An Unarmed Peace

I missed you all this weekend. I was so happy to see the wonderful support of the community for the rally in Ala Moana Park. Knowing the capable, inspiring, and loving hands that would be leading all of you this weekend helped to be fully present for the experience that awaited our movement of people in response to the call for justice rising up from the youth of our nation.

Though much of the rally was shown on television, I hope to offer to you here a different vision–the view of the event from the perspective of our UU friends and colleagues.

I should mention that this was the very first time I would be wearing my collar, so there was some nervousness about that. I was called “Father” a few times, and one wonderful person at Panera Bread really wanted my friends and I to get free cookies.

And before I could even begin to attend some of the pre-rally events, the signs, literally, that something important was taking place were already apparent.

But the first thing I did when I arrived was to visit All Souls Unitarian, one of our most lively, vibrant churches in our entire UU movement. The congregation was holding a “Sing For Your Lives” event complete with amazing and moving performances by their amazing choir. And in the morning, before the rally, I returned to All Souls for their sign making event. I wished them all a great “Aloha” and thanked them from their ohana across the ocean who were with them in spirit.

It was from this point that we departed to the actual event in the streets. A UU church from Florida chartered a bus to be with us all at the rally, so we began to move in waves toward the UU rallying point. And move we did…

 

 

There were so many people all streaming into the location where we were to meet, but all the UU churches had coordinated where exactly to meet, which meant that I was able to run into Wayne Arneson and Kathleen Rolenz, along with their congregations. They send their best. And legions of other UUs were on hand as well.

 

In the end we all found a place to be and the sight of 800,000 people in peaceful droves listening intently to the voice of a new, dawning generation was incredible.

 

 

 

 

So much of the day was powerful. So much of the day was moving. But so much of everything that everyone was feeling burst forth not from the chanting or the cheering. But from the moment when we all witnessed in silence a child tearing.

In peaceful, silent resistance to a violence that grips the hearts of too many and grips the bodies of more and more everyday, we watched hands rise to the air, not in fear or trembling but rather pledging allegiance to unarmed and openhanded peace.

The weekend was one of wonder, amazement, sadness, and joy. Though we can’t know what more might come to our human family to hold and witness, ever more am I strengthened by the knowledge that the hands of our human family are being taken, being held, being warmed by the spirits of the young people who are showing us the way.

Blessings to all of you,

Rev. T. J.
minister@unitariansofhi.org