What does it mean to be a Community of Prophecy? For me, today, in this “post-truth” world it means, taking responsibility to find the truth, striving to always speak the truth and committing to speak truth to power, even when it’s scary. Meryl Streep did this recently and I call her a modern day prophet for it. When she stood up and took her moment of fame and used it to speak truth to power I was impressed. I look to these brave people to be my role models. As a woman of a certain age, perhaps it is my turn to become a role model for the next generations?

Last month we heard from Rev. Michael Dowd who is another of my role models/modern day prophets. He uses the term God and Reality synonymously. Yes! I refuse to succumb to “post-truth.”

We must, all of us, learn to recognize the difference between Reality and this pack of lies called “post-truth.”  If we love democracy, we must become active participants or risk losing it. Let us all work together to be truth seekers. Let us ground our reality with facts and science and logic. We don’t need to get rid of the great mystery and wonder of life, the sacred, mystical moments and the unexplained interconnections of beauty with all creation for that is our divine nature… AND we have an obligation to ourselves and our children to call it like we see it.

So for me, this month, II’m taking my prophecy passion to the streets to march…

Womxn’s March on Seattle on Saturday, January 21, 2017

The Womxn’s March on Seattle is a sister march to the Women’s March in Washington DC, also held on Saturday, January 21st. The march is to provide positive support for women, immigrants, religious liberty, the Affordable Care Act, the environment, and the inherent worth of all.

We have chartered a bus to transport 36 Tahoma UU members and friends to travel to and from the Womxn’s March. The total cost of $35 per person can be paid by cash or check (made payable to Tahoma UU) this Sunday, January 15th, and scholarships are available. We posted a note on Facebook about this plan earlier this week, and about half of the seats on the bus are already reserved. If you are interested in reserving a seat on the bus, please email Dir.ARE@TahomaUU.com ASAP and confirm your seat with Susie. After Sunday, we will offer any remaining seats to others in our wider Tacoma community, so be sure to register ASAP.

We’ll meet at the church at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 21st to load the bus, travel to Seattle where we’ll be dropped off around 10:00 a.m. near the march starting location. There’s a program scheduled for 10:30 a.m., and the march is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. You can see the starting and ending locations of the march here. Use this same link for updates to the march route as details are available. We will be picked up by our bus around 4:00 p.m. near the end of the march, and then should arrive back at the church between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m. The Seattle march will be the largest of the marches scheduled in Washington state, and other WA host cities include Spokane, Olympia, Bellingham, Friday Harbor, Whidbey Island, Yakima, and Chelan.

Everyone, regardless of your gender, is invited and welcome to participate in the march. “Seattle has adopted the name “Womxn’s March on Seattle” to promote intersectionality in our movement. Intersectionality acknowledges that different forms of discrimination intersect, overlap, and reinforce each other, and takes into account the impact of discrimination based not only on gender but also race, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, faith, class, disability, and other backgrounds.”

“The Womxn’s March on Seattle will be a silent march, modeled after the successful silent Civil Rights marches that have paved the way for this movement. Marchers will rely on large numbers and powerful signage to speak more loudly than any individuals ever could.” In other words, while talking is not prohibited, you won’t need to bring your drums, bells, or noisemakers.

The mission of the Women’s March on Washington DC states in part:

“We stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families – recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country.”

This mission is consistent five of our UUA Principles:

• 1st Principle: The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
• 2nd Principle: Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
• 5th Principle: The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process…in society at large;
• 6th Principle: The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
• 7th Principle: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Participating in this march is a social justice action, and we’re glad to offer this opportunity for members of our community to share in this experience. On the morning of the march, we will also have 11″ x 17″ “Standing on the Side of Love” signs on cardstock for participants to carry. You are also free to create your own sign to carry. We know it may be cold on the march day, and you’ll probably be wearing a coat covering your Standing on the Side of Love shirts, so we’ll have some Standing on the Side of Love buttons available (probably this Sunday, January 15th) for $1 each, if you want one and missed purchasing one before. Some of you may have heard about the PussyHat Project connected with the Washington DC march, and you may want to create your own PussyHat to wear. And here’s a link with some common-sense advice about preparing for a march written by someone the march in Washington DC — different Washington on a different coast, but there are several practical planning items in the post.

If you have questions, ask me, Susie Maharry. If you’re making other transportation arrangements to participate in the march, and would like one of our Standing on the Side of Love signs to carry, see Church Administrator, Libby Ball, this Sunday.

Join me as we march as a Community of Prophecy, living our faith in solidarity with our marching neighbor companions.

Namaste,

Susie