Body and Soul

At Spirit of Truth, we talk and pray about human issues. We speak of people being denied their rights as humans-- as children of God-- to food, education, medical care, housing, jobs. These are, at their most basic, about keeping our bodies alive and healthy.

But we humans also have souls. And, in the experience we had this past Sunday (Love Your Neighbor: Faith Values for a Just Economy Campaign), we wrestled with these issues with our souls. We talked, we used our brains, of course, but we came together because our souls know God and God’s desires for human rights and dignity. We recognize God’s role in our work for justice.

So, in an effort to help people keep body and soul together, we must use our bodies and our souls to work for justice.

Food for Thought--and Action

Though we did not speak specifically about it, food was a theme of our Palm Sunday gathering and action.

First we brought a plethora of food to share. It is not surprising that eating together is mentioned so often in Scriptures, for the experience creates a bond amongst people, like singing and praying together. We did all three.

From the table we moved to the street. Food was again a bond between us, but this time it was to call for fair working conditions for those who clean our grocery stores. No matter who we are, what our work is, and where we live, we are all grocery shoppers. We stood on a corner of Snelling Avenue, in sight of a Cub grocery store, to let others know that we want those who work in the stores to be treated with the same dignity as customers.

The wind buffeted us while the sun blessed us. Some of the faces in our circle were familiar, some new to me. We ranged in ages from four months to ninety years. I feel I can say that we all believe that no matter who we are, what our work is, and where we live, all people are children of God and deserve dignity. As we prayed and sang, an eagle soared above us, circling a few times.

We took turns holding up palms and colorful signs for passers-by to read. These explained that CTUL workers are asking to meet with Cub managers, that we are customers who care about the cleaners, that the best value comes when people are valued. Many people in cars passed us. Some drivers stopped to receive information. Others stared straight ahead as if they had not noticed the group of people standing ten feet away from them. A fair number honked their horns in encouragement. In any case, our presence resulted in a lot more people becoming aware of this issue.

With the sun still shining, and the wind still pushing and tugging at the signs clutched in our hands, we headed back to our cars, knowing we had done what was right.

Palm Sunday: What Jesus and a Donkey Have to Teach Us

Our Palm Sunday gathering is approaching so I read the scripture of Christ's entry into Jerusalem in Mark 11:1-11 and Matthew 21:1-11. I also read a few commentaries and one gave me a new perspective on this old story.

The word "triumphal" is often used to describe this event in Jesus' life. This sounds amazing, even dazzling, doesn't it? But when you look at the elements that made up this scene, the word "humble" is the only way to describe it.

Jesus enters, riding a donkey. Not a magnificent horse, which can prance, fling its mane and offer its rider a lofty perch from which to look down upon people. No, this was a donkey. Actually, it was a donkey's colt--not even a grown-up donkey! And a borrowed one at that.

Donkeys have admirable traits but flamboyant isn't one of them. They are smaller than horses and not as fast. They are ridiculed, and aspects of donkeys are used to ridicule people in many ways.

They are the animals that, to this day, carry the burdens of the poor. Even Scripture describes this animal as "a beast of burden."

And as to the young donkey in Jerusalem, there was no leather saddle for Jesus to ride on, no ribbons or bells for decoration. Jesus' disciples took off their cloaks and placed them on the animal's back, a makeshift kind of seat that may have been threadbare, dusty or even smelling like fish.

The people who came to accompany him laid their cloaks on the road for his passage. Others cut branches from trees to strew on his path. They wanted to honor him, but the shirts off their backs and the nearby nature were all they had to offer.

Yes, it was a triumphal moment because it was a a proclamation that the crowds of people believed him to be a prophet who had come to them from the Lord. But it was not majestic, not a procession of a king of wealth. There were no musicians, banners, no sedan chair held high.

Even at one of his greatest moments of glory, Jesus made it clear that he was a king for the lowly and humble in a society. His example teaches that for those with resources, the riches are not the treasure.

Some questions to ponder this week: What is your burden to carry? What is your treasure?

Vigil for our Families (SEIU Sponsored)

What could possibly force a child to support their able bodied parent? Over 1,950 immigrant families in the Twin Cities have had their primary bread-winner fired in the last 18 months as a result of actions by ICE (US immigration and Customs Enforcement). Why? Because they are immigrants and our broken system gives them no way to be here legally. Workers at Chipotle who made your burritos, Janitors who cleaned your offices at night when you were home, these are the victims of our countries’ broken immigration system. Children pulled from schools, houses falling into foreclosure, communities torn apart, these are the results of our country’s broken immigration system.

Time	Sunday, March 20 · 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Location	Incarnation Catholic Church 3817 Pleasant Ave Minneapolis, MN

 For more information visit here Working Partnerships

or here at the facebook event page

Hey Spirit of Truth

The Growth and Action Committee wants to know if you have any ideas for upcoming actions? 

