Dear St. Paul’s Family,
"But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling like dew, upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think."
~George Gordon Byron
Falling like dew, upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think."
~George Gordon Byron
The memorial sits on four acres on the northwest corner of the Tidal Basin, on a perfect line between memorials to Abraham Lincoln – the “Great Emancipator,” and Thomas Jefferson – the “Apostle of Democracy.” From these three great figures we get three of the most significant pronouncements on human dignity in American history: The Declaration of Independence, The Gettysburg Address, and the “I Have a Dream” speech.
We remember that our history, our collective conscience, and the hope of our future is grounded and shaped by the power of words.
Yes, words mean little if not complemented by conviction and implemented with action. But, as Lord Byron wrote in the quote above, words can make “thousands, perhaps millions, think.” Words can unlock our imagination, unleash our creative potential, and empower us to see a future that is better than our past. Speeches can stir our hearts, essays can evoke hope, and documents can determine our identity as a people. After all, one of the Latin words for word is dictum, whose root word dico originally meant “to consecrate.” To participate in the power of words is to dedicate a part of ourselves for holy work, to partake in divine efforts for truth, dignity, and justice throughout the world.
JOSE RIZAL
I was eminently reminded of the power of words over the summer, during our trip to the Philippines. This year is the 150th anniversary of the birth of Jose Rizal, the 19th century poet, novelist, and champion for Filipino pride and liberty. Like Dr. King, his society was marked by injustice and oppression, stemming from three centuries of Spanish occupation in the Philippines. Perceiving the Filipino people to be savagely primitive and illiterate, Spain ruled the Philippines with a heavy hand, affording them little opportunity for cultural expression and civic pride.
But Rizal was an iconoclast. Far more than merely literate, he was a polyglot: able to speak and write in twenty-two languages. His extensive university education earned him degrees in Madrid, Paris, and Heidelberg, Germany. From his studies, he wrote books and essays which promoted education for all Filipinos and the development of a national identity, all through non-violent resistance. His significant works became the basis for peaceful reform, resulting in the Philippines Revolution of 1896-1898 and the secession of the Philippines from Spanish occupation.
King and Rizal shared more in common than their mutual belief in the power of words and non-violence. They shared similar fates, as their growing influence and threat to the oppressive establishment resulted in their own untimely deaths. Rizal was exiled, imprisoned, and ultimately sentenced to execution in 1896 for acts of rebellion, sedition, and conspiracy. Just days before his death, Rizal penned a poem called “My Last Farewell” that spoke of his pride as a Filipino, and his undying hope for a land filled with freedom, justice, and liberty for all people:
If over my grave some day thou seest grow,
In the grassy sod, a humble flower,
Draw it to thy lips and kiss my soul so,
While I may feel on my brow in the cold tomb below
The touch of thy tenderness, thy breath's warm power.
Let the moon beam over me soft and serene,
Let the dawn shed over me its radiant flashes,
Let the wind with sad lament over me keen;
And if on my cross a bird should be seen,
Let it trill there its hymn of peace to my ashes.
Let the sun draw the vapors up to the sky,
And heavenward in purity bear my tardy protest
Let some kind soul o 'er my untimely fate sigh,
And in the still evening a prayer be lifted on high
From thee, 0 my country, that in God I may rest.
This poem is to Filipinos what Dr. King’s speech is to Americans: a vision of the future, seeded in hope for today, and grounded in the power of words.
CHILDREN’S SABBATH
This Sunday you and I will participate in that same transformative power, as the children lead us in our annual Children’s Sabbath. They will raise our awareness of the plight of children around the world, who lack access to adequate health care, proper nutrition, and safe homes and neighborhoods. But most importantly, they will use that same power of words to evoke hope and call us to action, as embodied by the words of Marian Wright Edelman, President of the Children’s Defense Fund, which sponsors the Children’s Sabbath:
“With faith, commitment, and hard, persistent work, if we stand united for healthy children and for hope and healing for all children neglected and left behind in our world, God will do the rest.”
So, as people of God, let us be a living word of hope and justice for the world. In the spirit of Martin Luther King and Jose Rizal, let us seek the dignity of all people, including our children and the most vulnerable among us. Let us participate in the “holy work” of words, with grit, courage, and non-violence, all in the manner of the Word Made Flesh.
Grace and Peace,
Magrey
The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA 51012
Ph: 712-225-3955
Email: mdevega@sp-umc.org
NEW MEMBER SUNDAY: OCTOBER 30
We have a number of new folks who are interested in joining the church, and we will be welcoming them into membership on October 30. If you or someone you know is interested in joining St. Paul’s, please respond to this e-mail or contact Andrea in the church office.
CHEROKEE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER 5K FUN RUN / WALK
In support of Iowa’s Healthiest State Initiative, the Cherokee Regional Medical Center Physical Medicine and Rehab Department will be sponsoring a 5K Fun Run/ Walk as well as a 1K “Tot Trot /Mutt Strut” on Saturday, October 22. Registration will be at 8:00 a.m., and the events will begin at 9 a.m. They will start and finish on the CRMC campus. All runners, walkers, pets on leashes and strollers are welcome.
The cost is $15 if you pre-register by noon on October 10th, and pre-registrants will receive a T-shirt. Registration fees after October 10th will be $20.00. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Hawarden, IA site of the Personal Energy Transportation (PET) project, a program designed to provide appropriate mobility for God’s children in need.
Visit www.giftofmobility.org for more information about the PET project. You may pre-register by contacting the CRMC Physical Medicine and Rehab Department at 712.225.1502 or you may download a brochure and registration form at www.cherokeermc.org .
CHARGE CONFERENCE OCTOBER 27
Join us at 6:00pm on Thursday, October 27, for our annual charge conference. We will celebrate our ministries from the past year, approve the 2012 budget, and adopt ministry goals for the upcoming year. Every member of the church is a voting member of the charge conference.
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