewish synagogues in Albuquerque; Congregation Nahalat Shalom, Temple Albert and B’nai Israel, have been preparing and serving breakfast meals to homeless people in our community on Christmas day and Easter Sunday. Volunteers from many different faith communities in Albuquerque also participate.

This year, Nahalat Shalom hosted the meal at the Good Shepherd Center and Congregation Albert prepared and served breakfast at St. Martin's Hospitality (in much of the same manner as on Christmas Day, 2014)

As members of the Jewish community we are providing this service so that those Christians who regularly work at the Good Shepherd Center have the opportunity to celebrate these important holidays with their families or in ways that are meaningful to them.

We are also participating in the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam, a Hebrew term defined as ‘acts of kindness through human actions that help to repair the world’. Through these actions we seek to transform our broken world so that it reflect the divine values of justice and compassion.

The challenges of hunger, homelessness and poverty are huge issues that must involve all of us- from different faith communities and belief systems—in fact from every aspect of society.

We are grateful to be part of these efforts within our community as well as the many social justice projects affecting our world today.

The photos in this blog post were taken on Christmas day 2015 at Good Shepherd Homeless Center. The center, located in downtown Albuquerque, serves over 300 meals every day of the year to people in need. Brother Gerard Sullivan and all the fine members of the Center provide a variety of programs that assist people in lifting themselves out of homelessness and poverty.

The author is a member of Nahalat Shalom and a participant in the Interfaith Hunger Coalition.

A Story of Thanksgiving to Share This Holiday Season

By Karen Navarro

In November an appeal went out far and wide for help putting together 75-100 Thanksgiving Week food boxes for families who might not have enough food for not only Thanksgiving Day, but the entire week. While the children were out of school, they would not be getting school breakfasts and lunches. This is the story about how a whole lot of individuals, companies and organizations came together to make this happen.

The non-profit organization, Help Equals Hope, was in need of all food stuffs for these boxes, including the most expensive item, turkeys. Co-founders, Laura Burnett, Nancy Hays, Lisa Wilson and Bev Moore, reached out for some major volunteer help.

Two core volunteers, Debbie Trujillo and Debbie Vigil, immediately responded, as did others in the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Community Alliance. Fofo Voltaire offered her large event space, The Event Palace, free for the project, and many sponsors offered their assistance, including the Sandia chapter of Thrivent Financial, Guardian Storage (on Eagle Ranch Rd.), Chick fil-A (at Montgomery/San Mateo), and Smith’s Grocery Store (on Golf Course Rd.).

Other key contributors were the Route 66 Civitans, ABQ Health Partners, Pacific Dental Group, Juliette Applegate, Pegasus Legal Services for Children, Nathan Waites and W.I.N. (What’s Important Now), General Mills, Outcomes, Inc., Sweetheart Day Care (owner, Joan Davis), Donna Montano, Sol Acting Academy, GN Services, Inc., !explora!, Décor & More! Sports, and staff members from New Futures School.

Jeff Turocotte

35 Turkeys from St. Pius X
As Thanksgiving week approached, the organizers realized they needed 30+ turkeys. Jeff Turcotte at St. Pius X High School heard about this and the next day the boys’ and girls’ cross-country track teams he coaches rallied the money in three hours to purchase 35 turkeys, with help from members of the girls’ soccer team! When thanked, Jeff responded, "Glad our team could help your great team! Happy Thanksgiving!"

So in the end, what were the results of this community wide effort?

95 Thanksgiving food boxes with turkeys, stuffing, sweet potatoes, potatoes, canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, bread/rolls, chile, olives, rice, cereal, beans, gravy mix, desserts and drink mix.

At the direction of Help Equals Hope, a vast network of individuals, organizations and sponsors had all pitched in to feed 95 grateful families in need identified by social workers and other staff at schools, medical facilities and social service agencies, including:

• grandparents raising grandchildren (some with GAPP—Grandparents as Parents Program), 
• the families of clients at UNMH health clinics, 
• UNMH Psychiatric Center, 
• YDI (including Casa Hermosa and Centro de Amor), 
• UNM Forensics Case Management, 
• MCH Family Outreach, 
• Petroglyph Elementary, 
• Headstart,
• ten families in To’hajiilee.