What kinds of "tactics" show our faith in action?

Some examples in planning are prayers and songs, but what else could happen?

Give it some thought...     ask a friend...    do some research...

"What does a faith community do to attract attention, make a stand, fight injustice, show love and faith in humanity?"

Spirit of Truth has a unique opportunity to show the world what people of faith in love and justice do differently when they are up against the odds. We all know of examples of what people who believe in hate can do to get attention, but what can people who believe in love and justice do?

Please add some suggestions in the comments below, or bring them to church, or contact a member of the Growth and Action Committee

*Action Alert for CTUL*

The CTUL campaign for cleaning workers rights has elevated with ongoing daily actions to get Mario his job back.

Many of the planned actions have already happened, you can catch updates here

SoT is hoping to help out with a significant presence at the next two planned events

• Tuesday 3/15 6pm
• Thursday 3/17 10am Workers will make a big announcement about the next steps in the campaign

The Tuesday event will be performance based, so come out to see something great!

Thursday's morning event will be a chance for the CTUL workers to let the companies know they mean business. They need all the support they can get for this event, so if you can take off work, or show up please do.

RSVP at the facebook page

Some of you may be wondering what you can do to keep workers rights from being thrown under the bus. You may not be able to visit Madison, or Ohio or the dozen other places where the law is being changed to hurt working people, but you can stand up right here with the workers who clean your grocery stores!  Stand in solidarity with your community members. Stand in solidarity for those who are made invisible by unfair hiring and firing practices. Stand in solidarity with those who wish for a better world for all.

Facing Injustice

I went to Stillwater to participate in the action with workers who clean Twin Cities Cub Foods stores. It was a beautiful day and not too cold to appreciate it. Stillwater was its lovely self, the gracious old homes overlooking the river which stretches far and wide there.

We had come to work for justice. That is an easy phrase to say, and just as easy to feel good about when saying it. But it became more than words for me as we met two contracted cleaners from CTUL, Mario and Jesus, and prayed together in the parking lot. It did not have the exhilaration of a large demonstration, but we were connecting with each other in a way that cannot happen in bigger actions.

In Cub headquarters, a receptionist called someone to come listen to our speakers. Most of our time there I was unable to hear the conversation so I focused on people’s facial expressions. The Cub Foods’ representative appeared to be listening to both the Spanish and English explanations of why we had come. He also seemed very uncomfortable.

Mario presented requests for meetings regarding working conditions. It would be daunting for me to try and present something important to someone who does not speak my language, which is what Mario had to do. But what I saw was his calm persistence. I could hear and see Brandon, who courteously, and also persistently, presented the simple fact that Cub Foods employees and contracted cleaners are all human beings. It was uplifting to hear those words in this setting. The idea that we are all children of God is not something that gets tossed around a lot in a non-religious setting.

But it was Jesus whose face made the words “work for justice” become very real to me. He is a young man whose job was taken from him by the acts of people with more power than he holds. On his face I read worry, distress, and a little fear. I don’t mean to speak for him, I don’t know how he was feeling, but that is what my heart read. From that moment, I became motivated by the very realness of Jesus’ life struggles and I felt rather than thought about the injustice and pain.

One of the reasons injustices happen is that there are faceless components to them. Who actually decided to cut wages and staff while increasing workloads for the cleaners? Those people remain faceless. When you go shopping for groceries and the floors are clean, the shelves are stocked neatly, etc., you don’t even think about who cleans, who stocks, who orders food, who delivers it, who grew it. They are all faceless.

But when you see faces, it all changes.




*For more information about this event please click on the picture below

*ACTION ALERT*

Dear Friend,

The Spirit of Truth faith community is joining retail cleaning workers that clean Cub Foods and other big-box stores in the Twin Cities in an action taking place on Monday, February 28th. A delegation of workers and community allies will travel to Cub Foods corporate head quarters in Stillwater where the workers will present their concerns around wages, benefits, and working conditions to Cubs' CEO and ask that they be addressed. There are more details about the workers' campaign here: www.ctul.net

Can I count on you to join us?

Monday, February 28th

11:15 am

Old Courthouse (across the street from Cub HQ)

101 Pine St, Stillwater

There will also be two options for carpooling to the action:

10:00 am

Bethany Lutheran Church

2511 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis

10:30 am

St. Matthews Lutheran Church

701 N Lexington Ave, St. Paul

We can also arrange for a ride if that would work best for you.

Please let me know as soon as possible if you can make it or not and whether you will be carpooling and/or need a ride. We would love to have you join us!

Sincerely,

Brandon Nessen

www.spiritoftruthtwincities.org
www.ctul.net