Testimonials of gratitude poured in:

“The clients we delivered food boxes to were crying and so appreciative!”

Debbie Trujillo, Debbie Vigil, Laura Burnett, Nancy Hays

Food boxes “went to individuals and families who have next to nothing. Some of those people have had their food stamp money cut in recent months from $150 to $20.”

“One grandparent family has four grandchildren and was thrilled. She said she didn’t know how she was going to do Thanksgiving and then I called. Perfect timing!”

Another Help Equals Hope project
Help Equals Hope collects school supplies and backpacks year-round for children in New Mexico whose parents can’t afford to purchase them. Their major school supply drive is in August, but they gather monetary and in-kind donations year-round. Children are referred by school principals, teachers, counselors, social workers, police and sheriff department officers, court personnel, including probation and parole officers, and other professionals working with children throughout New Mexico. If you can help, please email Laura Burnett (laura@helpequalshope.org) or call her at (505) 715-0091. (Check out the Help Equals Hope Facebook Page)

Climate Agreement: 'A Sacred Bread Moment'

"This is a historic moment. For the first time in human history, 196 have nations agreed that we are in a climate crisis and we can no longer delay action. The strong presence of civil society and the moral voice of faith traditions have been essential in pushing the negotiations forward. -Rev. Sally Bingham

By all accounts, the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21) on Nov. 30-Dec. 11, was a resounding success. Representatives of 195 countries adopted an unprecedented global agreement on Dec. 12 to fight global climate change.



"The Paris agreement is adopted for the climate," said the president of COP21, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, prompting a long round of applause throughout the room.  (Video footage from BFM-TV in France).

"From a justice perspective, the agreement's recognition of the risk of "loss and damage" for climate vulnerable nations, and the need to address and minimize displacement related to the impacts of climate change, is an important step forward underscoring the need for developed nations like the United States to support those least responsible for causing this crisis," said Rev. Sally Bingham, founder and president of the national environmental organization Interfaith Power and Light.

The agreement--which is compatible with Goal 13 of the Global Goals for Sustainable Development--is only a beginning, "The Paris COP is a moral call for a safe climate for our children and grandchildren and a critical step forward," said Rev. Bingham. "There is much work to do to reach this goal, and U.S. faith communities will continue to advocate for stronger action from our government and financing for the most vulnerable."

Joan Brown, a Franciscan sister who is director of New Mexico Interfaith Power & Light, was present at the talks.  Here are some excerpts of the experiences she related through her blog,

"I feel very humbled to be in the COP 21 at this historic moment when the world came together for the first ever climate change agreement. Some important pieces include a 2 degree target that aspires to 1.5 or below, mechanisms and near term process dates and accountability to ramp up efforts, for the first time a section that addressed loss and damage, it sets the course toward the end of fossil fuel dependence and the way to a clean energy future, and it is a document that the world can stand behind—-though it is not perfect nor as strong as desired.

I have been trying to think of a symbol that might describe this amazing and moving moment and yet also carry the concerns for the vulnerable communities.

Bread is a symbol of this process. Bread has fed thousands each day here at the COP as they worked. Bread feeds billions on the planet each day whether it is flat bread, tortillas, chapatas, french bread, pita or other types of bread. Bread is sacred and shared in rituals. Bread is sacred and shared around family and community tables. Even when their is not total accord in the family, bread is shared together in tears and laughter. Bread requires work and good ingredients. As a baker, sometimes my bread is amazing and sometimes is almost a failure—but we eat it, because we cannot waste bread. 

The COP21 agreement is a sacred bread moment shared around the holy table of the Earth. The bread is not perfectly risen, it misses some ingredients and lacks some salt. While there may not be total accord around the table we sit and share and nourish one another to continue the hard and vital work ahead. We open our hearts and ears to the stories of climate crisis of the vulnerable and their needs and we seek, through our work, to share the bread of our lives through prayer infused action."
Here is Sister Joan's Full Post

Stay Tuned for updates and specific details from the COP21 Summit